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“I Cry and No One Cares”: Medscape Survey Shows Doctor Burnout, Depression Is Getting Worse

by Anastassia Gliadkovskaya

More than a third of doctors said they would rather not tell others about their depression, highlighting ongoing stigma for physicians seeking mental health support. Four in 10 believe people will think less of their professional abilities and fear the medical board or their employer will find out.

Addressing Burnout in Surgery—Where Did the “Yabba Dabba Doo” Go?

by Tessa J.J. Lamberton, MD¹; Sharmila Dissanaike, MD²; Christian de Virgilio, MD¹

While these [well-being] programs are well intended and may help alleviate some anxiety and stress, they may not address the root of the problem, which is the very structure of medicine and health care. It is not the doctoring itself that is the problem, but the way in which we have to do it. An emphasis on grit and resilience tends to send the message that the problem is the surgeon, rather than acknowledging that we are asking physicians to run an endless mental marathon without recharging.

Call to Action

• Advocacy Toolkit: Modernizing License and Credentialing Applications to Not Stigmatize Mental Health

A description of the types of questions individual state licensing boards ask with an illustrative map can be found .

• State licensure action: to work with organizations and state medical boards to change inappropriate medical licensing questions about receiving mental health care or having a mental health diagnosis. Institution-level action: Work with your leadership or organization to change inappropriate credentialing application questions about receiving mental health care or having a mental health diagnosis.

Back to the March 17, 2023 issue of ACP IM Thriving