Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…
Jeff welcomes to the podcast Dr. Kara Pepper – a practicing primary care internist, certified life coach, and primary care physician for Atlanta Ballet.
Most physicians are aware of the concept of second victim syndrome – the negative experience or emotion that physicians may experience after an adverse event. On top of the experience of second victim syndrome that many physicians are all too aware of, we are trained to ignore these emotions and just keep going, rather than process these emotions as they arise. This can lead to significant emotional issues that can build over time.
What does Kara suggest we do to address second victim syndrome?
- Step 1 – Individuals – Take time and create space for yourself after an adverse event to acknowledge the emotions you’re experiencing.
- Step 2 – Organizations – Provide support and screen for second victim syndrome by asking physicians about their state of mind after an adverse event.
- Step 3 – Where steps 1 and 2 are easier said than done, reach out to a community for ideas or assistance.
Most importantly, PRACTICE these steps with other surgeons!
Guest: Dr. Kara Pepper
Dr. Kara Pepper is a practicing primary care Internist, Certified Life Coach, and primary care physician for Atlanta Ballet. Dr. Pepper helps physicians love the life they worked so hard to create. She specializes in burnout, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome. She provides one-on-one and group coaching and speaks on topics surrounding burnout and physician wellness.