Attention: Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
My name is Pamela Wible, M.D. I’m a family physician in Oregon. I believe I’ve suffered Title II ADA violations by multiple medical boards.
In my 2019 study (1), I revealed how competent physician applicants who disclosed mental health conditions suffered discrimination and career jeopardy by medical boards nationwide.
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TONIGHT: Your license at risk—responding to med board complaints & PHP referrals (free event).
Have you ever been told you’re “disruptive” for standing up for patient safety?
Ever been labeled as “unprofessional” for speaking out against injustice?
Have you been coerced into a physician health program?
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An attorney just notified me of this letter submitted to the Department of Justice citing my 2019 journal article documenting widespread mental health discrimination by medical boards. Read letter below or download original document with citations here.
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A med student just wrote me:
“Last month on my pulmonary rotation doctors were not serious about contact precautions. Most patients were on steroids and immunocompromised. The doctors did not wash their hands and encouraged me not to wash my hands either! They didn’t even clean their stethoscopes.
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When I see an infant dressed as a “future doctor,” I cringe.
I’m used to helping premeds, not preemies or toddlers in surgical scrubs. How do I stage an intervention with parents of a premed baby?
I’m Dr. Pamela Wible. I run a suicide helpline—for doctors.
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Can depressed doctors get emotional help without license repercussions? Is it even possible for physicians to get confidential mental health care?
I just got this email from a physician:
“Hi Pamela, Wondering if I could curbside you on the topic of seeking mental health services as a physician.
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Dr. Omkar, 30-year old pediatrician trainee died by suicide after years of alleged racial harassment by head of department. Dr. Omkar is from a lower caste tribe, the only son with 2 younger sisters. Elder sister just married the day prior to his suicide. Head of department denied him leave for the wedding even though his peers agreed to cover his shifts.
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As doctors, we deal with things you’d never want to see—mangled teens in car wrecks, new moms diagnosed with cancer, child abuse, and more. So much trauma leads to PTSD. No surprise we have a high suicide rate. We’re three times more likely to die by suicide than our patients.
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Why do doctors laugh about death?
Kobe Bryant’s widow said she didn’t know first responders would refer to her deceased loved ones as “gumbo” or “hamburger meat.”
“It’s Taco Tuesday at The Baja California Bar & Grill, two days after the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.
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Surgeon: Hello, Dr. Wible! I liked your informed consent article! When I was a surgery resident, I saw a a severely ill hospitalized man who needed a leg amputation and our attending surgeon and senior surgery residents never adequately explained to him why he needed surgery.
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Early in my training, I learned to get patients to quickly sign consent forms without reading them. I didn’t have time to read them either. I didn’t know enough to explain risks or answer questions. Like my peers, I reassured patients that what we were giving them was safe.
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Doctors are trained to lie.
Here are the top 10 ways. See if you recognize any.
1. Doctors lie about work hours.
When logging actual work hours exceeding the weekly “80-hour cap,” new docs are cited for duty-hour violations. Labeled as inefficient,
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One reason physicians were in tears during the 7 hours of support groups I led on my birthday yesterday is they were BELIEVED and received compassion from the peers—for the first time. Sadly, physicians have a bad habit (I’ve witnessed since med school and a gazillion times since) of shunning and even antagonizing human beings at their greatest time of need when they are most vulnerable—especially if that person (in the doctor’s mind) is “not supposed to be”
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Doctor revived after suicide. Here's what he says.
