Commentary

Physician Burnout “The Call” Derailed?

Authors: George A. Ford III, MD

Abstract

It always begins with “the call.” That inchoate tug upon the soul that says, “Follow me.” Almost as if in love, one is led by the heart in pursuit of that which one cannot quite articulate. Thus embarks the student as he or she answers the call to a career in medicine. Work flows effortlessly in the beginning, but after 5 or 10 years, it is less spontaneous. An increasing quantum of energy is required to maintain the flow. As in the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who was punished by the gods to an eternity of redundant labor, one can only be appalled at how the best of intentions have been derailed and ended so badly.

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