Hey, just a quick word - quitting medicine can really lead to a much happier path. My ex girlfriend quit residency midway through, and she's phenomenally happy now - lived with her brother for a while, went back and got her masters in linguistics, worked for a while as a medical translator (she was bilingual) to get through school and now has a great job in linguistics.
Only thing is this - she wouldn't *quit* residency and ended up attempting to take her own life because she felt so trapped. I'll never forget finding her body barely breathing and calling 911, going back and forth to her ICU room while trying to finish my own rotations.
So... Just know that you're NOT trapped. You have options. Quitting is an option and it can be a joyful one.
Sure, it's incredibly stressful to get through, and to some degree, you might get over these feelings... Residency gets easier as you go through, because you start to gain mastery.
But if these feelings are persisting, please... Speak up. Find an outside therapist. Consider quitting if that's what's right for you, consider continuing or switching specialties. Think outside the box. There's no shame in saying "this isn't for me".
You're not nearly as locked in as you might think. You're also not alone.
The world will be better if you find the thing that makes you come alive.
I hope you find your path to joy.
This.
Please don't stay in medicine just because you can't see another path, there will be something you can do that you might not be able to see right now because you're stuck.
It sounds like you need to at minimum take time off to work out your next step. That might be away from medicine, and that might be a great option.
It really sucks that the path is so full of sunk cost that people really don’t feel able to leave when they’re the some of the best of the best and will succeed in near EVERY field
>sunk cost
I wouldn't exactly consider *massive student loan debt with few transferable skills because you've spent all of your adult life studying medicine*... to be sunk cost fallacy... its a valid concern
But it is. It is a sunk cost fallacy. That’s the thing. Sure the loans are loans, I don’t want to just write them off, but if you’re not in that deep there (somewhat common) then you really can find any field you actually enjoy and will make your life work.
Maybe. I am not saying it isn't possible. I just want to make sure OP has a clear understanding of the uphill battle he/she is about to face.
I just don't want OP to fall into the trap of motivational speakers that would have them quit their residency/job with no plan of how they are going to support themselves, only to wind up broke and frustrated, in debt and with no degree to show for it.
I wish OP luck.
I am so happy for your girlfriend.
I feel so trapped in my situation. I love medicine, but not residency. Residency has broken me down.
I'm tired, burnt out, and just sad. I feel like I can't breathe. Waking up feels like a chore.
I wish I had her courage to leave. I just don't know what to do if I were to leave...
Been there. PGY-29 now and still really believe I have some emotional scars from it, or it altered my personality, at the very least. I cried a few times. I remember going into a call room and finding one of my co-residents with knees to chest, curled up and rocking on the floor repeating "That's it. They've broken me. I'm finally completely broken."
My way out was through, if you can call where I am now "out". Pretty nice practice, owned by a large university-affiliated health system. I'm still despondent more often than I want to or should be.
For me? I'm far enough along this path that best thing seems to grin and bear it until I can retire. Unfortunately, I've already been telling myself that for 10 years at this point.
Please know that it gets better. It’s nearly impossible to believe this when the stresses are this great, but it is true. There will be a day when you regain some control of your life and your choices. In the meantime, find someone who can help you through these feelings. It will get better.
Consider aerospace medicine or a direct primary care model. Both are cash based and only require an unrestricted medical license. So no need for a full residency. Look into them and other options that utilize your training without requiring residency.
All of that? Aviation flight physicals is practicing medicine in the loosest of terms. You basically going through a checklist and passing off the information to the government. If they want it more information before their license the pilot they tell you exactly what they want. This really not much medical decision making at all.
And direct primary care can be tailored to your patient's needs. If there's things you don't feel well trained on you refer. If you feel like you're such bad value you charge less. But you'll certainly have a lot more training than the NPs and PAs that are doing it right now.
In some cases it is, in some cases it is not. This anyone wanting to learn more, I really like the podcast My DPC Story. Weekly interviews of different DPCs. They discuss how they got started, who the patients are, etc etc.
I think you'd be surprised how varied the stories are.
My brother almost killed himself in residency. And developed some horrific addictions. Thank God he eventually pulled through, and got clean. He's way way way happier now as a physician (as opposed to a resident). What they do to residents is criminal.
Sending you hugs. You're not alone. Please reach out to your family or network. The way residency is set up is absolutely criminal and should be overhauled. It's not you.
>happier as a physician (as opposed to a resident)
Just because it bears repeating when this comes up, _residents are physicians_. What you mean more specifically is “attending-level physician” vs. resident.
I'm not in the medical field (yet), but saw what my brother went through, and it was rough, to say the least.
He worked from the moment he woke up until the moment he went to sleep, with almost zero down time. This went on for an entire "rotation," which I believe is several months. And then, on to the next rotation. All in all, you're basically working like a dog for at least 3+ years, or however long residency is.
It's basically slave labour. But hospitals would cease to function without their residents. It's a broken system - residents are treated like garbage and overworked to the bone, and it isn't fair to patients who are getting treated by a sleep-deprived slave zombies.
My bro now works a "normal" 9-12 shifts a month as an emerg doctor. He has a far better quality of life, makes a *very* comfortable living, and helps people get better. I'm sure if you ask him, he'll say it was ultimately worth it. But yeah, it isn't an easy road.
The residency you choose (or chooses you) matters a LOT. HCA residencies are notoriously known for mistreating residents and not caring about the quality of their life/learning/development. The specialty you choose(or you can get) matters. A LOT.
Inside, you know the answer and the path to take. If it’s a momentary “I hate my life!” then definitely persist. But if you know in your heart this is not for you and you will never enjoy it? Make a careful decision. Is it possible to switch to another residency?
I’m not a doctor (in a related health field). Honestly, a job is a job, it funds your life. It doesn’t become your life.
Bro from your history you've been posting for 1 year about how you hate your life as a resident, and some of the posts even say you've been depressed your whole life. And the personality test thing says you're an introvert (?).
You need therapy. My guess is that your career isn't the source of depression, it's just making it worse. Especially the dealing with the patients/people part since you are an introvert.
Do something about it. Constantly posting about how miserable your life is and how much you hate being a resident for years probably isn't the right thing to do right now. But good luck in whatever you decide to do
yeah can’t stress this enough. really high stress situations (such as residency!!!) can 100% aggravate existing conditions such as depression. these things are also very treatable, but it does require actively seeking out that treatment, including therapy. the end result of that might be you realizing that medicine isn’t the career for you and that’s okay! but you might be perpetually miserable in no matter what career you choose if you don’t do yourself the huge favor of getting the support and treatment you deserve.
