Leah Croll, MD: Importance of Mental Health of Clinicians During COVID-19 Pandemic

"In order to find the strength, agility, and courage to step up to this pandemic, we really do need to make sure that we are recognizing and validating all the challenges and psychological burdens that the pandemic is serving us.”

Throughout the pandemic there has been an increasing number of studies that have examined the effects of COVID-19, its pathology, and how it may impact measures ranging from neurological state to comorbidities. Mixed in the shuffle has been information on how the pandemic has taken a toll on faculty who have spent a majority of their time dedicated to working on the frontlines since its early stages.

Leah Croll, MD, and other members of the NYU Langone Health Department compiled a survey for all neurology faculty and house staff to better understand the psychosocial impact the pandemic has had on categories such as fear, depression, and anxiety. They found that nearly half of the faculty and more than half of the house staff reported increases in all 3 categories. On the other hand, a large majority also felt as though the services provided from the hospital were sufficient and helped with their emotions.

In this interview with NeurologyLive, Croll details why the mental health of clinicians is so important during the pandemic, as well as how her experience as a resident was altered during that time.