September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is joining the movement to raise awareness about suicide prevention and physician burnout.
Did you know that 15%-30% of medical students and residents screen positive for depressive symptoms? [i]
Did you know that physicians are at risk of suicide at approximately twice the rate of the general population? [ii]
How can you make an impact?
Join us this month by raising awareness around suicide prevention and the epidemic of physician burnout.
You can create your own fundraising page and begin spreading the word.
- If you are a member of a Gold Humanism Honor Society chapter, you could come together with your entire chapter and fundraise as a team.
- If you are not part of a chapter but know others who share your passion to fight physician burnout, you can create a team together.
- You can fundraise by posting on your social media accounts, creating an email to send to your contacts, and even requesting in person.
While physician burnout and suicide risk are important to address all year, the month of September provides a dedicated time for us all to highlight these difficult topics.
All proceeds support The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to sustain a culture of compassion and the commitment to provide compassionate, collaborative and scientifically excellent patient care.
Create an individual or team fundraising page to Raise Awareness about Physician Burnout
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve never done this before. How does this work? Please tell me more.
I feel strongly about physician burnout and/or suicide risk. Can I share a personal story? Yes, absolutely. When you create a page to share with your friends and family, you can modify it to share more about why these urgent topics are so personally important to you.
How do I find more statistics, stories, and resources? Visit our website frequently in September and beyond to view resources, information, videos and quotes that you can share to bring awareness to physician burnout. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you’re a Gold Humanism Honor Society Member, join our private Facebook Group to get updated information. We will be continually updating this all month.
How much money should I raise? You can set the goal at whatever level you like. We do offer prizes to thank you for your support. For example, if you raise $250 as an individual, we will send you a Gold Foundation T-shirt.
Do I have to take credit card numbers? No, not at all. Those who wish to support you and this cause go directly to your fundraising page and enter their donation there. We will send them a thank you note, and their contribution will go toward your fundraising goal.
How do I spread the word? You can email your family, friends and colleagues about why you are joining this movement in September. We have a prewritten email once you start your fundraising page, and you can personalize or create an entirely new one. You can also share your thoughts and fundraising page on social media. For those who aren’t on social media, you can always share the urgency of the epidemic of physician burnout with them in person.
Prizes
We are so grateful for your support and your help in raising awareness about physician suicide and burnout. As a thank you we are offering the below prizes for meeting certain goals.
Individual
$250 – Gold Foundation T-Shirt
$500 – Gold Foundation T-Shirt and a night out at the movies
$1,000 – Gold Foundation T-Shirt, a night out at the movies and a Gold Foundation hat
$1,500 – Gold Foundation T-Shirt, a night out at the movies, a Gold Foundation hat and a Gold Foundation blanket
$2,000 – Gold Foundation T-Shirt, a night out at the movies, a Gold Foundation hat, a Gold Foundation blanket, and a copy of Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Choas and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine by Paul DeChant, MD, MBA and Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH
Team– at least 5 members, no more than 15
$2,000 – Pizza Party for your team (up to $120)
$3,000 – Pizza Party for your team and Gold Foundation T-Shirts for each member of your team
$4,500 – Pizza Party for your team, Gold Foundation T-Shirts for each member of your team and Gold Foundation hats for each member of your team
Team – 15-35 members
$3,500 – Pizza Party for your team (up to $180)
$4,500 – Pizza Party for your team, Gold Foundation T-Shirts for each member of your team
$6,500 – Pizza Party for your team, Gold Foundation T-Shirts for each member of your team and Gold Foundation hats for each member of your team
[i] Goldman ML, Shah RN, Bernstein CA. Depression and suicide among physician trainees: recommendations for a national response. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015 May. 72 (5):411-2.
[ii] Schernhammer ES, Colditz GA. Suicide rates among physicians: a quantitative and gender assessment (meta-analysis). Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Dec. 161(12):2295-302.
