INTRODUCTION

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program spans four years and includes general education and professional courses. Student nurses attend lecture hours, clinical duties, and related learning experiences that might be affecting their time in attending to a healthy lifestyle. Health-promoting lifestyle is a multi-dimensional pattern of activities and perceptions that begins with self-motivation and assists in promoting self-improvement and health. The domains of health-promoting lifestyle are essential factors to further improve their way of dealing with daily challenges. Multiple factors can also influence student nurses’ lifestyles, including their separation from family, busy schedules, and dietary choices. A study highlights various factors affecting student nurses' lifestyles, underscoring the need for tailored health promotion strategies and curriculum enhancements. Research into these domains can better equip future healthcare leaders. Gender, year level, and living arrangements influence student nurses' lifestyles, prompting researchers to investigate the extent of health-promoting lifestyles among them and differences based on these factors. By addressing these domains and conducting further research, nursing education and practice can better prepare future healthcare leaders to promote health and lifestyle effectively within their communities.

To determine the extent of health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses and identify the significant differences according to gender, year level, and living arrangement. 

A quantitative, descriptive research design was used with 360 respondents, employing Yamane’s formula and quota sampling. The study adopted the Health-Promoting Lifestyle II questionnaire with a validity of 0.962.

Student nurses often engage in health promoting behaviors (mean=2.56). Male student nurses reported higher scores in health responsibility, physical activity, spiritual growth, and stress management compared to female students (p=0.40). Level IV students engaged in health-promoting activities more frequently than Level I students (p=0.74). Living arrangements did not significantly impact health-promoting lifestyles (p=0.99).

No significant difference in health-promoting lifestyles among student nurses. Respondents demonstrated the least health-promoting lifestyle behaviors in the domains of health responsibility, nutrition, and physical activity. In contrast, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management attained the highest mean scores.

Medical students need the basic skills and techniques in family counseling to holistically manage a family. E-learning as a mode of teaching family counseling was experienced by medical students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a case series of ten medical students in a tertiary training hospital who described their thoughts and feelings about the e-learning platform used. A focused group discussion composed of seven students was conducted independently. The students’ perceptions on the use of e-learning were generally negative in nature. The volume of online learning materials to be studied and the poor-quality videos reflected the sudden shift to e-learning due to the pandemic. Limitations on the e-learning format resulted in the inability to recognize non-verbal gestures which was crucial in counseling. The poor internet connectivity within the students’ learning environment was a hindering factor as it prolonged the counseling. Positive perception was mainly due to the effectiveness of the instructor in teaching online family counseling. The adeptness in navigating online platforms and guidance to students during the demo-returndemo resulted in the achievement of the expected outcomes of the workshop. The high preference to face-to-face mode may be attributed to the number of negative perceptions by the students.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Given the rigors of medical training with its high documented prevalence of mental issues as well as the global need to safeguard the well-being of medical students, there is an urgency to assess the well-being of medical students and their perception of support from their respective medical schools during their education. This also applies in the context of public medical school students in the Philippines, where there is still a relative lack of literature. This cross-sectional study investigates the well-being and such perceptions of medical students at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM).

The study uses a quantitative approach using a subset of secondary data from a college-wide survey online that was disseminated, through convenience sampling, to medical students from October 3, 2018 to December 3, 2018. A total of 432 responses were included in the analysis, out of the total student population of the included learning unit levels of 809. Participants were grouped based on their entry into medical school, either through the Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine (INTARMED) program or lateral entry. Exclusion criteria comprised responses from Learning Unit I-II (pre-medical proper) students and incomplete survey sets. Responses were interpreted using established scales such as the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory-Medical Student (OLBI-MS). Data analysis involved statistical techniques including one-way ANOVA and independent samples t-test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

The findings suggest that medical students at UPCM generally find the administrative and academic systems satisfactory, but express concerns about inadequate educational resources and infrastructure, especially as they progress through their studies and engage more with clinical settings like the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). As students advance through the program, there are different patterns for wellbeing outcomes, including decreasing perceived stress and increasing burnout. In particular, LU IV and LU VII students reported lower well-being and higher burnout levels, respectively. This is potentially due to heavier workloads and clinical responsibilities. Lateral entrants, who are older and typically enter with prior degrees, tend to have higher well-being and lower burnout compared to INTARMED students, suggesting age and previous educational experience may play a role in adjustment and coping mechanisms.

Overall, the study highlights the medical students’ generally satisfactory perception of medical educational aspects, as well as the patterns of wellbeing throughout their medical college experience. Furthermore, it identifies different areas for improvement to ensure effective education and student mental health. By analyzing trends across different year levels, the study provides insights for interventions and program refinements, while also suggesting avenues for further research to assess student experiences over time.

