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.
