Background:

There is no evidence for the association of depressive symptoms with the sense of well-being of undergraduate medical students residing in high southern latitudes (HSL).

Aim:

To assess the frequency of depressive symptoms and its relationship with seasonal sensitivity and quality of life in medical students residing in HSL.

Material and Methods:

The Beck anxiety and depressive symptoms inventory, the seasonal pattern assessment questionnaire and the quality-of-life questionnaire of the WHO were applied to 102 medical students residing in Magallanes, Chile.

Results:

Fifty-two percent of respondents reported some degree of depressive symptoms. These symptoms were significantly associated with the seasonal pattern score (r = 0.432, p < 0.01). They were also inversely associated with parameters of physical health and psychosocial health (r = −0.567, p < 0.01 and r = −0.708, p < 0.01, respectively). There was also a correlation between depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions:

Depressive symptoms are common in medical students residing in HSL and they are associated with seasonal sensitivity and quality of life measures.