4 ways doctors put themselves last

As physicians, we are conditioned to put ourselves last. This long-standing tendency likely began way before we hit medical school. But certainly, our training reinforces it. Think about it: the personality type that goes into medicine is typically a caretaker. And while medical school reinforces this personality pitfall, It doesn’t end there. Residency brings a whole other dimension of self-neglect. We think, “If I can just get out of residency things will return to “normal.” However, once you’re out in practice, we find new ways to de-prioritize ourselves. We make up reasons why others are more important than us. Why do we do this? Perhaps it is the ingrained messages we are given in our medical training. “The patient comes first.” “Eat when you can, pee when you can, sleep when you can.” Or perhaps, it is a deeper message ingrained from our own family of origin. “It’s selfish to think about yourself.” Here are the top five reasons/ways that we doctors put our priorities on the back burner. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Practice Management Primary Care Source Type: blogs