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After celebrating Mother's Day, we explore a concept everyone needs regardless of parental status: mothering yourself. Medical training conditions us to abandon our humanity bit by bit, wearing sacrifices like badges of honor while neglecting our own basic needs.

• The caregiver trap teaches us to neglect ourselves while caring for others
• Even the most brilliant physician cannot pour from an empty cup
• Self-care is not selfish but essential for sustainable practice
• Mothering yourself means saying no without apology when something doesn't align with your values
• Rest and restoration are forms of preservation in a system designed to ignore our limits
• When we properly care for ourselves, we reclaim our power and model humanity for others
• Challenge 1: Identify what you truly need this week to sustain yourself
• Challenge 2: Dare to dream again and reconnect with your authentic desires
• Start by asking what one thing would put a genuine smile on your face today

You are not just a physician. You are worthy of care as well.

Though I am a physician, this is not medical advice. This is only a tool that physicians can use to get ideas on how to deal with burnout and/or know they are not alone. If you are in need of medical assistance talk to your physician.


Learn more about female physicians' journey through burnout to thriving!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/books

Let's connect for speaking opportunities!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/dr-shahhaque-md-as-a-speaker

Check out the free resources from The Worthy Physician:
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/freebie-downloads

Battle of the Boxes

21 Day Self Focus Journal

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What happens when a high-producing physician decides to walk away from a successful 25-year medical career? Dr. Susan Baumgaertel shares her transformative journey from traditional internal medicine to patient advocacy and authorship in this candid conversation.

Dr. Baumgaertel's story begins with a familiar scenario—working nonstop, taking minimal vacation, and feeling the mounting pressure of productivity demands. In the chaos, she found ways to maintain her humanity by incorporating her passion for art into patient care. The paintings by her late mother that adorned her office walls created unexpected healing connections with patients, illustrating how medicine and creativity can intersect in powerful ways.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Dr. Baumgaertel explains her preference for the term "moral injury" over "burnout." While burnout can affect professionals across various industries, moral injury refers to the violation of a physician's ethical code when corporate interests take precedence over patient care.

Now as an MD Advocate, Dr. Baumgaertel has created a unique model that supports rather than competes with traditional medical care. She helps patients navigate complex systems while providing physicians with the backup they need for thorough discussions that today's time constraints often do not allow. Her book, "The Menopause Menu," further extends this mission, providing accessible, evidence-based information structured like a meal—appetizer, entrée, palate cleanser, and dessert.

Perhaps most inspiring is her commitment to daily walking, regardless of weather, where she solves problems and maintains mental clarity. This simple practice embodies her philosophy that self-care is not selfish, but essential for physicians who want to provide compassionate care without sacrificing their well-being.

Dr. Baumgaertel's parting wisdom rings true: "Listen to yourself." Your authentic journey in medicine may look different from what you imagined, but that might be precisely what you need.

Listen to yourself! Listen to pay attention!

CONNECT WITH DR. B:

LinkedIn MD Advocate The Menopause Menu

Though I am a physician, this is not medical advice. This is only a tool that physicians can use to get ideas on how to deal with burnout and/or know they are not alone. If you are in need of medical assistance talk to your physician.


Learn more about female physicians' journey through burnout to thriving!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/books

Let's connect for speaking opportunities!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/dr-shahhaque-md-as-a-speaker

Check out the free resources from The Worthy Physician:
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/freebie-downloads

Battle of the Boxes

21 Day Self Focus Journal

Send us a text

What happens when physicians reclaim their humanity after years of medical training that teaches them to ignore their basic needs? Dr. Manju Dawkins joins us to share her fascinating journey from traditional dermatology practice to healthcare entrepreneurship, revealing how creativity and medicine can powerfully intersect.

Remember when you were taught that holding your bladder for 12 hours was a badge of honor in medical training? Our conversation dives into how physicians are conditioned to disconnect from their bodies and operate in perpetual "fight or flight" mode. We explore the damaging consequences of this culture—and more importantly, how to break free from it.

Dr. Dawkins takes us through her entrepreneurial awakening, sparked by watching her infant daughter receive painful vaccinations. This moment of parental anguish led her to create Thimble Health, a company developing innovative solutions for needle pain. Her story illuminates how physicians can leverage their unique perspectives to solve healthcare problems beyond the exam room.

The dialogue challenges the notion that physicians must limit themselves to direct patient care. "The system wants us to just put our heads down, have the blinders on and see patients," Dr. Dawkins notes, "but we shouldn't let the degree limit us—we should let it expand our opportunity." This perspective encourages doctors to explore varied expressions of their talents in entrepreneurship, policy, media, and creative pursuits.

Perhaps most thought-provoking is our discussion about purpose and guilt. We unpack how guilt serves no productive function, while authenticity and joy lead to our best work. Dr. Dawkins suggests that purpose need not be narrowly defined as helping others through direct medical care—even simple acts of creation fulfill our human purpose and bring unexpected joy to others.

Whether you're questioning your career path or seeking to reconnect with what initially drew you to medicine, this conversation offers fresh perspectives on finding fulfillment while making meaningful contributions to healthcare. Subscribe now and join the movement to redefine what it means to be a worthy physician in today's world.

What you'll learn:

• Medical training conditions physicians to ignore basic human needs and disconnects us from our bodies
• Everything is not "on fire"—we need to break the cycle of

Though I am a physician, this is not medical advice. This is only a tool that physicians can use to get ideas on how to deal with burnout and/or know they are not alone. If you are in need of medical assistance talk to your physician.


Learn more about female physicians' journey through burnout to thriving!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/books

Let's connect for speaking opportunities!
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/dr-shahhaque-md-as-a-speaker

Check out the free resources from The Worthy Physician:
https://www.theworthyphysician.com/freebie-downloads

Battle of the Boxes

21 Day Self Focus Journal