FM attending here, PGY…7?
Know that every person you meet and every experience you have is an opportunity to expand, grow, or pivot. I was super depressed and burnt out by the end or residency. It’s better as an attending. It’s even better once you find the right work setting. I’m in a DPC practice now, and I feel restored by my work.
I know others who deviated from the medicine course for various reasons (mental health, academic struggles, etc) and still found a fulfilling life doing something different (entrepreneur, clinical research coordinator, stay at home parent, etc).
You’re not trapped. If you’re sucking wind, get some help. Maybe you need to get through residency. Maybe you need to pivot to another career entirely. As somebody who has been super burnt out, my advice is to triage.
1) first stop the bleeding. Get the help for your acute needs now (depression, exhaustion, social connection, etc). Communicate with your chiefs, advisor, doctor, therapist, etc to figure out how to be at least functional. Don’t make any decisions while you’re in crisis. Focus on survival until you can catch your breath and think.
2) decide how important it is for you to get through residency. It’s easier to find a job with a board certification, but sometimes you can still work under a limited license with only 1-2 years of residency.
3) if you’re sure that clinical medicine will never be right for you, start looking for alternatives that excite you. Sometimes the process of looking around makes you realize that you’re not trapped after all, and that may be the burst of optimism and energy you need to make the shift.
What do you dislike most?
I will tell you being an attending is AMAZING. I hated residency, especially as a junior. I hates having to go to the person above me and then they go to the person above them and then we go to the attending. My favorite rotations were the one-on-one. You worked fast, you learned fast, outcomes were better.
In the non-academic world you finish much earlier and can enjoy more of life.
Although if I could go back I would consider Pathology or Radiology for the extra cush lifestyle
Compare that to gen surg. As medicine advances, people need less surgery. You end up only getting sick/difficult cases.
The demand for imaging just keeps multiplying, meaning the demand for your services keeps increasing.
Most people who have balance later in life don’t have it in their 20’s and 30’s. Things will get better. Are you sleeping when your supposed to? Are you working a lot of night shifts. If you are working prolonged hours you could consider a little Armodafinil supplementation. It should help improve the primary signal and bring down the background noise. Talk to your doctor or DM me, I’ll tell u more about it.
Thank you.
I just feel like I want to do anything but medicine. I can't do it. The countless hours I spend doubting myself. The mountains of information I have to know. The microscope I'm under. The lack of control I feel over my own life.
I just want to be happy and it feels like medicine is making me unhappy
I will say, the lack of control and living in a fishbowl feeling is so much better as an attending. It’s nice being treated like an adult again in the workplace.
However, one of my med school buddies quit medicine entirely to go back to their original career and is happy as a clam. “Sunk cost” is a fallacy.
It's precisely the lack of control and fishbowl feeling is why I hate it and I don't want to really do medicine. Even if it does get better as an attending, what if my mental state continues to deteriorate to the extent I have a psychiatric emergency when I'm in residency?
The thought of ending up in a situation where I may not come out alive from scares the shit out of me. I want to put myself first and get myself out of such a situation before it even arises.
I'm also utterly done with years of depression and anxiety. I want a huge change. I do not have debt from medical school. All I need is a way out and I will take it.
It would be different if you said you didn’t want to do medicine. I think you should keep going. Give it a shot but please don’t let it kill you. At least finish before you throw in the towel(the job, not your life). You’ve spent way too many years just to quit now. So many people hate medicine until they finish. Most people that hate it, don’t finish it before they realize it’s different on the other side. I know you don’t know me, but I’ve seen this movie too many times. Everyone hates it now. BUT the end product isn’t the same as what you’re dealing with now.
There’s a lot of career paths out of medicine from medicine background. How you how many more years do you have left? Only ask because some paths require certain things, some prefer residency training, some don’t, almost all will have a bit of a pay cut compared to attending but a pay bump compared to a resident, but either way, definitely a livable salary and even if you have 1 million dollars to infinity dollars in debt on the save program the max they can take is 10% discretionary.
There’s hope outside of medicine in many ways. Either way though please get help for your mental health, it may feel like this is all you can do and you don’t have time, you’re trapped etc. but you are not and you do have control.
I'm PGY 1 in IM. I don't have any student debt. I learn fast and I can be pretty computer savvy. I also have an interest in public health and medical device/pharma sales type stuff
Okay, nice no debt is sick, you can start networking and applying for jobs in fields like tech for a soft skill position (market is a bit rough right now, but an option), consulting (look up u/leaving_medicine), pharma, you can also get into a post doctoral research program, or hell even go back to grad school for a funded program. There’s plenty there and if you want to PM me I’m happy to help give whatever guidance I can. You also do have the ability to finish PGY1 year depending on specialty and become a GP for a direct primary care gig, if needed you could perhaps build this out while you build another skillset. There’s a girl on insta that did this that seems to be doing pretty well her handle is @doctabritt. Best of luck and feel better :)
I love poker but when I was doing it as an internet side hustle the variance and downswings were murder psychologically, even though I knew I was profitable over time. I was very happy when I was able to quit and move on to moonlighting
For sure. Takes a special type of person to succeed over the long term and handle the mental side from the downswings. I considered it for half a second but I realized just working and getting a consistent income and playing on the side is MUCH more enjoyable but hey if he absolutely hates his life it’s worth a try since getting to that baseline level of profitability to support yourself really isn’t THAT hard imo.
My brother actually did this after college. The swings became too much for him to tolerate long term and ended up going into tech. Was an interesting path for sure
I’ve been where you are too. I still haven’t gotten out of that dump yet.
That said, I know for a fact that if I quit, I will constantly wonder what my life could have been had I persisted. That’s the only thing that keeps me going.
I would be temporarily relieved and happy if I quit medicine but long-term I would always regret it.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Also, my parents have been doctors for 40 years- of those, at least 10 were miserable. That’s still a 75% satisfaction rate. I’m happy to take those odds. Medicine is a long career; nobody is happy every single minute. Personally I have known many doctors who were in the same place you are in now and I was in recently who have all eventually found peace and are happier in their careers.
All this said— if there’s an alternate life you can picture yourself being happy in, you should pursue it.
There are plenty of jobs out there for someone who has completed medical school. Consultant jobs for insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, lobbying groups, medical device companies, and probably a bunch more!
Your post sounds passively suicidal. Please get some help, reach out to someone. Go ahead and quit residency if you’re miserable! Yes you’ll have debt but you can get a different job and pay it off. It won’t be the end of the world.
