Short Takes

Many Med Students Suffer Depression

One in eight medical school students is clinically depressed, two Chicago researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study, which followed 121 students at Chicago's Rush Medical College, found that 12 percent of the doctors in training suffer from clinical depression, which causes sleep disturbance, pessimism and a sense of failure. Only five percent of the general population is believed to have the disease, the researchers said.

The report's authors concluded that half of those who drop out of medical school are in good academic standing but are clinically depressed. "Those most likely to experience depression are those who are warm, outgoing, caring--characteristics important for a physician," said Rush Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry David C. Clark, a co-author of the study.

Clark said to reduce the number of students who suffer from clinical depression, schools should encourage their students to seek psychological help and eliminate "pressure-cooker" atmospheres.

But Dr. Martin J. Wohl, director of Medical Area Health Services for Harvard, said the study's conclusions do not apply to Harvard because the Medical School already asks students to see a resident psychologist if they are under stress. He added that the school's psychologists "see a good percentage of the medical school class" during their four years at Harvard.

Dudley Grill Serves Fast Food at Night

After years of effort, Dudley House affiliates finally have a grill to call their own.

Last Monday, the house inaugurated the Lehman Hall grill, which will be open all afternoon and until 11:30 p.m. on weekdays.

"It was really on the instigation of President Bok," said Dudley House Co-Master Cynthia Hanson of the grill. "He wanted to see a place for graduate students to congregate." But Hanson added that the grill was also for undergraduates who live off campus.

Organizers said students have been enthusiastic about the new use of the cafeteria that serves as a dining hall for Dudley residents.

"This will give people an alternative to going to another house or outside the school," said Matthew Horn '89, vice chair of the Dudley House Committee.

But not that many people have used the grill to date. Richard Montville, assistant director for operations at College dining halls, said that less than two dozen people used the facilty each night. "It's too early to tell how successful this will be," he added.

Although Hanson said Dudley House was not trying to make a profit on the grill, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 said he anticipated that it would.

"We're on a long-term trial basis," said Hanson. "It's our intent to keep this going for a couple of years and see how it goes."

Boitano Dazzles Bright Audience

Olympic gold medalist skater Brian Boitano and U.S. silver medalist Paul Wylie '90-91 dazzled 3200 fans last night at the 19th annual "Evening With Champions" benefit.

Boitano and Wylie were among 18 skaters who are performing at Bright Hockey Center this weekend. Local children and Harvard students performed alongside international stars, giving the evening an informal quality.

Organized by student volunteers from Eliot House, the figure skating show raises money for the Jimmy Fund of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's child patients.

"We spend most of our lives doing for ourselves. It's really important to give something back," said Wylie, a resident of Eliot.

Organizers said they hoped this weekend's performances would bring the cumulative contribution from the event to the $1 million mark. Tickets were sold out for all three performances for the first time ever.