School of Medicine – MEDWell Checks

MedWell Checks are an outreach program co-sponsored by the School of Medicine (SOM) and Mental Health Services (MHS) that provides every first-year medical student with the opportunity to meet with an MHS clinician for a brief conversation about mental health.

Medical school is an exciting but challenging endeavor. Medical students have reported experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout, substance use, and suicidal thoughts[1]. This is in part related to the inherently stressful nature of this learning environment; evidence also suggests that some students experience barriers, such as stigma or time limitations, while seeking mental health support.[2] SOM and MHS are committed to taking a proactive approach in connecting students to opportunities for care and fostering an inclusive, understanding environment.

MedWell Checks are voluntary 15-minute individual meetings with a clinician; both in-person and virtual options are available. Each clinician will have screening questions and resource recommendations ready, but students may use the time in whatever way is most helpful to them. The Checks are facilitated by Mental Health Services (MHS) team members.  

Like all services provided by MHS, MedWell Checks are private and confidential. It is important to us to specify that all MHS records are kept separate from SOM records – MHS even uses a completely different electronic medical record system. SOM will not receive any reporting on individual usage, so no information about who participates or opts out, or any information disclosed during the check-ins, will be communicated to SOM advisors, faculty, or staff.  

One final point, these interactions are not considered mental health psychotherapy, assessments, or treatment and have no effect on any pursuit of licensure, credentialing, etc. However, should you and the provider agree that a direct referral to enter mental health treatment is desired and appropriate, you have the option to convert this outreach meeting into an encounter that establishes you as a client/patient. 

First-year School of Medicine students can schedule their MedWell Check by logging into the MyHealth portal.

[1] Rotenstein LS, Ramos MA, Torre M, et al. Prevalence of Depression, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA. 2016;316(21):2214–2236. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.17324

[2] Hankir AK, Northall A, Zaman R. Stigma and mental health challenges in medical students. BMJ Case Rep. 2014 Sep 2;2014:bcr2014205226. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2014-205226. PMID: 25183806; PMCID: PMC4158203.