Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • 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

It’s time for physicians to bring clarity to their lives

Stephanie Wellington, MD
Physician
August 20, 2019
Share
Tweet
Share

I meet doctors in different arenas: clinical settings, conferences, and referrals. I am noticing a trend. We are keenly aware of what we do not want in medicine. We talk about physician burnout and its impact on doctors’ lives. We know firsthand the effect the EMR has on the doctor-patient relationship as doctors spend less and less time in direct patient care activities. And we are learning how to navigate the medical terrain differently to incorporate work-life balance.

I ask  doctors another question. What do you want for your life and career? What is your vision for yourself? That’s when doctors are unclear, uncertain, and vague.

How has this happened? As medical students, residents, and attending physicians, we are high-achieving peak performers. However, when it comes to other areas of our lives, we are less purposeful and allow things to show up by default.

I think it has happened because we’ve spent four years of medical school and three or more years in training focused on acquiring the medical knowledge and skills to become doctors. As attending physicians, we focus on patient care, patient outcomes, and the business of medicine. The climate in medicine has left physicians out of the conversation. It is easy for doctors to fall into this same pattern of focusing on everything else besides us.

It’s time to break the cycle. It’s time to bring clarity to our lives and careers so that we stop moving from position to position trying to get it right and instead become deliberate at creating our vision.

Here is an exercise that clients find beneficial to get started. You’ll need two sheets of paper for this exercise. On the first sheet, write out those things that you do not want to experience in your career. Once you have completed that list, put it aside.

It is time to shift the focus to your desires for your career and life. On the second sheet of paper, write out what you do want to experience in your life and medical career. Be very specific. Here are some question prompts to get you started:

  • Who are your patients?
  • Do they arrive promptly for their appointments?
  • Are they satisfied when they complete their visit with you?
  • How do you want to feel when you complete your visit with your patients and walk out of the exam room?
  • What about your staff and team? How do they support your success?

You get the idea.

Continue to add to this list and explore other areas of your life that can positively impact your career.

The creation of your vision begins in your mind. As you complete the exercise, suspend doubt.

Once you’ve completed the second list, go on a treasure hunt. Using the second list as the treasure map, search your life and career for the items on the list. You might be surprised to discover that many of the items on the second list are already present in your life and career.

Stephanie Wellington is a physician, certified professional coach, and founder of Nurturing MDs, dedicated to guiding physicians from stress and overwhelm to ease and flow in the demanding medical field. She empowers clinicians to infuse new energy into their careers and reconnect with their identities beyond the stethoscope. She can also be reached on Facebook and LinkedIn.

She is a speaker, author, and recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. If stress and overwhelm are part of your practice, get started with the free guide: “15 Ways to Infuse New Energy.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Health insurers and physicians are not partners

August 20, 2019 Kevin 2
…
Next

Communicating honestly with patients about uncertainty

August 20, 2019 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Practice Management, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Health insurers and physicians are not partners
Next Post >
Communicating honestly with patients about uncertainty

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Stephanie Wellington, MD

  • Reuniting with a colleague reminded me why I love being a doctor

    Stephanie Wellington, MD
  • The quiet shift: Practicing presence in the fast-paced medical profession

    Stephanie Wellington, MD
  • How a simple habit changed my entire medical career

    Stephanie Wellington, MD

Related Posts

  • It’s time for physicians to be less “productive”

    Anonymous
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • When it comes to pay cuts, it’s time to look beyond physicians

    J. DeWayne Tooson, MD
  • Beware of pseudoscience: The desperate need for physicians on social media

    Valerie A. Jones, MD
  • When physicians are cyberbullied: an interview with ZDoggMD

    Monique Tello, MD

More in Physician

  • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

    Kara Pepper, MD
  • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

    Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD
  • How art and science fueled one woman’s path to medicine

    Amy Avakian, MD
  • In a fractured world, Brian Wilson’s message still heals

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media

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

Leave a Comment

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

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

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

Loading Comments...