I just got these 3 emails from internal medicine physicians at one NY hospital:

“Lincoln Medical Center has had 3 resident suicide deaths in the past 1 year. This place is a shithole.. please save us.”

“Please help the residents of Lincoln Medical Center. Two, possibly three, residents committed suicide this year and two were even from the same PGY-class. I believe this is a reflection of the horrible, disgusting, and unethical conditions that we are forced to work in. The hospital administration has done the very minimum to improve the culture of the hospital and the cyclical mistreatment of the residents. Please help us. The idea of losing another resident is a painfully reality that we face everyday.”

“Saw the post on Facebook concerning Lincoln. As a resident there, I can say that this is 100% true. We work under horrible conditions with little support from administration. I’m glad somebody is speaking up. Several of my coresidents including myself have felt suicidal at some point working here.”

Then I got more messages from their friends, relatives, even LMC attending physicians and graduates of IM program. I promised to safeguard their identities so they could speak freely.

3 Suicides in 7 months at ONE residency program? Yes.

New York’s Lincoln Medical Center (LMC) lost 3 internal medicine (IM) residents. The IM program is 95% Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs). All victims are FMGs. All male.

Suicide #1 – Sept 2020. PGY2. History of depression. In therapy. Sent text to coresident: “I’m sorry.” Hanged himself.

Suicide #2 – Feb 2021. PGY2. Struggling. No psych help. Sudden “accidental” drowning, presumed suicide.

Suicide #3 – April 2021. PGY1. Quiet, withdrew few friends. Never got mental health help. Told family he had suicidal thoughts. They rushed to USA. When they arrival, he was dead.

What did LMC do about their doctor suicide crisis? Blame the victims.

After first suicide, they had a ceremony of life. Blamed the victim. Began PHQ-9 screening all interns.

After second death, head of city hospital involved. Held focus groups with residents on sexuality. Blamed the victim. Gave residents a lounge (where they do same work in different location).

After third suicide, a group from psychiatry met with IM residents.

All three victims were blamed for having mental health issues and/or struggles. No system accountability.

“Well, this is the third celebration of life this year. Now we’ve got a lounge and lip service.” ~ LMC Doctor

Hazardous working conditions amid abusive culture

Workload is intense. Interns thrown into pandemic without support. Many sick during COVID. Never tested, had to keep working.

“Residents are always drinking and they are all trying to support each other. Most are single. They need mental health support and breaks. More support from admin. It’s an old-school residency with scutwork. They draw blood, hang IVs, transport patients. Very abused working 120-hour weeks.” ~ Relative of LMC IM Resident

“I interviewed at this hospital and the residents told me they ‘regularly work 120+ hours a week’ regardless of the ACGME duty-hour restrictions.” ~ Resident Physician

As heavy as the workload is, the real problem is the culture in which residents are abused, beaten down, and disrespected.

“Internal medicine attendings are derogatory of residents. They demand perfections. If something goes wrong, they blame the resident, not the system.”  ~ LMC Doctor

“Residents in the program can be contentious. The PGY2s boss around PGY1s and are not supportive. Residents make mistakes the coresidents are blamed. Lots of backstabbing and no trust. We even had a physical assault.” ~ LMC Doctor

“Nurses treat residents poorly. Nurses have a tight union with labor hour restriction so they’ll say, ‘that’s not in my job description’ and boss around residents. Social workers yell and boss the residents around as well. Patients in South Bronx have high levels of poverty and homelessness and that leads to an atmosphere of hopeless.” ~ LMC Doctor

“I was at Lincoln. It’s the worst place in the world. We all have PTSD. I know 2 of the people who died.” ~ LMC IM Residency Graduate

Abusive and hazardous culture continues even after ACGME complaints filed as residents give positive reviews when interviewed by ACGME for fear retaliation, career suicide, deportation (employer-sponsored visa attached to abusive hospital).

A quick overview medical education abuse:

Residents lives are disposable, easily replaced—especially FMGs

Since 2014, I’ve reported on the rampant human rights violations in medicine that lead to doctor suicides. FMGs are at higher risk. In US and NYC for the first time with no social support, their only friends are coresidents and they can’t always trust them.

“This is violence against a vulnerable resident population. Most of us are FMGs and gagged. Nobody wants to speak up, in fear that they will lose their chance for fellowships or visas.” ~ Resident Physician

I interviewed a physician who explains how US exploits FMGs for cheap labor—resulting in doctor suicides here:

Media will not cover these suicides

Lincoln’s dead doctors were once hailed as heroes, cheered from rooftops by New Yorlers during pandemic. They saved lives of American citizens. Yet media will not cover their deaths or publicly honor them. No surprise to me. I’ve amassed more than 1,600 doctor suicides on a registry and 99% of US victims get no media attention.

3 doctors suicides in my town (Eugene, OR) in just over a year:  #1) 51M urologist on 4/25/11,  #2) 54M family physician on 10/1/12,  #3) 46M vascular surgeon on 12/18/12. Media silence.

3 doctor suicides at Loma Linda residencies in just over 6 months: #1) 30M anesthesiology resident on 7/30/17,  #2) 29M psychiatry resident on 11/6/17, #3) 30F anesthesiology resident on 2/12/18. Media silence.

3 doctor suicides at Mount Sinai within 2 years. #1) 28F IM resident on 3/9/16,  #2) 27F fourth-year med student on 8/17/16,  #3) 33F third day as attending on 1/18/18. Media silence.

After her suicide was covered up with a tarp and silence, I flew to NYC and to lead a candlelight vigil and 10-hour memorial service and eulogy for the third victim at Mount Sinai (despite threats from the hospital). I mentioned the suicides at Loma Linda and Mount Sinai in award-winning documentary, Do No Harm: Exposing The Hippocratic Hoax  by Emmy-winning filmmaker who exposes the doctor suicide crisis.

Without systemic change, we are just waiting for the next suicide

Those I spoke with agreed that the toxic culture persists and “everyone just shrugs their shoulders.”  They were supposed to hire an outside psychologist by July 1. Never happened. The new intern class started July 1 and are now at risk.

“Leadership does not care enough to address system . They send condolences and move on. No real investment.” ~ LMC Attending Physician

“Lincoln will not do anything until it is in the public eye. They do not want to admit vulnerability of the hospital or the internal medicine program. Without systemic change, we are just waiting for the next suicide. Needs to be in the media, No news outlet has made any splash about it.”  ~ LMC Attending Physician