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In this episode of the Prime Health Podcast, Dr. Derek Baron interviews Kim Downey, founder of Stand Up For Doctors, physical therapist, three-time cancer survivor, and fierce advocate for physician wellbeing. After losing her own doctor to suicide, Kim made it her mission to build connection and advocacy for healthier doctors and stronger healthcare systems. She shares powerful stories of burnout, moral injury, and what it truly takes to support the humans behind the white coats.
Key Takeaways:
- A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight: An estimated 300–400 physicians take their own life every year — more than one a day — yet these statistics are believed to be underreported. Physician suicide is a public health crisis that demands urgent attention.
- Doctors Are Human Too: Society places doctors on a pedestal and expects them to be superhuman. Kim’s book, White Coats, Courageous Hearts, features true stories of 15 doctors reclaiming their humanity in a system that constantly challenges it.
- Burnout Has Real Causes: Time constraints, loss of autonomy, moral injury, and corporate medicine pressures are driving physicians to their breaking point. The system, not the individual, is often at fault.
- Patients Can Help Too: Simply asking your doctor “Are you okay?” can make a meaningful difference. Even if they don’t open up, they will almost always appreciate being seen as a person, not just a provider.
- The 10-10-10 Rule for Emotional Health: Kim’s top wellness advice — ask yourself what you can do in the next 10 seconds, 10 minutes, and 10 hours to feel better. A pause, a breath, a walk — small acts of self-care matter more than we think.
Connect with our Guest
🌐 Website: https://standupfordoctors.org/
🔗 LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-downey-a9307b72/
🔗 LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stand-up-for-doctors
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575836827532
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StandupforDoctors
🔗 Substack: https://standupfordoctors.substack.com
📖 Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBRZLCK4
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