Students of various semesters of the medical career, from the Faculty of Medicine, of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY), made a symbolic sit-in in the school lobby this Monday, December 12, in protest of the workload, affectations to their mental health and other violence they suffer, according to what they stated.
The students indicated that the educational model that governs the university, known as the Educational Model for Comprehensive Training (MEFI), is deficient. They ask to be heard, since many students have anxiety problems, some even take medication.
Around 11:30 in the morning, a group of medical students sat down in the middle of the college lobby, with their laptops, to show their teachers and authorities that they are not “assholes” or “lazy”, as they have been called when they reported their situation.
“Those who take medicine for stress, raise your hand,” said a student. Seven students did.
Beatriz Niquete, a fourth-semester student, explained that with the MEFI system, no matter how hard they try and progress in their subjects, they cannot collect the necessary number of credits, in due time and form, to be able to do their undergraduate internship.
That is, he specified, they are asked for around 300 credits of compulsory subjects, 6 of electives, and 22 of free or cultural ones. According to the student, with the MEFI, they did not offer elective subjects, so they cannot advance adequately. “It completely delays the continuity of our career,” she stressed.
In addition, he indicated that there is a heavy workload and study at school, for example, he mentioned that tomorrow, Tuesday, they will take two exams in a row, of 100 questions in 120 minutes consecutively.
They have reported this situation to the management of their school, with the educational psychologist, but they are told that “stress is part of the career”, that it simply cannot be done. “If you can’t handle the stress, unsubscribe” or they are branded as “lazy” and “assholes”.
With this, according to the interviewee’s opinion, they promote a thought of “if it cost me, it has to cost you twice as much”.
“I think that there are things that can be done in a fair and adequate way so that our education is the corresponding one,” said the student; she who added that the student body does not learn with this type of exams. “It does not generate knowledge and does not adequately assess our knowledge.”
Given this panorama, they indicated that several students have presented depression and anxiety, which are not attended to by the university authorities or the faculty. “The college says they care about their students, but they don’t really,” said Daniela Juárez, a seventh-semester student.
“There are at least one or two people per room who are taking medication for their anxiety,” he added.
Therefore, they ask to be heard; seek solutions together, consider reducing the number of credits and address mental health problems.
Editing: Laura Espejo