EXPOSING MEDICAL TRAINING (debt, hours, salary, toxicity) | Dr. Rachel Southard

We need YOUR help! I would love to hear your thoughts regarding potential solutions for improving medical training for our future and current doctors.
Share this video with your family, friends, and colleagues. :-)

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Disclaimer: The views & opinions expressed in this video are my own (which are not directed at any specific entity/party) and do not reflect the views/opinions of any affiliates or employers. The individuals portrayed or mentioned in this video are not real patients but rather fictional representations created for illustrative purposes. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The content presented is intended for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. Viewer discretion is advised.

[RachelSouthard]

Let's put it ALL OUT THERE: why are people quitting medical training, my medical school debt, non-resident work hours & salary vs resident work hours & salary, etc. We have come a very long way, but we can still do better to protect the well-being of our future and current doctors. Please share this video if you feel as passionate as I do about this need for change!

[JakeGoodmanMD]

Thank you for continuing to push the medical training culture toward a more compassionate direction, Rachel! Your work is saving lives and I’m honored to know you!

[jimbarry]

I think it is important to understand how the resident work hour restrictions came to fruition, because it may lay the path forward for future changes. The work hour restrictions arose from New York's 405 Laws, which are also known as the "Libby Zion" Laws. Back in 1984 an 18yr girl died in a New York hospital due to a preventable medical error. The circumstances of her death put the spot light on the atrocious working conditions of residents. The public and lawmakers were OUTRAGED and work hour restriction laws were passed in New York in 1989. The public and lawmakers began asking more and more questions about why medical errors occur. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine came out with their report, To Err is Human, which explained that most medical error is not due to cavalier or reckless physicians, instead it was/is due to poor working conditions, system errors, tired/exhausted doctors, etc..Finally the ACGME, in 2003, decided to implement the common duty hour requirements which mirrored NY's 405 laws.

In summary, I think change will come for residents when the public once again viscerally feels that outrage again and demands further change. Talking about this issue among ourselves and other medical professional definitely has benefit (I love venting as much as anyone else), but the people who need to hear about the struggles of physicians in training are the folks outside of medicine.

[jessicalownes]

Also, to add in the 1960s, 1980s, 1990s etc doc were not coming out of medical school with debts this large

[biblewithcale]

As a high schooler who wants to go to college and medical school. Thank you for sparking the conversations about the field now, because it may have major effects on what it is like for me.

[sarapurdy]

This is such an important video! Thank you for your bravery and persistence to stop this cycle. Systemic change needs to happen. Proud of you Dr Southard and feeling proud to be part of this herd with you 🐜🦸‍♀️💕

[shal]

thank you rachel! as a future medical student, it’s reassuring that there is a movement and people are talking to better the environment i’ll one day contribute too. i’ve told myself that when the day finally comes when i’m a full attending, i’ll do my best to uphold a positive work environment and fight for change. we got this everyone, be cognizant and stay vigilant

[NourAbiSaleh]

The perfect video to come back to after a 15 hour shift 🥹🫶🏻

[vmania]

Your passion on this subject is contagious

[AshleyStuart]

It's absolutely fascinating to me that we know the importance of sleep, family life, and taking time for ourselves and how important it is and yet medical residency fails in pretty much all of this. Eg. In my training right now to become a pharmacy technician in Canada, if we don't get enough sleep, it is actually a risk to patients because errors increase drastically with lack of sleep. Just because something has been done like this forever doesn't mean it should continue. Medicine and science changes as we learn more and so should medical training. It shouldn't be an attitude of well, I went through this so this next generation should too. Getting through medical training proves resiliency. It shouldn't take 80 hours of work a week to be able to prove you can do the job. That's just my take. I love so much that you are talking about this!

[AlexandraLacy-kkfb]

Yes yes yes!! If we as a society want more doctors who are both incredibly knowledgeable and empathetic then we must support their access to sleep, balance, and holistic wellness. It will only enrich their training so that when met with challenges you have the brain power and the properly pruned neural networks to navigate the the situation at hand leading to a better outcome and enhanced sense of meaning. THIS is content and conversation we need to be having. You are incredible Dr. Southard and admire your commitment to change while in the midst of the storm.

[Sierra-zvxy]

Exactly why I withdrew from medical school. It's simply not worth my mental health. I've never experienced such joy since leaving. Best decision EVER!

[ricahighers]

Unionize. Unionize. Unionize. Every program needs to unionize. Its the only way to create some organization to demand changes from your employer and acgme. No amount of self help practices can change the system. What you are describing is a level of exploitation that most people would NEVER put up with even if the salaries at the end of your program are high.

[clairepianist]

Rachel, I submitted a secondary application yesterday. I honestly gave zero f**ks writing one of its essay prompts, which asked me to describe how I handled a difficult situation, the coping skills I used, and whom I sought support from. I wrote about discussing the matter with my therapist and immediately terminating a professional relationship with a client who unjustly projected his anger onto me. Yep.

[ronanflanagan]

You are the future of medicine! THIS is what we need, thank you Dr. Southard 👏🏻

[CRuiz-uytb]

BSN nurse here...for at least a year, I worked 14 hours without a break, because I cared that much for my team to get their lunches...my goal has been CRNA or med school, but I burned out. I'm still in nursing, just a different dayshift role where I have lost 30 lbs and turned my health around. After Covid, the way patients speak to healthcare professionals is wild. I don't allow that anymore. Rachel, you are making changes and thank you for being you!

[kelliebutlerth]

Your speech about not quitting your job helped me a little but not quitting my ( floral job) Thanks for the advice

[rinoamoruso]

Go Rachel, your passion is definitely showing, thank you for your terrific video.

[katvtay]

When I see older doctors on social media say they had to do it and turned out fine so this generation should stop being so soft, it baffles me. I suspect they are a small minority, but this happens in areas besides medical training. It’s such a bizarre sentiment to want to inflict suffering on the younger generations because you had to endure it. Really nice to see professionals like Dr. Southerd being committed to change. That is how we succeed.

[dc]

glad for changing things one step at a time. Congratulations on all you have achieved. Thank you