EP97: Dr. Benjamin Doolittle on the inner life, burnout, and wonder

Dr. Doolittle has a Master's in Divinity as well as an MD, and his research spans hepatitis, HIV, and wellness and burnout. He'll often ask his trainees, "How is your spirit?" It was a pleasure to talk to him about the intersection of medicine and spirituality, the inner life, how it might relate to burnout, insights on how to stave off burnout, and the connection among curiosity, wonder, and love. Dr. Benjamin Doolittle, MaDiv MD is a Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Divinity, the Director of the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, Medical Director of the Faculty-Resident Continuity Clinic, and a Professor of Religion and Health at Yale University. He has special expertise in addition, hepatitis C, HIV, and primary care. His research focuses on the intersection of medicine and spirituality, wellness, and burnout. Dr. Doolittle is an ordained minister and serves at New Haven’s Pilgrim Congregational Church. He is quoted as saying, “The medicine is easy, but everything else is hard,” and, “Faith offers…mystery, wonder, love – which are not illogical, but are not logical either.” More on Dr. Doolittle as well as an article on bio-psycho-social-spiritual training for trainees.