Nature as Teacher: Finding Presence, Purpose, and Renewal in Medicine

Today, we are joined by Dr. James Juarez, an emergency physician, educator, and founder of Oasis Adventures.Dr. James Juarez, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University and founder of Oasis Adventures. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Michigan State University Kalamazoo, then spent 16 years practicing emergency medicine in Southern Oregon before joining faculty and recently relocated to the Pacific Northwest. In this reflective conversation, Dr. Juarez explores how nature, community, and reflective practice have shaped his journey in medicine. Drawing on two decades of annual solo retreats, wilderness medicine teaching, and Oasis Adventures, he describes how nature creates space for honesty, self-awareness, and deep listening.We also cover:Why emergency medicine: the draw toward immediacy and solvable problemsNature as grounding and teacher: from childhood camping to wilderness medicine expeditionsThe universal tension: balancing excellence in medicine with personal relationships and what matters mostOasis Adventures: immersive retreats designed to help physicians slow down, reflect, and reconnect with valuesDeep listening and beginner's mind: what gets in the way and how the practice opens possibilityLearn from Dr. Juarez's integration of emergency medicine, wilderness education, coaching, and depth psychology to understand how nature, intentional retreat, and deep listening restore meaning and flourishing for clinicians.Links:Dr. James Juarez Profile: https://www.ohsu.edu/people/james-juarez-md Dr. James Juarez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-juarez-md-dipph-169163a/ Oasis Adventures: https://www.oasisadventures.com/ Oregon Health Sciences University: https://www.ohsu.edu/ EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:50) Why Medicine: Chosen at Eight(04:00) The Draw to Emergency Medicine(06:25) Nature as Teacher(12:30) Moments of Awe(17:40) Origin of Oasis Adventures(19:30) Coaching and Transformation(25:20) Finding One's Path(27:40) Ingredients of Retreat(29:00) Creating Containers(36:20) Setting vs. Intention(38:00) Beginner's Mind(41:40) What Gets in the Way(44:50) Listen to Understand(47:30) Recently Moved to Pacific Northwest(50:00) Embodied Practices(57:30) Wilderness Practice for All(60:00) Conclusion