Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Reclaiming our mission in medicine

Philip A. Masters, MD
Physician
January 7, 2019
199 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

acp new logoA guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

When reading (or writing) blog posts, it’s easy to be left with a mostly negative and often depressing view of the current state of medicine.  This is completely understandable as people usually write on topics and issues about which they feel strongly, and that (sometimes profoundly) affect their personal lives as physicians and their ability to care for patients.  On more than one occasion I’ve had to refrain from simply pounding out an angry and unconstructive screed about one or more of the many frustrating and angering things I encounter daily as a doctor.

Yet in the midst of much of this negativity, I think it is helpful to periodically pause and think about our own personal journey in medicine, and specifically why we chose to pursue this challenging path in the first place.

The reasons underlying our personal decision to become doctors – the values, hopes, and inspirations that drive us on a daily basis – in other words, our mission – are central to who we are as individuals and professionals.  They form the foundation of our identity as physicians and motivate us to do the difficult work of caring for patients.  Yet, it is easy to lose sight of these core aspects on which our personal and professional lives are built when dealing with the daily challenges associated with our work.

As we move through the holiday season and into a new year, I figured now would be an opportune time to reexamine why I personally decided to enter medicine, but also felt that seeking an understanding of why others made this same choice might be helpful in thinking about my own mission.  So in addition to my own deliberations, I asked my colleagues, both older and younger and at different stages of training and experience, to reflect on those things that led them to become doctors.

What did I find?  The specific reasons for entering medicine certainly differed for each, although several themes emerged that are recognizable in most of us and are worth restating and contemplating.

A universal observation is that virtually everyone entered medicine with a mission-driven and altruistic spirit – a commitment to helping people that seems for many to be as much a “calling” as a career choice.  This is what drives them to care and work as much and as hard as they do, based on the belief that the importance of patients’ health and well-being transcends the daily grind that is an inevitable part of being a doctor.  However, it is also what pushes them to push through the (often unreasonable) day-to-day challenges associated with the practice of medicine, even at great personal sacrifice, for the benefit of their patients.   It is unfortunate that under current circumstances, for many physicians these challenges obscure this sense of calling they possess and inevitably lead to the loss of joy in medicine.

And then there are the people – specifically, our patients and our relationships with them.  The intense and intimate nature of the patient-physician relationship represents a unique bond between humans built on trust and mutual respect that can be incredibly meaningful to both patients and doctors.  The willingness of patients to entrust us with issues, problems, and thoughts that they find difficult to share even with their intimate partners and closest relatives is at times striking, and even my most experienced colleagues still marvel at the power and significance of this relationship.  Many commented that what comes from these interactions is a source of great personal satisfaction and well-being and is one of the main reasons why they chose medicine as a life’s pursuit.  More than one stated that if they could just be left alone with their patients without the administrative burdens and other intrusions into these relationships, their professional lives would be so much more fulfilling.

And there are others.  Relationships with colleagues; valuing the ability to understand the science underlying medicine, grasping the majesty of the human body with both humility and awe; the personal fulfillment that comes from having the ability to diagnose and treat disease; and the opportunity to affect the health of others on a larger scale.

As I reflect on my own journey in medicine, I see that I am also driven by each and all of these same things, and perhaps a few more.  And what is also clear from my own reflections and those of others is that even with all the years of hard work, experiencing the incredible highs when patients do well and the deep lows when they do not, and struggling at times with the pressure, responsibility, and occasional agony of engaging with patients as they live and die, I can think of no other life’s path I would choose to take.

There is no question that our daily work sometimes depletes us not only physically, but also emotionally and sometimes morally.  And reflecting on why we do what we do certainly doesn’t solve or even begin to address the real issues and problems associated with practicing medicine in this day and age, nor minimize the high rates of unhappiness, burnout, and even suicide among physicians.

But taking time to reflect on our own personal mission in medicine can help us reframe and reinvigorate us in the work we do and help us maintain a sane perspective as we confront and seek to fix the major problems confronting our patients and medicine as a whole.

At the bottom line, being a doctor is a rare privilege, and the practice of medicine remains among the most fulfilling of human endeavors.

So take some time to ask yourself – what is my mission in medicine?

Philip A. Masters is vice-president, Membership and International Programs, American College of Physicians. His statements do not necessarily reflect official policies of ACP.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Despite progress in cancer care, cost and equity challenges still must be addressed

January 7, 2019 Kevin 0
…
Next

Doctors and nurses are made to suffer

January 7, 2019 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: American College of Physicians, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Despite progress in cancer care, cost and equity challenges still must be addressed
Next Post >
Doctors and nurses are made to suffer

More by Philip A. Masters, MD

  • Reflections on caring for parents with dementia

    Philip A. Masters, MD
  • Reflections of an aging physician

    Philip A. Masters, MD
  • Doctors can get angry, too

    Philip A. Masters, MD

Related Posts

  • How social media can advance humanism in medicine

    Pooja Lakshmin, MD
  • How to develop a mission-driven personal brand

    Paige Velasquez Budde
  • The difference between learning medicine and doing medicine

    Steven Zhang, MD
  • Why academic medicine needs to value physician contributions to online platforms

    Ariela L. Marshall, MD
  • KevinMD at the Richmond Academy of Medicine

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Medicine rewards self-sacrifice often at the cost of physician happiness

    Daniella Klebaner

More in Physician

  • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD
  • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • From solidarity to co-liberation: Understanding the journey towards ending oppression

    Maiysha Clairborne, MD
  • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

    Dympna Weil, MD
  • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

    Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH
  • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

    Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

      Kevin Jones, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 4 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Sam Neill's Rare Lymphoma
  • Day in the Life of a Doctor: Treating a Patient With Septic Shock
  • Paxlovid May Lower Long COVID Risk, VA Study Suggests
  • Digital Inhalers May Improve Uncontrolled Asthma Management
  • Another Win for Zolbetuximab in Advanced Gastric/GEJ Cancer

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

      Kevin Jones, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Reclaiming our mission in medicine
4 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...