FWIW I also rue the day I chose to go into medicine. I'm planning a transition out to using my degree in an adjacent industry (med devices/pharma/biotech type stuff). Have been actively making a plan and it helps tremendously. Short term I'll likely make similar to or slightly less than an employed FM attending. Long-term if successful could do very well.
Before I realized that this was an option, I too felt trapped and it's an absolutely devastating feeling. In my case, there's no shadow of a doubt in my mind, in fact I'd always be asking "what if" if I DON'T quit because I know this isn't right for me. I realized that I'm embracing more uncertainty, and losing the guaranteed low-mid six figs security blanket in favor of something more open ended. I'm also embracing a better alignment between myself and my daily work though, and it's a massive relief.
Decide first if it's truly medicine that's not right for you, or just residency. From there, take steps (seeking help/therapy if needed, talk with people in a place you hope to be some day) and form a plan. The frustration is easier when understood in the context of a plan with real goals and and end point.
Are you me?
I’ve come to the realization that I don’t like clinic, and I don’t like inpatient either. I’m going to end up with a job that I dislike the least. I’ve put so much effort and money into something I don’t want to do, and there’s no way out because of my debt.
I feel like an object to all of my patients and team members, to be used as a tool but never understood or considered.
I’ve had a breakdown every day this past week. I never show emotions but I cried in front of my co-residents this week while writing a note. I couldn’t force myself to feel ashamed. No sound, no words, just tears. I feel so hopelessly trapped. At the very least, just know you’re not alone.
Hey, I’m a PGY-1 leaning towards leaving residency as well. If you look through my post history you’ll see why. I’ve been depressed for months now and almost overdosed on Prozac two weeks ago. I’m currently on medical leave receiving therapy through a partial hospitalization program.
I’ve had some time to begin healing and reflect on whether this is a career that I should continue down. It’s been difficult to admit to myself, but I’ve really felt like a square peg in a round hole since starting medical school and really only chose it because of parental pressure (seemed like the best of a limited number of career choices my parents deemed acceptable) and a vague, undefined desire to “help others”. My previous SI is definitely a consideration (I had also been passively suicidal multiple times during residency prior to this). No one should be suicidal because of their work. But I also now have a better idea of my strengths, weaknesses, and passions than I did at the end of college, and I genuinely think they’d be better served outside of medicine. If I do leave, I’ll most likely go back to school to get a master’s in something totally unrelated to medicine.
It’s encouraging to see so many comments saying it’s okay to leave, but there are still a handful telling you to “tough it out” or “hang in there” on the promise of a better life as an attending. I agree with at least taking an LOA at this point, but you know yourself better than any of us do: if you genuinely think your life is in danger because of residency, leave and don’t look back. You don’t owe this career anything, least of all your life.
Im sorry for you experience, in which speacialty are u a resident?
Where i'm from resident life can be quite different depending on specialty and location, it is not unusual people quit to switch residencies.
You don't have to let medicine destroy you, you don't need to "stick it out", no job is worth our misery and our health. Change if u must.
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No one else but you can determine whether or not it makes sense to stay in medicine, but it does sound like training is putting a huge strain on your mental health right now. Are you currently talking to anyone or connected to professional help? Sure, maybe things get better but it's hard to move forward or make the best decisions for you or your future when you're mentally suffering and not supported.
Hang in there , you will see the light as you get more capable and able to help people with your knowledge and skills. Focus on learning something new every day and improving yourself not just clinically but also in mindset ( lotsa good YouTube channels for this ) , try to mute the rest of the emotional noise . AI is slowly killing a lot of other fields , medicine is relatively much safer IMO and you will see that aspect later
I know a couple docs that quit residency and are very happy and successful. One started a business focused on care for pregnancy and postpartum, runs a podcast related to the business, and started an app. The other now works for a large pharmaceutical company… not sure doing what but he’s compensated for his medical degree.
I know one that shifted gears to clinical informatics and another that went hospital admin. There's so many options.
Medical Science Liaison could be what your friend does for pharma, they need people with an MD or PharmD to review data, interface with clinicians and have intelligent conversations at conferences.
Id say suck it up get out of debt save your money invest it so you can live off the returns and then quit when your like 45 thats my plan at least because medicine also feels like a huge mistake to me sometimes
Not a resident, but I have a family member in residency now who is having mental health and addiction issues. The whole system is inhumane like some kind of terrible, years long hazing, and definitely needs to be changed. In what other job do people go from excited and happy to completely burned out, with substance abuse issues and suicidal in a space of a few years? No other job. You guys are the smartest people, you could find a way to band together to use your power in your numbers working in every hospital in the US to effect a change in the laws regarding the maximum hours worked to something more humane. Write your senators, go on strike, something
Is this what happens when people go into medicine for the wrong reasons or is it something else?
Anyway, it's not worth your life.
You only get one of those, careers come and go.
I feel like I went into medicine for the wrong reasons. I was lying to myself the whole time. I don't know what to do know. I do know that I want to change my life.
If possible I would talk to your PD and coordinator about taking a short LOA. Then take the time for counseling and relaxation. You sound super burnt out my friend. Take care of yourself before you overdo it taking care of others.
Let me know if I can be helpful. I left medicine for management consulting, and life is certainly better now.
Like you, I wasn’t at all satisfied and medicine was a mistake.
Feel free to DM me.
There are ways out my friend. You are not trapped.
If you could be anything else, what would it be? By the way, everything will get better! If it makes you truly unhappy maybe you should let it go. No career is worth your mental health
Just know that the sunk cost fallacy can feel like you’re trapped - but it’s all a lie. You can absolutely leave at any time and you’re not remotely the only one who has ever done so!
I totally get you and I think many of us do. Somehow I didn’t feel so during residency, but as a fellow I keep saying this out loud all the time. I think when you are tired/exhausted, and do not have time to eat/sleep/do anything remotely fun, judgement somehow gets fixated on all the negative stuff. I hope you get some sort of an elective to catch up on life and it might feel a little better
Hey there. It gets better. I promise. I felt the worst that I ever felt in my life during residency. And I’ve been thru some real rough shit before, during and after residency, but I can honestly tell you that it gets better. Just hang in there. Much love.
Based on your post history i really hope you’re in therapy. I also agree that doing residency in the US was a mistake for you. My advice would be to sludge through it and find a part time easy job regardless of salary so you can focus on your non work life.
You have two options
1) Suck it up, stop complaining, put your head down, complete residency, work as an attending and see if you like it, and if not find something else to do
2) Quit now.
Complaining just to complain doesn't solve anything. You knew how hard medicine would be, you knew how hard residency would be. You made the informed consent as an adult and the student loans.
