Who heals the healers?

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Levina Kulembeka, a Medical Doctor from Tanzania passionate about global health. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

In medicine, suffering is often hidden behind polished presentations, sleepless hospital shifts, and neatly ironed white coats. Behind the image of resilience are medical students and young healthcare professionals silently battling anxiety, burnout and emotional exhaustion. The hardest part is that many feel forced to hide it. You keep smiling, keep working and keep pretending everything is fine until your body breaks down or your mental health reaches a crisis point. Only then do people begin to take it seriously.

The irony is painful. We train future healthcare workers to recognize illness in others while teaching them to ignore it in themselves. In many medical schools and training environments, emotional struggle is still seen as weakness. Students fear being judged as incapable, unprofessional, or “not strong enough” for medicine because of that fear many choose silence instead of seeking help. The problem is not only the workload but also the culture surrounding medicine. Long hours, fear-based teaching, humiliation during training, constant competition and exposure to human suffering slowly drain people emotionally. Many students enter medical school driven by empathy and purpose only to find themselves exhausted and detached.

The American Psychiatric Association has repeatedly warned that burnout, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress among healthcare workers threaten both patient safety and quality of care. Similarly, the Center for Workplace Mental Health emphasizes that healthy workplaces are essential for long-term wellbeing and professional performance. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy nearly US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity while burnout caused by unmanaged workplace stress continues to rise worldwide henceforth what will happen to the future healthcare professionals? 

The undeniably truth is that medicine is beautiful but we cannot continue glorifying exhaustion as proof of dedication. Asking for help should not be viewed as failure. In reality, recognizing when support is needed is a sign of self-awareness and strength. Medical schools and healthcare institutions must create environments where students feel supported rather than intimidated. Wellness campaigns alone are not enough if toxic cultures remain unchanged. Perhaps the most dangerous myth in healthcare is that healers are somehow immune to pain. They are not. The future of medicine will depend not only on scientific advancement but also on whether healthcare systems learn to protect the mental wellbeing of the people expected to carry them forward.

About the author

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Levina Kulembeka, a Medical Doctor from Tanzania passionate about global health, leadership and health advocacy. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting and serves as an active member. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one