BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of mental stress among physicians, reliable screening tools are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of the Physician Well-Being Index (PWBI) in identifying distress and adverse consequences among Chinese physicians. METHODS: This cross-sectional online survey recruited 2803 physicians from Southern Mainland China RESULTS: Seven items of the PWBI (emotional exhaustion, depression, stress, poor mental and physical QOL, low work meaning and dissatisfaction with work-life integration) were independently associated with low QOL (all CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary insights into the validity and utility of the 9-item PWBI as a screening tool for assessing distress and well-being among Chinese physicians, helping identify those at higher risk of medical errors or turnover. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size.