Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest

Shame is everywhere in healthcare, but remains unnamed and unaddressed. While shame is a primal and pro-social emotion that can sometimes be appropriate and constructive, medicine’s unrealistic standards have resulted in a widespread and debilitating culture of shame across the field. This contributes to a broad range of negative outcomes among clinicians including burnout, depression, suicidality, impaired empathy, diminished physical wellness, and unprofessional behavior – all challenges that have intensified during the pandemic.

Despite the destructive effect that shame is having among clinicians, almost no research or public storytelling exists about shame in healthcare. Without understanding how shame manifests in medical culture, we cannot address or heal from the harm it causes.