Author: Mursi.MD

Medicine Life/

What to Think About When Searching for Your First Attending Job

– Find the job you will love to go to every day.

What to Think About When Searching for Your FIRST Attending Job

You are halfway through or about to be done with residency and looking for your first attending job but are wondering how to search for the right one. To get straight to what will be the key to identifying the best fit will depend on your priorities. 

Evaluating your priorities is essential when looking for your first attending job after completing residency. It may not be apparent initially what those priorities are for you, but keep reading to see the key factors to consider. As you read them, think about what matters most and write a list based on your top priorities.

This big decision will impact your professional growth, work-life balance, and overall job satisfaction, so let’s ensure you are happy with where you start your new chapter. Here are factors to consider when searching for the right family medicine attending position:

1. Job Role and Responsibilities

  • Scope of Practice: Ensure the job includes a range of patient care that interests you, such as pediatrics, geriatrics, women’s health, or chronic disease management. For example, if you do not want to do pap smears, you want to ensure the ob/gyn is readily available and will not depend on you.
  • Workload and Patient Volume: Understand the expected patient load per day and how it fits your work style and goals. Are you willing to have 15/30 minute patient encounters (15-minute short and 30-minute extended visits)? Or will you want to have 20/40-minute patient encounters? This might not seem like a major consideration, but if you are like me and like to spend time with patients and like the education process, you definitely want to ensure you have 20/40-minute patient encounters.

2. Work Environment

  • Clinic Culture: Look for a positive, collaborative work environment where you feel valued and supported. This can be hard to scope. I would really lean on your instinct after visiting the job location and talking to the team on this one. 

3. Compensation and Benefits

  • Salary and Bonuses: Compare salaries across similar positions and consider potential bonuses or incentives. Let’s be honest we aren’t going to become millionaires as family physicians, but make sure you are appropriately compensated to enjoy your life outside of work. Ask about the sign-on bonus and if they will help move you to the area (pay for moving truck, movers, etc). Ask whether they will pay for your travels to and from work (especially if you have established in your current home and they need you to drive to the office that is an hour away, ask for compensation). 
  • Benefits Package: Review health insurance, retirement plans, malpractice insurance, and other benefits. These are the basics. I won’t pretend like I know what I am talking about with this one. I am still learning to navigate this one. You should review it, ask questions, and look into it. 
  • Loan Repayment Programs: Check for loan repayment assistance, especially if you have significant student debt. This is MAJOR. Especially if you are planning on working for hospital systems. The hospital system gets a substantial chunk of in your cash flow through patient care. Get them to pay for your loan! Unfortunately, they will have some sort of catch with this when they offer you loan repayment. For example, you must stay for a certain number of years to get the promised amount. They generally will give a certain amount per year. For example, if you are told they will provide you with $100,000 towards your loans over five years, they will give you $20,000 yearly. 

4. Work-Life Balance

  • Work Hours: Understand the expected working hours, including any evening or weekend shifts, on-call duties, and potential overtime. Are you expected to work weekends? Do you want to work weekends or be on call? What are the calls like? What is expected of you to do when you are on-call? Do you have a nurse who addresses the problem first before you, as the physician, is contacted? How many hours is considered full-time? My friend works for a smaller clinic, works 30 hours a day, and is considered full-time. I work 40 hours per week, which is regarded as full-time. Do you want four days on and three days off? If so, are you okay with 10-hour shifts if they are asking for a 40-hour work week? Going back to my friend, she works four days a week from 8 AM to 4 PM! Her practice is not very busy, but how awesome does that sounds!?
  • Flexibility: Look for positions offering flexible scheduling, part-time options, or job-sharing arrangements if important to you. If you want to transition to part-time easily, tell them ahead of time so that when you need to, they can and will do it without hassle. Remember, you are their gold mine; you need to ask for things so that you can continue to be faithful to them as they are faithful to you. 
  • Vacation and Time Off: Evaluate the amount of vacation, sick leave, and paid time off available. They will count per hour. When you do go on vacation, who will be covering for you? I like to be off when I am off; this helps me avoid burnout. So, when I am not there, can I rely on my team to handle my patient needs while I am gone? Or will I be working even on my vacation days? Is that something I am okay with? These are all things to consider. Some people are easygoing about it, but some (me) get drained quickly; therefore, inquiring about this is important as it will make a BIG difference. 

