Sources of Psychological Stress and Prospects for Coping Strategies among Professional Master’s Students in Clinical Medicine under the Dual-Track Integrated Training Model

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the sources, distribution characteristics, and demographic differences in psychological stress among professional master’s students in clinical medicine enrolled in the dual-track integrated training model, and to provide a theoretical basis for developing psychological intervention strategies. Methods: A total of 233 professional master’s students in clinical medicine were recruited using convenience sampling. A self-developed, structured psychological stressor questionnaire was administered. After excluding demographic items, the reliability of the 20-item stress scale was examined, and non-parametric tests were used to compare group differences. Results: The overall Cronbach’s α of the scale was 0.918, with dimension-level coefficients ranging from 0.809 to 0.872, indicating good reliability. The total mean stress score of the participants was 3.82 (SD = 0.76), with further education and employment stress (4.01, SD = 0.82) and academic stress (3.95, SD = 0.79) identified as the core stressors. Compared with males, female students reported significantly higher stress related to further education and employment, emotional issues, and finances (all p p p Conclusion: Psychological stress is prevalent among professional master’s students in clinical medicine under the dual-track integration model. The sources of stress are both concentrated and diversified. A collaborative intervention system involving institutions, supervisors, families, and individuals needs to be constructed.