Guest
Dr. Anya Thompson — EM attending, community hospital, 12 years post-residency. Former program director. Currently splits time between clinical shifts and physician wellness curriculum development.
(Note: guest name is placeholder until first real interview is booked.)
What We Covered
- The shift in year 3 that almost made her quit
- The specific "shift-night routine" she developed and now teaches residents
- Why she stopped telling residents to "just take vacation"
- The one boundary she sets with every administrative ask
- What she'd tell a PGY-1 starting tomorrow
Quotes That Hit
"Burnout isn't a character flaw. It's an information asymmetry — your body has data your brain hasn't processed yet. The shift-night routine is just a way of making the brain catch up."
"I stopped trying to balance work and life. I started trying to balance work and recovery. The framing change matters."
"Every administrative ask is a request to spend a piece of yourself. You're allowed to charge for it."
Shift-Night Routine (As Dr. Thompson Described It)
- Decompress in the car for 10 minutes before driving home. Do not start driving while still in shift-mind.
- Shower before any other activity. Physical reset before social reset.
- One slow meal. Sitting down. No screens.
- Write down one win and one loss from the shift. Two sentences max.
- Sleep before re-entering the household. No "I'll just say hi to the kids first."
Resources
- Shanafelt TD, et al. Physician Burnout. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015.
- West CP, et al. Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Physician Burnout. Lancet. 2016.
Paging Dr. Wisdom episodes are full-length conversations with EM clinicians across all stages. Have someone we should interview? Tell us via the contact page.