Physician Health Resources
The following resources provide personal and workplace health information addressing a variety of subjects applicable and relevant to all stages of your career.
- Articles and tools addressing a range of physician health-related topics
- Information on arranging a PFSP-sponsored physician health session
- Relevant external websites and organizations
Physician wellness news and events
CMA announces new role: Vice-president of Physician Health and Wellness
October 10, 2018
The Canadian Medical Association has created a new position among its team: Vice-president of Physician Health and Wellness. Dr. Caroline Gérin-Lajoie, a clinical psychiatrist from Ottawa, has taken on the role and will join the CMA in January 2019.
Asking for support is a sign of strength
September 12, 2018
Until recently, family and relationship issues have been the most common reason for calling the Physician and Family Support Program help line, and a large volume of calls is still dedicated to that topic. But in the past few years, calls about mental health issues, including stress and burnout, have increased in frequency and are now the number one reason people call the PFSP. Together, these two topics account for more than half of all calls.
Articles and tools
Addiction
- Am I alcohol dependant? Try this self-assessment tool.
- Hail Physician: Dare to Care, Part I
Dr. Dianne Maier
Adverse events, complaints and medical-legal litigation
- Transcend adversity
Dr. Nancy Love
Burnout
- Am I at risk for burnout? Try the BMA Doctors for Doctors Burnout Questionnaire.
- Mini Z burnout survey: Find out how your workplace stress levels measure up against others in your field
American Medical Association - One in four Canadian physicians report burnout: New CMA survey provides key indicators on physician health
- Physician Wellness: Preventing Resident and Fellow Burnout
American Medical Association - Preventing Physician Burnout
American Medical Association - ProQOL
The ProQOL is the most commonly used measure of the negative and positive effects of helping others who experience suffering and trauma. The ProQOL has sub-scales for compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue. - Rates of burnout, depression reported by doctors, residents concerning: report
Sheryl Ubelacker | The Canadian Press
Physicians caring for physicians
- The magic white coat: How doctors deal with their own illnesses
Dr. Terrie Brandon - Physician health issue
Vital Signs, March 2017
Relationships with patients
- Living better through empathy
Dr. Jared Bly
Stress and fatigue management
- Managing Compassion Fatigue is an Organizational Responsibility
Dr. Sharron L. Spicer, Vital Signs, April 2018
Suicide prevention
- Healthcare Professional Burnout, Depression and Suicide Prevention
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - A Physician Public Health Imperative: Respond to Physician Mental Illness and Suicide
PFSP Perspectives, Alberta Doctors' Digest, January-February 2008 - Dr. Dianne Maier - Preventing Physician Distress and Suicide: Recognize and respond to physician distress and suicidal behavior
American Medical Association - The Complexity of Physician Suicide
The BMJ, September 10, 2018 - Dr. Michael Myers - Out of the shadows: Shining light on physician suicide
PFSP Perspectives, Alberta Doctors' Digest. September-October 2016 - Dr. Sara Taylor
Physicians in the workplace
- Fifteen Years into My Brilliant, but Unbalanced Career — Now what?
Dr. Vincent Hanlon - Relationships: What Works for Physicians?
Dr. Monica Hill - Keeping the igloo warm
Dr. Marc Cheriwchan
Physician health sessions
From sponsoring and facilitating education sessions to sponsoring conference and event keynote speakers, PFSP works to help you develop and encourage a healthy culture of medicine with your audience(s).
Physician wellness websites and organizations
- Canadian Association for Physicians with Disabilities
Social networking and support for Canadian physicians with disabilities - Canadian Medical Association Physician Health and Wellness
View the CMA’s Statement on Physician Health and Wellness, its physician health policy, key issues in physician health and wellness and more. - Canadian Medical Protective Association
Connecting Canadian member physicians with risk-management training, legal defense and liability protection. - The College of Family Physicians of Canada
Gay and lesbian health resources - Provincial physician health programs
View what all Canadian provinces and territories medical associations offer their physician members. - MD Financial Management
A financial services firm dedicated exclusively to the financial well-being of Canada’s physicians and their families. - Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta
Resident Physician Wellness Month: Resident physician-related events and initiatives celebrated annually in May. - Resident Doctors of Canada
Resources for Residents, including intimidation and harassment prevention, Crisis resources and debriefing after negative outcomes. - The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
CanMEDS Physician Health Guide: A practical handbook for physician health and well-being
