When the Healer Hurts: Understanding the Second Victim Experience

When a medical error or adverse event occurs, the patient is the first victim. But what about the healthcare provider involved?

The term “second victim” refers to clinicians who experience profound emotional distress after these events. Despite how common this response is, it’s rarely talked about—leaving many to suffer in silence.

Clinicians may wrestle with guilt, shame, anxiety, or even post-traumatic stress. The burden of responsibility can feel crushing, leading some to question their competence, withdraw from colleagues, or consider leaving medicine altogether. This silence is often reinforced by a culture that equates vulnerability with weakness, when in truth, it's a deeply human response that deserves compassion.

If you’ve felt this way, you’re not alone. What you're experiencing is valid, and acknowledging it is the first step toward healing.

Support is available. Whether through peer connection, therapy, or professional coaching, you don’t have to carry this weight alone. Reclaiming your confidence and purpose is possible but it starts by breaking the silence.

Let’s create a culture where emotional truth is met with empathy (not judgment) and where healing is not only allowed, but encouraged.