Examining Mental Health Resources in Graduate Medical Education: Key Findings of a National Survey

Providing effective mental health support for physicians in training is crucial due to high rates of burnout and mental health issues. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates mental health services for trainees. This study explores the provision of mental health services by ACGME-accredited institutions, identifies gaps, and highlights best practices.

The authors distributed a cross-sectional survey between 11/1/2023 and 1/8/2024 to 816 designated institutional officials at 860 institutions. The survey included questions about resources for counseling, services offered, reporting structure, hours and fees for services, electronic medical record documentation, number and qualifications of counselors, access to a psychiatrist, utilization rates, and respondents' perception regarding the adequacy of services. The authors collected data via REDCap and analyzed it using SAS software.

Of 816 potential responses, 343 (42%) surveys were completed. Responses showed heterogeneity in counseling service offerings across institutions, with most using employee assistance programs (EAPs). More than one-third (38%) of institutions offer counseling services specific to the GME population. Few institutions (16%) provide dedicated GME psychiatry services. Perceived adequacy of mental health services in meeting trainee needs was high overall, with institutions with dedicated GME counseling services reporting higher perceived need fulfillment than those without GME-specific services. Very few institutions had utilization data to report.

Institutions employ diverse methods to meet ACGME mental health service requirements, with internal resources achieving the highest level of perceived need fulfillment. Collection of utilization and outcome data and national reporting are recommended for improved GME counseling guidelines.