At a personal and professional level, I am interested in authentic living and the inherent struggle medical professionals face. Through my research, writing and the Authentic Living Survey, I hope to advocate for change at an individual and systemic level to improve the well-being of medical professionals worldwide.
The 2020 global pandemic exposed a sobering truth that physician wellness and mental health were already at a critical breaking point. While the global pandemic intensified the strain, the crisis still continues today. Rates of burnout, depression, and physician suicide have climbed to their highest levels, reflecting a systemic problem that continues to escalate.
This is not only a personal tragedy but a global concern. Fewer physicians are entering the field, and many who remain are leaving under the weight of unsustainable demands. As a surgeon, I have witnessed this reality both in my own life and through the struggles of my colleagues.
The loss of a physician to suicide reverberates far beyond a single moment. It leaves an indelible scar on families, colleagues, and the communities we serve. Each loss also underscores a deeper truth. When the system neglects the well-being of physicians, everyone loses. It is a tragedy that demands urgent action at every level of healthcare.
Authentic living means showing up as the same person in every area of life, with thoughts, words, and actions in alignment. It is an ideal many people pursue, as reflected in the popularity of authors such as Brene Brown.
For medical professionals, however, authenticity often feels unattainable. The demands of training and practice encourage compartmentalization rather than integration, leaving doctors vulnerable to disconnection and strain. This is why my research focuses on identifying both the risk factors that drive burnout, depression, and suicide, and the protective measures that can guard against them.
My goal is to help create a system where doctors are sustained, not depleted; where wellness strategies are implemented early, long before the warning signs escalate into crisis.
At both the University of Florida and Baylor College of Medicine, I have studied how physician mental health affects doctors across every stage of their careers and within a wide range of specialties, including internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and emergency medicine.
One avenue of this work is The Authentic Doctor Survey, a qualitative research tool I designed to capture the lived experiences of physicians. Through their anonymous responses, the survey reveals the personal struggles behind the statistics and builds a case for meaningful change.
Would you be willing to participate? The survey takes 3 minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous. We believe you will find great value in reflecting on your responses and provide powerful collective insight that informs change.
As a professional speaker, I have shared my research findings with organizations like The Gold Humanism Society and have been published in The Journal of The American College of Surgeons and the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
As a regular speaker on doctor wellness, you can learn more about my presentations and how to request consultation or speaking services here.
At a personal and professional level, I am interested in authentic living and the inherent struggle doctors face with depression, burnout and suicide. It’s my belief that authenticity and authentic living are preventative measures and I aim to bring to light how to use these tools to help doctors at risk so further tragedies can be averted.
I live in Houston with my husband Adrian, daughter Lucy and extended family.