STAT+ column highlights learned helplessness in physician training

STAT+ has launched a new column, Chief Complaint, written by Frances Mei Hardin, M.D., a former ear, nose, and throat surgeon. The inaugural piece addresses the psychological state of learned helplessness among physicians, arguing that infantilizing treatment during early training contributes to the condition. Hardin describes a clinical environment where resident physicians must request permission to use the restroom. She notes that these residents, who are often in their 30s and hold M.D. and other graduate degrees, are required to ask for approval to perform basic tasks such as leaving to eat or drink. Hardin contends that when the start of medical training involves such restrictive practices while responsibility for patient lives rapidly increases, it can lead to learned helplessness. This psychological state is defined as a condition where a person stops trying to change an unfavorable situation because they believe they have no control over the outcome, even when they do.