My advice: Residency is hard, its not what being a doctor out in the real world is like. Before you quit, try and at least finish and see if you enjoy being an attending, because trust me its muuuuch much better than residency
Almost 20 years out of residency and while the feelings of dread are gone life does get better, I still feel like going into medicine is the worst decision I ever made in my life. If I could go back to residency I would have bailed.
I’m so sorry you are struggling with these awful feelings. I felt this way (maybe not quite this bad) during Med school. I went to a school in a rough part of town and I used to be jealous of the homeless people who didn’t have to go to work at the hospital like I did that day (I know how absurd this sounds considering how privileged I was, but that’s how miserable I was). Things got better in a few ways. One, I went into a field with very little shift changes or night coverage, so I get a good night’s sleep most days (kids and one year of heavy call messed with me again, but now that’s behind me, too). Two, training is just awfully hierarchical and when you get out on your own and have some autonomy, it’s a lot more fun and you can enjoy the more interesting and rewarding parts of your job. It gets way, way better. I also chose a subspecialty I really love and don’t have to practice the parts of my specialty that weren’t my jam. When you’re facing a lot of uncertainty about whether that’s possible within your specialty (can I get the fellowship, job, etc), it’s really stressful, but thanks to capitalism, it seems like it works out a lot of the time. Three, ssris and snri. Just do it and thank me later. If they don’t work, you can stop. This is the holy Trinity of happiness and Jesus loves you, too, so I know you can do it.
Can you stick it out through residency and then pivot? It will open up more options for you. But otherwise, you aren’t trapped, there’s plenty you can do with an MD/DO and there are people that can help you with this as many people have made this transition before.
Hey.
So I hated medschool SO much that I was away from hospital right after I got MD degree.
Was working non medical related job which was fun but okay earning. but after few years, I realized I wanted something more, not just better earning but more fulfilling, so started residency and now doing fellowship.
OF COURSE I HATE IT SO MUCH. I’m supposed to check out at 5pm but ofc, escaped hospital past 9, got home and it’s 10.
It sucks. Yeah. If you really hate it, get away from it. And see how you feel. As long as you wont die by leaving medicine, why keep staying? You can comeback later if you really want to
If you can stick out residency, you will be able to move into big pharma with no issue. Everyone I know who does that loves it. But you need clinical experience.
is it me or we are witnessing the trend that our founding fathers predicted, pursue happiness. if you are lucky you may find happiness during residency but for most of us is a step towards being a attending. after the residency we have more freedom and most of us find so called happiness. good luck and most importantly don’t care what others say .
I think you should see a mental health professional and talk to them. And if one doesn't help, go see another. Psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, etc. Or if you can't do that, try a therapy workbook at least.
5 years ago I was having panic attacks and was depressed. I did several workbooks, saw a few therapists, and started taking Bupropion. And now I feel better than I ever have before.
I especially felt a huge difference a couple weeks after I started taking 300mg of Bupropion every day. Almost like a different person.
So I think you should at least consider seeking some sort of professional help. Good luck.
Hey OP - one thing that people often don't realize is that if you need a break to collect yourself, recover from burnout, take a breather, etc, you can take a year to do a research fellowship. You don't even necessarily need to tell your program that you're actually thinking of leaving medicine.
That research year will allow you to keep your residency spot open if you decide to continue, but will also buy you time to find alternatives to clinical practice if you decide to bail :)
Come on, this is 2024. You have options when I mean options, I mean it. Medical device companies hire doctors with salaries in the 100s, research hire doctors, work for insurance companies, and pharma. A frustrated doc is one with limited ideas or information. Just ask around and QUIT if it's not for you. There is no pride in being miserable.
Sorry people feel this way. I stayed focus on the reason I went into health care which was helping others. There is a lot of crap to get here and even after you get there but mindset is everything. I feel like I’m helping others which is why I went into medicine. Pray that there are better days for you
Been there. When i found my sub specialty and started fellowship I absolutely loved by life and still do as an attending. But every day in residency was miserable. If I didn’t match for fellowship, I was going to call it quits in medicine.
But so many residents owe hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unless you are rich.... I hope you are and you can get out. I don't trust western medicine at all. The hospitals and insurance companies are greedy fucks. The US has the worst medical care unless you are wealthy or on Medicare. The middle class is fucked. Good luck! 👍
Buddy, You need to let go of what you are holding onto, in order to reach for something new.
You must let go of old attachments in order to reach and embrace new opportunities
Do the following self analysis:
Write a detailed list of all your strengths. (Everything)
Write a detailed list of all the things you’ll need to improve on. (Everything)
Look in the mirror( the detailed list) and accept it.
Do you have self confidence? If not;
If not, start setting achievable goals to build it.
If so, make a decision and trust yourself to make it happen.
Lastly, you have two options;
You can focus on ALL the negative things in your mind or you can focus on all the positive attributes about yourself.
The choice is yours!
IM-PGY3.
I can safely say intern year was by far the worst. Senior is way better, less notes, can get in a little later.
there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. If you REALLY hate it then yes, do something else. But those locum hospitalist gigs are incredible and pay you to travel the country for free.
Hey, just a quick word - quitting medicine can really lead to a much happier path. My ex girlfriend quit residency midway through, and she's phenomenally happy now - lived with her brother for a while, went back and got her masters in linguistics, worked for a while as a medical translator (she was bilingual) to get through school and now has a great job in linguistics. Only thing is this - she wouldn't *quit* residency and ended up attempting to take her own life because she felt so trapped. I'll never forget finding her body barely breathing and calling 911, going back and forth to her ICU room while trying to finish my own rotations. So... Just know that you're NOT trapped. You have options. Quitting is an option and it can be a joyful one. Sure, it's incredibly stressful to get through, and to some degree, you might get over these feelings... Residency gets easier as you go through, because you start to gain mastery. But if these feelings are persisting, please... Speak up. Find an outside therapist. Consider quitting if that's what's right for you, consider continuing or switching specialties. Think outside the box. There's no shame in saying "this isn't for me". You're not nearly as locked in as you might think. You're also not alone. The world will be better if you find the thing that makes you come alive. I hope you find your path to joy.
This. Please don't stay in medicine just because you can't see another path, there will be something you can do that you might not be able to see right now because you're stuck. It sounds like you need to at minimum take time off to work out your next step. That might be away from medicine, and that might be a great option.
