I see it all around me.
Burnout. To be burnt.
When we simply stop caring.
Most of the time we don’t even need
to say anything. But you know.
You hear it in our voice.
You see it in our eyes.
And you feel it too.
You know what
is going through our
mind with each wayward glance.
Is this what I signed up for?
Is this all this profession has to offer?
Because I have seen the articles.
To prevent physician burnout.
The A-B-C’s.
Changes we must make.
Limiting expectations.
Self-empowerment.
Decreased hours.
Putting us first.
I too used to be desperate.
What is happening to me?
What is happening to my colleagues?
What is happening to medicine?
But then one day, I saw you.
You.
Not you the patient.
You the person.
You’re just
a person.
You are me.
And you are hurting.
And maybe I am too, although
you may never know.
So I thank you for being here.
Not only do I want you to know that
I honor the privilege of being able to
help you, but you should know that
you have in your own way
taken care of me.
And I do care for you.
•
◊ A Physician’s Plea ◊
Categories: Medicine
![When the Broken Becomes Beautiful [a poem]](https://i0.wp.com/healthinspiration.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-photo-3041109.jpeg?fit=1200%2C764&ssl=1&resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
![You Are Stronger Than This Moment [a poem]](https://i0.wp.com/healthinspiration.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/nature-with-clouds-parting-and-flowers.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
![The Liebster Award - A poem [of sorts]](https://i0.wp.com/healthinspiration.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/liebster.jpg?fit=298%2C304&ssl=1&resize=40%2C40){kind=small}
Wow ! The moment you ” bloomed ” ! Great writing and it’s so wonderful that you are so tuned in…
Thank you! 🙂
You write such beautiful and deep poems that they always do not fail to warm my heart 🙂 thank you so much for sharing :))
Aww thank you 🙂 Good luck in medical school! 🙂
I love your poem and I feel that as patients, we can often be clueless about the fact that often our doctors are experiencing burnout! I have a feeling that sometimes my Internist might be. She is a fabulous doctor, but sometimes I feel more rushed than I know I should feel.
On the other hand, my Urologist is a complete Angel! Even the staff at hospitals and other patients I have met of his, EVERYONE that meets him adores him. I have a congenital condition (medullary sponge kidneys, where I have 100s of stones all day every day and they aren’t going to go away), yesterday was my normal exam and the timing couldn’t have been better because I was having some “stone action” My doctor shows me respect that I KNOW my condition because I have been living with it for 20 yrs now (I had it since I was born but it didn’t flare up til I was 40)….and he is ALWAYS, ALWAYS sympathetic and caring. I adore him. He almost makes me wish I would have a flare up (almost!!) because then I get to see him lol!!!! catchatwithcarenandcody
WOW! It makes me so happy to hear this! I am comforted to hear that you feel well taken care of, and I believe that your physician also treasures this rapport he has with you. He sounds like a wonderful person and caregiver. It always warms my heart to hear about people having such good relationships with their physicians. 🙂 🙂
well said.