Author: Dr Corrigan

Physician burnout is not a result of individual physician characteristics, but is significantly influenced by systemic factors within the healthcare system. In this blog, we will delve into the concept that physician burnout is more accurately described as an administrative or systemic disorder rather than an individual problem disorder, emphasizing the organizational, cultural, and economic factors that contribute to burnout in doctors.

My journey through the dark night of the soul as a physician was profound and transformative. It challenged my identity, purpose, and resilience, leading to a deep exploration of myself.

In this article we explore the concept of the dark night of the medical soul, its characteristics, and the resultant opportunities for growth.

Before you started studying / working in medicine, how many hours of sleep did you get a night (on average)? What happened to your sleep during med school, residency, and beyond? Sleep, and the lack thereof, is so tied up in our working hours and such a tradition in medicine, that we almost take the lack of it for granted.

Protecting the Next Generation of Doctors. The practice of self-compassion has emerged as a valuable tool for medical students, offering support in navigating the pressures, setbacks, and self-criticism that can arise throughout their training. This article explores the importance of self-compassion specifically for medical students, provides an overview of relevant research and studies, and offers a practical guide to cultivating self-compassion in daily life.

AI art generation in the style of famous artists: can you guess who they are?

To prove that Physicians Anonymous is surfing the wave of high technology, we’ve been playing around with various AI models. Starting with image generators, we’ve been both impressed and horrified by the outputs.

Self-compassion, a practice rooted in mindfulness and self-kindness, has emerged as a powerful tool to support the well-being and resilience of physicians. This hands-on guide will explore the evidence base for self-compassion in physicians and provide practical steps to cultivate self-compassion in physicians’ daily lives.

Doctors and those in training are taught to put the needs of others ahead of their own – often to the detriment of their own well-being. Self-compassion can play a vital role in supporting physician wellness and overall work satisfaction.

The arrival fallacy — the idea that I will be happy when I reach X — can also contribute to mental health issues among physicians, who may struggle to find a sense of purpose and meaning in their work.

The arrival fallacy refers to the idea that reaching a specific goal or milestone will result in lasting happiness and fulfilment.

If adequate rest – both time off, time to sleep, and vacations – are essential to recharge our medical batteries, what would the effects of a longer period of time off be on physician burnout?