Episode #78: “A career can look a lot of different ways!” With Drs. Gretchen Rickards & Steve Sabo

Dr. Gretchen Rickards is an internist, former residency program director, and a leadership and transitions coach. Dr. Steve Sabo is a retired ER physician, entrepreneur, and scientific advisory board member building global distribution networks for a proactive wellness company. We speak to some of the things Gretchen and Steve wish they had known earlier in their careers, offering tips to make the journey in medicine more sustainable.We acknowledge the importance of letting go of perfectionism, with Gretchen and Steve sharing their personal experiences.They discuss enmeshment; what happens when your career and personal identities become completely intertwined, and specific examples of where they learned to set boundaries. Steve highlights differences in the challenges of specialties operating in shift work vs. those who must take call.Gretchen emphasizes the power of asking for help, describing the benefits of Vital Worklife and Safe Haven. They offer confidential tools and free resources for healthcare workers. Steve concludes by reflecting, “Your passion may change, and there is nothing wrong with that!”