September 17 Is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day: Prevention Resources Can Provide Needed Help

Internal and externals stressors are an expected part of working in healthcare, especially as a surgeon, but offering and/or seeking support can be difficult to do. Because unaddressed mental and emotional stress may contribute to death by suicide for physicians, if you or someone you know is experiencing extreme stressors it is critical to seek out support.

September 17 is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, and the Vital Signs campaign to prevent physician suicide has gathered curated resources that can offer needed support and interventions for surgeons in need.

Peer Support Resources

• PeerRxMed is a free peer-to-peer program for physicians and other healthcare professionals. PeerRxMed offers support, connection, encouragement, resources, and skill building for optimal well-being.
• Physician Support Line helps physicians and medical students navigate personal and professional challenges through a volunteer network of psychiatrists.
• American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress offers online support groups for emergency responders and healthcare workers.

Confidential and Professional Support

• Therapy Aid Coalition provides pro bono therapy for frontline healthcare professionals, including individual and group support.
• The Emotional PPE Project connects healthcare professionals with licensed mental health professionals who can help. This service is free and does not require insurance.

Other Resources

• Married to Doctors Podcast discusses the challenges faced by the spouses and families of physicians.
• Heroes Health is a free mobile app from the UNC School of Medicine. It helps healthcare professionals and first responders monitor their mental health and gain access to mental health resources.
• CrewCare is a resilience focused app for first responders and healthcare professionals.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) offers interactive screening programs for suicide prevention, tailored for medical schools, hospitals, and health systems.