Consistency Between State Medical License Applications and Recommendations Regarding Physician Mental Health
Daniel Saddawi‐Konefka, Ariel Brown, Isabella Eisenhart, Katharine Hicks, Eileen Barrett, Jessica A. Gold
Abstract
Physicians have higher rates of depression, burnout, and suicide than the general population. 1 Despite this, physicians infrequently seek mental health care, consistently citing fear of negative ramifications for licensing. State medical license applications often ask broad questions about mental health history or its hypothetical effect on competency, even though asking violates the Americans With Disabilities Act. In states with license applications that ask such questions, physicians are more reluctant to seek help. n 2018, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), an umbrella organization that advises state medical boards, published recommendations on physician wellness and burnout, 5 some of which directly relate to licensing applications. We reviewed the consistency of medical license applications with those FSMB recommendations.