Things You Should Remind Yourself as a New Attending Physician

You may need to re-read this list to continue to remind yourself for the first few months as you begin your attending career.

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5. Location

  • Geographic Preference: Consider your preferred geographic location, including climate, proximity to family, and urban vs. rural settings. How will your drive to and from work be during snowy days? Will that make you feel miserable, driving back and forth? Is the drive easy? Will you need to get a train? Are you okay with that? Will you need to move? Will you be living in the area where you will be working? Are you alright with that? 
  • Cost of Living: Assess the cost of living in the area and how it aligns with the compensation package. Generally, they are good about adjusting this but double-check. 
  • Lifestyle and Amenities: Think about local amenities, recreational opportunities, schools, and overall quality of life. If you establish long-term, does the schooling system align with your vision of where your kids will learn? What can you do to get away from medicine that aligns with your preference? For example, I love to travel, so having an airport with a decent direct drive is very useful to make it more enjoyable each time I travel.   

6. Professional Development

  • Continuing Medical Education (CME): Ensure the job offers continuing education and professional development opportunities. You will always need to keep studying and learning to stay well-informed and do your best for your patients. 
  • Mentorship and Support: Look for a supportive environment with opportunities for mentorship from experienced colleagues. I didn’t really learn that I had this until I started working. I always knew I had mentors that I could always reach out to by text, but being able to have someone you can walk over to ask their opinion or guidance makes it more valuable. 
  • Career Advancement: Consider the potential for career growth, leadership roles, and involvement in teaching or research if desired. Are there things you want to do in the future, and do they have them available?

7. Practice Structure

  • Type of Practice: Decide if you prefer working in a private practice, hospital-affiliated clinic, community health center, or academic setting. If you want to work with students, choose a place that is either working to build that in or already has it. 
  • Electronic Health Records (EHR): Familiarize yourself with the clinic’s EHR system and assess if it’s user-friendly and efficient. This one was a major one for me. I personally really like the Epic system. I worked with it as a resident and got used to it, so I wanted that same system for my big girl job. We are CONSTANTLY documenting. It is crucial to have a system that makes it as efficient as possible. 
  • Administrative Support: Ensure adequate administrative support to help manage non-clinical tasks. There is so much tedious work, and how much you are okay with it depends on your level of patience. 

It is important to identify what matters to you and how you envision yourself living your day-to-day life. You are finally at a place where you can enjoy your hard work. Don’t just run towards the position that gives you the highest pay, but really be selective based on what will have a combination of good pay, good living, and good memories! 

I hope this article was helpful.

Much love, 

Medicine Life/

Things You Should Remind Yourself as a New Attending Physician

You are about to start your big girl(boy) job as an attending physician! It is exciting, overwhelming, nerve-wracking, and all the emotions! This day has been a dream in the past, and you have been waiting for it for so long. Here you are, getting ready to start an attending position. All those long hours of studying, training, and crying… YOU HAVE MADE IT! You can breathe, and if you haven’t been enjoying the journey already, you better start AT LEAST now!!! 

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Before I dive into the list of things you should know as a new attending physician, I want to stress the importance of self-care. Take time off for yourself between graduation and the start of your attending job. Read my thoughts on this, how long I took time off, and what I did during that time on another blog post. Remember, your well-being is crucial to your ability to care for others. 

You may need to re-read this list to continue to remind yourself for the first few months as you begin your attending career, so save or screenshot this list. You can also save the post on IG. 

