Internet CME Course: MedPEP, the Medical Professionals Empowerment Program (MedPEP) – Episode 3: Self-Care is Not Selfish

Activity ID

2943

Expires

January 23, 2028

Format Type

Internet

CME Credit

1.0

Fee

$0

CME Provider: Massachusetts Medical Society

Description of CME Course

MedPEP, the Medical Professionals Empowerment Program, is a Free podcast series jointly provided by Physician Health Services, Inc. (PHS) and the Massachusetts Medical Society.  PHS is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, well-being and effectiveness of physicians and medical students.

Regulations, technology, organizational complexity, and the explosion of medical knowledge have created a perfect storm for most practicing health professionals. Physician burnout rates now exceed 50%. MedPEP’s star, Dr. Marie Curious, is a young, primary care internist who has started to fantasize about leaving the profession that she loves. On her MedPEP journey, Marie joins Dr. Les Schwab and a group of specialized physicians, coaches, and other experts, who offer a broad range of practical techniques to help her survive and thrive in today’s tough medical environment. The territory they cover includes nutrition, exercise, getting along with difficult colleagues, dealing with bureaucracy and bosses, multi-tasking, system improvement, meditation, and addiction. The MedPEP journey helps Marie, and other health professionals facing similar challenges, gain insight into practical methods for empowering themselves as well as their teams, employers, and the broken system.

After reviewing Marie’s effort to take time for lunch, Dr. Schwab introduces her to Margaret Moore, MBA (a.k.a. Coach Meg), founder of the first health and wellness coaching school in the United States. Coach Meg points out that physicians are trained first and foremost to focus on their patients’ well-being and often feel guilty when they pause to take care of themselves. “We’re not a healthy society, emotionally or physically. And it’s hard to imagine us getting that [patient care] done without the health care workforce also being well.” Coach Meg presents multiple definitions of well-being and delineates the relationship between resilience and positive emotions. Maintaining an upbeat, open-minded, and flexible perspective may counteract the stress encountered during a busy clinic session. Coach Meg talks to Marie about coaching herself during the course of the work day. Short breaks, deep breaths, and glancing at a pleasant image may be helpful. Meg motivates Marie to take a high-level look at herself and her life, and to start re-examining the path forward and its sustainability. Coach Meg and Dr. Schwab inspire Marie to see if she can begin to locate her own personal “off switch” before the next episode.

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