Is it okay for a doctor to decide that medicine is not the nucleus of their life?

In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we sit down with Dr. Hloni Bookholane, senior associate at the Boston Consulting Group and author of Becoming a Doctor: Learnings and unlearnings about life and the politics of medicine, to discuss his decision to walk away from clinical medicine shortly after completing his community service - a choice he likens to a difficult but necessary breakup.

We explore the transformative moments that defined his relationship to the profession and reflect on the complexity of navigating rigid medical hierarchies, making career pivots and redefining what it means to be a doctor.

We also challenge the deeply ingrained belief that leaving clinical practice is a ‘waste,’ reframing it as an act of self-determination that may signal a need for a paradigmatic shift in how we construct the doctor identity instead.

Whether you’re a medical educator, a student contemplating a medical career, or a clinician questioning your own career path, join us for a candid and thoughtful conversation about the culture of medicine and the courage it takes to carve out a personal identity beyond the hospital walls.

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Credits:
Hosted by Dr Maria Christodoulou
Produced and edited by Amy Kaye

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