Despite being a particularly eventful year for medicine, 2015 saw clear themes emerge that the physician community kept coming back to. We’ve distilled the top five topics you should know and the most important highlights from the year for each one.
No. 1: Physician burnout
Burnout topped physician issues this year, with the dreaded phenomenon becoming all too common as burdensome regulations and the mounting pressures of practice put many physicians in survival mode. Learn more about the scope of the problem, the tell-tale signs you should never ignore and solutions for physicians, residents and students.
No. 2: Specialty choice
From selecting a specialty as a student and applying to sub-specialty fellowships as a resident to evaluating life within a specialty as a practicing physician, specialty choice has been top of mind this year. Find out what physicians are saying about their specialties, which fields are attracting the most fellowship applicants and key things students need to consider.
No. 3: Putting patients first
The physician-patient relationship is a sacred bond, but how is it maintained amidst changes in the culture and practice environment? In the face of new challenges this year, physicians stated loud and clear that patients remain their top priority. Read about some of the ways physicians stood up for patients and advanced their medical care this year.
No. 4: Thriving outside the office
In medicine, leisure time barely exists, and physicians have to learn to juggle their personal lives with long hours in the office. How do busy physicians maintain a work-life balance? Learn what physicians had to say about their personal lives and gain some practical tips.
No. 5: Dealing with electronic health records (EHR)
Burdensome regulations and technology have led physicians to spend considerable time struggling with their EHRs. Fortunately, policymakers and health IT developers are starting to take note. See how this issue evolved over the past year and where things stand moving into 2016.
