Aug 31, 2022
Nobody’s perfect. Everyone needs to take care of their mental health, including physicians. Perfectionism in medicine can spill over into physicians’ personal finances.
In this episode of the Finance for Physicians Podcast, Daniel Wrenne talks to Dr. Michael Myers about physician perfectionism. Michael is professor of clinical psychiatry at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center and author of eight books covering everything from physician suicide and mental health to physician marriages.
Topics Discussed:
• Tyranny of Perfectionism: Extreme perfection can affect
productivity
• Good Enough: Strive for excellence, but find and accept balanced
portion
• Human Humor: Welcome to medical school, you’re (not) the best and
brightest
• Imposter Syndrome: Message of perfectionism leads to
inferiority
• Survive and Thrive: Perfectionism is expected, to err is
human
• Demographics and Diagnoses: Diverse physician and patient
population
• Signs: Worry too much, stay too late, struggle with competence
and confidence?
• House of Medicine Stigma: Should doctors ask for or need
help?
• Physician Personalities and Psychiatry: Self-resolve or seek help
with triggers
• Money Management: Most physicians are not gifted in
economics/business
• Marriage and Money: Keeping up with the Joneses linked to
perfectionism
• Privilege or Poverty: Physician’s upbringing is pressure to
maintain or do better
• Married to Doctors: Say and do something in a loving manner;
listen and get help
• Co-parenting: Compliment and cut back on child’s activities; time
is not unlimited
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