The List of Reminders

  1. You are no longer a resident. You are the attending doctor. 
  2. You are no longer being monitored like a hawk or have to worry about evaluations. 
  3. You can say no, and don’t be afraid to say it. 
  4. You don’t have to practice based on an attending’s preference. You can practice in your own personal style. 
  5. You are responsible for the patient, so you decide on management with your patient. 
  6. You will feel overwhelmed at times, especially as your patient volume rises. It is okay. Just remember you were trained for this. Trust your skills.
  7. You will not know the answer to everything. Be honest and transparent with your patients. They know you are new and will trust you more if you give them confidence in your character, not false idealization that you know it all. 
  8. Don’t be afraid to ask your mentor and colleagues how they would handle situations and manage certain patient encounters. 
  9. Not all patients will like your style of practice, AND THAT IS OKAY. 
  10. For some people, no matter how much you do, it will always not be good enough. Don’t take it personally. 
  11. When you hear one complaint and 100 compliments, don’t dwell on the one complaint. Read numbers 9 and 10 again.  
  12. Pick a source to refer to as a guide for management, including quickly accessing dosage recommendations. I personally use Epocrates.
  13. Your team may ask you about your preferences, such as rooming your patient, but you may still need to learn your preferences. Just let them know you are figuring it out as you see patients. 
  14. You do not need to do everything like you did as a resident. You are the attending doctor with a team, delegate. (This one was especially hard for me initially, but my nurse and office manager reminded me.)
  15. Set your boundaries right from the start. It will be harder to follow if you try to set it later because you will have created a routine. 
  16. Do not take work home. Home is for family and friends that you missed out on. You shouldn’t have to keep missing out on life outside of medicine. Reread number 15.   

I hope you found that helpful! Remember to enjoy your days! Congratulations on starting your new job. I am proud of you! More importantly, you should feel proud of yourself!! 

Much love,

Medicine Life/

Why It’s Important to Take Time Off After Residency and Before Starting Your Attending Job

Finishing residency is a big deal – it’s the end of years of hard work, long hours, and personal sacrifices. As you switch from being a resident to an attending physician, it’s super important to take some time off before jumping into your new role, in my opinion. Read my blog on things you should remind yourself of as a new attending physician next. Here are reasons why and how long I took off and what I did during my time off:

Reasons Why I Did and You Should:

  • Mental and Emotional Reset
    Residency can be extremely demanding, often leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion. Taking some time off allows you to relax and recharge mentally and emotionally. It’s an opportunity to reflect on your experiences, process them, and mentally prepare for the new responsibilities and challenges ahead. This break can help you begin your attending job with a clear mind and renewed enthusiasm.
  • Physical Health and Well-being
    The grueling schedule of residency can take a toll on your physical health. Long shifts, irregular sleep patterns, and high stress can lead to fatigue and other health issues. A break allows you to catch up on sleep, establish healthier routines, and focus on your physical well-being. 
  • Quality Time with Loved Ones
    During residency, time with family and friends is often limited. Taking time off allows you to reconnect with your loved ones, strengthening those relationships and creating cherished memories.
  • Personal Growth and Exploration
    Taking a break between residency and starting your attending job offers a rare opportunity for personal growth and exploration. Whether you choose to travel, pursue hobbies, or learn new skills, this period can enrich your life in ways that go beyond your medical career. Engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment can lead to a more balanced and well-rounded life.
  • Professional Reflection and Goal Setting
    Taking time off allows you to reflect on your professional journey thus far and helps you set clear goals for your future. Consider what kind of attending physician you want to be, the values you want to uphold, and the impact you wish to make. This period of reflection can help you enter your new role with a clear vision and a sense of purpose.
  • Preventing Burnout
    Starting your attending job immediately after residency without a break can increase the risk of burnout. Taking time off allows you to recover from the intensive training period and reduce the likelihood of experiencing burnout early in your career. This proactive approach can lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling medical career.
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How Long I Took Off Between Residency and Attending Job

I took about 2.5 months off. I had people who supported that and people who advised against it. The main reason most people do not or cannot is financial. I knew I wanted to do this in advance, so I made financial decisions that allowed me to take the time off and still be able to pay my bills. I would advise keeping your finances in mind and preparing ahead of time. 

