Every Doctor Faces This Dilemma Daily — No One Talks About It

As a Doctor, we often have to make decisions that considers all 4 of the following criteria.

1. It’s pragmatic and workable in the real world with all the limitations of the real world.

2. It makes logical sense and correct factually and evidence based.

3. It makes patients happy.

4. It makes you happy and helps you to sleep at night.

The problem is, when we can’t find the intersection of all 4 domains, we often neglect/suppress 1,2 tor 3 of the criteria leading to long term issues.

If we neglect No4, we risk burnout.
If we neglect No3, we risk complaints, loss of therapeutic relationship, and increased risk of being sued perhaps. 
If we neglect No2, we risk not following evidence based and good guidelines.
If we neglect No1, we risk inaction and being impractical.

We all have our blindspots and depending on which blindspots, dictates which problems we are likely to face. Some are good with the thinking stuff (No1+2). Some are good with the feeling stuff (No3+4).

Part of good self care require good self awareness and self understanding.

I wonder if you can work out what your blindspots are by reversing engineer your recurring troubles.