Stop Physician Burnout: Physician Leadership Skills To Help Us Lead The Charge To Physician Wellness

The suicide rate among physicians is the highest of any profession. What factors contribute to this and how can we help the healers?   In 2018, Amandip Sidhu lost his brother, Dr. Jagdip Sidhu, a cardiologist, to suicide. Because of extreme overwork, feelings of shame and failure, and burnout, Dr. Jagdip chose to end his life as the only solution to his misery.   In the wake of this trag...

When doctors want to address administration directly, they are faced with the question of how to go about this. If you emphasize your concerns and you are unprepared to handle your anger and frustration, you are likely to be dismissed, ignored, or worse, labeled as disruptive, which can ruin your reputation.   In this episode, Dr. Dike Drummond shares communication strategies when attempting...

A career in medicine is one of the most respected and fulfilling professions, but it also comes with life-changing consequences.   In your early years when you’ve reached the fork in the road and decided to be a helper and a healer, you have chosen a life of service and putting others before yourself.  You’ve decided to be a doctor, a lightworker.  All your focus, your energy, your...

Knowing what you really want in your practice and the direction you are heading can help you find a purposeful career as a physician.     As an executive coach specializing in the treatment and prevention of physician burnout, Dr. Dike Drummond, Founder and CEO of TheHappyMD.com, has worked with clients who are overstressed and overwhelmed.  He has helped them make impactful changes in their caree...

Any point of a medical career path can be extremely stressful as it encompasses all aspects of a physician’s life.  It can take up every minute of the day with barely enough time for other priorities.  This imbalance affects the quality of care, relationships, health, and well-being, which ultimately leads to burnout.   Dr. Dike Drummond, CEO, and Founder of TheHappyMD.com is a phys...

The COVID-19 pandemic has added to the tremendous stress levels of physicians and other healthcare professionals worldwide.  As we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, senior physician leaders recognize the significance of providing support for the health and well-being of healthcare providers.   In this episode, Dr. Dike Drummond, the Founder and CEO of TheHappyMD.com shares h...

In the American healthcare industry, gender and ethnicity-based biases are prevalent.  Women physicians and ethnic minorities often experience discrimination not only from patients but also from their own colleagues.  These microaggressions can cause anxiety and depression, impacting doctors’ work and life and eventually leading to burnout.   Returning to our show is Dr. Gita Pensa, an emergency r...

Creating a strong and positive collaboration between CFOs and physicians is a vital intrinsic element of success and growth in the business of healthcare.   Raymond Snead, FHFMA, FACHE, is a doctor of Healthcare Administration with extensive experience as CEO/CFO and a 35-year career under his belt.  His expertise includes financial leadership, strategic financial planning, business deve...

After years of practice, your medical career has reached its conclusion.  Now, what will be your legacy?   It’s time to get some deeper insights from our guest expert in this episode.  We are honored to have with us Joseph Maroon MD.  He is a world-renowned neurosurgeon specializing in brain and spine injuries, the Medical Director of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), sp...

Should physicians also be leaders?    Our guest is none other than Dr. Robert Pearl, named one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 most influential physician leaders.  He believes that every doctor needs to learn leadership skills to improve the healthcare system for better patient satisfaction and financial sustainability.   Dr. Pearl has an impressive background in physician leadership...

How can physicians diversify their career paths beyond medicine?    Our very special guest today is Dr. Maiysha Clairborne, one of the original coaching clients when The Happy MD was launched.  She is an integrative medicine physician, NLP practitioner, author, podcaster, international speaker, physician burnout and career transition coach, and entrepreneur.   She shares her no...

The terms psychiatrist, therapist, and coach are often used interchangeably.  But when someone needs support and professional help for symptoms of depression or burnout, whose service should he seek?   With us in this episode is Dr. Pam Pappas, an integrative psychiatrist, ICF-certified coach, and one of our burnout prevention coaches at TheHappyMD.com.  She discusses the scope and...

