There are many reasons to leave clinical medicine. There are many reasons to stay in clinical medicine.
It can be challenging to know what’s right for you.

Here are 5 reasons to stay (at least for now!).

1. You still enjoy seeing patients (most days).

I often hear physicians say they enjoy taking care of patients, but don’t like “everything else” that goes along with it.

If this is true for you, before you quit, consider how you might troubleshoot the “everything else.”

• If charting is getting you down, ask for help from a charting guru or a colleague who’s doing it well.
• If you want more work-life balance, go part-time, change your practice setting to telemedicine, shift work, Locum Tenens, or a portfolio career.
• If you want more autonomy, start your own private or concierge practice.
• If you’re feeling anxious about productivity or litigation, consider a more supportive practice environment, like a physician-owned practice, or the VA.

2. You’re feeling tired, overworked, and underappreciated.

Many physicians are feeling tired and overwhelmed. If you’re one of them, there’s nothing wrong with you! But you don’t want to make a big career change while you’re feeling this way.

Instead of leaving, consider,

• Give yourself acceptance and compassion, set boundaries, and let go of perfectionism.
• Take a vacation! I recommend at least two weeks.
• Obtain a mental health evaluation if you think you may be burnt out and consider FMLA.
• Go part-time, take a sabbatical, or change practice location.

3. You have significant financial commitments.

If you have significant financial commitments, you will want to be strategic about when you leave and the amount of risk you want to take at this time.

• Take an honest look at your personal finances. If needed, seek professional financial guidance.
• Have at least 6 months of living expenses saved.

Depending on your specialty, your clinical income may be higher than an entry-level non-clinical role. There are exceptions, but if you have significant financial constraints, the timing of transition and the non-clinical field must be carefully considered.

4. You’ve explored other non-clinical options but none of them appeal to you.

You already know this, but it’s worth thinking about again: In general, it’s better to go towards something than away from something. This is particularly relevant when you’re talking about your next job.

Before you leap into something that doesn’t feel like a good fit, consider,

1. Explore your interests, skills, values, and personality preferences. What has changed since you started your clinical career path? Maybe there are new skills you want to learn, or you want to practice medicine differently.

2. Imagine your life in 5 or 10 years. What do you want it to look like? Is patient care part of the vision? If so, what is the ideal clinical day? If patient care is not part of the vision, what is the ideal working day?

If you’re stuck with this exercise, I recommend engaging a therapist or coach to help you discover what you want.

5. You don’t have time to invest in figuring out what’s next and find another job.

It takes time and energy to figure out the non-clinical job you want, then to search and apply for it. It can take 3-18 months (sometimes longer) to transition into a non-clinical role.

If you don’t have time and rush through the process, you might end up in a worse place. In my experience, those who commit time and energy tend to make a decision that’s aligned with where they want to go.

While still in your clinical role, I recommend you create space to prioritize your career exploration. This will allow you to either find a different way to practice, or to leave clinical medicine. Give yourself the time to figure it out.

Last words.

The decision to stay or leave clinical medicine is highly personal. Being strategic and thoughtful in your approach will help you choose wisely.

There is no right or wrong decision, just the one that’s best for you at this time in your life.

You deserve a fulfilling career and life!