About one-third of first-year obstetrics and gynecology residents may develop clinical depression during their first year of training, and only about one-third of those who did sought mental health help, according to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The work comes from University of Michigan researchers and is part of the Health Equity and Retention in Obstetrics and Gynecology (HERO) Project, a national effort focused on the OB-GYN workforce.
More than 1,270 interns completed standardized depression screenings and other surveys before and during their intern year, with data collected from 2009 through 2024. Training-related factors linked to depression included fewer hours of sleep, longer work hours, and involvement in medical errors.
