Here is an article from PRN Member Dr. Kristin Nelson, titled “Mind, Body, Spirit: Lessons to Remember During Your Career Transition.”
“An advancing age of medicine is upon us. Even with all of the new technology at our finger tips, there are few physicians who would not agree that taking care of one’s self both mentally and physically is necessary to obtain maximum health. Yet as physicians, we often lose sight of those important endeavors we so strongly recommend to our patients. This can be especially true for those investigating a career change. As humans we are learning we must embrace and nurture our minds, bodies and spirits to reach our utmost potential. In fact, each of these can affect the other two, and the three synergistically make us who we are. Listed below are a few reminders, along with some questions, to contemplate during this potentially exciting and challenging transition.
Mind
Life has many highs and lows, but did you know that concentrating on the positives may improve your health? In fact, many researchers believe that focusing on thoughts that make you feel happy, as opposed to those that make you feel sad, can make you live longer and truly improve the quality of your life. Similarly, it is now believed that emotional stress can increase the rate of aging at the cellular level. Unfortunate and unpleasant things happen in life, but the important thing to remember is to mentally move past them as quickly as possible. Not only can negative thoughts make your day worse, they can make you age— and nobody I know wants to be older than they are (with the exception of my 4 year old son who desperately wants to be 5).
Emotional stress is also believed to play a role in disease. It is documented that most heart attacks occur on a Monday morning, more often than any other day or time. While more research needs to be done, experts feel this is due to the stressful situation many people encounter when returning to work. The incidence of cardiac arrest also increases after earthquakes. It seems logical that removing undue mental stress may help you stay healthier longer.
We must also nourish our intellect. Question yourself. What drew you towards medicine or your specialty? My love of learning made medical school fun and a fascination with head and neck anatomy led me towards otolaryngology. You will need to be motivated by the subject of your new line of business. What other areas entice you? I am recently discovering facets of careers I never knew I liked, for instance marketing. Although this is a far cry from science, which I still love, it opens up a whole new world to explore. Make sure the next career choice will stimulate your mind.
Body
In order to keep those positive thoughts flowing, it is important to give priority to taking care of your personal physique through exercise, proper diet and sleep. The benefits of exercise are well documented, and as physicians we know both cardiovascular and weight training will lead to a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, this knowledge often gets put to the side because of a hectic practice or other demands. My advice is to treat yourself—go to the gym or take that yoga class. You deserve it. The effects are well worth the time and effort. We also know how important it is to eat well. However, this is another basic aspect of health that can get forgotten during a busy day.
We all have differing ideas of what is best to eat and how to accomplish diet goals, but most people would agree that if the majority of your food is prepared outside of your kitchen it is not possible to know exactly what you are eating. Consider attempting to prepare your own food, at least some of the time. This will avoid unnecessary calories, additives and processing that go into most commercially prepared food. You will also have more choice in what you actually eat, even if it is a home made chocolate brownie every once and awhile. After your healthy meal, get to bed early. Obtaining the proper amount of rest cannot be emphasized enough.
Another aspect to consider when maximizing your body’s welfare is the type of environment that makes you comfortable. What makes you tick? Anesthesiologists, Emergency Room Physicians and Trauma Surgeons often thrive on adrenaline. If this is you, will you miss this stimulation when you choose another career? Investigate career options that give you the proper physical motivation.
As physicians we all have the knowledge to properly take care of our bodies, but executing this is another thing. Be your own patient and list three things that you can do to improve your physical well-being.
Spirit
Spirituality means different things to different people. However accomplished, it is important to nourish the extra-cerebral force that controls your passions. Take some time to soul search. What originally enticed you about medicine? How can you use this passion to motivate you to the next step? The inspiration that drove you to make it through the many years of medical training can still be tapped into. Have you gained new inspiration through medical practice? What do you actually like about your medical practice?
Hopefully taking care of your whole person will not only make the time remaining in medicine more rewarding, but it will also help advance you to a career that is your heart’s desire. I am finding this to be true as my medical life is closing one of its circles. The mind, body, spirit philosophy that drew me to osteopathic medicine many years ago is now helping me peacefully transition out.”
– Kristin Nelson, DO
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