What I Did During my Time Off

I started new hobbies and restarted old hobbies. I did a lot of self-care and self-reflection, especially since I had to put a lot of my emotional grief with the loss of my mom aside to get through residency. I focused on doing and being a lot of the things listed above under Reasons Why I Did and You Should. And you bet I TRAVELED!! Right before the start of my attending job, I went to one of my favorite cities, London, England. I was comfortable to go on my own and just do things on my own since I had been there several times in the past. I also did some shopping for my attending job while I was there. It was a perfect end to my time off and I was very excited for the next chapter to begin!

Have you been convinced yet?!?

Honestly, it’s really important for your overall well-being. It’s like an investment in your mental, emotional, and physical health, ensuring you kick off your attending career feeling refreshed, focused, and ready to thrive. So, take this chance to relax, reconnect, and think about things, and set the stage for a rewarding and balanced medical career.

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Much love,

Health Maintenance/

How to Improve Your Good Cholesterol & Lower Risk of Heart Disease

How to Improve Your Good Cholesterol & Lower Risk of Heart Disease

When focusing on the normal levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) and disregarding the levels of HDL (the good cholesterol), we may falsely believe we are at low risk of heart disease. Low HDL puts you at risk for heart disease even if your LDL is normal. GET YOUR HDL UP. Keep reading to learn how!

Not all physicians walk through the blood tests after getting blood work done, one reason being that they are crunching for time. I don’t particularly like simply stating to my patients that their cholesterol is high and they need to improve their diet and then moving on with the conversation. I like explaining the numbers and discussing HOW they need improvement, including beneficial supplements. 

If you haven’t read my blog post “HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE BY GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CHOLESTEROL LAB TEST,” in which I break down the components of the lipid panel, I suggest reading that first.  

Delivering Bad News as a Physician
The Struggle: Doctoring by Day, Studying by Night
Less Medication! Nurturing Growth through Lifestyle Changes in Healthcare

Why is HDL important?

HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is often referred to as “good” cholesterol because it helps remove LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, from the bloodstream. HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s processed and eliminated from the body. Because HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream, reducing plaque buildup in the arteries, higher HDL cholesterol levels are associated with a LOWER risk of heart disease.

What is considered low?

  1. For men: HDL cholesterol levels below 40 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered low.
  2. For women: HDL cholesterol levels below 50 mg/dL are considered low.

What is a good HDL level to aim for?

Ideally, you want HDL above 60 – the higher, the better!!!

How do I improve my HDL levels?

1. Healthy Diet: 

Eating a heart-healthy diet can help improve HDL levels. Focus on consuming a high-fiber diet, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains; eating healthy fats regularly; and limiting saturated and eliminating trans fats, which can raise LDL cholesterol levels.

Examples of foods containing high levels of healthy fats such as omega-3: 

Fatty Fish: Fatty fish are one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Consume two servings a week of fatty fish. 
Examples include:
   – Salmon
   – Mackerel
   – Sardines
   – Trout
   – Herring
   – Anchovies
   – Tuna (especially albacore or yellowfin tuna)

Check out my blog page on my residency experiences.

Walnuts: Walnuts are unique among nuts because they contain a significant amount of ALA omega-3 fatty acids. They make a convenient and tasty snack or can be added to salads, oatmeal, or baked goods.

Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are rich sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Ground flaxseeds can be sprinkled on yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies, while flaxseed oil can be used in salad dressings or added to dishes after cooking.

Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are another excellent plant-based source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids. They can be added to smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal or used to make chia seed pudding.

Hemp Seeds: Hemp seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of protein and fiber. They can be sprinkled on salads, yogurt, or blended into smoothies.

Read the blog post on reducing your risk of heart disease by getting to know your cholesterol lab test.

