Religiosity as a Coping Mechanism to Survive Hardships Among Medical Students in Malaysia: A Review Study

• Published in: Studies in Systems, Decision and Control
• Main Author: Azme N.
• Format: Book chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH 2025
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85214657136&doi=10.1007%2f978-3-031-71526-6_49&partnerID=40&md5=ee95ef8892bfddaf75df8c38d3994457

This review study investigates the considerable relationship between the practices of medical students about religion and their chances of surviving the hardships in medical school in Malaysia, a country with a strong commitment to Islam. This article begins by focussing on the role of religion in Malaysian society. This emphasises the importance of religious beliefs in a mostly Muslim country, as both a personal concern and a basic part of societal standards, with substantial implications for medical students’ everyday lives and academic success. Following that, we dive into the challenges and difficulties that students face during their studies. This research looks at how religious practice could help Malaysian medical students who are faced with various circumstances throughout their studies and how it provides students with comfort and resilience. The majority Muslim population of Malaysian medical students finds spiritual enrichment and efficient stress management through religious practices such as sunnah prayers and participation in Quranic circles. These students find a special community of support through religious coping, which includes both individual religion and group activities. It is crucial to overcome academic obstacles, reduce burnout, increase self-esteem, and strengthen resilience. Positive religious coping influences the relationship between religion and depression, highlighting the importance of religion in promoting and maintaining mental health. As a result, religion not only helps medical students cope with the severe demands of their studies, but it also significantly contributes to their psychological well-being and academic achievements, both of which are critical for their success and survival in the demanding medical field. The study concludes by emphasising the need to recognise the role of religion in enhancing the well-being and academic success of Malaysian medical students. More research is needed to better understand the impact of religion and to create effective support mechanisms for medical students in Malaysia. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.