The University of Malta study revealed “shocking” facts. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiThe University of Malta study revealed “shocking” facts. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Eight per cent of medical and pharmacy students indicated they wanted to commit suicide because of stress and 22 per cent wanted to quit the course, according to a university study.

All of the respondents said they made use of alcohol while just over half smoked and 17 per cent said they used soft drugs. Another 30 per cent refused to answer.

Eight per cent of students who took part admitted to “almost always” feeling down and anxious while three per cent said they always felt that way. Another 75 per cent replied “sometimes”.

A third said they turned to their friends for support while half said they turned to their family.

The study was carried out by University of Malta lecturers Renald Blundell, a leading biochemist, and Katya DeGiovanni, an occupational psychologist, as part of research for a certificate in pedagogy for lecturers.

The questionnaire was sent to 113 medical and 138 pharmacy students and had a response rate of around 24 and 20 per cent respectively.

The majority of respondents, 78 per cent, were aged between 18 and 20 years of age and 65 per cent were women.

Dr Blundell said the “most shocking” result was that at least eight per cent of students needed serious help as they indicated they wanted to end their lives.

The students’ feelings about exams were “really very negative” as at least a quarter said they wanted to quit.

Eighty-seven per cent of the students considered university to be a fair place while 13 per cent felt it was not.

Only 18 per cent said they bought food from the canteen – the rest did not do so “because it’s not affordable” or overpriced and 82 per clearly indicated they preferred to get food from home.

Parking was a major issue, with respondents pointing out that the problem could have been managed through better planning.

The students “are irate that lecturers do not show up for 8am lectures as it is hard to arrive at university and to find parking”, Dr Blundell said.

It was also “quite worrying” that 82 per cent of students preferred working alone to group work as they would be required to work in a team once they found a job.

“There are other skills which need to be learnt other than academic content and this research might be throwing light on the fact that we might be producing graduates who are not able to interact with other people,” he said.

We have cultivated a system that focuses on punishment rather than positive reinforcement

Getting an education should be an enjoyable opportunity but these results “seem to be a far cry off”.

“We have cultivated a system that focuses on punishment rather than positive reinforcement, with an examination-summative type of assessment heavily penalising and labelling those who do not make the grade,” he said.

The high rate of alcohol consumption and drugs also reflected the state university students found themselves in and these, together with the idea of suicide, should be taken up very seriously.

More investment was needed towards outreach and support programmes at university and even widened to post-secondary institutions to take stock of the issues and tackle them, Dr Blundell said.

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