Can someone with mental illness be a surgeon?

[azaleaanx]

I've been wondering about this for quite sometime . I know that someone with PTSD must be fully recovered to enter medicine field again but what about other mental illnesses such as depression , anxiety and panic attacks?

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[DoctwoB]

The answer in any medical field (not just surgery) is that your illness can't affect your ability to practice. As part of board, licensing, and credentialing applications you will likely be asked some form of questions like "do you have a physical or mental illness that would limit your ability to practice medicine?" The wording of the question typically would allow someone with depression controlled on medication or something similar to answer no. From a practical standpoint you certainly wouldn't want someone with uncontrolled panic attacks operating on you. On the other hand if we disqualified all surgeons taking SSRIs we'd lose 1/3 our surgical workforce.

 

[deleted480308]

I was under the impression it was a requirement

“Boom! Roasted!” -micheal scott

 

[Goro]

I've been wondering about this for quite sometime . I know that someone with PTSD must be fully recovered to enter medicine field again but what about other mental illnesses such as depression , anxiety and panic attacks?

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Mental health issues have to be under control. Medicine is a furnace

 

[dpmd]

I was under the impression it was a requirement

“Boom! Roasted!” -micheal scott

No that is just personality disorders

 

[dpmd]

But seriously, I have colleagues with anxiety that maybe rises to the level of being anxiety disorder and some with depression. However, just because it can be done doesn't mean you are in a position to be ready for it or that it will be good for you.

 

[Apollyon]

No that is just personality disorders

"That's not a bug - that's a feature!"

 

[dpmd]

"That's not a bug - that's a feature!"

Well, yeah., Duh.

 

[ACSurgeon]

I've been wondering about this for quite sometime . I know that someone with PTSD must be fully recovered to enter medicine field again but what about other mental illnesses such as depression , anxiety and panic attacks?

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can they be a surgeon? Yes

should they try? Maybe, maybe not

Will surgical residency worsen their mental health? Absolutely