Survey of Guidance and Counseling Needs in Medical Students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2021: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Counseling and guidance refer to a set of activities that help a person overcome problems and understand their relationships with others. Universities and student environments face challenges, and comprehensive students support is essential. The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs of counseling and guidance of medical students in Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2021.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 372 students participated in the study. The data collection tool was a questionnaire of counseling needs of the students which was electronically distributed. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance.

Individual and occupational needs were the highest counseling needs, and emotional and family needs were the lowest counseling needs of the studied students. In terms of personal needs (p<0.001), job (p<0.001) and educational (p<0.001), and emotional/psychological (p<0.001), women felt more need for counseling than men. Also, according to the questions, in the field of family and marriage needs and emotional/psychological, women in most questions felt more need than men (p<0.05). The mean score of guidance and counseling needs, according to the parents’ job and the students marital status, was significant only in the field of education (p<0.05).

According to the present study, individual and occupational needs have the highest priority, and it is necessary for universities and educational centers to prevent academic failure and provide opportunities for students growth and academic achievement, and these factors should be considered in designing student counseling programs at the universities.