How to find purpose in the age of burnout

A recent sports injury required me to have surgery. As a cardiothoracic surgeon, my experience as “the patient” reminded me of lessons-learned years ago on finding one’s purpose. You should never underestimate your capacity as a health care professional to dramatically impact the lives of your patients. As a pre-med in college, I interviewed at Johns Hopkins Medical School under an early decision program. I was beyond excited. After my interview, I returned to my small college in upstate New York and over the next few days became very ill with fever, chills, and the worst headache and neck pain of my life. I visited our college infirmary, was diagnosed with gastroenteritis, prescribed penicillin, and instructed to stay in bed. On a Friday night, alone in my room, and unable to call for help, two fraternity brothers, worried about me, entered my dorm room. I was lethargic. They rushed me to the ER. I remember sternal rubs, being told to hold still because a needle was going into my back, and recall bright lights and masked people hovering over me and was informed I had a serious infection and could die. The next few days were spent in ICU isolation with a tube in every orifice, and it was weeks before I was ultimately discharged. In the days before being released, the attending ER doctor that admitted me visited. His name was Dr. McCullom, and he learned I wanted to be a doctor. Dr. McCullom shared a copy of Harrison’s and highlighted the infection I had- bacte...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Critical Care Hospital-Based Medicine Infectious Disease Source Type: blogs