Missing Texas doctor found alive, says pressure of residency was too much

[eatandpoop]

"A Texas doctor who mysteriously went missing for four days says she disappeared because the pressure of her residency was just too much to handle."

What does this mean for her? Can she get kicked out of her residency program since she didn't report to work for 4 days and did not tell anyone?

Is it common for doctors to have mental breakdowns? Are there support programs in place to help these doctors in THEIR time of need?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/missing-tex-doctor-found-alive-pressure-article-1.2038954

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[Spirit of the Student Doc]

I hope she gets the help she needs.

 

[Holmwood]

I know they do psychological evaluations for content moderators who have to weed out tons of mentally damaging media (Ex. beheading videos). Perhaps it's time for doctors and residents to have it as well.

 

[Osteoth]

She will probably get a psych eval and given a week or two off to recuperate from whatever they diagnose her with.

 

[PlaqueBuster]

I feel like people automatically equate the inability of stress management with some form of mental/psychiatric issues and think that these people need help (showing pity). I say that she should be let go from the residency because as a responsible adult there are appropriate ways to deal with stress than running away. But what do i know....

 

[FedSquarewall]

I could see how sick kids and parents could put a lot of pressure on someone, but thats what a leave of absence is for. What happens in three years when they're all her own patients and she just doesn't show up?

 

[TeddyMeddy]

.

 

[Holmwood]

I feel like people automatically equate the inability of stress management with some form of mental/psychiatric issues and think that these people need help (showing pity). I say that she should be let go from the residency because as a responsible adult there are appropriate ways to deal with stress than running away. But what do i know....

Chronic stress can eventually lead to mental disorders. However, if physicians/residents can learn how to manage stress early on, it should lessen the possibility of developing a mental disorder. To say that doctors are stressed is a euphemism in itself as you are dealing with human lives... with varying margins of safety for each specialty, you can still kill your patients with a minor slip-up.

To dismiss that she has any mental deterioration and that she was simply "irresponsible" or not "appropriate" is... well, it may or may not be valid. We just don't know enough about the women's situation.

However, what if she did exhibit some form of mental disorder after evaluation? Your comment would then be a testament to current society's inability to acknowledge mental disorders as actual medical disorders.

From what I can reason, doctor's are not likely to seek help for physical illness, especially one that requires lengthy care and hospitalization. Thus, it would be even more unlikely for doctors to seek help for mental illnesses... which is why I suggested mandatory evaluations. There are better ways to go about it like stress management techniques during training as you might agree.

 

[PlaqueBuster]

Chronic stress can eventually lead to mental disorders. However, if physicians/residents can learn how to manage stress early on, it should lessen the possibility of developing a mental disorder. To say that doctors are stressed is a euphemism in itself as you are dealing with human lives... with varying margins of safety for each specialty, you can still kill your patients with a minor slip-up.

To dismiss that she has any mental deterioration and that she was simply "irresponsible" or not "appropriate" is... well, it may or may not be valid. We just don't know enough about the women's situation.

However, what if she did exhibit some form of mental disorder after evaluation? Your comment would then be a testament to current society's inability to acknowledge mental disorders as actual medical disorders.

From what I can reason, doctor's are not likely to seek help for physical illness, especially one that requires lengthy care and hospitalization. Thus, it would be even more unlikely for doctors to seek help for mental illnesses... which is why I suggested mandatory evaluations. There are better ways to go about it like stress management techniques during training as you might agree.

I entirely agree with everything you said. However, as I learn more about mental illness I feel like in today's society there really are not proper methods of assessing this. Many times its the discretion of the psychiatrist and what the patient is verbally telling them. I do acknowledge mental disorders as real illnesses and as a psych major who did research I do know how devastating this can be for individuals suffering from it. But I just feel that due to the media, availability heuristic, and lack of proper/accurate diagnostic methods we as a society tend to catogorize individuals as mentally ill who may not really be

 

[Holmwood]

I entirely agree with everything you said. However, as I learn more about mental illness I feel like in today's society there really are not proper methods of assessing this. Many times its the discretion of the psychiatrist and what the patient is verbally telling them. I do acknowledge mental disorders as real illnesses and as a psych major who did research I do know how devastating this can be for individuals suffering from it. But I just feel that due to the media, availability heuristic, and lack of proper/accurate diagnostic methods we as a society tend to catogorize individuals as mentally ill who may not really be

Yeah, that's true. I mean, physicians are now giving certain psych meds to toddlers for crying out loud...

Psychiatric research is generations behind research in all the other specialties. While there are methods of assessing various cognitive/personality disorders... it's not very well developed. As you have stated, there's plenty room for a lot of BS in both the diagnosis and treatment.

So yes, I agree that mandatory psych evaluations may not be the ideal solution. Still, I would like to see medical professionals and professionals in other high-stress occupations learn stress-management and self-help techniques during training. . . all to prevent further mishaps like the aforementioned resident case. I don't think it should be optional when people's lives are at stake . . .

 

[Psai]

I don't blame her but that's a pretty crappy thing to do to your co-residents. There is a ton of work and only so many people to do it, they must have been swamped

 

[ciruji]

I don't blame her but that's a pretty crappy thing to do to your co-residents. There is a ton of work and only so many people to do it, they must have been swamped

It is not like she is being lazy you know. To have taken this decision as a resident, you as a co-resident must know she was feeling an extreme pressure and this is not the time to portray yourself as a victim or let down by her.

 

[Ismet]

I'm more glad she's ok.

There was a similar story a year ago where an intern just disappeared and no one could contact her. She was found dead a few weeks later.

I hope she gets some help, and I don't really judge her for the extra burden it placed on her co-residents. Somehow I'm sure the program will survive. We've certainly sucked it up for our peers in times of need at my program.

Exactly.

Also if her program is anything like the peds program here, her co-residents would CERTAINLY be more concerned with her well-being rather than having to each take on a couple extra patients. I hope those judging her for "being irresponsible" show a little more empathy if ever faced with this kind of situation. She's an intern, it's a very hard year, and it affects some more than others. Sure, hers wasn't the best reaction to stress, but people don't think rationally in times of crisis. I hope she is getting the help and support she needs.

 

[DrBowtie]

I can't imagine they wouldn't.

We've certainly never had something like a resident up and disappearing, but at my program we've had emergent situations like parents with a new cancer diagnosis or a critically ill child. Everyone gladly took up the slack in those situations without thinking twice...and we are mean surgeons

Agree. Most are willing to suck it up for their co-residents in need.

The only problem was the lack of communication with the PD leading to a missing person news story.