Mental Health: Breaking the Stigma and Increasing Resources
Spartanburg, South Carolina- Established by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in July 2017, the purpose of the Mental Health Awareness Task Force (MHATF) on each VCOM campus is to raise awareness and decrease the stigma associated with mental health issues of medical trainees.
MHATF aims to improve mental health resources on campus by educating students regarding the importance of self-care. Each MHATF maintains relationships nationally with other MHATFs at osteopathic medical schools to exchange ideas to help combat the epidemic of medical student and physician burnout and suicide.
MHATF hosts events related to boosting student morale, alleviating stress and educating about mental health issues in medicine.
Goals:
- Improve student morale and relieve stress
- Educate students about symptoms of common mental health issues
- Improve the relationship between
- VCOM’s students and administration
- Consolidate concerns and input from each VCOM class
- Normalize conversations regarding mental health and self-care
- Create a conduit of fluid communication between students and administration
To learn more about the state of mental health in medical education, check out the latest issue of the VCOM View.