Episode # 166 • 09 Apr 2024
The Human Side of Surgery: Confronting Burnout Together
In this episode, pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Julie Wei (Akron Children’s Hospital) and psychologist Dr. Herdley Paolini discuss surgeon burnout with guest host, pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Anthony Sheyn (Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital).
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
03:18 - Operating Through Challenges: Dr. Wei’s Experience with Burnout
06:02 - Exploring Causes of Surgeon Burnout with Dr. Paolini
16:03 - Squashing the Stigma: Embracing Vulnerability in Surgery
25:37 - The Power of Advocacy and Building a Case for Wellness Programs
31:06 - Early Interventions and Transforming Medical Education
34:10 - Balancing Professional & Personal Life As A Surgeon
42:47 - Initiating System Changes for Physician Well-being
Resources
- Dr. Anthony Sheyn’s Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Profile
- Dr. Julie Wei’s Akron Children’s Hospital Profile
- About Dr. Herdley Paolini
- “Safeguarding Physician Wellbeing” by Dr. Julie Wei
- “Inside the Mind of a Physician: Illuminating the Mystery of How Doctors Think, What they Feel, and Why they Do the Things They Do” by Dr. Herdley Paolini
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More about this episode
First, Dr. Paolini reviews causes of surgeon burnout, drawing on three decades of experience working in physician wellness. Then, Dr. Sheyn and Dr. Wei discuss steps they’ve taken to combat burnout. Dr. Wei illuminates challenges unique to female surgeons, including higher levels of emotional exhaustion, fertility struggles, and ‘mom guilt.’ Then, the discussion shifts to address the roles that healthcare administration and medical education play in surgeon burnout. The podcast concludes with Dr. Wei’s experience advocating for needed changes in her hospital’s call policies.
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