2015 was a year to regroup and reassess my professional goals. Immediately after residency, I did as most physicians do — apply and hope to get a job that pays well and is in a good location. Similar to the personalities of most physicians, I am a workaholic and overachiever. Therefore, since graduating residency, I strove to perform well at my job, treated my patients to the best of my ability, passed my …
How this doctor beat burnout. You can, too.
Several friends have pointed out to me their observations of my interactions when in public places: That people strike up random conversations with me, ask for directions, of if I could take a couple’s picture at a touristy hot spot, etc. These types of interactions are becoming less awkward to me in the last few years, and I initially attributed my approachability to giving off a “psychiatrist” vibe, as if people can sense that …
Resist the tendency to label your patients
This article was originally written on August 11, 2015.
My psychotherapy supervisor taught me a tip during residency: to pay close attention to the very first thing a patient says, and more importantly, the last topic they bring up towards the end of session. (Because it’s likely that the subject weighing most heavily on their mind is too uncomfortable to discuss at the very beginning.)
I struggled to come up with a topic to …
The constant fear of losing a patient to suicide
I attend pharmaceutical dinners every once in awhile because: 1) I like to stay up to date with all the new drugs (or just a slightly modified version of the generic, but with a much fancier name and packaging); 2) Though I’m several years out of medical school/residency, one thing I have maintained from those formative years is the mentality where I’d never pass …
I tried not to let a drug rep influence me. But he probably already did.
I noticed that my writing and conversations with others convey far less emotion than usual. My reserve for tolerating stress had reached maximum capacity, which I realized upon my first day back at work from vacation three weeks ago as exhaustion immediately erased any sense of relaxation from my trip. Perhaps I should have requested two weeks off instead of one? Either way, …
A psychiatrist is burnt out and depressed. Here’s what she did about it.
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