Examine the Link between Work Environment and Mental Health

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the College is highlighting its mental health and well-being resources to support surgeons.

With a work environment that naturally exposes surgeons to factors that can threaten mental health, surgeons are at risk of experiencing second victim syndrome, moral injury, compassion fatigue, PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use, and more. It is critical to address mental health at all levels to ensure there is a supportive pathway for mental health.

A 2021 article in US News & World Report, How to Help Doctors Get Mental Health Care: Change the System, identifies structural barriers of state licensure applications, hospital/health system privileging and credentialing applications, commercial insurance credentialing, malpractice insurance applications, legal discovery process during lawsuits, and mental health treatment requirements as significant contributors to mental health being.

The ACS is committed to supporting policies and evidence-based interventions and to partnering with the medical community to support legislation that improves and supports surgeon’s mental health and access to care, as seen in the 2022 ACS statement supporting the Federation of State Medical Boards’ Policy on Physician Illness and Impairment.

In addition, the ACS and other members of the Surgeon Well-being Coalition called for the House of Surgery to formulate, design, and enact wellness practices that benefit all surgeons, patients, and families at individual and systems level. It advocates for healthy, sustainable systems and practices that bring well-being into the day-to-day and beyond crisis management. As this work gets underway, keep an eye out for additional information and resources.

View other resources to support mental health: