Making Mental Health a Priority: A Student Reflects

While a physician’s role is to help their patients and improve their quality of life, how can a physician practice it well if they need help in certain aspects of their own life, such as their mental health?

As a rising second-year student in the College of Medicine, I began to understand the importance of mental health in the medical field when I attended a lecture called “Creating a Culture of Wellness” by Pamela Wible, M.D. I appreciated this lecture, which was available to students and others through NEOMED’s Project ECHO, because I realized there was so much I did not know.

For example, did you know that surgeons have a high suicide rate? I didn’t.

I have always been an advocate for spreading awareness and increasing collective consciousness about mental health, especially through having conversations. Because our personal thoughts, beliefs, and values all stem from our mind, taking care of this aspect of our health is pivotal.

As I reflected about Dr. Wible’s lecture, I began to think more about physician mental health and physician suicide. We have heard the stories of physician burnout and about the stress of the job, but what can we do as medical students to help our practicing physicians? It is important to start the dialogue and promote communication with peers, practicing physicians, teachers, etc.

As medical students and practicing physicians, sometimes the expectation is having a round-the-clock schedule with no pause. For example, statements like “work harder,” “study more,” “do not complain, everyone else is doing it”  are some comments I have heard as a student. Additionally, I have heard that taking a break means you should feel very guilty, since that time could have been given to studying the next lecture’s material. In my opinion, the opportunity to focus on personal mental health should be given and seen as a priority so that students and practicing physicians have time for self-reflection and can involve themselves in whatever that gives them happiness.

I learned, through Dr. Wible’s informative lecture, how important it is that we, as medical students, are educated and given the statistics about physician suicide rates in different specialties. We need to be taught about warning signs and prevention so that as physicians, we will be better educated and informed when we start our careers.

Dr. Wible’s references to examples from one of her books, Physician Suicide Letters Answered, reminded me to check in on follow peers and colleagues. That text message, phone call or e-mail might help someone continue their life.

Dr. Wible, a leader in the field of physician suicide prevention, was the guest speaker June 26 for a Medicine Assisted Treatment (MAT) Ohio Opiate Project ECHO session held by Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Payas Shah is a rising second-year student in the College of Medicine.