Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this episode, Dr, Sarah Smith interviews Dr. Andrea Austin, an emergency medicine physician, educator, and new program director of a residency program in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Austin shares her journey from an early interest in medicine inspired by a 'Take Our Daughters to Work' day to her current roles in emergency medicine amidst the challenges of COVID and beyond. She discusses her experiences with burnout, the importance of therapy and coaching, and her transformative role in developing curriculum focused on positive changes in healthcare.

Dr. Austin also highlights her recently published book 'Revitalized,' which aims to guide physicians toward a fulfilling career. The conversation covers key factors for change-making in medical institutions, the critical need for supportive leadership, and the shared struggles of global physician burnout.The episode provides valuable insights and strategies for recognizing and dealing with burnout effectively.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Change Makers Need Supportive Organizations: Effective change in healthcare requires both individual qualities (insatiable learning, courage, resilience) and organizational support (funding for education, coaching, just culture, appropriate staffing, and the ability to actually take vacation time).
2. Recovery Requires Time and Space: After experiencing burnout during COVID, Dr. Austin took a part-time remote teaching job that gave her three months to sleep, attend therapy, do coaching, and regulate her nervous system. This pause was essential for her body to "feel human again" and ultimately led to her pursuing a master's degree and starting a residency program.
3. Caring Leadership Makes the Difference: The most critical factor in preventing physician burnout isn't metrics or ROI—it's caring. Leaders who see the big picture, invest in their people, provide meaningful feedback, and create psychologically safe environments enable physicians to thrive and create positive change, rather than just burning out from institutional betrayal.

Meet Dr. Andrea Austin:

Dr. Andrea Austin is the inaugural Emergency Medicine Program Director at Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida. As a Navy veteran, her military service taught her how to perform under pressure and lead teams in high-stakes environments. She brings that same focus to her work in medical education, physician well-being, and healthcare systems change. Dr. Austin is the author of Revitalized: A Guidebook to Following Your Healing Heartline and host of the Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare podcast.

Connect with Dr. Andra Austin:

🌐 Website: https://www.andreaaustinmd.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andreaaustinmd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreaaustinmd/

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