On Physician Suicide
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- 1-800-273-8255
National Suicide Hotline
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Thank you Osmosis for sponsoring this video on a very important topic.
This video is on a tough subject - and that physician wellbeing. Its difficult hearing about students and doctors facing burnout and depression. Every time I hear a news article of a doctor or med student that commits suicide it breaks my heart and unfortunately its becoming more and more common.
It’s a tough life. You have the obscene hours, the work, constantly having to worry about boards, family obligations and pressure, feeling of isolation because your friends, family, significant other just don’t know what you're going through - and that’s just a few things off the top of my head.
And now there's a push to address this - to address physician well being. But where as well-being should take priority, it honestly feels like a chore. They tell us - oh go for a hike, join a spin class, pick up those hobbies you had to disregard . Its just something else that we need to do on top of the hundred other things. We usually push it aside- throw it at the end, at the bottom of the list. Because honestly you're barely keeping your head above water as it is. But that may not be the right thing to do and I'm guilty of pushing these things aside as well And when I reflect on it, I always think of this story. And the story goes like this:
A long time ago, there was a young man in a village who was ready to set off on his own, he wanted to create a name for himself, to change the world. So he packed his things, kissed his momma goodbye. Before he left, he wanted to stop by to see this old man who lived alone on top of a mountain because he was known as the wisest person in the village.
So he made his way up there and he tells the old man, hes ready to go out into the world and if he has any advice for him before he leaves.
And the old man looks at him and he smiles. He says “You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger - and because of that I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone else - my most important piece of advice”.
Now the young man is intrigued.
The old man says “I was just like you. I set off wanting to change the world so I worked and I worked until I couldn’t work anymore and realized something.”
“What was it”? said the young man.
“I realized I couldn’t change the world. but I was young and determined, so I said if I cant change the world than I’ll change my country. So I worked and I worked until my hands couldn’t work anymore and I realized something”
“Yeah?” the young man said hesitantly.
“I realized I couldn’t change my country. But I was stubborn and I said if I cant my country than at least I can change my village. So I worked and I worked, until I couldn’t anymore. And I realized something.”
The young man was silent
“I realized I couldn’t do it. So I said to myself if I cant change my village, maybe I can change my family but by then I had been gone so long they didn’t even recognize me anymore. So I came back to my village - this village- an old, broken, lonely man. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
Now the young man is dejected and he says - "No, I…I don’t."
The old man says “ I had it backwards. See if I instead just worked on myself, maybe I could have changed my family, and my family could have change this village, and this village could have change my country and my country could have changed the world. Now do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
I really like that story - it just illustrates something - sometimes the best way to take care of others is to take care of yourself first. Sometimes the most selfless thing you can do is to be a little bit more selfish. See everyone out there has a part of them that wants to change the world and that’s beautiful and I never want you to lose that. I just want you to know that its ok if you cant change the world. I want you to know that its ok if you can only change one person and I want you to know that its ok if that one person is you.
Done
I'm a medical student in Europe and I almost choked on my coffee when I was watching a Med School Insiders video where they referred to a 55-60 hour work week as a "good work-life balance". I would go insane in a month if I worked 60 hours a week, let alone if that were expected of me. Where I'm from young doctors are actually often choosing to take the hit in pay and work less, I know some fresh graduates who are doing four day work weeks.
Every Med RUclipsr is focusing on COVID because it gets a lot of views now... Thank you for not forgetting this important subject
Hey man I'm big fan of yours and this video make me more.you are superb person.i don't know about rest but your videos CHANGED my USMLE preparation.thanks a lot
This problem has existed for decades. Nothing is being done and residents are expected to completely ignore their mental health. I'll be honest, I'm no stranger to hard work but as an IMG looking to apply in 2 years, the cut-throat/unforgiving landscape of US residency and the fact it has been like this for decades is a shame and disappinting. I'm not exactly sure what series of systematic issues are causing this but I really don't understand why docs can't get a breather once a week? It would have a massive positive impact on mental health for very little downside. They say hobbies are important for coping but you don't actually have time to enjoy them?
Fm Intern here. Loved your story and your message!
Been watching your videos for months now but this one is amazing just shows you that you can keep chasing the world but it will never chase you back. So enjoy your life and don't take things to seriously in the end we will all be gone anyways.
Another awesome video! Thank you so much :)
"Fill your cup first so that you have enough for yourself then share it with others" - Annonymous
it's weird huh? despite knowing all this. It's ourselves, doctors, who perpetuate this toxic work life tradition. Most full time jobs in the world are 40 hours a week. but as a med student u easy work 60 to 80 in 3rd and 4th year. As a resident, over 100 hours. And this is WITHOUT including the studying and extra curriculars, like... what are we doing to ourselves? Why are we taught to be such savior complex people such that we give up our own sense of self and family just for patients and health insurance? Why don't we unionize? why do we not stand together and strike? some say it's because "patients will die," but I argue more patients will AND physicians will die if this continues. There should be no reason at all for a doc to get shamed for not working 80 hours or even 60 hours. This should NOT be a norm we continue to perpetuate. I seriously hope this system will die with the boomers who endorse it and something more ethical will be brought forth by millennial and gen z docs. Don't sheep with the system cuz the people above u told u thats just how it is.
Excellent
Respect ✊
Really informative, thanks.
Great message, but I gotta say, you changed the lives of many people (for the better) by rolling out usmle vids
Thanks for this doc
Great video! Thanks
Sir please if you've time .. Please try to make Usmle step 2 preparation videos .. you literally cleared my concepts related to step 1 Usmle
Thanks Alot