Is Self-Censorship in Med School, Residency Applications Driving Burnout Among Physicians?

“From its earliest stages, a medical career unfolds within a culture of censorship of our vulnerabilities, a culture that contributes to burnout and depression.” So writes Michelle H. Silver, M.D., an internal medicine resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in anarticle in theNew England Journal of Medicine describing the ways in which aspiring physicians are instructed early to censor their personal narratives in competing for medical school admission and residency slots.In Silver ’s case, this included censoring the story of her history of an eating disorder. “Like many of my pre-med colleagues, I agonized over what to write in my personal statement. … None of my ideas felt sufficiently personal—until I wrote the truth: I wanted to be a healer because of my past suff ering from mental illness. The years I had spent coming to understand and recovering from my eating disorder had empowered me to apply those skills to my future patients. This experience, I believed, would make me an empathetic doctor, capable of taking a holistic approach to patients’ wellness.”Silver quoted the disapproving advice of a physician who reviewed the statement: “While someone who knows you well can appreciate your openness. I don’t think it is a good idea to share this with an admissions committee. They won’t think you’re fit to enter into the medical field.”“The irony was glaring: mental illness is even more prevalent among medical professionals an...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: burnout depression eating disorder medical school New England Journal of Medicine personal statements residency stigma Source Type: research