Designing a Career That Heals You, Too
“The physician should not treat the disease but the patient who is suffering from it.”
— Maimonides
Most doctors enter medicine full of passion and purpose.
But somewhere between residency, paperwork, insurance battles, and 3 a.m. emergency calls, something unexpected happens: they start surviving their career instead of living it.
Here’s the hard truth: If you don’t design your career intentionally, it will design you.
And survival was never the mission.
S – Situation:
You made it through med school.
You got the letters after your name.
You earned the title.
But titles aren’t purpose.
Many physicians wake up after years of relentless work to realize: they’re excellent clinicians… who feel trapped, drained, or disillusioned.
H – Habits:
Medicine subtly trains you to chase external goals: degrees, positions, publications.
But rarely does it train you to ask:
“What kind of life am I building? What mission animates my work? How will my career heal me, too?”
The habit of chasing without vision eventually leads to burnout. Every time.
I – Insights:
Dr. Francis Peabody famously wrote:
“The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.”
But here’s the deeper secret: caring well for others demands caring well for your own future.
Vision is leadership oxygen.
Without a clear mission and vision for your career, it’s only a matter of time before fatigue wins.
F – Formulation:
Shift your thinking:
You are not just a technician.
You are a builder of your own future—and that future must heal you, not just consume you.
Craft a mission statement for yourself:
- Who do you want to serve?
- How do you want your work to feel, not just look?
- What principles will you refuse to compromise, even under pressure?
Build a vision that stretches you and sustains you.
T – Transformation:
Physicians with a mission are dangerous—in the best way.
They weather setbacks without losing their soul.
They stay connected to joy, even when the grind is real.
They don’t just survive medicine; they redefine it.
Take Action
This week, write down your personal mission for your career—not your job description, not your resume, but your mission.
- What do you want to be remembered for?
- How do you want the people you serve (patients, teams, family) to feel because you were here?
Healing isn’t just something you do for others. Your leadership journey should heal you, too.
