All doctors recognise the stress that junior doctors are under during their intern years, with heavy workloads, fatigue and fear of medical errors playing havoc with their mental wellbeing.

We know the internal pressures of hospital and working life affect young doctors, but could sociopolitical events and their constant news coverage also influence their mood and potentially impact patient care?

The answer, according to a team led by Dr Elena Frank (PhD) from the University of Michigan in the US, is a resounding yes.

Using data from more than 2300 first-year medical residents between 2016 and 2018, the researchers examined the effect major political and non-political events during that time had on interns’ emotional health.