Soybeans and Soy Products: Soybeans and soy products such as tofu and edamame contain ALA omega-3 fatty acids. Incorporating these into your diet can help boost your omega-3 intake, especially if you follow a plant-based diet.

Sea Vegetables: Certain types of sea vegetables, such as seaweed and algae, contain omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA. These are commonly consumed in Asian cuisines and are also available in supplement form for those who don’t consume fish or fish oil.

2. Regular Exercise: 

Regular physical activity, such as aerobic exercise (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling), can raise HDL cholesterol levels. As recommended by health guidelines, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.

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3. Maintain a Healthy Weight: 

If overweight or obese, decreasing calorie intake and losing excess weight can help improve HDL levels. Even modest weight loss can have a positive impact on HDL cholesterol. Focusing on cutting down on simple carbohydrates and increasing protein will help lose weight while lowering cholesterol. 

4. Quit Smoking:

Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol levels and increases the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking can lead to an increase in HDL cholesterol over time.

5. Taking Omega-3 supplements 

In addition to incorporating omega-3-rich foods into your diet, you may need to take supplements to improve your HDL. Fish oil supplements, in particular, are a popular choice for boosting omega-3 levels. They typically contain high concentrations of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two types of omega-3 fatty acids that have been extensively studied for their cardiovascular benefits. Taking fish oil supplements can quickly obtain concentrated doses of EPA and DHA, which may help raise your HDL cholesterol levels and improve overall heart health. 

The major key to improving your cholesterol to lower your risk of heart disease and preventing chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, impotence, and loss of mental acuity is to improve your nutritional intake. Focus on increasing your intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Avoid fried foods, refined carbohydrates, and trans-fats. By simply cutting down on simple carbohydrates (the big four – potato, bread, pasta, rice) and increasing protein, it can dramatically reduce your cholesterol levels.

I hope you found this blog post helpful. If you did, please share this on your social media and with friends and family!

Check out my other blog posts related to your well-being on my health page. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on my social media platforms (IG, TikTok)!

Health Maintenance/

How to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease by Getting to Know Your Cholesterol Lab Test

How to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease by Getting to Know Your Cholesterol Lab Test

Your doctor will check your lipid panel at least once a year. A lipid panel is a blood test measuring various cholesterol and fats in your bloodstream. It generally includes total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL. It may also measure VLDL and non-HDL cholesterol. While this test is not the best predictive marker, it is what is commonly used to evaluate for risk of cardiovascular disease. Advanced lipid testing with better predictive risk factors include lioprotein subfractions and particle sizes in addition to the lipid markers and inflammatory markers. In this post we will be talking about the commonly used marker that evaluates for risk of cardiovascular disease, the lipid panel.

Not all physicians walk through the blood tests after getting blood work done, one reason being that they are crunching for time. I don’t particularly like simply stating to my patients that their cholesterol is high and they need to improve their diet and then moving on with the conversation. I like explaining the numbers and discussing HOW they need improvement, including beneficial supplements. 

Teaching what the values represent, the levels we need to aim for, and the changes we need to make really clarifies and motivates patients to improve their lifestyles. Repeating their lipid panel in 6-12 months tells us if their changes are making a difference. 

Here is what each value typically indicates: 

1. Total cholesterol: 

This measures the total amount of cholesterol in your blood, including both “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, as well as very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol. It should generally be less than 200. Since total cholesterol includes “good cholesterol,” I don’t focus on this when discussing the results with my patients; I go into the breakdown. 

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2. Triglycerides:

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Elevated levels of triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, especially when combined with high levels of LDL cholesterol and low levels of HDL cholesterol. Although this is a type of fat in the vessels, high triglyceride correlates with excess calorie intake, a high-carb diet (refined carbohydrates), and lack of exercise. It should be less than 150, but ideally less than 100, and the lower the better.

3. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: 

Physicians often overlook high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. HDL is called the “good” cholesterol because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. HDL is a protein that transports cholesterol from the cells and blood vessels back to the liver to be broken down or reprocessed. Therefore, we want more HDL to be around to get rid of the excess cholesterol and prevent it from causing damage.

Higher HDL cholesterol level is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Low HDL levels correlate with low intake of healthy fats like omega-3 in our diet, lack of exercise, and high levels of bad cholesterol. Ideally, you want HDL above 60; the higher, the better. You can read my blog post on improving your good cholesterol and lowering your bad cholesterol! 

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4. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol:

LDL is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol. LDL is the protein that carries cholesterol from the liver (where it is produced) to the blood vessels to transport the cholesterol to cells throughout the body. Cholesterol is an essential component of every cell in our body. However, when there is excess cholesterol production, LDL cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

A diet consisting largely of cholesterol-rich foods like fried foods, sweet baked goods, and trans-fat-containing foods increases LDL. For low-risk, non-diabetic patients, LDL should be less than 100. For those at high risk, such as those with diabetes, LDL should be less than 70. 

5. Very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol: 

VLDL is a type of lipoprotein that carries triglycerides in the blood. Elevated VLDL cholesterol levels can also increase the risk of heart disease, but this is not always calculated as part of your lipid (cholesterol) panel.

6. Non-HDL cholesterol: 

This is calculated by subtracting HDL cholesterol from the total cholesterol. It measures all the “bad” cholesterol in your blood, including LDL and VLDL cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol is considered a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL cholesterol alone. For low-risk patients, this should be less than 130. For high-risk patients, such as those with diabetes, it should be <100 or even less than 70 based on their comorbidities.

Read my blog post on How to Improve Your Good Cholesterol & Lower Risk of Heart Disease

MY DOCTOR SAID MY LIPID PANEL LOOKS GOOD, BUT AFTER READING THIS, I DO NOTICE THAT MY HDL IS LOW, AND I AM AT HIGH RISK OF HEART DISEASE! How do I improve my good cholesterol? Please read my blog post on how to improve your good cholesterol! 

I hope that this is helpful to you and that you feel empowered to improve your health. If you found this useful, please share it on social media and with friends and family.  

Go to my Health page to check out additional blog posts related to health topics. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on my social media platforms (IG, TikTok)!

Medical School/

Delivering Bad News As a Physician

During my hospice rotation in residency, Dr. B, the hospice director, asked me questions that really caught me off guard. The rhetorical questions went like this: “Are you uncomfortable delivering bad news to patients because you are projecting your feelings? Are you uncomfortable with death, and therefore, you have a hard time talking about it?”

During this time, my mom was still battling breast cancer. When Dr. B posed these questions to me, I was taken aback. I looked him straight in the eyes, and as I repeated his questions in my head, I began to feel a sense of confusion. Am I uncomfortable talking about death because I am uncomfortable with the idea of death? Am I afraid of my mom dying because I don’t want to feel the pain of her loss? Am I afraid of dying? Am I projecting my fear onto my mom?

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When caring for someone kind and loving, you want to ensure they feel your love and joy in return. You want them to have everything they could ever want. How do you give them everything when you don’t have the most important thing to offer, time? When I posed this question to Dr. B, he reminded me that projecting my own emotions onto my mom was not helpful. Those are your emotions; you may be projecting pain onto her when she just needs your presence of joy and love. Your mother likely has her own fears and anxieties, and projecting your own onto her would only make things worse.

As physicians, we have many responsibilities, including delivering bad news. Instead of learning how to deliver news, we should learn how to manage our own emotions to deliver news more effectively.

Death is a complex topic that affects everyone. It is an inevitable part of life that we all have to face. From the moment we are born, we carry a proverbial ticking bomb inside us that will eventually go off, whether it is in two years or over a hundred. It doesn’t matter what our personal preferences are; death comes for us all and maybe there is beauty in that.

