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Episode 171: Stop Saying Yes to Everything. Finding Purpose and Sustainability in Medicine with Dr. Santina Wheat

Are you saying yes to everything and wondering why you have no joy left? Dr. Santina Wheat, family physician, program director, and wellness coach, has lived that story and found her way through it. She shares what she has learned about alignment, boundaries, and how to build a sustainable career in medicine without leaving it behind.

 

Timestamps:

  1. 2:00: The reality of family medicine: double bookings, no lunch, and being told you are not bringing in enough money

  2. 4:00: How she protects her team from unsustainable scheduling and why saying no for them matters

  3. 7:00: The pause: why reacting too quickly is one of the biggest drivers of burnout

  4. 13:00: Losing her mom, surviving COVID as a first year program director, and finally finding coaching

  5. 17:00: The one misconception that sent her into burnout: thinking availability meant immediate response

  6. 22:00: How coaching changed the way she has difficult conversations with residents

 

3 Key Takeaways:

  1. Saying Yes to Everything Is Not How You Get Ahead. Earlier in her career Dr. Wheat thought taking every opportunity was the path forward. What it actually did was fill her calendar with things she didn't enjoy and drain the joy from her career. Alignment, not busyness, is what creates sustainability. The question to ask yourself: what did the younger version of you actually want to do with this career?

  2. Availability Does Not Mean Immediate Response. One of the biggest lessons Dr. Wheat learned from coaching was that she didn't have to answer every message the moment it arrived. Sometimes waiting two minutes meant someone else handled it. Sometimes the person figured it out themselves. Being responsive and being reactive are two very different things.

  3. The Pause Is Everything. Whether it is a difficult conversation with a resident, a request to take on a new role, or a message that arrives at 10pm, the pause is the single most powerful tool available to any clinician. When you stop and ask how you actually want to respond rather than just reacting, the joy becomes so much easier to find.

 

About Dr. Santina Wheat Dr. Santina Wheat is a family physician, program director, and wellness coach helping driven healthcare professionals find purpose, set boundaries, and build sustainable careers in medicine.

 

Connect with Dr. Santina Wheat:

  1. 🌐 santinawheat.com

  2. 💼 LinkedIn: Santina Wheat

  3. 📸 Instagram: @DrTinaWheat

 

Would you like to view a transcript of this episode?  Click Here

 

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