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Being Valued is Undervalued

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Back in 2022, an interesting JAMA study called “Trends in Clinician Burnout With Associated Mitigating and Aggravating Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic” came out. The survey reflected responses from over 20,000 US clinicians and demonstrated that chaotic workplaces and lack of control of workload were associated with higher burnout (think emergency departments or a poorly run, overscheduled clinic), while efficient teamwork and feeling valued were associated with lower burnout. 

People sometimes pay lip service to the importance of being appreciated, but this study supports its significance.

Consider this study’s results when making decisions about what field to choose, where to train, and what position to take after residency. Here’s the article.

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Doctors’ Longevity Benefits Don’t Apply to Everyone

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It’s well known that there are longevity advantages to higher education and income, however a recent study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers Christopher M. Worsham, MD, MPH, and Anupam “Bapu” Jena, MD, PhD demonstrated that female physicians don’t reap those benefits. Neither do Black doctors. 

Black women physicians were shown to have the highest mortality rate in the profession.

A recent AAMC article reporting on the study also touches on other gender inequities, including female physicians’ excessive burnout and home responsibilities, experience of sexual harassment, likelihood to quit medicine, as well as their lower pay. 

Check out the AAMC piece with more details here.

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Medscape Physician Mental Health Report 2025: Burnout is Still Very High

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The annual Medscape burnout survey is out, and, while the numbers are being touted as an improvement, a whopping 47% of physician respondents reported being burned out and 24% reported depression. (The burnout statistic is lower than it was over the last few years’ surveys.) When asked, “Can doctors in your specialty be happy and well-balanced?” only 63% of emergency physicians (my field) said yes, the lowest of all specialties surveyed. (Of note, 94% of allergy and immunology physicians gave an affirmative response, the highest of all specialties surveyed.) Additionally, 63% of physicians responded that they would accept a pay cut for better balance.

According to Medscape, “These results portray a profession that has work to do in finding happiness, balancing work and family demands, and developing friendships that sustain one in a demanding career.”

Here is a graphic representation of the survey results.

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Suicide Rates are Significantly Higher for Female Physicians

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The British Medical Journal published a meta-analysis last month by lead author Claudia Zimmermann looking at studies published between 1960 and March 2024 that found physicians were more likely to die by suicide than the general population and that female doctors suffered from a rate that was higher than their male counterparts. While male doctors had a suicide rate ratio of 1.05 across all studies, female physicians faced a rate ratio of 1.76. The findings suggest that female physicians have unique challenges and need targeted interventions.

A few months back I read about a nonprofit organization that offers free and confidential counseling for physicians and medical students, using volunteer psychiatrists. The organization is called Physician Support Line and their number is 1-888-409-0141.

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Emotional PPE

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Back in February, I showcased the sobering results of the Medscape Physician Depression and Burnout Report 2024: Of those doctors surveyed, 53% reported burnout and 23% depression. And those disturbingly high statistics had increased from the previous year. 

I recently listened to a Stanford Medcast Episode interview of Ariel Brown PhD called “Physician Distress Miniseries – Emotional Health Support for Health Care Workers.” (You can get CME credit for listening to the podcast and completing the quiz afterward.) According to the session, each year in the United States, one in 10 physicians think about or attempt suicide and around 400 die by suicide. 

At the start of the pandemic, Dr. Brown started a nonprofit with Massachusetts General Hospital Anesthesia Program Director Dr. Daniel Saddawi-Koefka, called The Emotional PPE Project. The organization provides free and confidential psychological counseling for healthcare workers. Here is the website.

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

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Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the White Coat Investor podcast:

Listen to Dr. Finkel’s interview on the FeminEm podcast: