How did high achievers deal with challenges: A qualitative study?

Introduction: Medical students were bound to face academic and non-academic challenges in medical schools. Failures to deal with challenges could affect the well-being of students. This study aimed to explore the experiences of high achievers dealing with challenges in a medical school. It is postulated that high achievers also would be facing challenges like low achievers, but they manage the challenges better. Methods: This was a case study with grounded theory-based analysis. Fourteen high achievers in their preclinical studies were interviewed to collect data on how they dealt with challenges in a medical school. Two coders coded the interview transcripts using QDA Miner lite and categorized the codes into themes. Discussions were held among the coders to resolve any discrepancies. Results: Two themes emerged from the grounded theory-based analysis: help-seeking methods and stress-relieving methods. High achievers sought help from lecturers, peers, parents and religions. In addition, they allocated time for themselves to relieve stress and maintain a balance between their studies and well-being. Conclusion: High achievers faced challenges, and they adopted help-seeking and stress-relieving methods to deal with the challenges. Their useful personal experiences may be considered by medical schools to develop structured guides for their students.