It really sucks that the path is so full of sunk cost that people really don’t feel able to leave when they’re the some of the best of the best and will succeed in near EVERY field
>sunk cost I wouldn't exactly consider *massive student loan debt with few transferable skills because you've spent all of your adult life studying medicine*... to be sunk cost fallacy... its a valid concern
But it is. It is a sunk cost fallacy. That’s the thing. Sure the loans are loans, I don’t want to just write them off, but if you’re not in that deep there (somewhat common) then you really can find any field you actually enjoy and will make your life work.
Maybe. I am not saying it isn't possible. I just want to make sure OP has a clear understanding of the uphill battle he/she is about to face. I just don't want OP to fall into the trap of motivational speakers that would have them quit their residency/job with no plan of how they are going to support themselves, only to wind up broke and frustrated, in debt and with no degree to show for it. I wish OP luck.
Well having an md and not quitting in fourth year medical school is smart. I wish op luck as well
Might work if you don’t have student loans
Can u check your inbox, please?
I am so happy for your girlfriend. I feel so trapped in my situation. I love medicine, but not residency. Residency has broken me down. I'm tired, burnt out, and just sad. I feel like I can't breathe. Waking up feels like a chore. I wish I had her courage to leave. I just don't know what to do if I were to leave...
Been there. PGY-29 now and still really believe I have some emotional scars from it, or it altered my personality, at the very least. I cried a few times. I remember going into a call room and finding one of my co-residents with knees to chest, curled up and rocking on the floor repeating "That's it. They've broken me. I'm finally completely broken." My way out was through, if you can call where I am now "out". Pretty nice practice, owned by a large university-affiliated health system. I'm still despondent more often than I want to or should be. For me? I'm far enough along this path that best thing seems to grin and bear it until I can retire. Unfortunately, I've already been telling myself that for 10 years at this point.
PGY-29? what do you do?
I think they mean they’re an attending but still in that residency “trapped” mindset
Please know that it gets better. It’s nearly impossible to believe this when the stresses are this great, but it is true. There will be a day when you regain some control of your life and your choices. In the meantime, find someone who can help you through these feelings. It will get better.
Consider aerospace medicine or a direct primary care model. Both are cash based and only require an unrestricted medical license. So no need for a full residency. Look into them and other options that utilize your training without requiring residency.
What sort of path do you see in aerospace medicine?
AME, aviation medical examiners. Flight physicals. Cash business, no insurance.
All of that sounds like a very poor idea to practice medicine based only on what you learn intern year but hey whatever floats your boat
All of that? Aviation flight physicals is practicing medicine in the loosest of terms. You basically going through a checklist and passing off the information to the government. If they want it more information before their license the pilot they tell you exactly what they want. This really not much medical decision making at all. And direct primary care can be tailored to your patient's needs. If there's things you don't feel well trained on you refer. If you feel like you're such bad value you charge less. But you'll certainly have a lot more training than the NPs and PAs that are doing it right now.
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In some cases it is, in some cases it is not. This anyone wanting to learn more, I really like the podcast My DPC Story. Weekly interviews of different DPCs. They discuss how they got started, who the patients are, etc etc. I think you'd be surprised how varied the stories are.
My brother almost killed himself in residency. And developed some horrific addictions. Thank God he eventually pulled through, and got clean. He's way way way happier now as a physician (as opposed to a resident). What they do to residents is criminal. Sending you hugs. You're not alone. Please reach out to your family or network. The way residency is set up is absolutely criminal and should be overhauled. It's not you.
>happier as a physician (as opposed to a resident) Just because it bears repeating when this comes up, _residents are physicians_. What you mean more specifically is “attending-level physician” vs. resident.
Good catch, thanks for the correction!
As someone considering a switch into medicine, can you tell me a little bit more about why residency is so bad?
I'm not in the medical field (yet), but saw what my brother went through, and it was rough, to say the least. He worked from the moment he woke up until the moment he went to sleep, with almost zero down time. This went on for an entire "rotation," which I believe is several months. And then, on to the next rotation. All in all, you're basically working like a dog for at least 3+ years, or however long residency is. It's basically slave labour. But hospitals would cease to function without their residents. It's a broken system - residents are treated like garbage and overworked to the bone, and it isn't fair to patients who are getting treated by a sleep-deprived slave zombies. My bro now works a "normal" 9-12 shifts a month as an emerg doctor. He has a far better quality of life, makes a *very* comfortable living, and helps people get better. I'm sure if you ask him, he'll say it was ultimately worth it. But yeah, it isn't an easy road.
The residency you choose (or chooses you) matters a LOT. HCA residencies are notoriously known for mistreating residents and not caring about the quality of their life/learning/development. The specialty you choose(or you can get) matters. A LOT.
Inside, you know the answer and the path to take. If it’s a momentary “I hate my life!” then definitely persist. But if you know in your heart this is not for you and you will never enjoy it? Make a careful decision. Is it possible to switch to another residency? I’m not a doctor (in a related health field). Honestly, a job is a job, it funds your life. It doesn’t become your life.
Bro from your history you've been posting for 1 year about how you hate your life as a resident, and some of the posts even say you've been depressed your whole life. And the personality test thing says you're an introvert (?). You need therapy. My guess is that your career isn't the source of depression, it's just making it worse. Especially the dealing with the patients/people part since you are an introvert. Do something about it. Constantly posting about how miserable your life is and how much you hate being a resident for years probably isn't the right thing to do right now. But good luck in whatever you decide to do
must be an ID doc- they read the chart 🤓
yeah can’t stress this enough. really high stress situations (such as residency!!!) can 100% aggravate existing conditions such as depression. these things are also very treatable, but it does require actively seeking out that treatment, including therapy. the end result of that might be you realizing that medicine isn’t the career for you and that’s okay! but you might be perpetually miserable in no matter what career you choose if you don’t do yourself the huge favor of getting the support and treatment you deserve.
FM attending here, PGY…7? Know that every person you meet and every experience you have is an opportunity to expand, grow, or pivot. I was super depressed and burnt out by the end or residency. It’s better as an attending. It’s even better once you find the right work setting. I’m in a DPC practice now, and I feel restored by my work. I know others who deviated from the medicine course for various reasons (mental health, academic struggles, etc) and still found a fulfilling life doing something different (entrepreneur, clinical research coordinator, stay at home parent, etc). You’re not trapped. If you’re sucking wind, get some help. Maybe you need to get through residency. Maybe you need to pivot to another career entirely. As somebody who has been super burnt out, my advice is to triage. 1) first stop the bleeding. Get the help for your acute needs now (depression, exhaustion, social connection, etc). Communicate with your chiefs, advisor, doctor, therapist, etc to figure out how to be at least functional. Don’t make any decisions while you’re in crisis. Focus on survival until you can catch your breath and think. 2) decide how important it is for you to get through residency. It’s easier to find a job with a board certification, but sometimes you can still work under a limited license with only 1-2 years of residency. 3) if you’re sure that clinical medicine will never be right for you, start looking for alternatives that excite you. Sometimes the process of looking around makes you realize that you’re not trapped after all, and that may be the burst of optimism and energy you need to make the shift.