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading global health concern. Modifiable behavioral risk factors are increasingly recognized in young adults, especially among medical students who often live independently. This study investigated the association between living alone and modifiable cardiovascular risk factors—sleep quality, sodium intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI)—among medical students at UERMMMCI during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Researchers conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 220 medical students. Validated tools were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Scored Sodium Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and BMI classification. Researchers performed statistical analyses using Chi-square tests and calculated relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals.

A significant positive association was found between living alone and poor sleep quality (RR 2.132 p = 0.047). No significant associations were observed between living alone and sodium intake (RR 0.96 p = 0.6868), physical activity (RR 1.18 p = 0.2239), or BMI (RR 1.03 p = 0.7367).

Among the studied cardiovascular risk factors, only poor sleep quality was significantly more prevalent among students living alone. These findings highlight the importance of interventions targeting sleep hygiene in this demographic.

INTRODUCTION

For female nursing students in Vietnam, juggling work, school, and personal obligations can be especially difficult. Research on how these students develop resilience while juggling their multiple roles is still lacking, despite the fact that their numbers in nursing school are increasing. This study explores how the work-life-study balance (WLSB) of female students pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is shaped by their real-life experiences and sociocultural influences.

A qualitative research design informed by interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used in this study. In September 2024, ten carefully selected female nursing students participated in semi-structured interviews at a private university in Ho Chi Minh City. From October 2024 to February 2025, each 45–60 minute interview was subjected to a thematic analysis using Delve software.

The challenges faced by the participants, along with their support systems, coping strategies, and aspirations, were captured in four key themes, each with its own set of sub-themes. The first theme, Navigating Life's Crossroads: The Struggle for Balance, highlighted the students' struggles to manage competing demands, featuring subthemes, Pulled in All Directions, Time as a Scarce Commodity, and Compromises and Sacrifices. The second theme, Anchors in the Storm: Finding Strength in Support, emphasized the vital role of relational support, showcasing subthemes, Peer Solidarity and Shared Struggles, and Family as a Pillar of Strength. The third theme, Pathways to Resilience: Strategies for Survival, focused on coping strategies and adaptive techniques, incorporating subtheme, Faith and Inner Strength, Embracing the Role of a Working Learner, and Prioritizing and Organizing. Finally, the last theme, Purpose, Aspiration, and Future Orientation, brought attention to the participants' sources of motivation and their optimistic outlook, with subthemes, Motivation Rooted in Family and Self and Hope and Optimism as Sustaining Forces. These findings, grounded in the Transformative Resilience Model, illustrate how students harness their inner drive, familial and social responsibilities, and cultural values to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. To maintain their dedication to education and uplift their families, participants leaned on hope, spiritual insights, and a sense of agency, viewing their struggles as meaningful experiences.

The experiences of Vietnamese female nursing students reveal a remarkable resilience shaped by both heavy social expectations and personal challenges. Drawing from the Transformative Resilience Model, this study highlights how facing and overcoming adversity can lead to significant identity development and personal growth. Institutional support plays a crucial role in enhancing a student's well-being, which can include flexible academic policies, accessible mental health services, and adaptable work-study options. Financial pressures, job-related stress, and academic demands often contribute to burnout. These findings underscore the urgent need for systemic, collaborative efforts to foster inclusive and sustainable learning environments for nursing students who are balancing work and study.

Human ; Research Personnel ; Nurses ; Students

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Due to their academic load, medical students are highly susceptible to stress. Stress is one of the factors that can alter sleep quality which may consequently affect the cognitive performance of medical students. There has been a lack of published local literature that looks into the association between stress and sleep quality, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this, the general objective of this study is to determine the effect of stress on the sleep quality of medical students from the University of the Philippines Manila - College of Medicine (UPCM).

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a stratified random sample of 273 males and females of Learning Unit (LU) III (1st year) to VII (5th year) medical students from a college of medicine based in the Philippines, UPCM, during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to assess sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and stress level using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Kruskal-Wallis was used to test statistical differences between stress scores and the sleep quality of students from different year levels. Spearman's Rho was used to determine the correlation between stress and sleep, and a binary logistic regression was employed to study the association of stress with sleep while accounting for confounding variables namely caffeine intake, year level, daytime nap, duty hours, clinical rotation, sex, and age.

A high prevalence of stress (79.71%) and poor sleep quality (59.73%) among LU III to LU VII UPCM students were found, with a statistically positive correlation (⍴=0.44) 95CI [0.33-0.55] (p-value < 0.001). Both the stress scores and sleep quality indices were not statistically significantly different across LUs. Gathered data and interpreted results showed that medical students suffering from stress are more likely to have poor sleep quality, which can lead to low academic performance and high susceptibility to chronic diseases, compared to those medical students with low levels of stress. Only being an LU IV [OR=1.38 95CI (0.036-4.625)] and LU V [OR=2.13 95CI (0.296-6.936)] student had increased odds of having poor sleep quality compared to LU III students. Caffeine intake, daytime nap, duty hours, clinical rotation, sex, and age were not associated with poor sleep quality.

