Pamela Wible Reports

Should pilots, doctors & truck drivers work 28-hour shifts? →

How long could you drive without dozing off? Maybe 8 hours? Possibly 10? How many hours do you think a long-haul trucker could drive without swerving into your lane? Would you ever want an 80,0000 pound rig coming at you with a guy behind the wheel who hadn’t slept in a day? Want to buckle yourself into your seat on a plane with a pilot cat napping on the control panel? How about a sleepy surgeon coming toward you with a scalpel? Does that seem like a good idea? Sleep deprivation is more dangerous than working under the influence of alcohol. Fatigue leads to car wrecks, plane crashes, and fatal medical mistakes. Thankfully, most employers have excellent safeguards so workers are well rested to prevent these catastrophes. Except for hospitals. Read blog & comment . . .

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How medical training destroys physician self-confidence (& a quick fix) →

Most physicians appear self-assured. Yet even doctors have self-doubts. But who wants an insecure physician? A confident doctor inspires confidence in patients. So how do physicians cope with their hidden insecurities? I actually had no idea that doctors lacked self-confidence until twelve years ago when I began teaching physician business strategies to succeed in independent practice. When I ask physicians what they need most, self-confidence always ranks near the top. One doc told me, “I want my confidence back. Right now I don’t know what to think. I feel like I’ve been second guessed at every turn by administrators, ‘evidence-based medicine,’ peer reviews, and patients. I’m beaten down.” Physicians are highly intelligent. We enter med school as high achievers, top of our class—even valedictorians. We’ve got confidence. So where did it go? Read blog & comment . . .

Tags: Medical student self confidence, Medical student self esteem, physician self confidence, physician self esteem, student self confidence, student self esteem

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My best advice in 3 minutes →

Last week I spoke at a residency retreat. A surgery resident asked for my big take-home message. Here it is (and this applies to everyone on the planet not just medical students and physicians). Remember the dreams you had as a young adult. If you’re a medical student or physician, please dig out your personal statement that you wrote on the way into medical school. Read it again. Remember why it is that you’re doing all of this. They say that if you know the why you can survive almost any how (meaning you can survive almost any terrible day in the hospital or clinic if you’re fueled by your passion). Read blog & comment . . .

Tags: happy doctors, happy physicians

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Ideal residency has therapy dogs, scribes & time for lunch →

We all know it’s time to revamp medical education. So how do we create an ideal medical school or residency program? Put medical students and residents in charge, of course. Need help? Hey, I’d love to help your residency reinvent itself. I recently challenged 115 residents to design the first ideal residency. I’m a fan of putting the end-user in charge. It’s an winning strategy all around. As an entrepreneur and community organizer at heart, I love bringing people together to create innovative solutions for their problems. Here’s how it’s done: Read blog & comment . . .

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7 steps to financial freedom →

I grew up studying my physician parents. My dad, a pathologist, was a hard-working hospital employee with multiple odd jobs on the side. He always worried about whether he’d have enough for retirement (though he never really wanted to retire). My mom, a psychiatrist, is more of an entrepreneurial businesswoman. She had her own private practice (even though all the other employed doctors warned she’d never make it going solo). Guess who earned more money? And retired early? My mom (she retired 30 years before my dad). Read blog & comment . . .

Tags: doctor wants to retire, Financial freedom, how to start a solo clinic, physician income, physician retirement, solo clinic, start solo clinic

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What I say to suicidal physicians →

Suicidal Physicians

This week a resident asked, “What do you say to suicidal physicians?” Great question! For an expanded version of the three things I say to suicidal physicians (applies to anyone who is suicidal), please listen to my podcast here and download MP3 for future reference. There are three simple things I say to a suicidal physician (these strategies apply to anyone who is suicidal). 1) I don’t say anything. I listen without judgement. 2) Then I say, “You are not alone.” 3) Finally, I say, “Call me anytime.” For additional details see her article “What I say to suicidal physicians” and her book, Physician Suicide Letters—Answered. Read blog & comment . . .

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7 shaming words to stop saying now (and a few more) →

In medicine our motto is first do no harm. Words matter. Choose them wisely. Here are 7 words that shame, blame, and injure people who need our help. 1. Don’t say COMMITTED suicide. Committed implies a crime. Committed rape, burglary, murder. Suicide is not a crime; it’s a medical condition that has been taboo for too long. Let’s come out of the dark ages and use proper language to discuss the cause of death. It’s died OF pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, suicide. Say died OF suicide (or died BY suicide). Read blog & comment . . .

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