Our stories

Trauma in medical training

The trauma of medical training

“We lost him”. The surgical resident whispered it under his breath, stepping away from the trauma bay. The blood on his gloves and scrubs, a dull reddish brown under fluorescent lights, told the story of a 12-hour shift spent fighting battles he often lost.

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contemplative female physician letting go

Letting go for physicians

We all talk about the importance of letting go, but they are very few of us that can actually do it well. Perhaps being human makes it so hard.

Yet it is when we let go that things begin to move and what we’ve been hoping and wishing for comes in alignment.

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Peer support for physician burnout

Peer support for physician burnout

There has never been a more urgent need to combat, or ideally prevent, physician burnout, mental illness, and suicide. In this article, we explore a number of peer support programs and summarize the key elements required to develop safe and supportive spaces for the unique needs of physicians at risk of burning out.

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Stained glass window of a man hiking.

A life of purpose

When you allow yourself to truly see and sit with the fact that we are only here for a short period of time, it can feel scary… and also freeing.

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Balancing Parenthood and a Medical Career

Balancing parenthood and a medical career

Motherhood is by far the hardest thing that I have ever done and continue doing every day. It is 1 million times harder than being a doctor and requires such a delicate dance of unconditional love, consistency, and compromise. At the same time, there is no doubt that being a physician is one of the hardest professions out there.

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Quietly quitting medicine

As I sit down to reflect on my decision to quit a toxic hospital workplace, I’m overwhelmed by a mix of emotions – relief, anger, and sadness. Leaving a career I had worked so hard for, after just three years as an attending physician, was not an easy choice.

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Hear me surgeon story

Hear me! A surgeon’s story (Part 1)

Burnout almost led me to take my own life. It destroyed my identity as a surgeon. My medical identity and my life were so enmeshed that losing medicine caused me to mourn my own death. From this low point, I have rebuilt. With lots of intensive therapy, and regular mindfulness and other wellness practices I’ve been able to rise from the depths.

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Pointing finger stigma in medicine

Break the silence

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare heroes are often seen as invincible. We’re the ones who care, but who takes care of us?

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Mediocrity in medicine

The joy of mediocrity in medicine

In a world that constantly demands excellence, where the pursuit of perfection is the norm, there lies a secret joy hidden in the unlikeliest of places – the realm of mediocrity in medicine.

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Legislation to Safeguard Physicians from Burnout

Legislation to safeguard physicians from burnout

Why do we need laws? After all, hospitals and healthcare businesses know all about the corporate risks of overwork! We argue that without legislation to force safety, nothing will change because little, if anything, has changed to protect healthcare staff from overwork.

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The power of regret in medicine

The power of regret in medicine

I have so many regrets about my medical career that I don’t even know where to begin. And I am not alone. We all make mistakes, give suboptimal service, have off days, or (most often, in my experience), nature wins. The cancer progresses. The psychosis relapses. The diabetes complicates. So am I going to wallow in them and feel sorry for myself? Or is there another way of dealing with regrets in my career as a doctor?

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Disruptive physician wounded healer

Disruptive physician – or wounded healer?

For so many reasons the term “disruptive doctor” is unhelpful at best, cruel and discriminatory at worst. As a label it has been used and misused. Very few physicians start out disruptive. The reality is that disruptive behavior in physicians is often a symptom of a larger systemic problem. It may be related to stress, burnout, mental health issues, addiction, and more.

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Physician Wellbeing Ecosystem

Physician wellbeing requires an ecosystem approach

Addressing physician wellbeing is a complex challenge that requires a comprehensive approach beyond individual interventions. A physician well-being ecosystem, designed to support and prioritize the mental and emotional well-being of physicians, is crucial for sustainable change.

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