Looking out for your mental health
There is no question that it has been a difficult few years for doctors in training.
The impacts of the pandemic, disruptions to training, and increased workloads on the health and wellbeing of our workforce have been immense. But assistance to navigate the many support services available for junior doctors are available.
This week the ABC’s 7.30 program highlighted doctor mental health wellbeing. In their story Healthcare Workers Sound the Alarm on a Mental Health Crisis in the Industry, the AMA outlined its concern regarding the mental health of doctors in a health care system that is increasingly under pressure. The story provided a brief junior and trainee doctors lens through the Hand-n-Hand peer-support program. The initiative is aimed at reducing the stigma of mental health within the profession, and encouraging doctors and nurses to talk to their co-workers about their wellbeing.
The Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors in Training (AMACDT) and the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) and have partnered to create a Traffic Lights Flyer which provides a list of support services available for students and junior doctors, and provides recommendation as to what services to access depending on the level of stress, mental illness or acute need the individual is facing. You can access the Traffic Light Flyer here.
