OBJECTIVETo evaluate the psychological anxiety of graduates at a medical university under the ever-increasing employment pressure, so as to provide ground work for psychological intervention on college students.

METHODSSubjects were randomly drawn from the students who majored in clinical medicine, biomedical engineering, nursing and integrated Chinese and western medicine and graduated in the year of 2008 and 2009, with 25 subjects from each major each year, totaling up to 200. In March of their graduation year, they were evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). A general analysis into their anxiety was first made and then the comparative analysis of anxiety on the basis of gender, year group and major of the subjects.

RESULTSFemale students showed a significantly higher anxiety than male students. Graduates in 2009 showed a significantly higher anxiety than those in 2008. In terms of the major difference, the anxiety was in a falling curve from integrated Chinese and western medicine, clinical medicine, biomedical engineering and nursing. There was no major difference in the students majoring integrated Chinese and western medicine, clinical medicine and biomedical engineering, but nursing students showed significantly low anxiety.

CONCLUSIONSThe increasing employment pressure has caused the significant increase in the anxiety of college students. The employment rate in different majors may play a positive role in anxiety. Generally, female students showed a higher degree of anxiety than male students.