j med educ family med Journal of Medical Education and Family Medicine 3023-7793 Ataturk University 10.62425/jmefm.1796162 Medical Education Tıp Eğitimi Perceived Stress among First- and Sixth-Year Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Sociodemographic Correlations https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8413-3694 Çimenli Yusuf GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3894-3209 Aydemir Cevdet GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3956-6947 Cengiz Ceren GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4645-1905 Kartal Mehmet GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6153-3507 Encu Murat GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0639-8367 Arslantaş Gökçe GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2907-4203 Madi Sohaib GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6534-1811 Boşnak Şeyma GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8268-0794 Asadi Saba GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1232-5016 Kılıç Enes Bahadır GAZİANTEP ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ FAKÜLTESİ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8516-6477 Büyükdereli Atadağ Yıldız GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 04 30 2026 3 1 23 30 10 03 2025 04 21 2026 Copyright © 2024, Journal of Medical Education and Family Medicine 2024 Journal of Medical Education and Family Medicine

Objective: Medical education is a demanding and high-pressure process that can negatively affect students’ mental health. Stress is common among medical students, but its severity and determinants may vary across training phases. This study compared perceived stress between first- and sixth-year medical students and examined sociodemographic factors linked to higher levels of stress. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2025 at the Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Türkiye. A total of 227 students (143 in the first year and 84 in the sixth year) voluntarily completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Turkish version of the Perceived Medical School Stress Scale (PMSS-TR). The data were analyzed using independent t tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Results: Compared with first-year students, sixth-year students reported significantly higher stress levels (45.23±9.14 vs. 40.96±7.73, P<.001). Female sex, alcohol consumption, insufficient financial support, and prior academic failure were associated with increased stress. Smoking was weakly associated, whereas social activity participation was not significant. Age (r=.204, P=.002) and years of high school education (r= –.255, P<.001) were weakly correlated with stress. Conclusions: Perceived stress appears to increase substantially in the later stages of medical education and is shaped by sociodemographic and behavioral factors. These findings highlight the potential value of targeted support strategies, including mentorship, financial support, and regular stress monitoring.

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