PhD Defence Emmanuel Tan Chee Peng

Keywords: Medical student, Wellbeing, Student Support, Institutional Ethnography 
 

"Beyond Hogwarts and Sorting Hats: How a House System shapes medical student support"

This thesis examined student support systems for medical students, who often faced significant psychological distress, burnout, and mental health challenges while often remaining reluctant to seek help due to confidentiality and stigma concerns. The research specifically explored a "House System" support system at a Singapore medical school to explore how support systems functioned within their broader social and cultural contexts. The research revealed three main findings. First, trust acted as the essential "metaphorical glue" holding support systems together. Personal tutors often had to navigate a delicate balance between respecting student confidentiality and meeting institutional requirements. Second, medical students formed expectations about support early in their education, and these expectations do not always align with realities, and this resulted in tensions. Finally, the physical spaces of student common rooms played an important role in fostering belongingness and identity. Effective student support systems would need to consider the nuances of power dynamics and student agency.  

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