I'm stressed

It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of material thrown at you in medical school, especially when other things are going on in your life outside of university.

Chances are, there are many people feeling the same as you. If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, especially in the lead up to examinations, reach out to whoever you feel most comfortable with in the first instance

     Speak to your peers

    Speak to your peers. Chances are they are going through the same thing and it's possible they can provide a new perspective. Most importantly, speak to someone that you trust. 

     Speak to your year coordinator

    The most experienced support personnel available at the ANU School of Medicine and Psychology are your year coordinators. We recommend this as an important first step to take. They can help you:

    • Develop new study plans, and give study advice that's worked for other students. 
    • Obtain special consideration for assessments.
    • Arrange time off where it's needed.
    • Reassure you that everything is okay. 
    • Help you find a solution to problems outside of studies.
    • Discuss matters on your behalf with the Medical Education Unit (MEU) and respective Phase 1/2 Associate Deans who may offer further academic support tailored to your individual needs

     Speak to ANU Dean of Students

    ANU Dean of Students who can offer impartial, confidential advice. Make an appointment either by phone, email or in person: dean.students@anu.edu.au, Phone: +61 2 6125 4184

    Appointments are usually available between 10am-12noon and 1.30-3.30pm Monday to Friday.

    More information about the ANU Dean of Students can be found here.

     Talk to your GP

    Make an appointment with your GP. If you don't have one, a list of GP's that are willing to bulk-bill ANU medical students can be found here.

     Make an appointment with a counsellor

    Contact ANU counselling 

    Free and confidential counselling is available on campus for all currently enrolled ANU students. Appointments are available for booking every day. There are also group programs for common issues, public seminars, and a peer support walking program.

    ANU Online Mental Health Resources:

    The ANU also has a range of online resources with information about topics such as exam anxiety, relationships and homesickness amongst others, which can be found here.

     Urgent support

    If in need of urgent support, a wide range of community support services are available nationally throughout Australia and locally in the ACT. 

    For urgent support outside of business hours (9am - 5pm), the ANU has a new crisis line service for both voice calls and texts. 

    The crisis line is there to help you find immediate relief from emotional distress, and crisis line counsellors can help you to safely manage the situation you're in and help with any next steps from there.

    ANU Crisis Support Line

    5pm-9am weekdays, 24/7 weekends and public holidays

    Phone (voice calls only): 1300 050 327

    SMS Text message service:  0488 884 170

    The ANU Crisis Support Line is managed by the Division of Student Life and is a SSAF funded project

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