While some doctors don't think they can afford to step away from their practices, it might be better to ask yourself if you can afford not to.
The demands and stress of the last few years have caused a major spike in physician burnout, which can have serious life-or-death consequences for doctors and their patients. You might need more than just a long weekend or an extended vacation to get your Return on Life back in order.
A physician's sabbatical can give doctors an opportunity to step back from their routines, engage in different activities, learn more about medicine and themselves, and return to work with renewed energy. Work through this three-step process to design a sabbatical that could get you back in touch with why you became a doctor in the first place.
1. Establish Your Goals.
What sets a sabbatical apart from a long vacation is purpose. A doctor can use a sabbatical to achieve all sorts of personal and professional goals.
And, yes, travel is often a big part of a sabbatical. As you're exploring new parts of the world, you'll encounter different people, customs, and cultures. Those experiences can have a profound impact on how you approach both your job and your life.
You could spend time at a research hospital learning from doctors who are on the cutting edge of new techniques and technologies. Focus on your own research, or finish writing the textbook you've been pecking at. Work with an organization like Doctors Without Borders and gift your expertise to people who need it the most. Spend time focusing on your mental and physical health, developing wellness routines that will keep you centered even when the stakes are the highest. Or, you could use a sabbatical to work towards a new specialization that will help you advance in your career, perhaps even leading to you opening your own practice so that you can set your own schedule.
2. Arrange for Your Absence.
Once you've settled on an achievable goal for your sabbatical, you can determine how long you want to be away from your practice. Talk to your employer about your reasons for wanting to take a sabbatical and what company benefits or policies are available to you. Broaching this topic could feel intimidating but given the burnout crisis in medicine today, your supervisors will probably be more understanding and more flexible than you might expect.
You'll also need to communicate to your patients and coworkers that you will be stepping away for an extended period of time. Work with doctors, nurses, and support staff to cover all your responsibilities, both with patients and administration. Offer to train younger physicians who will be stepping up or to help recruit and hire extra help. Close the book on any unfinished projects. You are the priority during your sabbatical. Don't leave anything behind on your last day that will nag at you while you're gone.
3. Consult with Your Financial Planner.
Taking a sabbatical for a few weeks probably isn't going to impact your finances very much. But if you plan to be away for months or even a year, you may need to prepare for a significant reduction in salary and benefits. And if your employer isn’t willing to work with you on arranging a sabbatical, you’ll have to decide if taking time away from work is worth funding on your own.
As a doctor, you most likely have the financial resources to plan for the sabbatical you need to rejuvenate your relationship with your work. Our Life-Centered Planning process can help you work out all the details, realize that vision, and make the next stage of your career more rewarding.
