Dr. Pamela Wible M.D. is transforming the world of medicine by addressing various longstanding taboos. One of these taboos is suicide, which is a real problem among both physicians and medical students. From her pioneering work in the Ideal Medical Care Movement to physician suicide prevention, Dr. Wible is now delving deeper into the cause with her recent article on medical student suicide solutions.
"I've become a sideline specialist in medical student and physician suicide," says Dr. Wible. "Why? Mostly because I can't stop asking why. Why both classmates I dated in medical school died by suicide. Why we lost three doctors in town to suicide. Why my cell phone feels like a suicide hotline. Why I've received hundreds of letters from suicidal doctors and medical students."
Dr. Wible believes that finding solutions is something that should be done together with all the people who are affected by the problem in the first place. Her 'ideal clinic' model, for instance, is developed by physicians in collaboration with their communities so that a mutually beneficial and 'ideal' clinic is created. This is why, to find solutions for medical student suicide, she interviewed a group of medical students to find out what should be done. They came up with 10 specific recommendations.
The first recommendation is to increase awareness on the issue. Next, they feel the stigma on suicide should be decreased. Students also feel resources should be shared and that an online and offline national hotline should be created. Annual screening should also be provided, as well as mentorship and therapy. Students feel particularly strongly about needing to humanize medical education and offering peer support. Furthermore, they feel physical education should be required and, finally, bullying should be stopped.
In response, Dr. Wible has started offering retreats for burned out, depressed, and suicidal medical students. "This retreat SAVES LIVES and is amazing!" says Karen van Wyk M.D., a family physician in Canada. The course is a 12-week program with live weekly teleseminars culminating in a one-week retreat at a hot springs in Oregon, where medical students can unwind and learn to enjoy their chosen profession once again.
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Contact Pamela Wible, M.D.:
Pamela Wible, M.D.
541-345-2437
3575 Donald Street #220 Eugene, OR 97405
