Physician Mental Health Journey
By AlfredMD
Physicians and medical professionals report some of the highest statistics when it comes to having symptoms for mental illnesses, we are taking a look at some of the factors during each stage of a physician's journey.
Medical Students
A study conducted by the University of Michigan medical school found that 57% of medical students had moderate to serve symptoms of anxiety and 27% displayed moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Sources of this elevated stress include pressure for a competitive MCAT score, rigorous coursework, and the grueling medical school application process.
Resident Physicians
The extremely demanding schedule that resident physicians are required to follow takes a severe toll on their ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Working up to 80 hours a week on a $60,000-65,000 salary makes it difficult for resident physicians to get enough sleep, eat healthy, and exercise. Student loans pose an additional stress as most accumulate interest just six months after students graduate from medical school.
Attendings
Increased patient caseloads, time spent doing administrative work, and quicker appointment times can place additional stress on attendings and fellows as they gain increased clinical responsibility. Additionally, as attendings, the transition to making a higher salary and lack of experience when managing and allocating their new income can lead to financial stress and headache.