“It’s striking that doctors die by suicide at a rate of 28 to 40 per 100,000 or more than double that of the general population – with approximately 300-400 suicide deaths per year. One doctor dies by suicide in the US every day—the highest suicide rate of any profession, including the military.”
NEW YORK (PRWEB)
October 28, 2021
The University of Medicine and Health Sciences, (UMHS), a small, mission-driven medical school with a commitment to student support and a legacy of successful residency placements in the United States and Canada, today announced that its recent presentation, “Suicide Prevention and the State of Psychiatry,” is now available to stream online. The session was led by UMHS alumnus Dr. Aaron Vazquez, who works as an inpatient psychiatrist and medical director at Intermountain Healthcare St. George Regional Hospital in St. George, Utah, along with fellow UMHS graduate Dr. Harki Kaur, a Psychiatry resident at Case Western University, as part of the medical school’s campaign to raise awareness during Suicide Prevention Week Tailored to medical students, physicians and healthcare workers, the event covered topics ranging from the high suicide rates for doctors and medical students, common warning signs for suicide, how to help someone in crisis, and cutting-edge treatments for depression and mental health conditions. The full recording of the presentation can be accessed here.
Suicide has a devastating effect on families and communities, and occurs in about 12 per 100,000 people in the US per year. One population that’s at high-risk for suicide is medical doctors and medical students. Following 20 months of unrelenting, pandemic-related stress, suicide rates are climbiing in this already vulnerable group.
“It’s striking that doctors die by suicide at a rate of 28 to 40 per 100,000 or more than double that of the general population – with approximately 300-400 suicide deaths per year,” said Dr. Vasquez. ”One doctor dies by suicide in the US every day—the highest suicide rate of any profession, including the military. Medical students are three times likelier to die of suicide than the general population.”
Recognizing the urgency of the mental health crisis among medical students, UMHS organized the event to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week September 5-12. During the virtual session, Drs. Vasquez and Kaur described their experiences of working in psychiatry and shared their insights on a range of critical issues, including:
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Risk factors & warning signs for suicide - How to start a conversation around mental health & suicide
- Why suicidal threats and ideation should always be taken seriously
- What to do if someone you know is struggling
- Personal wellness tips for maintaining your own mental health
- How simple changes in how we talk about suicide can help remove the stigma
- Cutting-edge treatment options for mental health disorders
“People are more comfortable talking about mental health, but suicide is still scary for people to talk about,” said Dr. Harki Kaur. “It’s time to deepen this conversation and spread more awareness, especially among professionals in a high-stress environment. Mental health is just as important as physical health.”
To stream the UMHS presentation, “Suicide Prevention and the State of Psychiatry,” please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l1GndfMuQM&t=4151s.
For readers who are experiencing a crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
About UMHS
The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS), is a small, mission-driven medical school with a commitment to student support and a legacy of successful residency placements in the United States and Canada. UMHS was founded in 2007 by medical education pioneers Warren and Robert Ross to deliver a highly personalized school experience. Graduates of UMHS earn a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) and qualify to practice medicine throughout the United States and Canada. Students begin their Basic Science studies in St. Kitts, West Indies, and complete their clinical training in the United States. With an unprecedented 96% student retention rate, the vast majority of students that begin their medical studies at UMHS go on to obtain residencies. For more information visit https://www.umhs-sk.org/.
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