Whole Hearted Medicine’s Post

Medical Students Face Higher Burnout Than Other Students A JAMA meta-analysis found that nearly 50% of medical students suffer from burnout, leading to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. As medical students, we're constantly bombarded with information, exams, and clinical rotations. It's easy to get lost in the chaos and neglect our own well-being. But trust me, I've been there. I've experienced burnout, anxiety, and exhaustion. And I've learned that self-care is not just about taking a break, but about refueling and rejuvenating ourselves to perform at our best. 🌿✨ Here are a few strategies that have helped me prioritize self-care: 1. Scheduled Breaks ⏳: I make it a point to take short breaks during study sessions. This helps me stay focused and reduces stress. 2. Physical Activity 🏃♀️: Incorporating exercise into my routine, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk, has significantly improved my mood and energy levels. 3. Mindfulness Practices 🧘♀️: Techniques like meditation and deep breathing exercises have been game-changers for managing anxiety and staying grounded. 4. Healthy Eating 🥗: Maintaining a balanced diet ensures I have the energy to tackle long study hours and clinical rotations. So, take a minute to reflect on your own self-care routine. 💭 Are you prioritizing your mental and physical health? Are you making time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation? 🌸 If not, start small. Take a 10-minute walk outside, practice deep breathing exercises, or schedule a coffee break with a friend. ☕ What self-care practices have helped you thrive as a medical student? Share your thoughts in the comments below 💬 #selfcare #mentalhealth #studentwellbeing #medlife #productivity #aiinmedicine

I remember being angry, frustrated, worried, and feeling very trapped in my practice. Every day I felt like I was drowning and there was always the next challenge that had to be addressed. After years of living this way my weight, sleep, relationships, and satisfaction in life diminished to the point that it was hard to get up, go to work, and my life satisfaction was minimal. This is not uncommon - and must be addressed. With all of the stress of running a modern day practice self care often gets left behind in the tyranny of the urgent. A part of the Art of Medical Leadership is developing the life skills to maintain a level of stress that works for you. I personally use the Oura Ring to report on my autonomic drive, sleep, activity and readiness for the world. With this data continual improvement has led to significantly more success. Suzan Oran and I wrote The Art of Medical Leadership to accelerate this shift for clinicians and their staffs today. A mindset that shifts from being a knower, to a learner - from listening about (judging) what a person is saying to listening for (their commitment and contribution) - and honoring yourself by establishing and pursuing your "why" takes this to the next level - from a human doing to a human being (in touch with your purpose). This shift, while more of a commitment, is transformative. #burnout #physicianstress #transformation #selfcare #medicalleadership Michael Fine Dr. Wayne Jonas Laurence Bauer Peter Hayes Jeffrey Hogan Christopher Crow, MD, MBA, Primary Care Collaborative Catalyst Health Group American Academy of Family Physicians American Board of Family Medicine Alan Roth Blair Thwaites Luigi Tullo Sara Pastoor, MD, MHA, FAAFP

Respiritualizing medicine involves integrating spiritual, holistic, and mind-body-spirit aspects into the practice of #medicine. This approach recognizes the importance of these elements in healing and overall wellness. Here are several strategies to consider: 1. #Holistic Care: Embrace a holistic view of health that includes physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. Healthcare professionals can be trained to consider all these aspects when treating patients. 2. #Patient-Centered Care: Focus on patient-centered care, where the patient’s values, beliefs, and spiritual needs are considered a vital part of the healing process. 3. Mind-Body Practices: Incorporate mind-body practices like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness into treatment plans. These practices can help reduce stress, improve mental health, and enhance the patient’s overall well-being. 4. #Spiritual Assessment: Include spiritual assessments as part of the patient intake process. Understanding a patient’s spiritual beliefs can help tailor healthcare strategies that align with their values. 5. Interdisciplinary Teams: Create interdisciplinary teams that include spiritual care providers, such as chaplains or spiritual counselors, who can address the spiritual needs of patients alongside medical treatment. 6. Education and Training: Incorporate spirituality and holistic health concepts into medical education and training programs to prepare future healthcare professionals to integrate these aspects into their practice. 7. Research: Encourage and support research on the impact of spirituality and spiritual practices on health outcomes to build a strong #evidence base for their integration into #medical practice. 8. Community and #Cultural Competence: Foster community connections and cultural competence among healthcare providers to better understand and respect diverse spiritual and cultural practices related to health and #healing. 9. Policy and #Environment: Advocate for policies and create healthcare environments that support the integration of spiritual care into medical settings, ensuring that resources are available for both #patients and healthcare providers. 10. Personal Practice: Healthcare professionals can also explore their own spirituality and #self-care practices to maintain their well-being and to serve as models for integrating spirituality into life and work. This approach requires #collaboration among healthcare professionals, educators, #policymakers, and community leaders to create a healthcare system that recognizes and addresses the full spectrum of #human needs, including the spiritual.

