Wellness: Why It’s Important   Oftentimes, when thinking of “wellness”, people first think about the physical health of the human body. And, while wellness does include a healthy body, it also encompasses mental health. Just like it is important to take care of your body it is just as vital to take your mental wellness into […]

The Medical Relationship  The transition from resident to doctor is overwhelming and can impact your personal life deeply, particularly within the context of your relationship. It is important to sit down and discuss with your partner or spouse and discuss your excitement and fear during this odd phase of life. Although the transition can make […]

Getting to Know You and Your Relationships:  Cultivating Your Personal Partnerships as a Physician The center of a physician’s job is the doctor-patient relationship.  Without a healthy one, the physician is unable to help the patient make meaningful changes in their life to maintain a state of wellness.  Too often, in the process of medical […]

We’ve heard a lot about the syndrome of Burnout that plagues the medical community.  Like many diseases of opportunity, however, there are vaccines and preventative steps those at risk can take to delay or even prevent the onset of something as insidious and potentially deadly as Burnout.  As physicians, we spend countless hours learning the […]

Burnout is a term that is used frequently in medical education today, with some studies noting that up to 70% of residents in training meet criteria for the disorder per the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). While that statistic is startling…..what does this actually mean? The answer, as you’ll see below, is not straightforward. Read on […]

I’ve always marveled at the focus, concentration and unflappability of experienced surgeons. The amount of calm they exude even outside surgery is remarkable. Having watched them from the sidelines for close to 5 years, their sense of composure is something that I aspire to. I have been shadowing surgeons for some time now. Five years […]

Why does having a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment as a modern doctor seem like such a struggle at times? There is an invisible battle going on, day-by-day between our search for a Fulfilling Career in Medicine and the hidden forces of Professional Burnout. What is Burnout? We each know what it feels like to […]

Are younger doctors (particularly age 40 and under) different in what they expect in terms of work-life balance? Younger doctors definitely have different expectations in terms of work life balance but I believe this is not a “doctor mindset” but rather a “generation mindset”. For the longest time the older generation and the American philosophy […]

Are you feeling frustrated or annoyed more frequently? Feeling frustration or annoyance frequently can be a major energy drainer in your life. It sucks everything out of you and many times it is hard to recover from this setback. Here is a neuroscientific trick that can dissipate these draining feelings in less than five minutes. […]

Burnout is a complete mental and physical collapse from overwork. Psychiatrists define it as “a job-related dysphoria in an individual without major psychopathy.” Which means—your job sucks. You’re normal. When your job is sucking the life out of you, deep breathing won’t save you. Mindfulness is not the solution. Emancipation is. Burnout is a diagnosis of oppression that blames you, […]