​We all recognize that the well-being of our physicians and healthcare workforce is critical to the future of medicine and therefore our society in general. Without them, who will take care of you, me and our loved ones in the future?

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Sadly, over the past few years, far too many professionals have left medicine, after investing years to schooling, training, working long-hours and everything else that comes with the life in medicine.  At first, you might say, "it must have been a bad career choice."  Then the departures around you become more frequent, until one day you too begin to question your own career choice.   You're an established physician, highly educated and trained.  And for the first time in your life, it feels like you have no options.  You're convinced you aren't prepared to do anything else except medicine, and  yet you no longer enjoy it in the same way.... 

 

This is a familiar story, and it was mine as well.  I was stuck and I desperately wanted to THRIVE and not just SURVIVE.  Long story short, through self-care, supportive people around me and a physician coach, I found the courage to make big and small life changes to better align with my values.  That eventually led me to become a certified coach myself. 

 

Most of us went into medicine to help others.  Unfortunately, our training did not teach us how to care for others without sacrificing our own well-being.   As a coach, I want to start critical conversations......​

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• Let's not just talk about "work-life balance," but instead how to integrate the two harmoniously.  After all, for a healthcare provider, the two are rarely independent of each other. 

 

• Let's not just talk about "fighting burnout," but instead how to improve physician satisfaction so that burnout is not even an issue in the future.  

 

• Let's not just talk about having physician leadership in organizations, but instead provide the tools to help them succeed.

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Borrowing from a mentor of mine in business school who frequently said "a problem well defined is a problem half-solved."  As it applies to our healthcare system, how can we find a solution IF we don't have a clear picture of the problem?  As more and more physicians and healthcare professionals question their career choices  (what they once considered their “calling”), we need better, clearer definitions of the problem.  It will not be the same for everyone.  Let's figure out yours. 

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