Hardin: Mental health care career risk for MDs
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By Frances Mei Hardin
Published on May 9, 2026.
The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, which includes funding for stigma-reduction campaigns, hospital wellbeing programs, and grants to reduce physician burnout. The bill was signed by President Trump and is funded through fiscal year 2030. The Federation of State Medical Boards has recommended that licensing applications limit questions to current conditions affecting fitness to practice, rather than historical diagnoses. However, in some states, these questions persist. A study by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that 40% of American physicians were reluctant to seek formal medical care for treatment of a mental health condition due to concerns about their medical license. The Lornan Breen Foundation has verified 43 state medical boards and over 500 hospitals as Wellbeing First Champions, meaning their applications no longer include intrusive mental health questions.
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