The Sunday Best (06/01/2025)

You Once Wished For What You Have Now

You fought for that residency. Got it. Then discovered you hate being micromanaged by attendings who peaked in 1987.

Don’t forget that you once wished for what you have now.

Here’s the truth: what you thought you wanted and what makes you happy are different things. That prestigious position looked perfect on paper. Reality? Soul-crushing bureaucracy and EHRs designed by sadists.

You’re not broken. Your situation is.

Traditional advice says practice gratitude, remember why you became a doctor. B@%%$#it. If you’re miserable, there are legitimate reasons. Maybe you crave intellectual stimulation but spend days on prior authorizations. Maybe you wanted patient relationships but see thirty people in four hours.

The solution isn’t attitude adjustment. It’s honest assessment.

What elements actually matter? Autonomy? Challenge? Impact? Balance? List them. Audit your role ruthlessly.

Missing pieces don’t stay missing.

Telemedicine offers flexibility hospitals never will. Medical writing provides stimulation routine care lacks. Locum work delivers variety and better pay. Teaching scratches mentorship itches. Consulting solves problems without insurance interference.

The physician burned out on insurance started cash-pay weekend clinics. The surgeon craving challenge launched device consulting. The physician who feels disconnected from patient care started a side gig with hospice and returned to feeling the impact she made in others. They didn’t abandon careers—they augmented strategically.

Stop forcing gratitude for situations that don’t serve you. Identify what’s missing and build it elsewhere. Your happiness isn’t hostage to your employer’s limitations.

Jorge Sanchez, MD

Naples, Florida

The Sunday Best (06/01/2025)

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We wrote about it too: Are Physicians Leaving America? 

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Maybe you’ve been working toward something like a career goal, a financial milestone, or a new habit, and then something unexpected knocks it off course. Plans fall apart. Timing shifts. Something you were sure about suddenly changes shape. And in that moment, the question becomes: What now?

In case you missed it: Where Are Your Kids Summering?