A new study from scholars at the University of Michigan and New York University has found a high rate of clinical depression among OB-GYN residents in their first year of training.
The study examined survey data from 1,603 OB-GYN interns (i.e. first-year residents) who participated in the Intern Health Study between 2009 and 2024. About 87 percent of survey respondents were women, which is aligned with the current national rate of women in OB-GYN residencies.
During their internship year, 35.6 percent of respondents screened positive for clinical depression. Several factors relating to their internship were associated with worsening depression symptoms, including fewer sleep hours, longer work hours, and being involved with medical errors. Of the interns who did screen positive for depression, less than one-third sought mental health treatment.
“These data show us that a very large portion of those entering our specialty are struggling and not getting the help they need, and we’re not having meaningful discussions about how to help them,” said senior author Helen Kang Morgan, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan Medical School. “Changing mental health services from an opt-in model where residents must seek help, to one where every resident automatically gets some form of support, might be a good step. It has shown promise elsewhere.”