128 | Dr. Brian | When the Dopamine Fades: Staying Driven in Emergency Medicine

Has been an attending physician since 2019

Brian volunteered when he was a teenager in the ER and the staff that got him involved really drew him toward emergency medicine in med school

Brian worked in the ED as an EMT as well

He talks about early mentors and the impact they have, including helping him get loans for medical school

We need to remember to be like that mentor that encouraged us when we were new and pay it forward to the next generation of students

You must have something that drives you in emergency medicine, it is a difficult specialty. At first the dopamine drive from the excitement can carry you a ways but it will fade over time

Brian talks about how faith led him to where he is now

We talk about the fulfillment of just having good conversations with patients and making sure they feel cared for and understood

Brian talks about recognizing burnout, it’s a “general sense of not being whole” like something has been taken from you

He talks about the golden handcuffs of being a physician

Brian talks about how he overcomes exhaustion and burnout

Cold plunging - forces you to be in the moment, control you heart rate and breathing

 Choosing hard things makes those hard things that are forced on you easier

Living in the moment is largely equated with happiness, the more you can do this the more you can be happy. Meditation and many other therapies are simply teaching you to keep your mind in the moment

A wandering mind is an unhappy mind

Prayer is another method for focusing your mind

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Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn’t represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions. This is not medical advice. If you have personal health concerns, please seek professional care.

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