Imagine: You’ve just landed your dream attending position.
But right when you’ve hit your stride, your budding career is derailed with a disability.
While you might feel invincible after overcoming the challenges of your residency or fellowship, you are still vulnerable to the common causes of disability that the general population faces.
If your income isn’t adequately protected, it could spell trouble for your financial future.
These are the top five common causes of disability for 30 to 34-year-olds according to World Health Organization data, and why early career physicians should care:
Representing a startling 15.8% of total years lived with disability (YLD), drug use disorders are personal battles that can end careers prematurely. Doctors are often on the front lines of stress, so the vulnerability to substance use as a coping mechanism is heightened, making it imperative to recognize and address this risk.
The physical demands of the medical profession, combined with long hours and the strain of repetitive tasks, contribute to back and neck pain that for 9.7% of total YLD. This condition not only affects quality of life but also the ability to perform the very tasks that define a doctor's career.
Bearing the weight of 8.8% of total YLD, depressive disorders highlight the mental health crisis within the medical community. The pressures of saving lives, the emotional toll of patient care, and the competitive nature of the healthcare industry can all feed into a cycle of depression, making it a critical issue for early career doctors to confront.
With 6.4% of total YLD attributed to anxiety disorders, the impact of constant high-stakes decision-making and the fear of malpractice can lead to crippling anxiety, affecting doctors' ability to provide care and make critical decisions.
Often underestimated, migraines are more than just headaches—they are debilitating conditions that represent 4.8% of total YLD. For a doctor, a migraine can mean the difference between a day saved and a day lost to pain.
Understanding the risks you face as an early career physician is just the beginning.
The true power lies in taking proactive steps to protect your financial future.
Pattern has helped more than 20,000 doctors protect their income with disability insurance, so we understand their unique needs for coverage as well as the demands on their time.
You don’t need to waste days or weeks of your life becoming an expert in disability insurance or shopping for the right policy.
Take the next five minutes to complete a free disability insurance quote request, and Pattern will shop for policy options from the five major insurance carriers. Then, an expert will compare your quotes for free, side by side, so you can purchase your policy with confidence.