Perfectionist expectations and unexamined loyalties can disrupt the wellbeing of professionals who care. According to the New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, ‘profession’ is derived from the Latin professio, meaning to make a public declaration of intent to serve. Many speak of receiving a ‘calling’ that demands technical expertise and knowledge. It’s presumed that members of a profession publicly declare and represent accountable practices, in their discipline, in the service and care of others. In medicine and law, there are long-standing traditions and expectations about being equipped through access to privileged, specialist knowledge. The stakes are high if you are developing technical competencies to fulfil highly specialist functions, such as operating on a living body or carefully crafting legislation that ensures protection and justice within a community. Actors, through their embodiment of words and actions, can powerfully stir up individuals and communities to social transformation, by telling us the stories we may dislike but need to hear. Yet alongside these technical competencies there is also an underlying enculturation into each respective field. There’s a notion of professional formation in which graduates not only ‘do’ medicine or law or acting but ‘become’ lawyers, doctors, and actors with all the assumptions, privileges, and regulations that are intended, by a society, to give each profession both credibility and longevity. The trouble is that we forget that those we honour and expect to care for us, need care too. Medical researcher Steven Howard (2005) observes there are certain cultural “rites of passage” in the developmental journey from student doctor to medical professional that have been exploitative and potentially harmful to student doctors (and even patients in their care) that are only recently shifting due to new commitments to wellbeing. For example, it’s been expected that residents spend many hours on duty with consequent sleep deprivation. While most agree that such an arrangement provides a valuable learning experience in terms of confidence in one’s competencies and rigour for the demands of the profession, there are emerging voices expressing concern that the consequent sleep deprivation affects performance, sometimes resulting in physicians injuring themselves (either at the hospital or during their travel home after a shift) as well as detrimentally affecting patient care. My doctoral research of actor formation likewise identified certain ‘rites of passage’ through which young actors are enculturated into subservience under many myths of the creative sector: “the show must go on” “don’t take it personally” “you must suffer for your art” “get over it!” I believe it’s timely that we challenge the perfectionist myths and unquestioning loyalties of each and every profession. As societies, we created 'professions' to serve through care – let us also act to ensure care for those who serve.

In the fast-paced world of medicine, our own health often takes a back seat. But here's the truth: prioritizing wellness can be a game-changer! 🏋️♀️🥗 This StatPearl article shows that medical students and professionals who embrace healthy eating and regular exercise experience less burnout and a higher quality of life—exactly what we need to thrive in this demanding field. Even with hectic schedules, small changes can make a big difference. Let’s commit to taking care of ourselves so we can give our best to our patients! #PhysicianWellness #BeatBurnout #HealthyDoctors https://lnkd.in/dCZv5rCQ

News from a #TeachMETreatME event that happened recently! Jaime Seltzer, #MEAction's Director of Scientific & Medical Outreach, spoke at Quinnipiac University. =The university's Center for Interprofessional Healthcare Education hosted “Interprofessional Seminar: myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome ME/CFS” on April 25 with students from medicine, physician assistant, athletic training – physical therapy, health sciences, nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy. From the Center for Healthcare Education: "The faculty team: Professors Doyle, Grevelding, Lewis, Selinger, and Wescott based the seminar on the recent work published by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2023) focusing on the concept of post-exertion(al) malaise and the impact on all body systems and daily functioning. The highlight of the seminar was the voice of noted researcher Jaime Seltzer, a co-author of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (article), who has ME/CFS. 95-100% of the student participants indicated that the seminar allowed them to identify the issues of ME/CFS related to stigma, non-restorative sleep as a symptom, and the impact of post exertion malaise on life." "Jaime Seltzer, (of) MEAction, was a powerful voice and advocate in her interview at the seminar. One student’s words summarized the opinions of the participants, “continuing to advocate for yourself as well as for your patients by truly listening to what they are telling you is your best diagnostic tool and will allow you to be patient-centered and interprofessional in providing care and best referrals to other professions.” Great to hear of the positive impact this campaign is making! #MillionsMisisng #pwME #MECFS #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis

