Beth Garbitelli and Nora Taranto MD add a new intro and share their own insights on this Curbsiders classic!

Physician suicide is a problem. There, we said it. We all have that story; Many of us have experienced the symptoms of depression or suicidal ideation ourselves, or have the colleague, mentor, friend, teacher, sibling, parent, or significant other who has experienced these signs and symptoms. Some of us (probably more than you’d think) have lost someone meaningful to suicide. And yet, we don’t talk about suicide and mental health in medicine, or at least, not enough. So, today, we at the Curbsiders are trying to change that. 

The problem of depression and suicide is a particularly real one in medicine, a profession that is, by its very nature traumatic and emotionally draining (both in terms of work demands and also the sick and dying patients we treat). In this episode, we talk with expert Dr. Elisabeth Poorman about the natural history of depression in residency and beyond. We share some of our own personal stories, and discuss how we can support one another and reach out for help, how to take care of our mental health in an emotionally demanding career, how to deal with licensing questions and worry about stigma, and what systemic changes may be coming (read: we think need to be coming) down the line. 

N.b. This is a sensitive topic. If this is triggering for anyone listening, the national suicide hotline number 1-800-273-8255. Moreover, if anyone needs or wants guidance on available resources, Dr. Elisabeth Poorman has made herself available via email at [email protected], or you may reach out to any of us on Twitter. We are happy to talk and see that you get the support you need.

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• Written and produced by: Nora Taranto MD, Shreya Trivedi MD
• Hosts: Stuart Brigham MD, Shreya Trivedi MD, Matthew Watto MD
• Edited by: Matthew Watto MD