And to think

This past week has been filled with lots of OR time for gynecological surgeries; operations that I had gladly said goodbye to in exchange for a chance at a better balance between work and life.

I know that I've said this before, and it may become annoying to hear it again, but it still amazes me to think that I am able to return to performing surgeries that I trained hard to learn and that I enjoyed doing while having an even better satisfaction in my work than I did as an OBGYN hospitalist in the US.

I don't know if my non medical friends and readers will understand the significance of this but this is profound.

I have loved science and medicine my entire conscious life, declaring that I would be a doctor at the age of 3, but so much along the way had sapped joy from the profession.

To think that I was willing to give up the opportunity to perform a large portion of my surgical repertoire so that I could enjoy being an Obstetrician Gynecologist again is a sad statement about the factors that are causing many of my friends and colleagues to do the same; factors that have nothing to do with the art of medicine and our love for humanity at all.

At 40 years old I am grateful to God that I was given the chance to reclaim my joy and wonder before cynicism and burnout truly set in. I can now look forward to working and connecting with the women I serve for another 20 years.

Being a surgeon is hard, humbling, exciting, rewarding work. No physician should have to choose indefinitely between their personal happiness and fulfillment and being a good doctor. That was a false choice that capitalism made for us.

How a society treats those who care for others shows how that society values everyone.