Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
KevinMD
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
KevinMD
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
  • About KevinMD | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Be heard on social media’s leading physician voice
  • Contact Kevin
  • Discounted enhanced author page
  • DMCA Policy
  • Establishing, Managing, and Protecting Your Online Reputation: A Social Media Guide for Physicians and Medical Practices
  • Group vs. individual disability insurance for doctors: pros and cons
  • KevinMD influencer opportunities
  • Opinion and commentary by KevinMD
  • Physician burnout speakers to keynote your conference
  • Physician Coaching by KevinMD
  • Physician keynote speaker: Kevin Pho, MD
  • Physician Speaking by KevinMD: a boutique speakers bureau
  • Primary care physician in Nashua, NH | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recommended services by KevinMD
  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Thank you for subscribing to KevinMD
  • Thank you for upgrading to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • The biggest mistake doctors make when purchasing disability insurance
  • The doctor’s guide to disability insurance: short-term vs. long-term
  • The KevinMD ToolKit
  • Upgrade to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • Why own-occupation disability insurance is a must for doctors

Showcase happy doctors and find out what they’re doing right

Pamela Wible, MD
Physician
May 9, 2014
Share
Tweet
Share

Recently, a friend posted a story on my Facebook page: “How Being a Doctor Became the Most Miserable Profession,” Oh no. “Another article on miserable doctors,” I thought. I’m an expert on miserable doctors. I used to be one. Why should I read this? What could I possibly learn? I decided to ignore it.

The next day another friend posted it. Then another. Okay, now it was assigned reading. I steeled myself and plunged in. Two sentences in, I clicked on sheer unhappiness and I was taken to my own photo. It was above a piece I wrote, “Why Doctors Commit Suicide.” In a way I was honored — officially recognized in the miserable doctors’ hall of fame.

Yes, doctors are overworked. Yes, patients get quickie visits. Yes countless doctors dream of retiring or quitting. Many contemplate suicide, and tragically, some even act on those thoughts. So what’s new? Why isn’t the author writing about solutions? Frustrated, I checked my email. Waiting was a message from Daniela Drake, MD, the piece’s author. She wanted to write a follow-up on solutions, and asked to talk about my work helping doctors create more ideal practices.

“Sure, call now,” I responded. It was midnight. We talked for nearly two hours like best friends who hadn’t spoken in years.

One week later, a second Daily Beast article shared my trajectory from misery to joy as a self-employed solo doc in a clinic designed entirely by my patients. At last — solutions!

So why aren’t there more solution-oriented articles? I suspect it’s because so few people are talking about the problem. It is, after all, hard to solve a problem nobody knows exists. When patients see us, it’s in such a professional element — white coats, machine-filled rooms, and buzzing activity. Moreover, people visit doctors to learn about their own health. It’s not part of the deal to think about the stresses inherent to the other side of the exchange.

Now that the conversation’s started, however, it seems to me that we we have two choices: We can try to determine what’s wrong by focusing on miserable doctors and their presumably miserable patients. Or we can showcase the happy doctors and patients to find out what they are doing right.

Throw a pity party and see who shows up, or celebrate solutions? It’s time for the latter. Not solutions by experts, consultants, and politicians. Solutions by real physicians who are seeing real patients and feeling real satisfaction from their jobs.

There are many happy docs out there with replicable, innovative models. How many do you know?

Pamela Wible pioneered the community-designed ideal medical clinic and blogs at Ideal Medical Care. She is the author of Pet Goats and Pap Smears. Watch her TEDx talk, How to Get Naked with Your Doctor. This article originally appeared in The Doctor Blog.

