Category: Uncategorized

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.

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.

Jillian Reigert My Teacher Tree

Meet my teacher – morning musings

I do my best thinking in the quiet, calmness of nature – with space to breathe and observe the beauty of the world around us. I perform best when I have time to think, process, and move at ease with intention. For years, I pushed myself to move faster – with an urgency that was getting me places faster- only to realize I was missing the opportunity to enjoy the journey and the destinations were not where I wanted to be.

Resident burnout

Resident burnout epidemic

Medical residents’ mental health deteriorates during their training, but there are solutions to this resident burnout epidemic.

Combating female physician burnout

5 solutions to burnout in female physicians

Women physicians still face disproportionate challenges within their medical careers compared to men. In part 2 we illustrate general and woman-specific strategies to combat female physician burnout.

physician suicide causes

Physician suicide prevention (3): Solving root causes

In Part 3, we explore the systemic causes leading to physician suicide. In so doing we hope to contribute to physician suicide prevention and highlight the toxic systemic issues that no amount of resilience training or individual risk factor modification can fix.

Physician suicide prevention

Physician suicide prevention (2): Overcoming barriers

In Part 2, we explore the barriers to physicians seeking help and debunk these. In so doing we hope to contribute to physician suicide prevention, improve understanding of the-seeking contributors to the epidemic of physician suicide.

physician self-care

Physician self-care for stress and burnout

In this article we explore science-based small and inexpensive self-care for physician self-care options that may, we hope, help relieve stress and ultimately tackle physician burnout.

Physician perfectionism

Physician perfectionism

Physician perfectionism and burnout are inextricably linked.  Perfectionism in medicine is an unhealthy delusion that fuels not just burnout but mental illness and suicide in doctors. In this article, we explore the concept, causes, and dangers of perfectionistic thinking and behavior in doctors.

Nearly 300 physicians die by suicide annually. This post discusses physician suicide and risk factors, and may be triggering.

Physician suicide – let’s talk about it

We need to talk about physician suicide. Nearly 300 physicians die by suicide every year. National tragedy does not begin to describe it. The agony experienced not just by the victims but their loved ones, colleagues, and patients doesn’t bear thinking about.