This study documents a statistically significant association between stress and poor sleep quality among LU III to LU VII UPCM students. A larger study covering multiple medical schools in the Philippines may be of merit for future investigations to generate nationwide data. Additional recommendations include: a) conducting a cross-sectional or a longitudinal study to detect changes in the characteristics of the population, b) observing the differences in the contributing factors at multiple points throughout the year, c) investigating the effect of dwelling set-up on sleep quality may also be investigated and d) determining if sleep quality affects the level of perceived stress of medical students.

It is just fitting for the oldest medical school in the Philippines, the UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery, which just celebrated its sesquicentennial year, to initiate this trailblazing stethoscope tagging ceremony for 418 second-year medical students belonging to USTFMS Batch 2026. This activity is aligned with enhancing the Thomasian identity (one of the strategic directional areas [SDA 2] of the university) once they graduate, the Thomasian Physician identity. The stethoscope remains the symbolic representation of physician and patient care. The innovative and pivotal activity, completely different from other international medical schools’ rite of passage, was marked with meaningful symbolisms unique to USTFMS. This rite also involved a pledge to the patroness of the Department of Medicine, Mary Untier of Knots, who would thus qualify for a robust faith formation program of the university (key result area [KRA 1]). Indeed, this would be the beginning of an annual celebration of strengthening faith, hope, and charity (patient care advocacy), TRIA HAEC, the three virtues of St. Paul that comprise the core values of Thomasian education.
Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical ; Stethoscopes ; Patient Care

Objective: This study aims to report the incidence and characteristics of breakthrough infections among medical students in the first Philippine private medical school that resumed limited face-to-face classes and clinical rotations from July to December 2021. Methods: This is a descriptive study using secondary worksheet from multiple-source records review of breakthrough infections among medical students from July to December 2021. Results: Among the 837 vaccinated medical students, 23 (2.7%) experienced COVID-19 breakthrough infections. Of these, 9 were male and 14 were female. Four were asymptomatic and 19 were symptomatic. Of the 19 symptomatic, 18 had mild and 1 had severe disease. Mild infections presented with upper respiratory tract symptoms. Duration of symptoms ranged from 4 to 27 days with an average of 10 days. Timing of breakthrough infections ranged from 35 to 212 days after the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine with a mean of 86 days. Contact with confirmed cases was reported in 14 of 23 cases, 13 were from household members and none within the SLICE and CLARO programs. Conclusion Our study showed that even in the midst of the Delta surge, low breakthrough infection rate with mostly mildly symptomatic cases and no case transmissions within the SLICE and CLARO programs are possible with vaccination, regular health surveillance, and strict adherence to minimum health protocols.
Breakthrough Infections ; COVID-19 ; Philippines ; Students, Medical ; Vaccination

Objectives: Perception about Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine provides information about awareness on identifying disabilities and managing their impact on activities of daily living; however, misconceptions about the field continue to exist among both students and physicians. This study aims to describe the perceptions of clinical clerks and interns towards the practice and role of Rehabilitation Medicine in management of patients. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Students from the Learning Unit 6 and 7 of UP College of Medicine answered adapted online survey forms from a previous study and participated in online focus group discussions. Qualitative data were used to infer the perception of medical students towards the specialty. The effect of the respondent’s profile, background and affiliation on their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA (α = 0.05). Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Learning Unit 6 and 7 students were found to have a perceived broad level of knowledge with regards the specialty. The students associated the specialty with focus on holistic care, quality of life, interdisciplinary collaboration, and diversity of cases managed. No statistically significant differences were found between the perception among: 1) Learning Unit 6 and 7, 2) those with or without a previous encounter with the specialty, 3) allied medical and non-allied medical undergraduate courses in terms of: a) confidence in the knowledge (p = 0.489), b) familiarity with conditions managed (p = 0.93) and c) interest towards the specialty (p = 0.693). The Organ System Integrated (OSI) curriculum, which promotes horizontal and vertical integration of concepts, provided a wide understanding of the basic concepts related to physiatry. The students’ responses suggest a positive attitude towards Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, as measured in their level of interest about knowing more regarding the specialty. Most common perceptions were that the specialty was multidisciplinary and holistic. However, the respondents’ perceptions regarding the roles of the Rehabilitation team were limited. Conclusion Learning unit level 6 and 7 students had a broad understanding of the practice and scope of the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine specialty. Future researches can include other medical students in all year levels, including Learning Units 3, 4 and 5 of UPCM, to observe the development of their perceptions about the specialty throughout medical school.
Perception ; Students, Medical ; Curriculum