Let’s be realistic. No doctor bounds out of bed every single day, excited for another joyful day of practicing medicine. But your career shouldn’t be endless months of drudgery, either. Working as a doctor is one of the most impactful and rewarding jobs a person can have. If it’s starting to feel like a chore, it might be because it’s time to find work elsewhere. Here are 7 signs that a doctor should look for a new job. The joy has gone out of your job Ask a doctor why they got into medicine and they likely will say something like, “to help others.” Altruism is at the heart of medicine, and for many physicians, saving or improving lives was what made them want to be a doctor. If you’ve lost this feeling, it’s not that the nature of medicine has changed. Service is still at the heart of it. It may, however, be time to find a job that’s a better fit. You’ve lost interest in growing Some doctors have the unfortunate experience of showing up to work one day only to realize that a decade has gone by and they’ve been functioning like an automaton. They’ve done the same thing for 10 years, day in and day out. Great employers nurture their employees, looking to develop their talents in order to retain them or groom them for leadership. Ask yourself honestly, are you a top-performing doctor? If the answer is yes, then what has your employer done to develop you? If you can’t come up with a good answer, it might be time to move on. Your employer is struggling Whether you work for a group practice, hospital, or health network, if your employer’s financial footing appears to be slipping, it’s time to start applying. Possible warning signs include expansive leadership shakeups, drastic reduction in hours for nurses and support staff, or poor performance on Wall Street (for publicly traded companies). A job search maxim is that it’s easier to find a job when you have a job. Don’t wait until they lock the doors to start looking for work elsewhere. You’re feeling burnt out You can’t work if you’re not happy or healthy. Physician burnout is a real problem and any employer who doesn’t take it seriously likely isn’t worth working for. That said, you need to give your employer an opportunity to address the issue. They can’t fix what they don’t know about. If you feel like your situation isn’t being acknowledged, and you’re not alone in feeling this way, then it may be time to get your CV together. Work is affecting your family Does every dinner date or family outing turn into a gripe session about your boss or employer? Is an email or text from your boss or colleague enough to ruin a vacation or event? If you don’t have a life, it gets increasingly hard to work. There needs to be separation between the two, and when there isn’t, families, spouses, and you suffer. Not sure if work is affecting those closest to you? Better check with them. Your physical health is suffering You’re around sick people all day, so it’s easy to dismiss the occasional cold or other brief bought of illness. But what about the more chronic, long-term stuff? How’s your BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and cholesterol level? You tell patients all day about how stress affects physical health. Is it affecting your own? You can’t work if you’re not well. Maybe it’s time to find a new gig. You’re working for the weekend Or maybe you’re working for your next vacation. Or maybe it’s just retirement. It doesn’t matter what the light at the end of the tunnel is. If you’re not paying attention to the present moment, the light could be an oncoming train. We know not every day practicing medicine is going to be an affirmation of why you chose the career. And there’s nothing wrong with making plans and looking forward to milestones in the future. But when the future becomes your only concern because the present is too much to take, it might be time to find another job. TL;DR It might be time to find a new job if: Medicine has become joyless. You’re not growing in your position. Your employer is struggling financially. You and your colleagues are feeling burnt out. Family or friends are bearing the brunt of your job dissatisfaction. Your physical health is suffering. An upcoming vacation, retirement, or the weekend is the only thing getting you through the day. Source
