There was a period — not too distant — when I dreaded the beginning of each workweek. I had devoted years to studying, training, and sacrificing sleep, time with loved ones, and even my health to become a physician. I held strong beliefs in the value of primary care and the significance of relationships with my patients. Yet, somewhere along the line, the dream began to slip away. I wasn’t discontent due to the patients. On the contrary — they were the highlight of my day. What wore me down was the endless checklist: the 15–20-minute visit expectations, the stack of notes awaiting me after hours, the labs and tests to review, the coding confusion, the pressure to fit more into each day. I was drained, perpetually behind, and gradually observing my passion extinguish.

Then, like many of you, I posed the daunting question: Is this sustainable? The notion of stepping away from medicine felt like a betrayal. However, remaining in a system that offered no space for joy or rest felt even worse. A change was imperative.

**The turning point**

I began with small steps. I meticulously tracked my time. I noted patterns: Which visits extended too long? Where was I losing time? What left me feeling energized versus drained? Then I examined something most doctors shy away from: my revenue per visit. Not due to a desire for money, but rather a realization that time and money were intertwined — and I was losing both.

I recognized I wasn’t merely a physician — I was also managing a practice. Whether I liked it or not, I was the CEO of my own day. That change in perspective was pivotal. I ceased trying to do more. I started to work smarter. I refined my visit flow, simplified documentation, and clarified my value. I learned how to communicate with patients in a manner that fostered loyalty and trust without consuming more time.

Before long, I was working fewer days — yet my income was increasing. I was finally enjoying evenings with my family, taking genuine days off, and waking up enthused for clinic days once more. Now I work just 3 days a week, seeing patients every 30 minutes and earning a substantial income. I am truly pleased to have accomplished this.

**Why I’m sharing this**

I’m sharing this not because I possess all the answers, but because I understand the feeling of being trapped. To cherish medicine yet resent the confines it exists within. To wish for a way out — but not intend to leave. If that resonates with you, I want you to recognize:

There is a path to thriving in primary care. You don’t need to choose between purpose and tranquility. You don’t have to accept burnout simply because it has become “normal.” You can craft a version of your practice that suits you. You can become the provider patients admire and trust. You can reclaim time, energy, and joy — without compromising income. It begins with granting yourself permission to envision what your life could be.

**What I learned along the way**

Here are several truths I discovered through experience:

**Time is currency.** Safeguard it. Learn how to optimize each visit so you don’t have to overcrowd your schedule just to stay afloat.

**Patients seek connection, not perfection.** When you foster trust and show up completely — even in a brief visit — you become invaluable.

**Agreeing to everything is denying yourself.** Boundaries are not selfish. They’re crucial for staying in medicine long enough to create a lasting impact.

**You are more than a CPT code.** Your experience, empathy, and wisdom are immensely valuable. Don’t allow a flawed system to make you forget that.

**A message to my colleagues**

If you’re reading this feeling exhausted — deeply exhausted — I recognize you. If you’re questioning whether it’s feasible to be both an exceptional provider and a fulfilled individual, I assure you: It is. You don’t need to alter who you are. You just need new tools, fresh strategies, and a belief that you deserve more.

This journey isn’t about abandoning medicine. It’s about reclaiming it — on your own terms. You entered this profession to heal others. Don’t overlook the need to heal yourself as well. From burnout to balance, from survival to success — it’s all achievable. And it commences with a choice: You are not here to burn out. You are here to rise.

*Jerina Gani graduated with high honors from medical school in Albania, Europe, in 1992. She subsequently earned a Master of Science degree in Health Services Management from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. In 1995, she moved to the United States and completed her residency training in internal medicine in Brooklyn, New York. Since then, she has worked as a primary care physician in Boston, Massachusetts. With decades of experience in*