Are You a Statistic? Do You Know One?

And some of us end up actually addicted.  There are no accurate or up-to-date statistics, but estimates state that 10% to 15% of physicians will have develop a chemical dependency at some point.

Here’s another taboo statistic to consider: physicians are twice as likely as the general population to commit suicide.  On a personal level, each of us may know of one or two physicians who have committed suicide, but we don’t see is as a systemic issue.  The suicide rate among physicians is estimated to be about 400 per year. Four hundred is roughly the enrollment at a small medical school, like Stanford.  Not a class or a few students; the entire school. Is it right that the equivalent of Stanford (or UConn or Mayo or Dartmouth) is wiped out each year? Even more shocking when you consider that suicide is preventable.  

At some point, every one of us will need a caring, dedicated physician who is working at his or her peak.  Odds are 50-50 you will get one.

Is anyone really looking at these statistics?  Doctors should be. Patients should be. Everyone should be.  We all should be looking, and we all should be worried, even outraged.  The medical profession has a chronic, systemic illness. Luke was prophetic when he wrote Cura te ipsum — “Physician, heal thyself”. We owe it to everyone to wake up to this reality and to heal ourselves.