Episode 105: Repairing the System: How Do We Create Safe Environments?
Release Date: 09/24/2024
Episode 128: The Disclosure Series, Part 2: Medical Culture, Stigma, and What Prevents Disclosure
DocsWithDisabilities
Series Description Disclosure is a three-part podcast series from the Docs with Disabilities Podcast that examines one of the most personal and consequential decisions disabled healthcare providers make: whether, when, and how to disclose a disability. Through the voices of medical students, residents, practicing physicians, psychologists, nurses, researchers, legal scholars, and disability advocates, the series explores disclosure as an ongoing process shaped by identity, institutional culture, ableism, and power. Blending lived experience with research and policy, the series challenges...
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Episode 127: The Disclosure Series, Part 1: The Decision to Disclose
DocsWithDisabilities
Series Description Disclosure is a three-part podcast series from the Docs with Disabilities Podcast that examines one of the most personal and consequential decisions disabled healthcare providers make: whether, when, and how to disclose a disability. Through the voices of medical students, residents, practicing physicians, psychologists, nurses, researchers, legal scholars, and disability advocates, the series explores disclosure as an ongoing process shaped by identity, institutional culture, ableism, and power. Blending lived experience with research and policy, the series challenges...
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Episode 126: Evidence to Action: Live Panel at ICAM 2026
DocsWithDisabilities
From Evidence to Action: Incorporating Disability Inclusion in Medical Training and Practice (ICAM 2026) Session Description The ICAM Series | Recorded Live at the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) What does it take to move disability inclusion from research and policy into everyday medical training and practice? Recorded live at the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) in Ottawa, Canada, this special episode of the Docs With Disabilities Podcast brings together an extraordinary panel of physician leaders, educators, and advocates working to transform disability...
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Episode 125: The Call is Coming From Inside the House
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewees: Neera Jain, PhD — Senior Lecturer, Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland Hannah Kakara Anderson, PhD, MBA — Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Abigail (Abby) Konoposky, PhD— Director of Medical Education Research, Department of Psychiatry, Northwell Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA — Professor of Medical Education, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago; Host, the Docs With Disabilities Podcast Description: In this...
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Episode 124: Mapping the Landscape of Technical Standards: A Nationwide Review of Medical Schools
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewees: Carol Haywood, PhD, OTR/L — Assistant Professor, Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chris Moreland, MD, MPH — Professor of Internal Medicine; Division Chief for Hospital Medicine; Interim Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs and Development, Dell Medical School (Comments made in ASL and voiced through interpreters) Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA — Guest Editor, Academic Medicine Supplement on Disability Inclusion in Undergraduate Medical Education Description: In this episode of Stories Behind the Science, we sit down with Dr....
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Episode 123: Evaluating Disability-Inclusive Content on U.S. Medical Schools’ Websites: A National Study
DocsWithDisabilities
Episode 123: Evaluating Disability-Inclusive Content on U.S. Medical Schools’ Websites—A National Study Interviewees: Ifeoma Ikedionwu, MD — Psychiatry and Internal Medicine Dual Intern, UT Southwestern Dominique Cook — Fourth-Year Medical Student, University of South Florida Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA — Guest Editor, Academic Medicine Supplement on Disability Inclusion in Undergraduate Medical Education Description: In this episode of Stories Behind the Science, Dr. Lisa Meeks sits down with Dr. Ifeoma Ikedionwu and Dominique Cook, co-authors of the first national study...
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Episode 122: Clinical Accommodations in Undergraduate Medical Education
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewees: Matthew Sullivan, PhD, Assistant Director of Disability Resources, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Suchita “Suchi” Rastogi, PhD. MPH Candidate, University of Illinois Chicago; CEO, Disability in Medicine Mutual Mentorship Program Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA, Guest Editor, Academic Medicine Supplement on Disability Inclusion in Undergraduate Medical Education Description: In this episode of Stories Behind the Science, Dr. Lisa Meeks talks with Matt Sullivan (Washington University School of Medicine) and Suchita “Suchi” Rastogi (UIC; DM3P) about...
