How peer support can save physician lives

The Podcast by KevinMD

Anesthesiologist and clinical mental health counselor Maire Daugharty discusses her article, "Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers." Drawing from her personal experience of losing three colleagues to suicide and overdose, Maire makes a powerful case for peer support as a direct antidote to the isolation that plagues the medical profession. She explains how the culture of medicine, with its relentless pursuit of perfection, leaves physicians vulnerable to despair when they inevitably face human fallibility. The conversation explores how structured peer support creates a space for authentic connection, validating shared struggles and mitigating the self-recrimination that can follow adverse outcomes. Maire also clarifies that while peer support is a lifeline, it is also a crucial tool for identifying colleagues who need deeper professional help, and for normalizing that next step. Her core message is an urgent call for medical environments to integrate protected peer support programs as an essential, proactive strategy to save lives.

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