Useful Articles and Links
27/10/20 - Please note that there is a new Health Pathway available for GPs assessing medical practitioners as patients:
https://actsnsw.communityhealthpathways.org/130566.htm
User name: together Password: forhealth
Other resources
The Medical Journal of Australia regularly publishes research and commentary related to self-care issues for doctors. Go to http://www.mja.com.au/ & search using "Doctors' health".
The following articles are of interest and can be accessed directly via these links:
- Bruce CT, Sanger MM,Thomas PS, Petkus JR,Yates DH Factors affecting female or male consultant stress in an Australian teaching hospital MJA 2003; 179 (1): 174-175
- Kilmartin MR, Newell CJ Line MA The balancing act: key issues in the lives of women general practitioners in Australia MJA 2002 177 (2): 87-89
- Lake FR, Ryan G Teaching on the run tips 11: the junior doctor in difficulty MJA 2005; 183 (9): 475-476
- Riley GJ Understanding the stresses and strains of being a doctor MJA 2004; 181 (7): 350-353
- Schattner P, Davidson S,Serry N Doctors’ health and wellbeing: taking up the challenge in Australia MJA 2004; 181 (7): 348-349
- Schattner PL Coman GJ The stress of metropolitan general practice MJA 1998; 169: 133-137
- Shadbolt NE Attitudes to healthcare and self-care among junior medical officers: a preliminary report MJA 2002 177 (1 Suppl): S19-S20
- Van Der Weyden MB Primum non nocere — to yourself MJA 2006; 184 (2): 49 Warhaft N The Victorian Doctors Health Program: the first 3 years MJA 2004; 181 (7): 376-379
- Willcock SM, Daly MG, Tennant CC, Allard BJ Burnout and psychiatric morbidity in new medical graduates MJA 2004; 181 (7): 357-360
- The October 4th 2004 issue is devoted entirely to issues concerning Doctors' health. All articles are available at the MJA website: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/181_07_041004/contents_041004.html
The "Impaired Registrant" program of the Medical Council of NSW is described on their website (https://www.mcnsw.org.au). If you want to know more about the Council's approach to impaired doctors and medical students, click on "Doctors health" and then on "Policies and information".
The Ontario "Physician Health Program" has relevant articles on http://php.oma.org/. Click on "Articles".
Australian Dental Association (NSW) http://www.adansw.com.au/
Suicide
Although rare, suicide is of course, the outcome that we dread the most. Although the medical training system in Australia is less stressful and costly than in the United States, the following article is a reminder of the importance of caring for those around us, especially at times of stress (high stakes specialty training exams being a good example).
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/depression/physician-suicide-101-secrets-lies-solutions?GUID=B78E18D7-7182-4FA2-BD88-2A5FB0C5EFE8&rememberme=1&ts=08112014
Why doctors hide their own illnesses
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/16/why-doctors-hide-their-own-illnesses
Medscape Psysician lifestyle Report 2015
http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/lifestyle/2015/public/overview#1
How doctors treat doctors may be medicine's secret shame
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/06/how-doctors-treat-doctors-may-be-medicines-secret-shame
Suicide of doctors while under fitness to practise investigations
Dr Suicide.pdf