Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH
Diane W. Shannon is a physician, professional coach, author, and health care writer who helps women physicians build influential, sustainable careers without sacrificing their well-being. She can be found at dianeshannon.com.
She brings more than 20 years of expertise in physician burnout, women physician leadership, and building sustainable physician workplaces. After experiencing burnout early in her own primary care career, she dedicated her work to understanding why talented physicians struggle and what it takes for both individuals and organizations to thrive. Drawing on her experience as both a physician and award-winning health care writer, she helps women physicians expand their leadership, navigate career transitions, and avoid burnout, while partnering with health care organizations to retain physicians, develop women leaders, and strengthen workplace culture.
Dr. Shannon is coauthor of Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Chaos and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine, a TEDx speaker, and cofounder of Lead Your Way Academy. Her writing on burnout, cognitive load, and physician well-being has appeared in Massachusetts Medical Society publications, the American Medical Association's STEPS Forward toolkit series, and on WBUR. She shares updates on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Physician
How do I know if I'm burned out or just unhappy at work? On the surface, this is a straightforward question. Job burnout is one thing; professional dissatisfaction is another. We have validated survey questions for each, like the Maslach…
How do I know if I’m burned out or just unhappy at work? On the surface, this is a straightforward question. Job burnout is one thing; professional dissatisfaction is another. We have validated survey questions for each, like the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Physician Worklife Survey, and measures that can differentiate burnout from dissatisfaction, like the Professional Fulfillment Index. But I’ve found that when physicians are no longer thriving …
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Burnout or job dissatisfaction: 4 causes usually in play
Physician
Many of the physicians I work with bring up the issue of boundaries. "I know I need to set better boundaries, but." They see the costs. They are clearly aware of what they need to do but just can't seem…
Many of the physicians I work with bring up the issue of boundaries. “I know I need to set better boundaries, but.” They see the costs. They are clearly aware of what they need to do but just can’t seem to execute. They let patients drive the conversations in the exam room so that they run late and finish notes at midnight. They agree to a schedule change to help …
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Why setting boundaries as a physician feels impossible
Physician
We know that recruiting and replacing a physician costs somewhere in the range of a million dollars per physician, depending on the specialty. We know the effects of physician burnout and attrition directly affect key performance indicators, like patient access,…
We know that recruiting and replacing a physician costs somewhere in the range of a million dollars per physician, depending on the specialty. We know the effects of physician burnout and attrition directly affect key performance indicators, like patient access, quality metrics, and Net Promoter Scores. They also affect care continuity, organizational culture, and the pool of potential leaders.
And yet, return on investment (ROI) calculations have not persuaded health care …
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How measuring physician burnout could improve retention
Physician
This morning I'm celebrating. I did something last night for the very first time. I walked on stage alone, opened my mouth, and sang. I've marveled at every singing performance I ever attended, wondering, how do they do that? And…
This morning I’m celebrating. I did something last night for the very first time. I walked on stage alone, opened my mouth, and sang. I’ve marveled at every singing performance I ever attended, wondering, how do they do that? And now, I can say, I have.
I’m a high-achiever. I say that with a bit of embarrassment. It feels like a pejorative term: the student who does it all, who joins …
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Physician perfectionism can keep you from ever trying
Physician
Making the decision to leave clinical practice was a leap off a cliff into thin air when I wasn't sure I had a place to land. Who was I, what would I do, if I wasn't a physician? It felt…
Making the decision to leave clinical practice was a leap off a cliff into thin air when I wasn’t sure I had a place to land. Who was I, what would I do, if I wasn’t a physician? It felt like such a loss; I loved being able to do such deeply meaningful work.
This was back in the dark ages of the late 1990s, before “burnout” was a household word. …
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Women physicians are leaving. Whose problem is it?
Physician
I had a mini epiphany recently. I realized there are three basic categories of time: Productive: many work tasks (but not all), completing a task at home, achieving a specific personal or professional goal. Non-productive and enriching: sleep, physical activity,…
I had a mini epiphany recently. I realized there are three basic categories of time:
- Productive: many work tasks (but not all), completing a task at home, achieving a specific personal or professional goal.