Prev

We do not have a health care system

May 8, 2014 Kevin 8
…
Next

Disclosing calories in food: An unsung legacy of Obamacare

May 9, 2014 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

< Previous Post
We do not have a health care system
Next Post >
Disclosing calories in food: An unsung legacy of Obamacare

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Pamela Wible, MD

  • When health care professionals lose everything

    Pamela Wible, MD
  • Surgeon suicides: Unveiling a silent crisis

    Pamela Wible, MD
  • 13 tips for depressed doctors who need confidential mental health care

    Pamela Wible, MD

More in Physician

  • Telemedicine as a career, not a side gig

    AIR Physician Academy
  • How a medical investigation drives physician burnout

    Jean Paul Brutus, MD
  • How physician burnout impacts modern health care

    Khai Ling Tan, MD
  • How psychological safety reduces clinician burnout

    Nicholas Testa, MD
  • How civic engagement empowers health care workers

    Stella Safo, MD, MPH
  • Why physicians miss business owner stress in patients

    Timothy Lesaca, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician retirement is a myth for the ripening doctor

      Farid Sabet-Sharghi, MD | Physician
    • How to improve protein absorption after gastric bypass

      Kevin Huffman, DO | Conditions
    • Medicare physician pay has fallen 33 percent since 2001

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Policy
    • DOT ruling protects peanut allergies but not eggs, sesame, or milk [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why physicians miss business owner stress in patients

      Timothy Lesaca, MD | Physician
    • Reclaiming the lost art of the physical exam

      Ann Lebeck, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • I Googled my own name and a corporate clinic I’ve never worked at appeared [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Primary care crisis requires new training and skills

      Justin Oldfield, MD | Physician
    • How corporate health care ruined the medical profession

      Edmond Cabbabe, MD | Physician
    • Why nature-based medicine is the future of health care

      John La Puma, MD | Education
    • The cost of chaos in medical malpractice litigation

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why our health care system is failing chronic disease patients

      Beata Pasek, EdD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Diagnostic bias almost cost me my life

      Victoria Rundus, MD | Conditions
    • 3 new pharma marketing tactics every physician should know

      Martha Rosenberg | Meds
    • Why health care accountability demands system readiness

      Tiffiny Black, DM, MPA, MBA | Policy
    • Why a Courage Fund matters more than an emergency fund

      Stanley Liu, MD | Finance
    • Why perimenopause insomnia hurts metabolic health

      Isabella Soreca, MD | Conditions
    • Social media told her to abort her Turner syndrome baby

      Stephanie Waggel, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 20 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician retirement is a myth for the ripening doctor

      Farid Sabet-Sharghi, MD | Physician
    • How to improve protein absorption after gastric bypass

      Kevin Huffman, DO | Conditions
    • Medicare physician pay has fallen 33 percent since 2001

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Policy
    • DOT ruling protects peanut allergies but not eggs, sesame, or milk [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why physicians miss business owner stress in patients

      Timothy Lesaca, MD | Physician
    • Reclaiming the lost art of the physical exam

      Ann Lebeck, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • I Googled my own name and a corporate clinic I’ve never worked at appeared [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Primary care crisis requires new training and skills

      Justin Oldfield, MD | Physician
    • How corporate health care ruined the medical profession

      Edmond Cabbabe, MD | Physician
    • Why nature-based medicine is the future of health care

      John La Puma, MD | Education
    • The cost of chaos in medical malpractice litigation

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why our health care system is failing chronic disease patients

      Beata Pasek, EdD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Diagnostic bias almost cost me my life

      Victoria Rundus, MD | Conditions
    • 3 new pharma marketing tactics every physician should know

      Martha Rosenberg | Meds
    • Why health care accountability demands system readiness

      Tiffiny Black, DM, MPA, MBA | Policy
    • Why a Courage Fund matters more than an emergency fund

      Stanley Liu, MD | Finance
    • Why perimenopause insomnia hurts metabolic health

      Isabella Soreca, MD | Conditions
    • Social media told her to abort her Turner syndrome baby

      Stephanie Waggel, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today

Copyright © 2026 KevinMD.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme

  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Showcase happy doctors and find out what they’re doing right
20 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...