Why Medics Matter

Most of us picture high performance as a Formula One pit stop: elite talent, huge resources, everyone flat out. In medicine we've quietly absorbed a version of that, the doctor as superhuman, no lunch, no sleep, just keep going. But what if that model is the very thing burning you out? What if the "high-pressure" environment we're so proud of surviving is actually what stops you performing at all? And what if real high performance starts not with pushing harder, but with admitting you're human first?
In this conversation with Susie Muir, a palliative care consultant and qualified coach joining us from Queensland, we go further than the usual well-being chat. Years at the bedside in palliative care gave her an unusually clear read on what actually matters, and on why the surface-level version of wellness makes doctors roll their eyes instead of feel supported.
We cover:
The superhuman myth, and why seeing yourself as a person who works as a doctor, rather than a doctor every waking hour, is a protective identity and not a weaker one
How elite sport built its performance around sleep, nutrition and mindset coaching, while medicine quietly did the exact opposite
Accommodation instead of work-life balance: building a life around your actual values so more energy comes in than goes out
"Busy but drained," the specific combination Suzy flags as a real warning sign, and where it leads if it's ignored
Limiting assumptions and deep internal beliefs, including the imposter belief that two sessions of EMDR shifted for her
The generational "back in my day" friction, and why connection across grades beats passing the same tired story down the line
This episode is for you if you're good at the job, quietly exhausted by it, and starting to wonder whether the problem is you or the system you're standing in. You'll come away with a different way to define success, and permission to build a career that runs on more than willpower.
Found this useful? Here's what to do next:
💬 Know a colleague who's brilliant at the job but quietly running on empty, telling themselves that's just what medicine takes? Send them this episode.
 📖 Want more of this thinking between episodes? Read the DoctorsTraining blog: https://doctorstraining.com/insights/insights/
🎓 Ready to turn this into real support and skills for you or your team? Book onto a course: https://doctorstraining.com/product-category/individual-booking/
 
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Your inbox is full, you've got reports to write, and you're typing it all one finger at a time. Why Medics Matter, from DoctorsTraining, for time-poor doctors who suspect AI could help but feel behind. Yasmeen Hyatt, an anaesthetics trainee spending her time mastering AI, gives you permission to start small and stay in control: where AI genuinely saves hours, why judgment must always stay yours, and how to use it without ever putting patient data at risk
Support the show: If you found value in this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to Why Medics Matter on your favourite podcast platform!

Why Medics Matter is DoctorsTraining's podcast for doctors who've been told to just "be more resilient." This week, Dr Claire Ashley author of The Burnout Doctor, now published in eight countries, makes the case that resilience has nothing to do with it, and that some of the most capable doctors are the ones who burn out hardest.

She walks through the five stages that lead there, the moment her own denial finally cracked (a panic attack she never saw coming), and what actually helped her recover. If you've ever wondered whether you're "just stressed" or something more, this one's for you.
Support the show: If you found value in this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to Why Medics Matter on your favourite podcast platform!

In this episode, Simon and Amie discuss an often overlooked skill for healthcare professionals, influence and negotiation. 
While technical medical skills are explicitly taught, the art of navigating interpersonal conflict, job planning, and service changes is usually learned the hard way. 
Simon and Amie explore the pitfalls of traditional negotiation and share strategies for principled negotiation, helping you advocate for yourself and your patients while preserving vital workplace relationships.
Support the show: If you found value in this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to Why Medics Matter on your favourite podcast platform!

In this episode of Why Medics Matter, Amie and Simon look further at imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and burnout among medical professionals. 
Together Amie and Simon break down the five classic types of imposter phenomenon, explore how these traits act as modifiable risk factors for  burnout, and discuss why career transitions trigger these feelings the most.
Listen to the full interview with Claire Ashley, Season 2 Episode 11. 

Support the show: If you found value in this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to Why Medics Matter on your favourite podcast platform!