As a medical resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital, I struggled with the shame and loneliness of my depression and burnout. I believed I was the only one. I had little reason for hope. Back then, I wish I had known that there was nothing "wrong" with me -- that I was not broken. Rather, I was struggling with a common problem and was working amid forces normalized by a dysfunctional work culture and culture of medical training. Drawing from these experiences, I'm fueled by a passion for promoting well-being, not just for physicians, but for patients and leaders alike. We can begin to protect and strengthen hearts in all dimensions. With burnout rates exceeding 50% among physicians, its effects reverberate across patient care and organizational outcomes. This crisis demands immediate attention, driving my commitment to fostering cultures of well-being. Today, I'll be sharing these experiences and insights at my alma mater as part of the 2024 MGB Radiology Wellness and Well-being Week. An inclusive program open to all faculty, trainees, and staff across BWH, Massachusetts General Hospital, and ESG Radiology. I'll be sharing insights on the key drivers and remedies to burnout in the workplace (discussed in more detail in Chapter 3: Heart Breakers: Stress and Cardiovascular Disease from my forthcoming book "Just One Heart: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Healing, Health, and Happiness." From fostering supportive work environments to implementing evidence-based interventions, we'll discuss tangible strategies to help end burnout and promote sustainable well-being at both the organizational and individual level. Let's collectively prioritize the well-being of patients, clinicians, team members, and leaders alike. What strategies have you found effective in promoting well-being in your workplace? Thank you Carmen A. and your incredible team for creating this weeklong event and inviting me to join you. #justoneheart #Wellbeing #Healthcare #mindfulness #compassion #workplacewellbeing #physicians

I know how challenging it gets Balancing a medical career and personal life can be really tough, But it's essential for your well-being. Here are some tips: 1. Prioritize self-care: Regular exercise, healthy eating, and enough sleep are crucial. 2. Set boundaries: Learn to say no and delegate tasks. 3. Schedule downtime: Plan activities that help you unwind and recharge. 4. Seek support: Lean on colleagues, friends, and family for help and encouragement. Remember, a healthy work-life balance leads to better patient care and personal fulfillment. What strategies do you use to maintain balance? #NEETPG #next #fmge #inicet #mcq #MBBS #mbbsstudent #studyhacks #ObstetricsBook #MedicalStudents #MedicalStudies #MD #MS #MCH #BlogPost #PostGrads #obstetricslearning #DCD #nursingstudent #MedicalBooks #TextBookOfObstetrics #textbookofgynecology #bscnursingfirstyearbooks #bsc #MScNursing #GynecologyBook #chandrachur #chandrachurkonar #drroshinip

Do doctors perform a satisfactory job counselling patients on physical activity? Multiple studies have already recognised that doctors who engage in physical activity (PA) are more likely to counsel their patients on the benefits of exercise which has an impact on the burden of non-communicable diseases facing the NHS. Presumably this occurs because they have personally experienced the health benefits of an active lifestyle and have more extensively researched the area. Which leaves the question “Do doctors know how to counsel patients on physical activity?” I read a really interesting article examining PA counselling among junior doctors. These are the 3 points which struck me: 1. The medical curriculum as it stands creates gaps in scientific knowledge and effective communication skills relating to the importance healthy lifestyle measures (PA, sleep hygiene and balanced diets). The junior doctors admitted to realising the need for such discussions with patients but had no idea how to initiate it. 2. Some junior doctors thought it was the responsibility of other HCPs (primary care clinicians and physiotherapists) to counsel patients. However, they admitted that as junior doctors they arguably had the most patient contact to contribute to this conversation and also recognised that some patients value a doctor’s advice more highly (which in itself opens an entirely new can of worms). I strongly believe health promotion is everyone’s responsibility and assumption’s should not be made that someone else will/should do it. 3. The respondents agreed on the mental, physical and health benefits of exercise but held differing views on its relevance to clinical practice. Diagnosis and treatment were understandably highlighted as the main priorities but following optimisation of treatment options, physical activity counselling was still overlooked. Shouldn’t we also emphasise preventing readmissions and discuss PA if relevant? Doctors’ motivations to counsel patients were influenced by seeing their seniors doing the same which was a rare occurrence. Having read this, what are your thoughts and/or experiences from either a clinician or patient perspective? Articles: https://lnkd.in/ecXC8PB9 https://lnkd.in/eJAtS2NS #lifestylemedicine #exercise #physicalactivity #medicine #medicalschool

Residency is tough. Juggling crazy work hours with trying to have a life outside the hospital is the most challenging part of residency. However, just seven months into residency, I've learned a thing or two to help me maintain an optimal work-life balance. I recently published an article to share some smart tips and tools, like getting clear on what drives you, using tech to stay organized, and planning ahead, to make life as a resident a bit easier and more balanced. Check it out here: [https://lnkd.in/eKMm2wKJ] Let me know what other tips and tricks you may have for maintaining work-life balance in medicine! #physicians #residency #timemanagement #hospital #healthcare #medicine