Junior doctors and stress

The British Medical Journal has just published an article, "How to handle stress and look after your mental health" by Amy Iverson and others. (BMJ 2009;338:b1368). Twenty years ago it was reported that among doctors in their first year of graduating, 50% had emotional disturbance and 28% fulfilled criteria for depression. Since then, working hours have decreased, and the way that doctors are trained and managed has changed substantially. The authors reveal that despite this, the proportion of doctors experiencing psychological distress has remained constant, at about 28%, compared with about 18% in the general working population.
This article gives advice to junior doctors on how to manage stressful situations and avoid potential mental illness.
Access the article through CIAP Online Journals, our A-Z electronic journals list, or by contacting your friendly librarian.