Under pressure: How to stay afloat when the world is on fire
Emergency physicians are the Navy SEALs of healthcare—minus the wetsuits, but with just as much adrenaline and arguably worse coffee. In today’s healthcare climate, where crises are everywhere, the pressure is real—and relentless. If you’re feeling it, you’re not alone. But surviving, even thriving, is possible with the right strategies.
At work, remember the positives. Yes, the chaos is omnipresent, but so are the golden moments. The colleague who makes you laugh during sign-over. The grateful family member who catches your eye and whispers a heartfelt “thank you.” The quiet pride of nailing a tough diagnosis or catching something subtle that changed a patient’s outcome. These are not small things—they are ballast. They remind us why we chose this path in the first place. Medicine, after all, is a privilege wrapped in scrubs.
At home, build your fortress. Foster a circle of friends and family you can be real with—your “failure friends,” the ones you can call after a shift and say, “Today was rough”. Prioritize your physical health—not as an aspirational wellness poster, but as a survival necessity. Eat decent food. Move your body. Sleep like it’s your job (because, frankly, it is). And for heaven’s sake, play. Laugh. Watch ridiculous movies. Learn to make sushi. Pick up the guitar. Whatever lights your spark, make space for it. Joy is not optional—it’s fuel.
And for both worlds, master stress management. Not just “try yoga once” or “breathe when you remember.” I mean really learn how to metabolize stress like it’s your side hustle. Read about it. Practice it. Embody it. These skills aren’t fluff—they’re armor. The better you get at managing stress, the longer you’ll last in this deeply meaningful, sometimes soul-bruising profession.
In the end, emergency medicine will always be intense. But with the right mindset, tools, and tribe, you can navigate it not just with resilience—but with grace, humor, and even joy. And if all else fails… remember there’s always snacks in the nurses’ fridge. Probably.
#stress #burnout #wellbeing #resilience #emergencymedicine #thriving