End Hazing in Medicine

Protecting the health of doctors in training.

Burnout, depression, and suicidal thoughts run far higher in residency than outside it. Distress and errors travel together. A kinder schedule gives ill doctors time to seek care.

Burnout

45.2%

of second-year residents reported at least one symptom of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion or detachment — in a 2018 study of 3,588 residents[22].

About one in seven (14.1%) regretted the career choice[23]. Burnout ran highest in urology, neurology, emergency medicine, and general surgery.

Source: CMAJ summary of JAMA study (Dyrbye et al., 2018).

Depression

1 in 3

residents faced depression or depressive symptoms — a large review of 54 studies covering over 17,000 residents. Rates ranged from 20.9% to 43.2% depending on the screening tool[24]. Symptoms rose over time.

A separate summary found 28% of residents faced a major depressive episode during training, versus 8% of similarly aged people in the general public[25]. It also found 16% of interns reported suicidal thoughts at least once during intern year[26].

Sources: AMA / JAMA meta-analysis (Mata et al., 2015) · AAO EyeNet (28% vs 8%; 16%).

When doctors suffer, errors rise

Trainee distress is a patient-safety issue, not only a welfare issue. Depressed pediatric residents made 6.2 times the medication errors per resident-month of their non-depressed peers[72]. Internal medicine residents screening positive for depression had 2.56 times the odds of a subsequently reported major error[73]. Nationally, burnt-out physicians had 2.22 times the odds of a self-reported major error[74].

We state the limits plainly. The burnout-only link to measured errors was null in the pediatric study, so burnout alone gets no causal claim from us[72]. The national figure covers attending physicians with self-reported errors, a scope note, not resident-measured proof[74]. The direction is consistent across studies: healthier trainees make fewer mistakes. The Hours page carries the full hours-safety synthesis.

Sources: Fahrenkopf et al., BMJ 2008 (PMC2258399) · West et al., JAMA 2009 (PMID 19773564) · Tawfik et al., Mayo Clin Proc 2018 (PMID 30001832).

Resident burnout and depression vs the public Distress far above the public baseline Burnout, residents 45.2% Major depressive episode, residents in training 28% Major depressive episode, same-age public 8% Source: stat-table rows 22, 25 — JAMA Dyrbye 2018; JAMA via AAO.
Depression multiplies medical-error risk Depressed residents err more, then report more Medication errors, depressed vs not 6.2× Later major error after +depression screen (odds ratio) 2.56× 6.2× = 1.55 vs 0.25 errors per resident-month. Source: stat-table rows 72, 73 — Fahrenkopf 2008; West 2009.

Sources: [22] [25] [72] [73]

Why training conditions matter

Sleep loss, night shifts, and money stress pile up. One resident wrote in a leading medical journal that intern-year night shifts fed a depressive episode that nearly ended his life[35]. He survived through a care team and early openness. Many trainees stay silent over stigma or career worry.

Better hours, pay, and debt policy will not cure depression. A kinder schedule gives ill doctors time to seek care. That reason alone merits action.

Read his story: Dr. Justin Bullock: “You have to speak up.”

A resident in scrubs sitting alone on a bench in a dim hallway, head in hand
One resident placing a comforting hand on a colleague's shoulder in a bright corridor

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Share this page with one person in training. Remind them the 988 line exists: call or text 988[27].

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