A study involving over 20,000 trainees revealed a fivefold increase in depression rates shortly after residency begins, with about 25% of residents experiencing depression at any given time. Elevating resident wellness requires systemic solutions. Rather than solely focusing on resilience training, comprehensive systemwide changes are crucial to protect the health of both trainees and patients. It is imperative to continually prioritize this critical conversation as the healthcare landscape evolves to improve the experiences of both trainees and their future patients.
“We have an ethical obligation to our learners to address the issues that contribute to their high rates of depression — and to the patients who may suffer as a result of their compromised well-being.” — Srijan Sen, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. It’s not enough to offer meditation and teach yoga. Institutions need systemic changes to protect the well-being of trainees, argues a researcher who has studied thousands of residents. Read more about how #academicmedicine is getting serious about resident wellness: https://ow.ly/S5P350RKqTN