- Non-productive and enriching: sleep, physical activity, being fully present with friends and family, learning something new.
- Non-productive, non-enriching, and pleasurable: Netflix bingeing, drinking another glass of wine, zoning out, going down a social media rabbit hole,
…
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Why physicians get stuck in productive and numbing cycles
Physician
When I experienced burnout as a young primary care physician, I thought it was my fault. Actually, I didn't know it was burnout; I had never heard the word. But I believed whatever was causing the deep exhaustion, lack of…
When I experienced burnout as a young primary care physician, I thought it was my fault. Actually, I didn’t know it was burnout; I had never heard the word. But I believed whatever was causing the deep exhaustion, lack of empathy, and feelings of uselessness were surely due to a flaw or weakness in me.
Eventually, I stumbled across the definition of professional burnout. I was so curious to understand what …
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Physician burnout solutions: Why system change isn’t enough
Physician
I've recently been intrigued by this question: Are you giving from extra or essence? In many respects, giving from one's essence is what burnout is all about. Your energy reserves (emotional, physical, mental, cognitive) are heading rapidly toward empty. Because…
I’ve recently been intrigued by this question: Are you giving from extra or essence?
In many respects, giving from one’s essence is what burnout is all about. Your energy reserves (emotional, physical, mental, cognitive) are heading rapidly toward empty. Because of a mismatch between the energy drain from internal and external stressors and the ability to replenish your energy, you are left depleted.
I see this mismatch daily in the physicians whom …
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How physician coaching helps restore energy reserves
Physician
I recently returned from a truly magical trip to Iceland. While there, my husband and I hiked, ate wonderful food, and soaked in a different culture. On day five of six, we ventured out to find what was described as…
I recently returned from a truly magical trip to Iceland. While there, my husband and I hiked, ate wonderful food, and soaked in a different culture.
On day five of six, we ventured out to find what was described as a “hot springs river,” a body of water fed equally by glacier melt and geothermal hot springs. As a floating enthusiast, this was a must-see for me.
We hiked for an hour, …
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Mindfulness in the journey: Finding rewards in the middle
Physician
"If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I'll tell you what you are. That determines your character. That is the most significant thing about you." - Dale Carnegie, How to Make Friends and Influence People We…
“If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I’ll tell you what you are. That determines your character. That is the most significant thing about you.”
– Dale Carnegie, How to Make Friends and Influence People
We all want to feel seen, recognized, and appreciated. That’s human nature. But where do you get your feeling of importance? What aspects of yourself are essential to who you are and how …
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Why doctors struggle with setting boundaries
Physician
I recently attended a three-day workshop on how to lead transformational workshops. The experience was both meta and genuinely transformational, and a number of the lessons I took away continue to stand out for me. Safety comes first. The workshop…
I recently attended a three-day workshop on how to lead transformational workshops. The experience was both meta and genuinely transformational, and a number of the lessons I took away continue to stand out for me.
Safety comes first. The workshop leaders highlighted over and over again that psychological safety comes first. You cannot belong to a group if you do not feel safe. They created the prerequisites for safety and then …
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Creating safe, authentic group experiences
Physician
"If you are reluctant to ask the way, you will be lost." - Malay proverb When I was struggling with burnout during training, I did not seek help. Even when called into the office of the revered, stately, totally intimidating…
“If you are reluctant to ask the way, you will be lost.”
– Malay proverb
When I was struggling with burnout during training, I did not seek help.
Even when called into the office of the revered, stately, totally intimidating chair of the department, because he had “heard I was having trouble coping.”
Nope. I saw that as a sign that I needed to do a better job of hiding my lack of coping.
When …
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Why doctors must ask for help before burnout escalates
Physician
I've been working with women physicians intensively now for six years, and I've noticed a few things. The women I work with are amazing. They are altruistic and caring. They are resilient, independent, and able to put others' needs before…
I’ve been working with women physicians intensively now for six years, and I’ve noticed a few things.
The women I work with are amazing. They are altruistic and caring. They are resilient, independent, and able to put others’ needs before their own. They are smart, detail-oriented, and care about getting things right.
