Surgeons’ Mental Health Crisis: Examining Suicide Trends

Suicidal ideation and suicide rates among U.S. surgeons highlight an urgent need for mental health interventions.

  • Pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation in surgeons is 6%, varying by specialty; orthopaedic surgeons face the highest risk at 13%.
  • The overall suicide rate stands at 5%, necessitating awareness among surgical communities.

Attending surgeons experience greater suicidal thoughts (11%) compared to residents (4%). Enhanced mental health resources are critical for surgical professionals.

Review by Mohamed KA, Khalil YA (…) Abdelsamad A et 9 al. in Am J Surg

Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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