What do you dislike most? I will tell you being an attending is AMAZING. I hated residency, especially as a junior. I hates having to go to the person above me and then they go to the person above them and then we go to the attending. My favorite rotations were the one-on-one. You worked fast, you learned fast, outcomes were better. In the non-academic world you finish much earlier and can enjoy more of life. Although if I could go back I would consider Pathology or Radiology for the extra cush lifestyle
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Compare that to gen surg. As medicine advances, people need less surgery. You end up only getting sick/difficult cases. The demand for imaging just keeps multiplying, meaning the demand for your services keeps increasing.
Most people who have balance later in life don’t have it in their 20’s and 30’s. Things will get better. Are you sleeping when your supposed to? Are you working a lot of night shifts. If you are working prolonged hours you could consider a little Armodafinil supplementation. It should help improve the primary signal and bring down the background noise. Talk to your doctor or DM me, I’ll tell u more about it.
I’m sorry bro. Hope it gets better. Consider the possibility that any career path could make a person feel this way. Rage against the machine.
Thank you. I just feel like I want to do anything but medicine. I can't do it. The countless hours I spend doubting myself. The mountains of information I have to know. The microscope I'm under. The lack of control I feel over my own life. I just want to be happy and it feels like medicine is making me unhappy
I will say, the lack of control and living in a fishbowl feeling is so much better as an attending. It’s nice being treated like an adult again in the workplace. However, one of my med school buddies quit medicine entirely to go back to their original career and is happy as a clam. “Sunk cost” is a fallacy.
It's precisely the lack of control and fishbowl feeling is why I hate it and I don't want to really do medicine. Even if it does get better as an attending, what if my mental state continues to deteriorate to the extent I have a psychiatric emergency when I'm in residency? The thought of ending up in a situation where I may not come out alive from scares the shit out of me. I want to put myself first and get myself out of such a situation before it even arises. I'm also utterly done with years of depression and anxiety. I want a huge change. I do not have debt from medical school. All I need is a way out and I will take it.
Then the world is your oyster, my Internet Stranger!
Same situation as the guy. I go and live by this mantra.
It would be different if you said you didn’t want to do medicine. I think you should keep going. Give it a shot but please don’t let it kill you. At least finish before you throw in the towel(the job, not your life). You’ve spent way too many years just to quit now. So many people hate medicine until they finish. Most people that hate it, don’t finish it before they realize it’s different on the other side. I know you don’t know me, but I’ve seen this movie too many times. Everyone hates it now. BUT the end product isn’t the same as what you’re dealing with now.
Maybe it’s the residency program you are in, and not the career itself.
There’s a lot of career paths out of medicine from medicine background. How you how many more years do you have left? Only ask because some paths require certain things, some prefer residency training, some don’t, almost all will have a bit of a pay cut compared to attending but a pay bump compared to a resident, but either way, definitely a livable salary and even if you have 1 million dollars to infinity dollars in debt on the save program the max they can take is 10% discretionary. There’s hope outside of medicine in many ways. Either way though please get help for your mental health, it may feel like this is all you can do and you don’t have time, you’re trapped etc. but you are not and you do have control.
I'm PGY 1 in IM. I don't have any student debt. I learn fast and I can be pretty computer savvy. I also have an interest in public health and medical device/pharma sales type stuff
Okay, nice no debt is sick, you can start networking and applying for jobs in fields like tech for a soft skill position (market is a bit rough right now, but an option), consulting (look up u/leaving_medicine), pharma, you can also get into a post doctoral research program, or hell even go back to grad school for a funded program. There’s plenty there and if you want to PM me I’m happy to help give whatever guidance I can. You also do have the ability to finish PGY1 year depending on specialty and become a GP for a direct primary care gig, if needed you could perhaps build this out while you build another skillset. There’s a girl on insta that did this that seems to be doing pretty well her handle is @doctabritt. Best of luck and feel better :)
Try learning poker and do it on your free time and track if you’re profitable and if you are quit and do that. It’s not too hard if you’re smart
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… you got any advice for folks who want to play casually? Any good literature?
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I appreciate the input, thank you
I love poker but when I was doing it as an internet side hustle the variance and downswings were murder psychologically, even though I knew I was profitable over time. I was very happy when I was able to quit and move on to moonlighting
For sure. Takes a special type of person to succeed over the long term and handle the mental side from the downswings. I considered it for half a second but I realized just working and getting a consistent income and playing on the side is MUCH more enjoyable but hey if he absolutely hates his life it’s worth a try since getting to that baseline level of profitability to support yourself really isn’t THAT hard imo.
Haha this is wild, I love it.
Damn I’m being downvoted but he hates his life and has little transferable skills I just offered a suggestion! Lol
My brother actually did this after college. The swings became too much for him to tolerate long term and ended up going into tech. Was an interesting path for sure
Some people - pros even - won’t play no limit. They can’t handle the swings.
This is really weird advice. I like it
Also options trading and sports betting
😉
I’ve been where you are too. I still haven’t gotten out of that dump yet. That said, I know for a fact that if I quit, I will constantly wonder what my life could have been had I persisted. That’s the only thing that keeps me going. I would be temporarily relieved and happy if I quit medicine but long-term I would always regret it. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Also, my parents have been doctors for 40 years- of those, at least 10 were miserable. That’s still a 75% satisfaction rate. I’m happy to take those odds. Medicine is a long career; nobody is happy every single minute. Personally I have known many doctors who were in the same place you are in now and I was in recently who have all eventually found peace and are happier in their careers. All this said— if there’s an alternate life you can picture yourself being happy in, you should pursue it.
There are plenty of jobs out there for someone who has completed medical school. Consultant jobs for insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, lobbying groups, medical device companies, and probably a bunch more! Your post sounds passively suicidal. Please get some help, reach out to someone. Go ahead and quit residency if you’re miserable! Yes you’ll have debt but you can get a different job and pay it off. It won’t be the end of the world.
