Imagine a young graduate doctor who has nearly a decade in medical school, surviving endless nights of studying, high-pressure exams, and clinical rotations. She had dreamt of this moment—her first year as a real doctor, helping patients and saving lives. But just a few months into her residency, exhaustion set in. Twelve-hour shifts turned into sixteen. Meals were skipped, sleep was a luxury, and the weight of responsibility felt unbearable. The passion that had once fueled her was now buried under layers of fatigue, paperwork, and stress.
She had always believed that hard work was part of the process. “This is just how it is,” she told herself. “Doctors are supposed to grind through the exhaustion.” But as the weeks dragged on, she started to make small mistakes—missing a lab result, forgetting a patient’s allergy history. The very thing she had worked so hard for was slipping through her fingers. And she wasn’t alone.
The “All Work, No Play” Mentality is Breaking Healthcare Workers
In the medical field, the culture of overwork isn’t just normalized—it’s glorified. Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals are expected to dedicate their lives to their jobs, often at the expense of their own well-being. The pressure to push through exhaustion is seen as a badge of honor, a sign of commitment. But the reality? It’s destroying the very people patients depend on for care.
“Clinicians are being overworked both on and off the frontlines. Their workloads are not just full of taking care of patients, but they also have to spend countless hours doing paperwork. No wonder they are feeling burnt out. They have virtually no break in their shifts to breathe or truly focus on their patients, because they are swamped with administrative tasks. Doctors and nurses have a huge weight on their shoulders and it’s time to take care of them,” says DoorSpace CEO Sarah M. Worthy.
Burnout in healthcare isn’t just common—it’s an epidemic. According to studies, nearly two-thirds of physicians report symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced job satisfaction. When doctors are stretched too thin, it’s not just their mental health that suffers—patients do too.
The Consequences of Burnout
- Poor Patient Care
When physicians are mentally and physically drained, the quality of care declines. Burnout leads to increased medical errors, slower response times, and difficulty maintaining focus. The very people who dedicate their lives to saving others are put in a position where they can’t perform at their best. - Mental Health Struggles
The mental toll of the “grind” culture is staggering. Physicians experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and even suicide compared to the general population. The pressure to “tough it out” keeps many from seeking help, fearing it will make them look weak or incapable. - High Turnover and Staffing Shortages
Many healthcare professionals reach a breaking point and decide to leave the field altogether. The high turnover rate among doctors and nurses leads to staff shortages, which only exacerbates the workload for those who remain. The cycle continues, creating a system where burnout fuels more burnout. - Loss of Passion for Medicine
No one dedicates years of their life to medical training just to feel like a cog in an overworked machine. Many physicians enter medicine out of a deep desire to help people, but the relentless workload erodes that passion. What was once a calling becomes just another exhausting job.
Breaking the Burnout Cycle
The healthcare system cannot afford to ignore burnout any longer. If we want to ensure both the well-being of our physicians and the quality of patient care, changes need to happen at both the institutional and cultural levels.
“Instead of overworking them, it’s important to invest in technology or programs that will give them more time in their days. Why should they be spending hours on paperwork, when technology is advanced enough to do it for them? Just because clinicians are clocked in does not mean they have to do multiple jobs at once,” Worthy says.
The healthcare industry has long prided itself on resilience, but resilience should not mean self-destruction. Physicians don’t spend nearly a decade in medical school just to burn out and provide subpar care. They deserve to work in an environment that values both their expertise and their well-being.
It’s time to move beyond the outdated “grind” mentality and recognize that a rested, supported, and mentally healthy physician is the best kind of physician—for themselves, for their colleagues, and most importantly, for their patients.
