4 minute read
A New Integrated Mental Health Program Helps Students Cope
BY LINA ZELDOVICH
In 2022, NJMS student John Smith found himself struggling with the high demands of medical school. “I always thought that if I study hard and learn as much as I can, this will be reflected in my grades,” he says—but now it wasn’t working. Despite dedicated studying, Smith’s grades weren’t where he wanted them to be. “I wanted to know whether I was doing it wrong, or looking at the situation in the wrong way,” he says. “I really needed to talk to someone.”
Then, Smith (name has been changed to protect their privacy) remembered a presentation given by representatives from the NJMS Student Health Service (SHS) office during his medical school orientation. SHS, part of the Department of Family Medicine, provides a broad range of services to support students’ physical and mental health. The SHS team talked about a new program that provided mental health counseling. He made an appointment.
That pilot program, which integrates mental health services into the SHS office, was launched by Noa’a Shimoni, MD’04, MPH, to help students with the challenges of medical and graduate schools. The program’s goal is to offer students comprehensive health care in one place.
“We have two therapists located within our SHS office, as well as a collaborating psychiatrist,” explains Pooja Padgaonkar, MD, SHS medical director. Coming to SHS offers extra benefits, she notes. For example, if during a visit, an SHS physician notices a student might benefit from meeting with a mental health provider, they can make this connection. And because these services are under the same logistical umbrella, getting an appointment is streamlined. “One big benefit is the ease with which you can get scheduled, because appointments are made by the same staff,” Padgaonkar adds. This allows timely evaluation and intervention in a familiar space. Ultimately, this model allows for collaborative care between the various providers.
Many students come for help with organizational issues, time management, and handling stress—the common school challenges, says Shoshana Sperling, PsyD, one of the therapists. Also, in addition to the one-on-one visits, the staff offers group wellness sessions, bringing students together to talk about how they cope. “Often people come to us because it’s really hard to prioritize their time and manage the stress,” says Sperling. “Hearing how other people cope with similar issues can be beneficial. We wanted to give them a platform to talk to others and see that they’re not alone.”
Since August 2022, the program has counted 1,631 visits, reaching 221 students (not including the group sessions), and more are coming. “Often, a student would come in and say, ‘My roommate suggested that I schedule an appointment,’ so a lot of our referrals are word of mouth,” says Sperling—a good indicator that the pilot program is working well. “I would love the opportunity to expand the program to other schools and maybe even help students prepare for residency,” she adds.
For Smith, counseling proved a gamechanger as it helped him find workable solutions. The conversations reinforced his belief that he was on the right path even if his grades weren’t currently as high as he hoped. “It was enlightening because it verified that the things I was doing were for the reasons I wanted to do them,” he says. “I want to learn because I want to get better and gain the skills and knowledge that I need to be a good physician.” And with that came the strength to keep going. “I would absolutely recommend this to others,” he adds. ●
