I’ve spent my entire career in medicine going against the grain, following the things I’m interested in and curious about rather than trying to be the kind of doctor I thought I “should” be. I have watched friends and colleagues focus on academia, composure, endless giving, and self sacrifice and I have been there to pick up the pieces when they have burnt out.

At times people have questioned my dedication and even my morals because I have refused to follow the crowd into self neglect, but it is this intentional strategy of deep self care that has got me where I am today.

I’ve travelled through emergency medicine, obstetrics, general practice, and eventually palliative care searching for a place in healthcare that felt both meaningful and sustainable. Along the way, I wrestled with self-doubt and the unspoken belief that being a “good doctor” meant sacrificing myself in service of others.

What I have discovered along this journey is something I now consider my life’s work…