As we head into the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, health-care workers have been applauded as heroes for fighting an unpredictable and deadly virus.

The stressors of the pandemic have taken their toll on pretty much every corner of society, but the strain has been particularly pernicious for medical professionals, who have faced a combination of uniquely frustrating, taxing, and even traumatic circumstances.

Stephen Rockower is an orthopedic surgeon in suburban Rockville, Maryland. He’d built his own practice for more than a decade with a partner, and things were busy and going well. Then, in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered many cities, including his own. Residents in his area began delaying care, not wanting to expose themselves to medical environments.

A bill now in Congress honoring Lorna Breen, MD, an emergency physician who took her life last year, aims to prevent other healthcare workers from completing suicide and to reduce mental health stigma.

In December, the nonprofit Physicians Foundation reported that roughly 8% of physician practices were forced to close because of the pandemic.

They are among thousands of physicians and other health care professionals across the country who have made coronavirus-prompted career changes such as closing practices, joining larger health systems and retiring early.

Another survey, by the Physicians Foundation, found that 8 percent of doctors in the United States had closed their offices during the pandemic, translating to 16,000 fewer private practices.

Eight percent of U.S. doctors have closed their practices because of COVID-19, according to a survey from the nonprofit Physicians Foundation. That translates to roughly 16,000 fewer practices nationwide. Another survey, from Medscape, found that a quarter of doctors are considering retiring early.

“If the location is not the right fit for you and your family, that may not be the best practice for you,” says Gary Price, M.D., president of The Physicians Foundation.