Case Report: The Gold Standard: The Case for Inclusion of a Medical Student-Specific Counseling Center and Wellness Programming in Early Medical Education.

Medical student's mental health and wellness is a multifactorial discussion that requires a multidimensional and comprehensive approach. The high prevalence of burnout and its recent recognition by the World Health Organization as a work-related syndrome has scholars questioning if experiences in early medical education have an impact. The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University in 2009 created an in-house counseling and wellness center. In assessing programming and services, approximately 55% of the medical student body has sought out individualized services from the Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center. Moreover, the Association of American Medical Colleges Graduate Questionnaire results regarding the satisfaction of students in personal counseling, mental health services, and wellness programming have been 20% or higher than the national average. This is a call to action highly encouraging other medical schools to emulate and consider implementing a detailed and comprehensive program to be offered early in medical education.