Beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett will tell a conference of medical students next week that looking after themselves is as important as caring for their patients.
"We need to equip today's medical students - tomorrow's doctors - with the skills and confidence they need to recognise, diagnose and treat depression and related disorders - but they must also understand it's important for them to look after themselves," Kennett said in a statement on Friday.
"We know that depression and anxiety are common conditions among medical professionals and suicide rates among doctors are consistently high.
"They can't look after other people if they don't look after themselves first."
Beyondblue says drinking and drug use among medical students increases significantly during their university studies while 53 per cent of Australian GPs have considered quitting the profession because of work stress.
Michael Baigent, a clinical adviser to beyondblue, said alcohol was a major issue, especially for medical students and it was important to understand the relationship between drinking and depression.
"Alcohol misuse among young people is high and the university years are no exception," Associate Professor Baigent said.
"Alcohol and depression is a very relevant topic for medical students, both while they're studying and in their future roles as doctors.
"Medical students need to be aware of the full effects of alcohol, learn how to manage the risk factors and understand that there are ways to help people with these problems."
Kennett and Prof Baigent will address the Australian Medical Students' Association convention in Melbourne next Tuesday.