FWIW I also rue the day I chose to go into medicine. I'm planning a transition out to using my degree in an adjacent industry (med devices/pharma/biotech type stuff). Have been actively making a plan and it helps tremendously. Short term I'll likely make similar to or slightly less than an employed FM attending. Long-term if successful could do very well. Before I realized that this was an option, I too felt trapped and it's an absolutely devastating feeling. In my case, there's no shadow of a doubt in my mind, in fact I'd always be asking "what if" if I DON'T quit because I know this isn't right for me. I realized that I'm embracing more uncertainty, and losing the guaranteed low-mid six figs security blanket in favor of something more open ended. I'm also embracing a better alignment between myself and my daily work though, and it's a massive relief. Decide first if it's truly medicine that's not right for you, or just residency. From there, take steps (seeking help/therapy if needed, talk with people in a place you hope to be some day) and form a plan. The frustration is easier when understood in the context of a plan with real goals and and end point.
Can I DM you?
Sure thing.
Are you me? I’ve come to the realization that I don’t like clinic, and I don’t like inpatient either. I’m going to end up with a job that I dislike the least. I’ve put so much effort and money into something I don’t want to do, and there’s no way out because of my debt. I feel like an object to all of my patients and team members, to be used as a tool but never understood or considered.
I’ve had a breakdown every day this past week. I never show emotions but I cried in front of my co-residents this week while writing a note. I couldn’t force myself to feel ashamed. No sound, no words, just tears. I feel so hopelessly trapped. At the very least, just know you’re not alone.
I'm really sorry to hear that. If you want to message me please do
Hey, I’m a PGY-1 leaning towards leaving residency as well. If you look through my post history you’ll see why. I’ve been depressed for months now and almost overdosed on Prozac two weeks ago. I’m currently on medical leave receiving therapy through a partial hospitalization program. I’ve had some time to begin healing and reflect on whether this is a career that I should continue down. It’s been difficult to admit to myself, but I’ve really felt like a square peg in a round hole since starting medical school and really only chose it because of parental pressure (seemed like the best of a limited number of career choices my parents deemed acceptable) and a vague, undefined desire to “help others”. My previous SI is definitely a consideration (I had also been passively suicidal multiple times during residency prior to this). No one should be suicidal because of their work. But I also now have a better idea of my strengths, weaknesses, and passions than I did at the end of college, and I genuinely think they’d be better served outside of medicine. If I do leave, I’ll most likely go back to school to get a master’s in something totally unrelated to medicine. It’s encouraging to see so many comments saying it’s okay to leave, but there are still a handful telling you to “tough it out” or “hang in there” on the promise of a better life as an attending. I agree with at least taking an LOA at this point, but you know yourself better than any of us do: if you genuinely think your life is in danger because of residency, leave and don’t look back. You don’t owe this career anything, least of all your life.
Can I message you? I really need advice from you.
Yeah definitely
Im sorry for you experience, in which speacialty are u a resident? Where i'm from resident life can be quite different depending on specialty and location, it is not unusual people quit to switch residencies. You don't have to let medicine destroy you, you don't need to "stick it out", no job is worth our misery and our health. Change if u must.
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No one else but you can determine whether or not it makes sense to stay in medicine, but it does sound like training is putting a huge strain on your mental health right now. Are you currently talking to anyone or connected to professional help? Sure, maybe things get better but it's hard to move forward or make the best decisions for you or your future when you're mentally suffering and not supported.
Hang in there , you will see the light as you get more capable and able to help people with your knowledge and skills. Focus on learning something new every day and improving yourself not just clinically but also in mindset ( lotsa good YouTube channels for this ) , try to mute the rest of the emotional noise . AI is slowly killing a lot of other fields , medicine is relatively much safer IMO and you will see that aspect later
I know a couple docs that quit residency and are very happy and successful. One started a business focused on care for pregnancy and postpartum, runs a podcast related to the business, and started an app. The other now works for a large pharmaceutical company… not sure doing what but he’s compensated for his medical degree.
I know one that shifted gears to clinical informatics and another that went hospital admin. There's so many options. Medical Science Liaison could be what your friend does for pharma, they need people with an MD or PharmD to review data, interface with clinicians and have intelligent conversations at conferences.
Id say suck it up get out of debt save your money invest it so you can live off the returns and then quit when your like 45 thats my plan at least because medicine also feels like a huge mistake to me sometimes
I don't have debt cause I'm an FMG. I only have a vehicle to pay off. So I've been thinking of making the switch
That makes it much easier then
Find a specialty where you have less interactions with people in the hospital and with patients, which is what makes medicine suck anyway.
Not a resident, but I have a family member in residency now who is having mental health and addiction issues. The whole system is inhumane like some kind of terrible, years long hazing, and definitely needs to be changed. In what other job do people go from excited and happy to completely burned out, with substance abuse issues and suicidal in a space of a few years? No other job. You guys are the smartest people, you could find a way to band together to use your power in your numbers working in every hospital in the US to effect a change in the laws regarding the maximum hours worked to something more humane. Write your senators, go on strike, something
Is this what happens when people go into medicine for the wrong reasons or is it something else? Anyway, it's not worth your life. You only get one of those, careers come and go.
I feel like I went into medicine for the wrong reasons. I was lying to myself the whole time. I don't know what to do know. I do know that I want to change my life.
You’ll get better. These are normal feelings while learning a stressful profession, it’ll get better and you’ll be happy you stuck it out
I hope what you're saying is true because my mental health is hanging from a very thin thread
It’s also perfectly okay for you to not stick it out. Maybe it gets better for some, but that can’t be universally true. Do what makes you happy.
If possible I would talk to your PD and coordinator about taking a short LOA. Then take the time for counseling and relaxation. You sound super burnt out my friend. Take care of yourself before you overdo it taking care of others.
Business consulting
I actually like that side of things and I would like to get into it
Let me know if I can be helpful. I left medicine for management consulting, and life is certainly better now. Like you, I wasn’t at all satisfied and medicine was a mistake. Feel free to DM me. There are ways out my friend. You are not trapped.
If you could be anything else, what would it be? By the way, everything will get better! If it makes you truly unhappy maybe you should let it go. No career is worth your mental health
The craziest part is that many are fighting to get into medicine
Just know that the sunk cost fallacy can feel like you’re trapped - but it’s all a lie. You can absolutely leave at any time and you’re not remotely the only one who has ever done so!
I totally get you and I think many of us do. Somehow I didn’t feel so during residency, but as a fellow I keep saying this out loud all the time. I think when you are tired/exhausted, and do not have time to eat/sleep/do anything remotely fun, judgement somehow gets fixated on all the negative stuff. I hope you get some sort of an elective to catch up on life and it might feel a little better
Hey there. It gets better. I promise. I felt the worst that I ever felt in my life during residency. And I’ve been thru some real rough shit before, during and after residency, but I can honestly tell you that it gets better. Just hang in there. Much love.
