Physician Suicide Webinars

With concern about physician burnout and stress growing, the AMA raised awareness of the issue of physician suicide through a series of three free webinars held in fall 2011:

• Physician suicide: What do the data show? What is the scope of the problem? (Sept. 7 archive recording)
• Suicide among medical students and resident physicians: What can we do? (Oct. 5 archive recording)
• Suicide in medicine: Stories from colleagues, friends and families (Nov. 16 archive recording)

Objectives

At the end of this activity, physicians should be able to:

• Articulate the contributing factors to the high rates of physician suicide compared with other occupations
• Summarize current research related to physician suicide
• Assess symptoms of burnout, stress, psychiatric and medical illnesses and related health impairments that may lead to physician suicide
• Describe stressors in medical education that contribute to risk for suicide among medical students and resident physicians
• Identify best practices and model programs for suicide prevention
• Recognize the profound psychological impact that a physician's suicide has on his or her family, medical colleagues and patients

Target audience

This activity is designed for resident/fellow physicians, and practicing physicians; physician health experts; physician educators and administrators at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education levels.

Statement of need

Studies have shown that physicians die by suicide more frequently than nonphysicians. Physicians are as vulnerable to depression as is the general population, but they seek care at lower rates and commit suicide at higher rates. Fears regarding loss of professional stature and respect often prevent depressed physicians from accessing needed mental health services. The culture of medicine accords low priority to physician mental health despite evidence of untreated mood disorders and an increased burden of suicide. Barriers to physicians' seeking help are often punitive, including discrimination in medical licensing, hospital privileges, and professional advancement.

Statement of competency

This activity is designed to address the following ABMS/ACGME competency(ies):

• Patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.
• Medical knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g., epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care.
• Interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange and teaming with patients, their families, and other health professionals.
• Systems-based practice, as manifested by actions that demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.
• Interdisciplinary teamwork so that physicians may cooperate, collaborate, communicate, and integrate care in teams to ensure that care is continuous and reliable.

Agenda

• What have the data shown regarding the extent of the problem?
• Is the suicide rate in physicians and physicians-in-training comparable to the rate in other professions?
• What are the current gaps in research on physician suicide?
• What are some best practices and model programs for suicide prevention that can be replicated by others?

CME planning committee

Paul H. Rockey, MD, MPH
Director, Division of Graduate Medical Education, American Medical Association (AMA)

Sonja Boone, MD
Director, Physician Health and Health Disparities, AMA

Fred Donini-Lenhoff
Director, Medical Education Communications, AMA

Saul Levin, MD, MPA
Vice President, Science, Medicine, and Public Health, AMA

Susan Skochelak, MD, MPH
Vice President, Medical Education, AMA

Michael Myers, MD
Professor, SUNY Downstate Medical Center

Tanya Lopez
Senior Research Associate, AMA

Faculty

Michael Myers, MD
Professor, SUNY Downstate Medical Center

Accreditation statement

The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation statement

The American Medical Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure

The content of this activity does not relate to any product of a commercial interest as defined by the ACCME; therefore, there are no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Medium or combination of media used

Internet, telephone

Hardware/software requirements

Please view requirements

Provider contact information

Fred Donini-Lenhoff
(312) 464-4635