Meet the Challenges of Working as a Doctor: Books for Doctors

By Susan Kersley

Are you an overworked doctor who has put aside many of the joys of life because you've been striving for years to reach the pinnacle of the medical profession wherever or whatever you perceive that to be?

After years of studying Medicine, designing and carrying out and then writing up medical research projects so that your name can be listed amongst the good and the great doctors, yet you feel as though something is missing from your life.

You have gradually come to the realisation that there is more to life than Medicine and may experience guilt about even having that thought.

What is it about the culture of Medicine that means that many doctors, believe that everything else in life must take second place to progression in your specialty? Yet there is a dilemma here: senior doctors who have lived this life and don't want to admit any regrets, maintain that in order to be the best medical specialist you need to devote the majority of your time to working as a doctor and learning in and about your chosen medical specialty.

This books guides you through ways to have a more balanced life and continue working as a doctor. 15,000 words

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Kersley
• Release date: Jun 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223398264

Susan Kersley

Susan Kersley has written personal development and self-help books for doctors and others, and books about retirement and novels. She was a doctor for thirty years and then left Medicine to be a Life Coach.. Now retired, she is updating her books and writing more. Please visit her website https://susankersley.co.uk If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review. Reviews are so important for independent authors.

Book preview

Table of Contents

1. Why you should read this book

2.Why I wrote this for you

3. Challenges of working as a doctor

4. Get your boundaries really clear

5. Is it inevitable?

6. Are you overwhelmed?

7. Patients increase your workload

8. Unproductive meetings

9. Not enough time to see patients

10. Not planning ‘catch up times’

11. Mistakes nearly every doctor makes

Mistake1: Not being time-aware

Mistake 2: Solving problems too quickly

Mistake 3: Using morning time ineffectively

Mistake 4:  Allowing interruptions

Mistake 5:  Not delegating sufficiently

Mistake 6: Not streamlining tasks

Mistake 7: Not completing small chunks.

12. Doctors neglect health and well-being

13. Doctors neglect friends and families

14. Doctors must take time out

15.Time management for doctors

16. Get organised

17. Learn to manage your stress levels

18. Decide what you really want

19. Communicate clearly

20. Be responsible for yourself

21. Improve your self-care

22. Discover a prescription for change

23. Doctor, celebrate your wins

About the Author

Don't miss out!

Finally

1. Why you should read this book

Are you an overworked doctor who has put aside many of the joys of life because you’ve been striving for years to reach the pinnacle of the medical profession wherever or whatever you perceive that to be?

After years of studying Medicine, designing and carrying out and then writing up medical research projects so your name can be listed amongst the good and the great doctors, do you feel as though something is missing from your life?

Have you gradually come to realise there is more to life than Medicine? Do you feel guilty about that feeling?

What is it about the culture of Medicine that means many doctors believe everything else in life must take second place to progression in their specialty?

There is a dilemma here: senior doctors don't want to admit any regrets, so they maintain that in order to be the best medical specialist you need to devote the majority of your time to learning in and about your chosen medical specialty.

Is that true? There is no doubt that when you are passionate about what you do you will be involved in  it for many, if not all, of your waking hours. However, there is a balance to be found between seeing patients, reading the journals, doing the medical research and allowing time to process what you've been doing and what you've been learning.

While you enjoy a film or a meal out with friends or a hike through the countryside you will re-vitalise and relax your body, mind and spirit while your unconscious mind processes the other stuff. When you return to work after an evening out, or a week away on holiday, you will go back energised, refreshed and ready to deal with whatever medical emergencies, or patient's dilemmas your day brings you, with a new enthusiasm.

When you are a desperately busy overworked doctor, you will find that going out for a swim or a cycle ride might seem counter-intuitive but I challenge you to try doing something which takes you away from the medical workplace for a few hours or even half an hour in the middle of the day and notice the positive effect doing this on a regular basis has on your energy, motivation and your interaction with patients.

2.Why I wrote this for you

Every day there are more articles about how stressed doctors are, how the workload is increasing and how many doctors consider leaving the medical profession and are suffering from burnout and stress.

I know what it's like to have endless demands made on you and your time and feel as though you will never get to the end of the work.

I know what it's like to feel as though you are juggling too many plates and are not sure which ones will fall. Too often that means that you may be neglecting not only your family and friends but also your own needs for rest and relaxation.

Imagine having a perfect work-life balance between your life as a doctor and the rest of your life so you have a fulfilling and successful life practising Medicine while also being able to devote enough time to your partner, your family and friends and also follow your own interests and hobbies while also looking after your own health and well-being.

You may think of many ways you could achieve this and it's worth reflecting on what you have tried already.

If there's a gap in your life between how it is and how you