Mental health issues and medical licenses

On Behalf of | Jun 10, 2020 | Firm News

Physicians and prospective doctors face a number of challenges in their careers, such as anxiety about obtaining or keeping their medical license, work-related hardships, financial problems (especially with the high levels of debt many incur during their education) and other difficulties such as marital strain. All of these problems contribute to mental health hurdles such as depression and anxiety for some doctors. Unfortunately, some do not seek the help they need because they worry about how doing so will affect their ability to successfully apply for a medical license or keep an existing license.

Applying for a medical license

During the application process, doctors are questioned about their mental health. Those who have sought psychological treatment in the previous year often worry that this will get in the way of their ability to obtain a medical license, causing many to avoid seeking the assistance they desperately need. Unfortunately, this contributes to some of the challenges that are so rampant among doctors, such as unusually high suicide rates and other hardships related to mental health.

Seeking help

Unfortunately, some doctors do not seek help due to the aforementioned reasons, worsening their condition. Some become very depressed or overwhelmed as a result of anxiety, which affects their performance and increases the likelihood of other job-related problems (such as making a critical error). It is imperative for people to pursue the resources they need to address mental health challenges, but our law office also realizes how much pressure doctors are under. If the loss of a medical license or the inability to obtain one has impacted you, look into your options and review our site for more information.