The Fate of the Mentally Ill Physician

Abstract

Extensive information collected on 40 Physicians who had been hospitalized for the treatment of a psychiatric disorder revealed that more than half of these doctors were ultimately able to return to active professional lives, despite the generally poor prognoses for the disorders from which they suffered. The severity of their illnesses was emphasized, however, by the unusually high death rate, which included five suicides, during the follow-up period. The authors examine the implications of their findings for the training of young physicians, the need for early preventive efforts against mental illness, and the treatment and rehabilitation of physicians who do become ill.