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Episode 121: Promoting Disability Inclusion Through an Expanded Conceptual Framework of the Learning Environment
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewee: Erick Hung, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Associate Dean for Students, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA, Guest Editor, Academic Medicine Supplement on Disability Inclusion in Undergraduate Medical Education Description: In this episode of Stories Behind the Science, Dr. Lisa Meeks talks with Dr. Erick Hung (UCSF) about his paper, “Promoting Disability Inclusion Through an Expanded Conceptual Framework of the Learning Environment,” part of the Academic Medicine supplement on Disability Inclusion in UME. Their...
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Episode 120: The Intersection of Disability, Race, Ethnicity, and Financial Background on Food Insecurity Among Medical Students
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewee: Bassel Shanab, BS is a fourth-year medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD, MA, Guest Editor, Academic Medicine Supplement on Disability Inclusion in UME. Description: This episode of Stories Behind the Science sits down with Bassel Shanab (Yale School of Medicine), co-first author of “The Intersection of Disability, Race, Ethnicity, and Financial Background on Food Insecurity Among Medical Students,” part of the Academic Medicine supplement on Disability Inclusion in UME. We move beyond prevalence rates to the lived realities...
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Episode 119: Disability in Undergraduate Medical Education in the United States: A Scoping Review
DocsWithDisabilities
Interviewees: Kirsten Brown, PhD Assistant Professor of Health Professions Education at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; as a short disclaimer, Kirsten’s views do not represent the official policy or position of her employer. Dionna Bidny, MD, MMUS a first-year resident in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, currently completing her Transitional Year; and Abby Konoposky, PhD Senior Director of Medical Education Research in the Department of Psychiatry at Northwell Health. Interviewer: Lisa Meeks, PhD,...
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Content Warning:
This content addresses mental health issues, including research and narratives on suicide. Please take care while engaging with it and only proceed if you feel safe doing so. If you, or someone you love, is having thoughts of suicide, please contact 988. Help is available.
Interviewer: Lisa Meeks
Interviewees
John Ruddell
Jennifer Ruddell
Roja (friend of Jack Ruddell)
Dr. Stuart Slavin
Dr. Christine Moutier
Dr. Srijan Sen
Dr. David Muller
Dr. Justin Bullock
Dr. Jessi Gold
Narrator
Dr. Joseph Murray
Keywords: Mental health, Medical training, Stress, Well-being, Jack Ruddell, Depression, Suicidality, Financial counseling, Career counseling, Transferable skills, Medical errors, Medical culture, Opt-Out, Trust, Vulnerability, Open Discussions, Sharing Stories
Description
In this episode, we address the urgent issue of suicidality in medical training, reflecting on the personal and systemic challenges that contribute to this crisis. Building on episodes 102, 103, and 104, we continue to explore the deep impact of these challenges.
We begin by examining the need to address both individual and systemic factors, emphasizing the importance of cultural shifts within medical environments and advocating for meaningful systems change.
As the episode concludes, our experts highlight actionable steps medical schools can take to better support mental health, including fostering open dialogue, ensuring accessible resources, and creating a culture of vulnerability. In memory of Dr. Jack Rudell, we close with a piece of his music—a poignant reminder of the personal nature of this issue and the critical need to keep every trainee’s light shining.
Description of Series
DWDI Special Series: Suicidality in Medical Training dives into the critical conversations around mental health, well-being, support systems, and the intense pressures faced during medical training. Through the power of storytelling, the series intertwines these broader themes with the deeply personal story of Dr. Jack Ruddell, a promising medical student who tragically died by suicide. Jack’s journey—his strengths, struggles, and the complexities leading to his untimely death—forms the emotional core of this five-part series, giving voice to the loved ones often excluded from these conversations.
