Doctor Rich:
Man, I’m tired. Four surgeries, I’ve got to do a whole recording session today… It’s like being a doctor is an 80-hour-a-week proposition — that’s like two full-time jobs! And then I’ve got this side-gig where I’m lecturing… and teaching… and doing YouTube videos…
Burnout is a real thing, guys — so we’re going to watch a Glaucomflecken video with a lighthearted take on a very serious topic.
Don’t have time to read this post? Watch the video here instead!
Oh my God! Is that Bill?
[Video pans to another doctor slouched on the floor, sighing heavily]
Dr. Two:
Yeah, I think it is. Hey, Bill — are you doing okay, buddy?
[Bill grunts without making eye contact]
Doctor Rich:
Yeah… I’ve felt like this many times!
In residency and fellowship… Now I trained — you know — in the time of dinosaurs and that kind of thing! And there are work hour restrictions in place now so that residents can’t work more than an 80-hour work week. But that, in and of itself, seems kind of insane — that you have to limit them to “only” 80 hours of work (thus resulting in the quasi-catatonic state we see here)!
Dr. Two:
All right, we gotta get him some help. Go find a doctor who’s good at diagnosing things… Bingo!
[Camera zeroes in on the disheveled-looking family medicine doctor]
Dr. One:
Family Medicine! Can you help? I don’t know what’s wrong with him!
Family Medicine [matter-of-factly]:
Oh, what? You mean Bill? Yeah, he’s got burnout.
Dr. One:
What? Burnout?
Family Medicine:
Oh, yeah; I know that look! Yeah, Bill feels helpless and defeated in a system that doesn’t value him or his wellbeing.
Dr. One:
Wait… Are you sure?
Doctor Rich:
So Glaucomflecken’s depiction of the family practice doctor looks like he’s a constant victim of burnout — with his disheveled look and his glasses on sideways! And, you know, “a fisherman knows another fisherman from afar!” So you can tell when another surgeon is experiencing burnout. As a physician, you don’t get to clock out! You don’t get to stop being a provider. If that phone rings… if something happens on-call… you HAVE to (and you DO and WILL) go in. There’s never a point in the episode of care where you can just throw your hands up and give up and leave.
Family Medicine:
Yeah — you see his eyes? [Video zooms in on Bill staring blankly into the distance with a disillusioned expression] You see how empty they are? Yeah… that’s burnout. Yep.
Doctor Two:
But why isn’t he moving?
Family Medicine:
Oh, yeah… with end-stage burnout — your muscles stop working.
Doctor One [shocked]:
Why?
Family Medicine:
Because it takes literally every ounce of energy you have left just to keep breathing.
Doctor Rich:
Yeah, I felt that for sure!
The symptoms of burnout are:
depression,
lack of interest,
fatigue that doesn’t respond to being able to get a balanced night of sleep,
and lack of enjoyment and fulfillment in your job.
So we go into this field of medicine because it’s very fulfilling! Because we get to help people and change lives! And when that changes into something that is a job — and you regret or resent doing it — these are all symptoms of burnout.
Doctor Two:
So what do we do?!
Family Medicine:
Yeah… you gotta hit that button.
[Camera pans to a “button” on the wall that says “Code Burnout.” Doctor Two looks at the button, takes a concerned breath, and hits it dramatically]
Doctor Rich [laughing]:
The “Burnout Button.”