Physicians face challenges on a daily basis, but dealing with a lawsuit brings a whole new level of anxiety and stress which can affect their profession, personal lives, and relationships. In this episode we are very happy to have Dr. Gita Pensa, an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Brown University with expertise in digital medical education, a speaker on the topic of medical malpracti...

Gratitude may be an overused word but it can be a powerful tool of transformation and burnout prevention.   Dr. Harjot Singh is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, a burnout coach, and a part of the training team at TheHappyMD.com.  In this episode, he teaches us how we can use gratitude as an all-around tonic and can be a superpower to improve overall well-being. ...

How can physicians communicate better when they’re not in doctor mode or outside of their comfort zone? Talking to your spouse, family members, and nonphysician bosses are crucial conversations that affect your relationships and day-to-day life.  Dr. Penelope Hsu, a pediatrician, board-certified professional coach, and one of our coaches at The Happy MD shares some communication tips and stra...

For years, there has been an increasing interest in research on mindfulness especially on how it affects well-being, stress reduction, and burnout prevention.  In this episode, Dr. Mark Jaben, one of our ICF-certified physician coaches at The Happy MD and the author of Free the Brain Book, discusses the brain mechanism behind mindfulness.  He also shares easy actionable techniques that c...

Can virtual scribe programs help improve physician burnout and potentially increase productivity and revenue?   Dr. Michael Schooff, a family physician and medical director at CHI Health, returns to our show to give his feedback and review of Augmedix medical documentation and clinical support.  He shares his experience when his facility started the pilot project.  Dr. Schooff also...

Disclaimer:  Nothing we are about to share with you is meant to replace any sort of training that your employer, society, or anybody else would want to put you through to tell you specifically what to code for what level of service. In 2021, new evaluation and management coding changes have been rolled out. Who would better explain the concepts than Dr. Paul DeChant, a family practice doctor,...

Is physician burnout a problem or a dilemma?    In this solo episode, we are going to bust myths and misconceptions about burnout.  I am also going to share with you practical and tested ways to prevent it and help you build more life balance.  Go ahead and relisten to this episode to review the concepts and make sure to take notes so you can create your own personal burnout st...

Have you heard of second victim syndrome in physicians?   Dr. Susan Wilson sheds light on this phenomenon that most doctors and healthcare practitioners are unaware of, and how it contributes to burnout.  Twenty-five years of Emergency Medicine practice have equipped her with the skills and understanding of the fast-paced and stressful environment of urgent care.  Now, as a physicia...

Physicians can experience grief, guilt, isolation, and despondency over a patient’s death.  But doctors are trained not to express too much emotion or show any sign of weakness.  Without proper help, these can also lead to physician burnout.   Dr. Jonathan Fisher, a Harvard-trained physician, and a practicing cardiologist had years of battling with depression, burnout, and grief fro...

Our special guest in this episode is Dr. Michael Schooff, a Family Medicine Specialist in Nebraska, with 28 years of experience in the medical field.  Apart from providing excellent patient care as a family physician, his role as a medical director is to oversee the operations of the facility and ensure the delivery of quality health care.   Listen as he shares with us his best practices...

The significance of dealing with burnout at the residency level is what Dr. Tonya Caylor realized when she founded Joy in Family Medicine Coaching.  She believes that developing a program with the tools and strategies would help physicians, early on in their career, create and sustain a work-life balance.   With over 20 years of clinical experience and 12 of those in academic medicine, D...

What is the difference between the philosophy of western medical practice and the principles of osteopathy?   Joining us today is Dr. Amelia Bueche, a physician, athlete, coach, writer, entrepreneur, and the founder of This Osteopathic Life.  She is board certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.  As a physician life coach, she has been h...

In physicians who are experiencing extreme stress levels in their practice, there’s always this internal battle between self-compassion and the prime directive of the patient comes first.   Dr. Pam Pappas, a board-certified in Psychiatric Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine, and one of our coaches at TheHappyMD.com teaches us that self-compassion is an essential element in dealing with...