Quitting medicine may sound like a crazy idea to friends and family who have seen you work so hard over the years. But for you, it may be something you are seriously considering if you are burnt out and have long ago lost that passion that got you through medical school.

Wanting to quit is nothing to feel guilty about. Here are a few suggestions to help you reframe your thinking and move forward with confidence.

First and foremost: Never make a major life or career decision post-call.

I made this rule for myself when I was in residency and would come home after a 30 hour call feeling sleep deprived, hangry and wanting to quit. This rule served me well because what I realized then is that post-call I was not at all in the right frame of mind to make any big decisions because I was just so physically, mentally and emotionally drained.

Fast forward to life as an attending when I went through a few rounds of professional burnout. I would come home from a crazy overnight shift working in the ER, collapse in bed daydreaming about quitting medicine.

BUT I would remind myself of my rule which I modified to this:
Never make a major life or career decision when feeling burnt out, overwhelmed or exhausted.

The reason is that in that state of mind we are oftentimes making a decision from a reactive place and may decide to do something that we later regret. And we certainly are NOT making decisions from our highest selves.

Watch me FREE End Burnout Mini Training by clicking here. 

So what do you do when you feel like quitting medicine?

Step 1: Sit tight and don’t make any decisions, at least not yet. Don’t write your resignation letter or shoot off an angry email. See above rule.

Step 2: Take some time to rest, relax and pour back into yourself. Sleep, eat a healthy meal, take a bubble bath, go away for a long weekend, spend time with loved ones. The goal is to first get back to feeling like yourself again. 

Step 3: Seek professional help. If you think you might be depressed or anxious see a doctor. If you think you need someone to hold a safe space for you and help you sort out your thoughts and feelings, find a life coach. A life coach, especially a physician life coach can help you work through burnout, overwhelm and exhaustion and help you gain clarity on the next best steps for your career.

If you are looking for a certified physician life coach to help you through burnout or to work through your feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion, check out our Thrive Rx program which is now open for enrollment. In just 4 weeks we are able to help healthcare professionals like yourself get out of burnout and create a life they love with or without leaving their career.