Being A Doctor – A Calling Or A Job?

In a recent article published in the Wall Street Journal, the title itself sparked some heated discussion among physicians – “Young Doctors Want Work-Life Balance. Older Doctors Say That’s Not the Job.” The article, written by Te-Ping Chen, started with the question whether being a doctor is a job or a calling.

I happened to be one of the physicians who was interviewed for this article. My contribution was that many physicians feel as if they are charting machines rather than focusing on patient care because of the requirements and reimbursement restrictions. In the paper chart era, patient documentation was not taking up most of the time of physicians. Physicians’ compensation was relatively more than what it currently is.

A calling or a job – does it really matter? Who does it matter to? Either way, you are the person who decided to go into medicine. There is always a choice. Even when there are times you think you are forced to do something, there is always at least one other alternative – you may not like that other choice, so much so that you do not think that it exists.

Just like in medicine, there are often no right or wrong answers. A physician is here to help people who are sick to get better or to feel better. No matter what your reason behind becoming a doctor is, the most important thing is to take good care of your patients by using your expertise and by connecting with your patients. There are some specialties which do not require much of patient interaction, such as pathology and radiology, and you can still do your best.

A calling to be a physician does not mean that you have to be on duty 24/7. Do not get me wrong, if you choose to be on call 24/7, that is your choice. A good physician is someone who cares about the patients’ well-being and who does their best to take care of the patients. This dedication to patient care does not mean that you are not allowed to take a break. A break is to recharge. A break is to take care of other things in life.

A calling does not mean being a physician is your identity. Yes, you are a physician. When you leave medicine, you are still you, minus practicing medicine. Your identity is better defined by who you are as a person, what your values and beliefs are.

In fact, I believe that it is essential for physicians to take a break from being a physician every day. As the demands of insurance and patient documentation changed, more technology and more medical knowledge to master, practicing medicine now is more mentally draining. There is less autonomy in general. Many physicians are employed due to financial reimbursements, and the pressure of meeting the institution’s set RVUs and other administrative duties are stressful.

You cannot give what you do not have. If a physician is not healthy, is not rested with a clear mind to think and make decisions, how can that physician do a good job in caring for a patient? If I were a patient, I would not expect my doctor to be on call 24 hours a day. I would expect my doctor to have time to rest and recharge, while there would be some kind of call coverage after hours in case of emergencies.

Ultimately, it does not matter if being a doctor is a calling or not. The goal is to take good care of the patients without running yourself down. You can be dedicated, be your best and give your best without having to sacrifice your time outside of your work hours. If you choose to work more hours, that is fine. Respect others who value patient care and having a life outside of medicine. These physicians may have an even better capacity, mentally and physically, to take care of their patients.

You be you. Do what is in alignment with your values. We cannot control what other people think. Allow them to be wrong about you. I respect the physicians who believe being a doctor is their being all the time. I respect the physicians who are doing the best that they can to be a dedicated physician, a dedicated parent, child or any other hats they choose to wear. I would not refuse to see a doctor just because they think being a doctor is a job – as long as they are caring, kind and always act on a patient’s best interest.