Abstract
As a specialty, EM is demanding and consistently ranking the highest among physicians experiencing burnout. As EM physicians, we can find comfort in knowing that despite choosing a hard path, we are not alone in this experience, and we have some agency in decisions surrounding work-life integration and professional fulfillment. Having agency requires understanding the landscape of clinical practice, our role and identity, and navigating through challenges with self-compassion. While not the panacea to all struggles inherent to the practice of medicine, self-compassion offers the ability to negotiate the prioritization of our needs and values as we design a life that embodies alignment, contentment, and professional fulfillment.
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Alvarez, A. (2023). Maintaining Wellness and Work-Life Balance. In: Olympia, R.P., Werley, E.B., Lubin, J.S., Yoon-Flannery, K. (eds) An Emergency Physician’s Path. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47873-4_95
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