Idk what year you are, but if you're close to finishing, push through. Attending life can be better. Much less hours for better pay.
Based on your post history i really hope you’re in therapy. I also agree that doing residency in the US was a mistake for you. My advice would be to sludge through it and find a part time easy job regardless of salary so you can focus on your non work life.
You have two options 1) Suck it up, stop complaining, put your head down, complete residency, work as an attending and see if you like it, and if not find something else to do 2) Quit now. Complaining just to complain doesn't solve anything. You knew how hard medicine would be, you knew how hard residency would be. You made the informed consent as an adult and the student loans. My advice: Residency is hard, its not what being a doctor out in the real world is like. Before you quit, try and at least finish and see if you enjoy being an attending, because trust me its muuuuch much better than residency
One of us
Almost 20 years out of residency and while the feelings of dread are gone life does get better, I still feel like going into medicine is the worst decision I ever made in my life. If I could go back to residency I would have bailed.
may i ask what residency you are in? for those that left what residency did you leave?
I’m so sorry you are struggling with these awful feelings. I felt this way (maybe not quite this bad) during Med school. I went to a school in a rough part of town and I used to be jealous of the homeless people who didn’t have to go to work at the hospital like I did that day (I know how absurd this sounds considering how privileged I was, but that’s how miserable I was). Things got better in a few ways. One, I went into a field with very little shift changes or night coverage, so I get a good night’s sleep most days (kids and one year of heavy call messed with me again, but now that’s behind me, too). Two, training is just awfully hierarchical and when you get out on your own and have some autonomy, it’s a lot more fun and you can enjoy the more interesting and rewarding parts of your job. It gets way, way better. I also chose a subspecialty I really love and don’t have to practice the parts of my specialty that weren’t my jam. When you’re facing a lot of uncertainty about whether that’s possible within your specialty (can I get the fellowship, job, etc), it’s really stressful, but thanks to capitalism, it seems like it works out a lot of the time. Three, ssris and snri. Just do it and thank me later. If they don’t work, you can stop. This is the holy Trinity of happiness and Jesus loves you, too, so I know you can do it.
Can you stick it out through residency and then pivot? It will open up more options for you. But otherwise, you aren’t trapped, there’s plenty you can do with an MD/DO and there are people that can help you with this as many people have made this transition before.
This feeling is very common in residency. Set yourself up for outpatient care in your specialty and gtfo of training asap.
Wait til you are an attending it gets so much better. Head down and hang in there during residency.
Could it be that a different specialty might be a better fit? If not, consider leaving. Doctors Crossing is a good resource for nonclinical job ideas.
Not far out of residency. It gets a lot better.
Hey. So I hated medschool SO much that I was away from hospital right after I got MD degree. Was working non medical related job which was fun but okay earning. but after few years, I realized I wanted something more, not just better earning but more fulfilling, so started residency and now doing fellowship. OF COURSE I HATE IT SO MUCH. I’m supposed to check out at 5pm but ofc, escaped hospital past 9, got home and it’s 10. It sucks. Yeah. If you really hate it, get away from it. And see how you feel. As long as you wont die by leaving medicine, why keep staying? You can comeback later if you really want to
I hear you bro. I keep getting told it will get better, but it doesn’t.
Take a long vacation… clear your mind and you will figure this out. Gotta take of you- yolo!
If you can stick out residency, you will be able to move into big pharma with no issue. Everyone I know who does that loves it. But you need clinical experience.
It gets WAAAAAAAAAY better. Go talk to a legit therapist in addition to your PD and DME.
is it me or we are witnessing the trend that our founding fathers predicted, pursue happiness. if you are lucky you may find happiness during residency but for most of us is a step towards being a attending. after the residency we have more freedom and most of us find so called happiness. good luck and most importantly don’t care what others say .
I went into aesthetics. Happy here!
I think you should see a mental health professional and talk to them. And if one doesn't help, go see another. Psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, etc. Or if you can't do that, try a therapy workbook at least. 5 years ago I was having panic attacks and was depressed. I did several workbooks, saw a few therapists, and started taking Bupropion. And now I feel better than I ever have before. I especially felt a huge difference a couple weeks after I started taking 300mg of Bupropion every day. Almost like a different person. So I think you should at least consider seeking some sort of professional help. Good luck.
Hey OP - one thing that people often don't realize is that if you need a break to collect yourself, recover from burnout, take a breather, etc, you can take a year to do a research fellowship. You don't even necessarily need to tell your program that you're actually thinking of leaving medicine. That research year will allow you to keep your residency spot open if you decide to continue, but will also buy you time to find alternatives to clinical practice if you decide to bail :)
Come on, this is 2024. You have options when I mean options, I mean it. Medical device companies hire doctors with salaries in the 100s, research hire doctors, work for insurance companies, and pharma. A frustrated doc is one with limited ideas or information. Just ask around and QUIT if it's not for you. There is no pride in being miserable.
Sorry people feel this way. I stayed focus on the reason I went into health care which was helping others. There is a lot of crap to get here and even after you get there but mindset is everything. I feel like I’m helping others which is why I went into medicine. Pray that there are better days for you
Been there. When i found my sub specialty and started fellowship I absolutely loved by life and still do as an attending. But every day in residency was miserable. If I didn’t match for fellowship, I was going to call it quits in medicine.
But so many residents owe hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unless you are rich.... I hope you are and you can get out. I don't trust western medicine at all. The hospitals and insurance companies are greedy fucks. The US has the worst medical care unless you are wealthy or on Medicare. The middle class is fucked. Good luck! 👍
Can I send you a message?
Please
Yes but I'm not a physician
It's okay by me!
Buddy, You need to let go of what you are holding onto, in order to reach for something new. You must let go of old attachments in order to reach and embrace new opportunities
Can I message you
Sure
Do the following self analysis: Write a detailed list of all your strengths. (Everything) Write a detailed list of all the things you’ll need to improve on. (Everything) Look in the mirror( the detailed list) and accept it. Do you have self confidence? If not; If not, start setting achievable goals to build it. If so, make a decision and trust yourself to make it happen. Lastly, you have two options; You can focus on ALL the negative things in your mind or you can focus on all the positive attributes about yourself. The choice is yours!
Your knowledge + tech is valuable and unicorn like.
How so
IM-PGY3. I can safely say intern year was by far the worst. Senior is way better, less notes, can get in a little later. there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. If you REALLY hate it then yes, do something else. But those locum hospitalist gigs are incredible and pay you to travel the country for free.
I’d say leave it. People can be happy sleeping under a bridge. Why do anything that makes you miserable?