Kendra: I'm Kendra, and today we are so excited because you'll get to meet one of our beloved clients, Dr. Robin Hitchcock. She's an amazing emergency physician with expertise in palliative care. Like many of us, she has struggled because of things outside of our control. She does work in medicine, after all.
She's here to share the unique way she was able to process a particularly bad experience. We loved it, so we wanted to have her on so she could share that with you. Welcome to the show, Dr. Hitchcock.
Dr. Hitchcock: Thank you. Thank you, and thank you for taking time to meet with me. I'm really honored.
Kendra: Robin, tell our audience a little bit about you, your medical training, and anything else you think they would want to know. Don't forget to tell them about the award you just won. That's something to be super proud of because I think you're underplaying it. You're a pioneer in this field. People don't talk about rural or community, certainly don't want to work there, and certainly don't want to advocate for what you're doing. Thank you so much. You are paving the way. Typically, you would see locums work in these rural or community EDs, but the majority of us are community ED people. We're not in the big academic centers or able to teach residents. So thank you for that work.
We knew you first as a client, and then you signed up for our physician wellness course and coaching. Tell us about that. What drew you to that, and how did you get signed up?
Dr. Hitchcock: That's incredible. I love how you said change was coming. You felt something, and I think that's going to speak to a lot of our listeners. You get that unsettled feeling. We talk about people not recognizing their burnout, but I think it starts with that unsettling feeling. Just knowing you're in a place you've never been before. How did I get there? It seems insidious. We talk about the lobster a lot. It's time for growth. It's time for change. This shell has to come off, and we need to grow into a different space. I love how you put that.
Kendra: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience in our program? What were some of the takeaways that helped you the most?
Dr. Hitchcock: I'm so excited for you. We made that goal because you were completely clear that it was time, right? We coach doctors in all specialties, and we don't always see the burnout creeping up on us. Sometimes it hits us like running into a brick wall, and we didn't even see it coming. You were so smart to get out ahead of it and recognize the effect it was having on your body, mind, and life. It was brave to figure something else out, especially after 32 years of emergency medicine. It's a huge part of your identity. I'm so excited to see what this next part does.
Kendra: How has life after Wellness 911 compared to before?
Dr. Hitchcock: One of the points we make to clients is that you're not abandoning your patients. If you're not around to take care of them because you're sick or dead, you're not going to be there for anyone. You have to pay attention to your own well-being first so you can be present for the people who need you, whether they be your patients or your family.
Kendra: You were an emergency doc for 32 years. Some people might think, "What, you don't get to move on after 32 years?" It's funny, the stories we tell ourselves. Of course, you get to move on. Sometimes phases in your life are complete. It's not that you're abandoning anything. Why aren't we allowed to do other things when it's clear that's what the next step is? You did the job. You completed it.
Kendra: At one point, you had an awful experience, but you were able to process it in a creative way. Will you tell us about that and how what you did helped?
Dr. Hitchcock: I wrote a song. Writing a song is so much more creative and cathartic than my previous go-to, which was watching Real Housewives and drinking wine after consuming Taco Bell. This is how you do it, people. I wonder if you would be willing to share your song with us and the listeners.
Dr. Hitchcock: Sure.
[Dr. Hitchcock performs her song]
Kendra: Wow! Oh my goodness! You are so good! I cannot believe you've been playing less than two years! It's so beautiful. You have perfectly captured what I have felt many times. I know other people listening have felt the same too. That's how you do it. That is so much more beautiful than Real Housewives.
Kendra: If anyone wanted to get in touch with you, maybe to have you try out on The Voice, what is the best way to do that?
Dr. Hitchcock: stethescopesuitcasemd.wordpress.com
Kendra: Are there any closing thoughts before we end this podcast?
Laura: I think you have opened the door for a whole new genre of musicβmedical angst. Love it.
Kendra: Thank you so much, Robin, for coming and being on our podcast and sharing that beautiful piece of work and your journey. We are honored to have come alongside you and see the purpose in your pain. You are moving on, flying high, and doing great things. Thank you for honoring us today with your time and journey. I know it will inspire many of our listeners.
It was a privilege.
