4 Signs You Are Burning Out

…I wanted to share a few subtle signs of burnout that can change the trajectory of a medical career. With increased workload, requirements for electronic health record documentation, system inefficiencies and the normal day-to-day stresses of clinical practice, it is easy to see why a life in medicine has taken its toll on many physicians…

Code Lavender: Healthcare Providers Caring for Themselves

Stress is an inherent part of working in the health care system. While health care providers become accustomed to the daily stressors involved in their jobs, some moments arise that push caregivers past their emotional limits. Whether these situations consist of the death of a colleague, a stressful interaction between two health care providers, a difficult patient situation, or a variety of other stress-inducing situations, “Code Lavender” may be just what the doctor ordered.

How the Corporatization of Medicine Saved My Life

The wake-up call came just a few years later. The stated merger with a larger national group was nothing of the sort. I soon found my pay restructured, pension wiped out, and profit sharing canceled. By then my family was firmly rooted in the community and moving was not an option. As I watched many of my colleagues and friends pack up and leave, I found myself drowning in this bleak new reality.

The Hands of Time Don’t Stop for Physicians Either

I would love to rewind the clock and work a bit less, skip a few more meetings, and grab an afternoon nap as often as possible. I’d like to think I would ignore the lure of a nice bonus check and take an extra vacation with the kids. Instead of moonlighting to get those student loans erased, I’d take a long, slow walk with my wife and just sit quietly watching the sunset.

The hands of time wait for no one. Choose to spend those moments wisely with contemplation and great care.

Suffering in Silence: Can Physicians Truly Seek Mental Health Care?

It started with nightmares. I would wake up frightened, covered in sweat, and searching my empty room for an intruder. It progressed. I started setting traps on my doors to see if anyone was coming in to my apartment when […]

How I Ward Off Depression in Residency

“At least you took a shower today,” I thought, as I slowly put on my pajamas and climbed back into bed. A week had gone by since I last left my apartment, other than to attend some classes, and I’d […]