September marks another year since I left clinical medicine. Even now that I’m over a decade removed from the decision to retire clinically, I’m still learning from the choice I made back then. Mainly, I realize how much I didn’t know at the time about what really needed to happen for me to get the outcome I wanted from that shift.
My stated reason for walking away from clinical medicine was to be more able to be well. While that sounded good at dinner parties and in holiday newsletters, I didn’t really know what well meant for me in 2010.
A large part of the reason I specialize in working with early career physicians around success with satisfaction is that I would love to go back tell myself a lot of what I’ve learned about how to function best in the world. Instead, I help other people learn about themselves and their well-being. If I did have a time machine, I’d tell 2010 me a following.
You don’t hate being a doctor. What you hate is the idea of pathological altruism being the only paradigm for working as a physician. You underestimate your ability to create something that works for you because you don’t see anyone else that has already done it. You need to embrace innovation in designing your life as a healer.
You thrive with the right systems and structure in place. Creating a life you genuinely like requires a break from your current overwhelm and dissatisfaction, not a renunciation of your core personality. As tempting as the free spirit existence is, you like type A things like schedules and checklists and SMART goals. It’s about using them to optimize rather than terrorize your daily existence.
Hire a coach sooner than later. You already spent the better part of two decades achieving and rejecting your first career. It makes sense to seek professional guidance getting started on the new career path, especially since you didn’t have even a rough outline of next steps when you quit. An outside perspective and supportive accountability expedite the process of formulating and achieving intended results.
Learn what being well is to you. Until you acknowledge and accept how your mind, body and spirit experience being well, you will not be satisfied inside or outside of work. You need to be true to what serves you being the best version of yourself, regardless of what the ever-evolving current convention dictates.
Without those pearls, I spent years seeking jobs that looked good on paper and were misaligned with my true purpose before I found my way. Hopefully, sharing them can serve those in 2021 who are channeling the 2010 version of me.
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Dr Jattu Senesie is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, certified success coach, physician satisfaction specialist and speaker. She blogs about issues of self care and well-being in an effort to help her fellow altruistic high achievers find satisfaction in their success as early in their careers as possible.