Medicine Life/

The Struggle: Doctoring by Day, Studying by Night

Being a doctor is a noble and rewarding profession, but it has its own challenges. One of the things that people need to realize is how tired doctors get after caring for patients all day. Also, doctors must keep learning and studying to keep up with new research and treatments. This can be tough when they’re already tired. In this article, we’ll talk about how doctors deal with this struggle and how we can balance our work and studies.

The Exhaustion: A Doctor’s Daily Dose

As doctors, we must make crucial decisions, work long hours, and care for our patients’ emotional wellbeing. This can take a toll on our mental and physical energy. After a long day at work, even the most resilient doctors can feel drained, exhausted, and emotionally spent.

Click here to read about setting boundaries to improve your life as a healthcare professional

The Challenge of Continued Learning

Doctors must keep learning new things about medicine, from new treatments to research. We have to keep up with the latest developments in our field, which means studying on our own time outside of work.

The Struggle to Study: A Balancing Act

With our busy lifestyle, it takes work to balance our medical career and our studies. Even though we are already tired, we must read textbooks, research papers, and medical literature to stay current. This can mean giving up our free time and resting hours.

Coping Strategies for Physician Scholars

  1. Create a Structured Schedule:
    Make a study schedule that fits in with work commitments. Set specific time slots for study sessions, and make sure they’re manageable and manageable.
  2. Prioritize Self-Care:
    Taking care of oneself is crucial for wellbeing. Good sleep, healthy food, and regular exercise help maintain the energy levels required for both work and study.
  3. Utilize Breaks Effectively:
    Use work breaks to study a little. Studying a bit during the day is better than cramming it all in at night.
  4. Seek Support and Connection:
    Make friends with colleagues who understand the challenges. Share experiences, tips, and resources to make the burden bearable. Check out the 5 study tips I wish I listened to on YouTube
  5. Set Realistic Goals:
    Set achievable short-term and long-term goals for studying. This will help manage expectations and give a sense of accomplishment. Click here to listen to study tips for students from doctors

The Shared Journey
As doctors, we have the power to change people’s lives for the better. While it can be challenging to balance work and studies, always remember that your health is just as important. By prioritizing self-care and setting healthy boundaries, we can avoid burnout and continue providing our patients with the best care possible. Keep pushing forward, and always remember our positive impact on the world.

I hope this was helpful! Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

General Medicine/

Less Medication! Nurturing Growth through Lifestyle Changes in Healthcare

It is great to see the shift among Millennial physicians towards a more holistic approach to healthcare. Instead of solely relying on medication, this approach emphasizes the significance of lifestyle changes. It involves addressing individual behaviors, empowering patients, and adopting a collaborative approach to overall well-being. I believe we can attribute this positive change to the “woke” culture to some extent. What are your thoughts on this?

The Changing Landscape of Patient Care:

In the past, medication was frequently the primary method of treating patients. However, healthcare professionals now recognize that this approach has its limitations. The emphasis nowadays is on how lifestyle choices impact overall health. As a result, personalized interventions are often more effective than a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.

Education and Empowerment:

Giving patients knowledge about how their lifestyle choices affect their health is critical to this approach. As healthcare professionals, we now act as teachers, informing patients about how their daily decisions impact their health outcomes. The goal is to help patients understand their role in their healthcare journey.

Addressing Root Causes:

Addressing underlying issues is critical to this approach. We are now looking more closely at lifestyle factors contributing to health issues. Instead of just treating symptoms, we focus on understanding and preventing problems.

Personalized Medicine in Lifestyle Interventions:

Using personalized medicine in lifestyle interventions is a big step forward. Tailoring interventions to the patient’s characteristics recognizes that everyone’s needs and responses differ. Using technology and data, we can personalize interventions and make them more effective.

Collaborative Healthcare:

Collaboration is becoming more and more critical in healthcare. Working together as a team is crucial in achieving optimal health outcomes. This means that healthcare professionals and patients must work together as partners in the healthcare journey.

