Mental Health in postgraduate education

Wellcome Trust, a biomedical research charity, conducted a review of PhD training [1]. The review found certain concerns were consistently reported that included numerous self-reported incidences of poor mental health. In their survey, 45% of PhD supervisors reported an increase in the number of cases of mental health issues in PhD students. The majority of supervisors believed better access to counselling or mental health support as well as information on where to find support if needed would help address this increase in mental health problems among the student population.

I have the following questions in this regard:

PhD students are unaware that doctoral programs prepare them for a career in academia though most leave academia since <1% ever get tenured positions. How to build mental resilience to tackle a uncertain future?

Students who develop mental health problems lack insight into their problems. A session on what affects mental health, and how to build resilience is useful. How to make this mandatory part of student induction?

Though supervisors have pastoral care responsibilities they lack training to identify mental health problems in their wards. How to engage Universities to make this training mandatory for supervisors?

Few PhD students face lot of stress when their supervisors offer them a place because they come with funding even though they do not have time or interest to mentor them. How to support such students?

References:

[1] https://figshare.com/articles/Wellcome_Review_of_PhD_Training_in_Biomedical_Research/7309163