If you’re a patient (and we all are at some point), this is exactly what you want in your doctor. …
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How women physicians can go from burnout to thriving
Physician
I've had a few moments in my life where time seems to stand still. I'm not talking about being in the flow of creativity or about a near-death experience. I'm referring to those times where a sudden realization makes you…
I’ve had a few moments in my life where time seems to stand still.
I’m not talking about being in the flow of creativity or about a near-death experience. I’m referring to those times where a sudden realization makes you reconsider how you’ve viewed yourself or your life in fundamental ways.
After leaving clinical practice, I was dogged by guilt and shame for at least a decade. I viewed my choice as …
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Why this doctor hid her story for a decade
Physician
Last week, while on vacation, my husband and I were swimming in a salt-water inlet when a rainstorm hit. (Actually, I was indulging in my favorite leisure-time pursuit: floating prone, chin resting on my forearm, on a lime green inner…
Last week, while on vacation, my husband and I were swimming in a salt-water inlet when a rainstorm hit. (Actually, I was indulging in my favorite leisure-time pursuit: floating prone, chin resting on my forearm, on a lime green inner tube.)
Fortunately, there was no lightning, though there was a bit of hail. We decided to stick it out. Heck, we were already wet.
As we floated along with the outgoing tide, …
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Why women doctors spend more time on EHRs and what it means for patient care
Physician
Here's something you may already know. I didn't until recently, but I sure do now, and it's a lesson I won't forget—something I wish I'd known three weeks ago. Rabbits love cone flowers. We recently downsized to a cute house…
Here’s something you may already know. I didn’t until recently, but I sure do now, and it’s a lesson I won’t forget—something I wish I’d known three weeks ago.
Rabbits love cone flowers.
We recently downsized to a cute house with window boxes. I’ve never had window boxes before and am honestly not much of a gardener. I went to the local place where we buy plants and picked out some tall …
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Unexpected lessons in self-care from my backyard garden
Physician
Intriguing question: What is one word that can free us? You might think it is love. Love is so powerful in lifting shame, sadness, and loneliness, but that's not the kind of freedom I'm referring to. Instead, I'm referring to…
Intriguing question: What is one word that can free us?
You might think it is love.
Love is so powerful in lifting shame, sadness, and loneliness, but that’s not the kind of freedom I’m referring to. Instead, I’m referring to the freedom to put aside others’ presumed or verbalized expectations of us and do something in our own best interest.
That magical word is “could.” At first glance, this might not seem like …
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Unlock your freedom: Replace “should” with “could”
Physician
This summer, my cousin Cindy has been raising Monarch butterflies. Two weeks ago, when I was visiting her for the weekend, she gave me a chrysalis to bring home. She'd already done the bulk of the work, feeding and caring…
This summer, my cousin Cindy has been raising Monarch butterflies. Two weeks ago, when I was visiting her for the weekend, she gave me a chrysalis to bring home. She’d already done the bulk of the work, feeding and caring for the caterpillar. I left with a mesh-sided carrier and an expected due date of 7 days. I was instructed on how to determine the gender and that I needed …
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Discover the power of patience
Physician
"Physicians have no autonomy." I read and hear versions of this every day, expressed with anger, resignation, or both. It's also called agency, control, and power (as in feeling empowered). I'm the first one to admit that physicians have way…
“Physicians have no autonomy.” I read and hear versions of this every day, expressed with anger, resignation, or both. It’s also called agency, control, and power (as in feeling empowered).
I’m the first one to admit that physicians have way less autonomy than in the ten decades that preceded this one. Moving from private practice to employed models, heightened focus on productivity, compensation via RVUs, and mergers have shifted the power …
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Physicians have no autonomy. Here’s how to change that.
Physician
Our profession often sends the message that we are invincible heroes. Here’s my vulnerable and honest admission: I lapped that up. There was something so seductive about denying pesky human requirements, like sleep, regular exercise, and time to decompress. I…
Our profession often sends the message that we are invincible heroes.
Here’s my vulnerable and honest admission: I lapped that up. There was something so seductive about denying pesky human requirements, like sleep, regular exercise, and time to decompress. I liked being needed more than I liked having needs.
I sublimated mine under my superhero cape right up until the time I hit a kryptonite wall. There
…
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