Abstract

Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of medical student syndrome (MSS) in Saudi Arabia by collecting samples from multiple universities.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional questionnaire based study that included 347 medical students from multiple universities across Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic data and an 18-questions version of the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) score.
Results:
The study results showed that 7.5% medical students had MSS. It also showed that students aged 21 years or less had significantly higher median scores than those aged more than 21 years, according to the HAI. This study also showed that the prevalence of MSS among medical students with medical diseases was significantly higher than those without a history of medical disease.
Conclusion:
MSS was prevalent among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Several factors have been found to play a role in the development of the disease.

Key words: medical students, Saudi Arabia, medical student syndrome, hypochondriasis, illness anxiety disorder