Four physicians and one certified registered nurse anesthetist joined Becker's to discuss the hardest choices they have had to make in their careers.
Question: What is the hardest choice you've had to make in your career?
Editor's note: These responses were edited lightly for brevity and clarity.
Harold Davis, MD. OB-GYN at Physicians Health Alliance (Scranton, Pa.): Giving up obstetrics.
Marsha Haley, MD. Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh: The hardest choice I had to personally make was where to specialize and where to work. Medicine offers so many opportunities that it can be difficult for a medical student to narrow down the areas where he or she can make the most impact. Even after the decision, unexpected difficulties can hamper a physician's career path, such as a residency program closing or payment cuts making it difficult to run a practice. In addition to deciding upon a career path, medical students today must be aware of the business and governmental side of medicine and how that can affect their career pathway.
Maria Hirsch, CRNA. Director of Anesthesia Services at Carilion Professional Services (Roanoke, Va.). As a CRNA, my hardest choice has been to know when to stop life support measures during a code, particularly in a trauma case. Fortunately, I am always part of the team, so it helped to have others also agree that the resuscitation attempt was no longer appropriate. There are always the "what ifs" that swirl around afterwards.
Joan Richardson, MD. Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston): The hardest choice I have had to make as a physician is anytime I have to withdraw life-sustaining care from a patient whose condition is irreversibly terminal with no hope for survival.
David Robbins, MD. Gastroenterologist at Northwell Health (New York City): I think that is yet to come … when to retire, and how to keep a grip on the sense of purpose that came with the career.