Half of junior docs ‘in distress’

Almost half of all junior doctors are “psychologically distressed”, says a study which indicates graduates are underprepared for their introduction to hospital workloads.

The survey of 270 junior doctors found that 48.5% displayed psychological distress, meaning they are particularly vulnerable to a variety of mental health problems including stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse issues, burnout, and even suicidal tendency.

In answering the survey, the issue which caused most respondents the highest source of stress was ‘on-call commitment’, followed by ‘nursing staff’.