Why many resident physicians still have trouble asking for help

Physicians in residency training are at risk of experiencing burnout, substance-use disorders or mental health challenges. Though the three issues require different solutions, they also all highlight the importance of mental health and substance-use disorder treatment for residents that is accessible, convenient and confidential—and that won’t have punitive career impacts. 

But research shows that work remains to be done across graduate medical education (GME) to ensure residents feel confident that accessing the services they need will not come back to bite them down the line.

Exclusive to the AMA, data from all organizations that surveyed residents with the AMA’s Organizational Biopsy® in 2024 sheds light on how frequently physicians in training feel that they lack access to convenient mental health services or have confidentiality concerns about accessing such care.

In this article, residents and fellows will learn more about: 

• The details on what AMA survey data shows on residents’ privacy concerns about, and access to, mental health care.
• How health care organizations can better support residents and fellows with services that meet their needs and that ensure them of the services’ confidentiality.
• What changes need to be made to credentialling and licensing forms to remove concerns about longer-term punitive career impacts.
• Where the data shows improvements for residents related to burnout and stress.
• What shifts need to take place to create a culture of well-being for physicians in residency.