Inspiring Growth and Change:

Prioritizing lifestyle changes is not just about reducing risk factors; it’s also about inspiring growth. Encouraging patients to embrace positive lifestyle changes is critical. Success stories can be inspiring, showing patients how small changes can make a big difference to their health.

Challenges and Opportunities:

Like any significant change, there are challenges. It’s essential to address the barriers to implementing lifestyle-focused care. But these challenges also create opportunities for growth and development. Adapting to the changing healthcare landscape means embracing change and continuously refining approaches.

Click here to read about how you can improve your nutritional health with vitamin K2 supplementation.

In conclusion, the shift towards prioritizing lifestyle changes in healthcare is a big deal. It’s a move away from just relying on medication and towards a more complete approach that includes growth, collaboration, and personalized, holistic care. By working together, healthcare professionals and patients can shape the future of healthcare for the better.

I hope this was helpful! Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Medicine Life/

How I Deal With Complex Grief

When you lose someone to cancer or an unfortunate cause, you can lose everything along with them. Your reason, your cause, your motivation. Life can become less meaningful. Hell, it can even feel pointless. 

So, how do you find a reason again? How do you stop holding on to the pain?

You will get great advice and reminders about letting go of pain, which is a gradual process that requires patience and self-compassion. It is essential to recognize that healing does not mean forgetting or diminishing the significance of the loss. And it involves finding a way to integrate the experience into your life, allowing it to shape you without defining you. Sure, that all makes sense. But how do you actually do it? How do you redefine your reason when any reason you think of is not good enough? 

Read my blog post on how to establish and communicate boundaries effectively.

To be honest, I am still figuring that out. Right now, I have concluded that when we lose meaningful reasons, when we are in this complex grief, when anything and everything is just not feeling enough to explain a loss, it is okay to not need a reason. 

Maybe you just keep going anyway until a reason is good enough. You keep going to find that reason. 

Yesterday marked 2 years of my mom’s passing to breast cancer. I am in a new space and just doing it regardless of what, why, how, where, when, and how long. I am just being, and right now, that is good enough for me. 

She isn’t here, but she is in me. And just like she showed us strength, I will keep having strength. I love you, Mom. 

Check out my YouTube Video for my update on life during these difficult times.

I hope you find meaning in this post. If you are having a difficult time and thoughts of suicide, please, seek professional help. You matter. You can dial 988 to reach the suicide hotline.

Medicine Life/

“Work Harder on Yourself, Not Your Job”

Check out my style video on Instagram, inspiring this blog post.

I have recently started thinking differently about my life and my priorities. I have become more aware of where I invest my energy, and now I am committed to myself more than ever before.

I’m proud of the person I was, who pushed herself to attain her career goals. She wanted to work hard for her parents, the women of Afghanistan, and the American Dream.

While I am proud of my professional achievements, I have come to understand that I need to prioritize my own personal growth and well-being. I have decided to commit myself to this new perspective and am excited to see where it takes me.

Your Job vs. You:

Your job is only a part of who you are. While it’s commendable to excel in your profession, true fulfillment comes from becoming the best version of yourself.

It’s a shift from the external to the internal, from the job defining you to you defining your path.

Investing in Personal Growth:

Working on yourself involves committing to continuous learning and self-improvement. Whether developing new skills, honing existing ones, or caring for your physical and mental well-being, investing in personal growth pays off in all areas of your life.

I may be scared by how much I neglected my health during medical school and residency. If I had taken better care of myself, maybe I wouldn’t have the regrets I have now. I also wouldn’t have struggled so much, constantly in anxiety, placing constant stress on my body.

Balancing & Building My Focus:

I am setting and keeping boundaries related to everything else around me. Read my blog post on the Importance of Setting Boundaries as an Attending Physician.

It’s not about neglecting my job but finding a balance that allows me to excel professionally while fostering personal growth.

As you work harder on yourself, you bring renewed energy and passion to your job, creating a positive feedback loop.

Remember, success is not just a destination but a journey of continuous improvement and self-discovery.

Much love,