Alongside Jack’s story, the series incorporates expert insights and data from the literature, offering a human perspective on burnout, depression, and suicide among medical trainees. With a commitment to improving mental health awareness and reducing the stigma around seeking help, the series presents a novel approach by centering personal narratives alongside expert analysis. It also explores actionable strategies for improving medical training environments and highlights the importance of institutional responses after a loss by suicide.
Our mission is to reduce shame, encourage help-seeking among medical students struggling with depression, and ensure that every medical school is aware of the postvention resources offered by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
Experts for the Series
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Christine Moutier, MD – Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
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Jessi Gold, MD – Chief Wellness Officer, University of Tennessee System; Author of How Do You Feel?
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David Muller, MD – Director, Institute for Equity and Justice in Health Sciences Education; Dean Emeritus, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai; Author of the NEJM essay, Kathryn
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Srijan Sen, MD, PhD – Director, Eisenberg Family Depression Center; PI of the Intern Health Study
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Justin Bullock, MD, MPH – Fellow, University of Washington; Author of the NEJM article, Suicide, Rewriting My Story
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Stuart Slavin, MD, MEd – Vice President for Well-Being, ACGME
Episode Release Schedule:
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September 17: Episode 102 – Honoring Dr. Jack Ruddell: A Story of Joy, Compassion, and Mental Health in Medical Training.
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September 17: Episode 103 – Suicide and Suicidality in Medical Training: Understanding the Crisis and its Causes.
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September 24: Episode 104 – Silent Struggles: Mental Health and Medical Education.
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September 26: Episode 105 – Repairing the System: How Do We Create Safe Environments?
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September 30: Episode 106 – Responding to Loss: Postvention and Support After a Suicide.
Executive Producers:
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Lisa Meeks
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Rylee Betchkal
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John Ruddell
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Jennifer Ruddell
Sound production:
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Jacob Feeman
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Mark Koha
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Next Day Podcast
Consult Psychiatrist
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Joseph Murray, MD
Resources:
24/7 Suicide & Crisis Hotline
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Intern Health Study
https://www.internhealthstudy.org
https://www.srijan-sen-lab.com/intern-health-study
How are you? By Jessi Gold
https://www.drjessigold.com/how-do-you-feel-book-by-jessi-gold-md/
Make the Difference: Preventing Medical Trainee Suicide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=I9GRxF9qEBA&feature=youtu.be
Time to Talk About It: Physician Depression and Suicide” Video/Discussion Session for Interns, Residents, and Fellows
https://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10508
Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience
National Academy of Medicine
https://nam.edu/action-collaborative-on-clinician-well-being-and-resilience-network-organizations/
References:
Hogan, W. B., Del Re, A. M., & Daniels, A. H. (2021). A Voice, Singing: Reflections on Losing a Colleague to Suicide. Rhode Island Medical Journal, 104(6), 68-69.
Knaak, S., Mantler, E., & Szeto, A. (2017, March). Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare: Barriers to access and care and evidence-based solutions. In Healthcare management forum (Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 111-116). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
Malone, T. L., Zhao, Z., Liu, T. Y., Song, P. X., Sen, S., & Scott, L. J. (2021). Prediction of suicidal ideation risk in a prospective cohort study of medical interns. PLoS One, 16(12), e0260620.
Meeks, L. M., Cleary, J., Horwitz, A., Pereira-Lima, K., Zhao, Z., Fang, Y., & Sen, S. (2022). Analysis of depressive symptoms and perceived impairment among physicians across intern year. JAMA Network Open, 5(1), e2144919-e2144919.
Slavin, S. J., & Chibnall, J. T. (2016). Finding the why, changing the how: improving the mental health of medical students, residents, and physicians. Academic Medicine, 91(9), 1194-1196.
Tandon MD, H. K., Kratochvil, M. D., Taylor, J., Keiser, M. S., LIMHP, K. L., Kent BS, N. J., ... & Gold, J. P. (2024). UNMC Quick Checks: An “Opt-Out” Model for Health Profession Student Appointments with Mental Health Counseling Services. Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal, 2(1), 2.