Suicidal ideation is a serious mental health concern among medical students, often associated with the academic pressures and psychological challenges of medical education. The present study aimed to compare the prevalence and severity of suicidal ideation between students in the basic sciences and those in clinical training. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 among 204 medical students. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI). Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS version 22, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The mean age of participants was 22.7 ± 3.6 years; 57.8% were male and 75% were single. Clinical students reported significantly higher suicidal ideation scores (7.32 ± 4.10) compared with basic science students (4.39 ± 3.20) (p < 0.05). Female students and married clinical students demonstrated particularly elevated levels of suicidal ideation. Medical students in clinical training exhibited a significantly greater burden of suicidal ideation than those in the basic sciences. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health support, particularly during the transition to clinical education.
Zivarifar et al. (Mon,) studied this question.