The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners has been recognized by ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare—a national coalition of healthcare organizations—as a 2025 Wellbeing First Champion following the Board’s removal of intrusive mental health questions from the state’s medical license applications.
Until recently, physicians seeking a license to practice in Alabama had to answer questions about past mental health or substance abuse treatment, no matter how relevant it may have been to their current ability to provide safe and effective care.
That changed after the Alabama Medical Association flagged the questions for containing stigmatizing language and requested their removal. Now, license application forms in the state only ask about conditions or treatments that may currently impair a physician’s ability to practice safely.Â
According to the Board, the stigmatizing language included in the now-defunct questions could have discouraged providers from seeking their own mental health treatment, contributing to the higher rates of burnout, depression and suicide seen among doctors.
“Anyone who needs help should never fear seeking it, including doctors,” said Dr. Max Rogers, chair of the Board of Medical Examiners. “Our revised licensing policies make it clear that we are focused on a doctor’s ability to provide safe care today, not on past treatment that has no bearing on their current practice.”
“Doctors are human. Like everyone, they deserve the right to pursue mental healthcare without fear of losing their job or license,” added Dr. Mark LeQuire, president of the Medical Association. “By reducing stigma and removing barriers to treatment, we are protecting the well-being of physicians, and that means better care for patients. The Board of Medical Examiners has done an outstanding job supporting better healthcare in Alabama.”
The Board and the Medical Association also touted the reform’s alignment with the best practices recommended by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation—named for a physician who died by suicide in 2020. The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners will now join the 50 other licensure boards and 635 hospitals across the country that have already eliminated similarly intrusive mental health questions from their applications.
“Across the country, health workers are at an increased risk for burnout and mental health conditions,” noted Corey Feist, co-founder of ALL IN and CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. “Many health workers feel they cannot speak up about their mental health without being criticized by colleagues or losing their jobs. Today, physicians and nurses die by suicide at two times the rate of the general population. We as a nation must better protect these lives, and I applaud our Wellbeing First Champions for their leadership to support the wellbeing of health workers.”
In its official announcement of the reforms, the Board of Medical Examiners also highlighted the confidential Alabama Professionals Health Program (APHP) as a resource for those facing depression, anxiety, burnout, or substance use issues.
“This is about strengthening the entire healthcare system,” Rogers added. “A healthy physician workforce is essential for safe, compassionate patient care.”
