Rong 2021b.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: RCT Duration of study: the study was conducted between March and June 2016. Country: China Income classification: upper‐middle income country in 2016 Geographical scope: Guangzhou, in Guangdong, China Healthcare setting: university (Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat‐sen University)
Participants	1. Age: mean age 21.0 (range 20.0 to 21.0) 2. Gender: both 3. Socioeconomic background: not specified 4. Educational background: 3rd‐ and 4th‐year medical students Inclusion criteria: a. 3rd‐ and 4th‐year medical students; b. studying major subjects of clinical medicine; and c. lacking a history of mental illness. Exclusion criteria: not specifed. Note: at baseline, the intervention and control group scores for Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) were, respectively, 6.6 (3.7) and 5.9 (3.0). At baseline, the total group prevalence for depression measured with PHQ‐9 was 19.9% (N = 29). Stated purpose: to investigate the efficacy of the intervention courses designed to enhance the mental health and empathy of senior Chinese medical students
Interventions	Name: structural intervention courses Title/name of PW and number: physicians 1. Selection: not specified 2. Educational background: not specified 3. Training: not specified 4. Supervision: not specified 5. Incentives/remuneration: not specified Prevention type: indicated – participants presented with some level of distress as indicated by PHQ‐9 scores. Only those who lacked a history of mental illness were eligible for inclusion. Intervention details: intervention courses were delivered every month for 3 months after regular medical courses; three small groups (~25 students/group), and each group was guided by a corresponding lecture. Each course lasted approximately 60 minutes. Three modules—“Establishing a Sense of Achievement”, “Means for Efficient Patient‐Doctor Communication”, and “Strategies to Manage Medical Errors”. Control: other (classes in which students were encouraged to discuss their difficulties in clinical work and school life, guided by a teacher. “This was done in a leisurely, friendly atmosphere. Correspondingly, the teacher shared related experiences or gave suggestions for dealing with these problems. However, there was no structural course form provided and no predefined topics were discussed”).
Outcomes	Participants’outcomes of interest for this review Diagnosis of a mental disorder – PHQ‐9 Depressive symptoms – PHQ‐9 Carers’ outcomes of interest for this review Nil Economic outcomes Nil Time points: baseline, post‐intervention (1‐6 months)
Notes	Source of funding: MOOC Construction Project of Sun Yat‐sen University in 2018 (number 80000‐18832627) Notes on validation of instruments (screening and outcomes): validated questionnaire (PHQ‐9). A total score of > 9 points or the presence of suicidal tendency indicated the existence of depressive symptoms. Additional information: none Handling the data: not applicable Prospective trial registration number: NCT02645643