Psychiatry Residents Organise Webinars on Psycho-Emotional Health for Medical Students

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year. The topic for World Mental Health Day 2020 is Mental Health for All. Greater Investment – Greater Access. In this context residents of the Young Psychiatrist section of the Latvian Psychiatric Association in cooperation with Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) and RSU Department of Psychiatry and Narcology for the third year in a row offer the students of Faculty of Medicine an opportunity to participate in the seminars of World Mental Health Day.

The aim of the seminars is to share knowledge, raise awareness about mental health, help to acquire stress reduction techniques, deal with prolonged stress and provide information about support and help. If we fail to act in time, increased level of stress can lead to mental and physical disorders which can have lasting consequences.

Medical studies can be an exciting and interesting process, however, each and every one of us knows the feeling when it seems that you cannot handle it anymore, studies are becoming more and more complex - there is a lot to learn, constant knowledge tests, scientific activities, working and studying at the same time, and meanwhile you have to find time for private and social life. This results in increased psycho-emotional stress. Therefore, medical professionals are more likely to develop depression, burnout and anxiety. Without an adequate psycho-emotional support medical studies might lead to poor sleep, anxiety, sexual disorders, desire to use addictive substances to relax and even suicidal thoughts.

We all want to be happy and fulfil our dream of becoming excellent doctors. To do so you have to take care of your mental and emotional health in advance.

We are open-minded, knowledgeable and active psychiatry residents. You are a medical student. We are peers with shared experiences, feelings and insight into the real situation in medical studies. As psychiatry residents we will offer medical students an opportunity to learn how to improve one’s psycho-emotional well-being, acquire strategies to overcome stress, effective learning strategies and a way to structure one’s resources for studies and leisure, as well as provide information on how to receive support.

Book the date and specify your email address so we can send you a Zoom hyperlink and a reminder.

Additional information

• Ieva Everte, ieva[pnkts]evertersu[pnkts]lv
• Vineta Vinogradova, vineta[pnkts]vinogradovarsu[pnkts]lv

Webinar speakers

Dr Liene Sīle, certified psychiatrist, initiator of the idea of the Mental Health Day Seminars for Medical Students, founder of the seminars in 2018
The work of a doctor is constantly challenging. We help, fight for a patient, we selflessly treat, but we are not always able to help. Yet, a doctor is only a human and his resources are not everlasting. Moments of satisfaction go hand in hand with painful feelings of loss. If we want to be happy in our career and personal life, we must find a balance and take good care of our psycho-emotional health. Burn, but don’t burnout!

Dr Ieva Everte, psychiatry resident, coordinator of Mental Health Day Seminars for Medical Students 2020
I believe that one of the most important topics to discuss during medical studies is our own health and ways how to maintain it. Despite the busy schedule, we have to learn to take care firstly of ourselves and our own health (both physical and mental), because only then will we be able to learn successfully and help our patients. We have all heard the saying that you cannot pour anything from an empty cup, and, in my opinion, this applies directly to healthcare employees. That is the reason why I take active participation in the seminars for the third year in a row. I want to share my knowledge and encourage medical students to take care of their mental and emotional well-being.

Dr Vineta Vinogradova, psychiatry resident, coordinator of Mental Health Day Seminars for Medical Students 2020
Besides residency I study at RSU Department of Doctoral Studies. The topic of my doctoral thesis is Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders and Suicidal Behaviour in the Adult Population of Latvia. The first data of the study is not pleasing and shows that many people in Latvia suffer from untreated or mistreated mental disorders. Therefore, for the second year in a row, I help to organise educational seminars, as I believe that it is of utmost importance to teach people, including, future doctors, how to recognise symptoms of mental disorders in themselves and others and seek help if needed.

Dr Baiba Rezgale, Psychiatry resident
The study years might feel like an ultramarathon, and when you finally cross the finish line, you do not have any energy left to cheer – you feel too exhausted. It seems that colleagues are the only ones who understand and can offer support, so I decided to participate.

Dr Liene Konošonoka, Psychiatry resident
I participate because I want to remind medical students that it is important to study medicine, but it is also important to learn to listen to yourself and realise the importance of one’s mental health during this race, also known as medical studies.

Dr Agnese Gaibišele, Psychiatry resident
I participate because I want to remind medical students how important it is to take care of their emotional well-being, how important it is to enjoy life without losing productivity during their studies.

Dr Liene Vītola, paediatric psychiatry resident
I participate in the seminars of Mental Health Day to remind and emphasize that each of us can experience times when we feel bad and that is normal. The main thing is to understand such feelings and know how to act.

Dr Ludmila Boļšakova, paediatric psychiatry resident
I participate because I want to discuss in a friendly atmosphere the potential hardships and risks a medical student might face, as well as encourage to seek help if necessary.

Dr Aleksandrs Orlovskis, psychiatry resident
During studies there might be times when you feel you are losing control over everything. This is way I got involved – I want to share my experience and knowledge on how to find one’s second breath and take care of mental health.

See you on 10 October!