One in four medical students is experiencing depression and the suicide rate among physicians is double that of the general population. These issues are part of a complex physician culture that rewards perseverance and “powering through” even at the cost of mental health. Compounded by discrimination in medical board licensing questions that threaten physicians into silence about their mental health history, many physicians do not actively demand support systems from their hospitals or employers. To protect our future physicians, and the patients who would suffer worse health outcomes at the hand of burned-out physicians, we must reconcile the superhero mentality and expectations of doctors with the need and benefit of mental health initiatives. Laura “Lo” Cantu is a first-year medical student at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. She strives to build compassionate communities through medicine and community education. Working with Dr. Listy Thomas, associate professor of medical sciences, she researches critical incident stress interventions for interprofessional use in acute care settings. Through her service as a peer advocate, she helps other medical students reduce their stress through peer support wellness initiatives. She is a first-generation Mexican-Filipino American and first-generation college graduate, with a BS in biological sciences from the University of California, Davis. She finds balance in knitting, hiking, cooking and spending evenings with her toddler, partner and dog. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
