Ways Physicians Can Avoid Burnout

As Alex Chiu, ENTtoday’s new physician editor, and I reflected at the recent Triological Society Combined Sections meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., we discussed how fortunate we are to be part of such a vibrant specialty with so many extraordinarily talented individuals. I very much enjoyed the meeting, as I had an opportunity to witness some great educational sessions, see friends, meet new colleagues, and spend meaningful time with several of the personal mentors who helped shape my career.

One of the most compelling sessions at the meeting was a panel discussion about physician wellness and burnout. Four of our respected colleagues provided insight into their ongoing personal journeys. The path to becoming a successful physician is competitive and stressful, and while many appear to navigate this process with ease, realizing that most face similar feelings and challenges provides relief and an opportunity to share experiences. The panel’s discussion was raw and relatable for everyone in the audience.

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” —Yogi Berra

As I think back through my career, the most challenging period for me was in the years right after completing residency. Training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Baylor was an incredible experience and the pinnacle of my educational journey. I completed my residency in 1999 and moved to the west coast to join a multispecialty group. All of the striving to get into medical school, to match into a competitive residency program, and the intensity of the training experience made the daily practice of general otolaryngology—and initially treating less complex cases while building a practice—seem unfulfilling in comparison. I had arrived at a major life goal after being on autopilot for more than 12 years, and had not considered what was next. Like many others in our field, I felt there had to be more to accomplish.

Finding a Path

In 2000, I enrolled in an evening MBA program with the intention of transitioning out of the practice of medicine and into pursuing projects related to healthcare information technology. I was the only physician in the class. While the schedule of maintaining a practice, taking call, and going to classes two to three nights per week was hectic, I was able to manage it with a lot of help from my wife, Nicole. Nicole has always been incredibly supportive of and patient with me, and this time in my life was particularly challenging; we had a 2-year-old at home and a newborn on the way.

Most typical MBA programs require classes related to finance, accounting, economics, marketing, and management. These courses have a significant quantitative component to which most of the students, especially those with engineering and scientific backgrounds, can relate. My program also required a course on organizational behavior, which was focused on human resource issues and how to work with people. Many of my classmates did not like it because there were no definitive answers. They complained vehemently about this class, to the point where the dean started attending to see what everyone was complaining about.

This was the right class at the right time for me, and the professor was inspiring. She assigned us a major project that was relevant given my mindset.

The assignment included taking 20 personality tests and writing about how you felt about the results, composing a personal mission statement, listing 10 short-term and 10 long-term goals to help you accomplish your mission statement, and writing an essay about what you would do for the rest of your life if you had unlimited resources.

This proved to be a very difficult assignment and required a lot of thought about what was important to me. Instead of leaving medicine, I realized the true value of my otolaryngology training and the enjoyment that I receive from taking care of patients and interacting with colleagues in our specialty. I also recognized that I needed to set my own expectations and path.

“The real joy in life comes from finding your true purpose and aligning it with what you do every day.” —Tony Robbins

I made several major changes to my life as a direct result of this exercise, including becoming more focused on my daily activities, moving back to Texas to join a single-specialty private practice group, and making it a priority to spend more time with my family.

I frequently refer back to this assignment and, remarkably, after 16 years, it still helps me to review it. I have successfully completed most of the short-term goals I listed and am still working on many of the long-term goals (although I don’t think I will ever play ice hockey).

All of us have complicated and busy lives. It is essential to sit down and figure out what you are trying to accomplish and prioritize your daily activities based on what is important to you. We are all fortunate to have many opportunities in our careers, which makes prioritizing our time even more critical.

I would highly recommend investing the time to figure out your personal mission statement, goals, and what you would do if you had no resource restraints. While it is not an easy process, forcing yourself to contemplate your values is rewarding, and helpful for navigating your personal journey over the long run.

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Dr. Kuppersmith practices at Texas ENT & Allergy in College Station and Huntsville, and is a deputy editor of ENTtoday.