Stories and inspiration from exceptional doctors

Our Doctors


Dr Dani Bachmann is a trainee in anaesthesia, he always had the dream of helping people, which is why he became a doctor. 
“I know it sounds cliché to say but my genuine dream in undertaking medicine was to make an impact in people's lives.” 
His initial plan was to study business, but when he started it he realised that he lacked the “passion.” 
“Medicine is a vocational calling; it is a marriage of science with the art of humanity.” 
He took some time off after school to study personal training and volunteer at charity organisations; building schools, homes, planting vegetable gardens, and doing AIDs education.  
“The ability to help the less fortunate and my fascination with anatomy and physiology started to take shape. From here, I studied exercise physiology but in my final year, placed myself in a hospital setting doing cardiac rehab. I instantly knew this was the work environment I wanted to be in and from that day, my entire journey took shape.”

## **The placement that changed it all: **

Dr Bachmann emailed Jarrod, his Solution Specialist at Medrecruit, to let him know that he had a few days off, just in case there were any last-minute spots that needed filling. A moment later Jarrod called and said there was a hospital with no medic on site who wanted someone to head up as soon as possible.   	
Bachmann was interested in taking on the extra work, but the role was predominantly Rehab and Palliative care, something he had not done in some time. 
“In undertaking a job, my prime concern is always if I have the skillset to safely fill the role and ensure I am the best fit for the job.”
Jarrod got in touch with the hospital, and a moment later they got in touch with Dr Bachmann. 
After talking with the hospital, they were happy with his credentials,  and Dr Bachmann was also comfortable that he had the required skills and abilities to safely and competently perform the required tasks
“I agreed to head up there immediately, offering (thankfully as it happens) to stay for a complete 8 hr shift.” 

## **The Critical observation: **

Dr Bachmann arrived at 11 am, and he was doing a final round when he noticed a patient that showed cause for concern. 
He went into one of the rooms to check on a lovely patient who he’d seen earlier in the day. When he reached the side of the bed the patient looked all but normal, but something gave Bachmann the feeling that all was not right. 
“Immediately on entry to the room, I noticed a small band of diaphoresis just above each eyebrow.”
It was a crisp winter evening so the sweating was concerning.  He asked the patient the usual questions. Do you have a fever? Feel any chest pain? Are you experiencing shortness of breath? Do you have any calf pain?  
The patient answered no to each of his questions, blood sugar levels were normal, and they reported “feeling well.” 
 
“maybe just a little funny” the patient added on an afterthought “but not lightheaded, or dizzy, or nauseous, just something...off”     	
 
Bachmann didn’t know what to make of it, the patient had an otherwise normal examination,  but the diaphoresis to him was inexplicable.  Despite no cardiac symptoms or history,  Dr Bachmann figured that the patient did have enough factors for him to go the extra mile, just to be sure, and to insist on an ECG. 
 
“Given the usual patient load, ECGs are not a common Investigation request and so offered to assist the young nurse place leads. The evening TL however volunteered to give her a hand and about 5 mins later brought me an ECG that confirmed my gut fear.” 

## **Saving a life:**

 Upon receiving the ECG Dr Bachmann immediately noted subtle irregularities in the Lateral leads and instructed the nurses to call for lights and sirens transfer to be booked and the patient to be loaded with Aspirin and Plavix. 
 
The team administered the meds and set about getting the patient and their belongings packed up for the transfer. Then Dr Bachmann realised he was yet to receive permission from the treating Assistant Medical Officer.
 
“I asked for the Cardiology On Call who after explaining the situation and ECG agreed with my assessment and asked me to contact the interventional Cardiologist. Whilst speaking, I obtained his mobile number and texted the ECGs. Explaining the lack of onsite pathology or other medics he was happy to accept care and agreed to activate a CODE STEMI with lights and sirens direct to Cath Lab and bypassing ED.” 
 
On arrival of the ambulance, this information was communicated, and the patient was safely transferred to a tertiary centre for care. A life was saved thanks to Dr Bachmann’s observation, the team of medical staff on-site, and the efficiency of the hospital’s systems. 
 “It was a relief to know that they were getting the optimal care in an appropriate setting.” 
 
Dr Bachmann texted the cardiologist when he arrived home to see how the patient went, and he confirmed that although very atypical of a presentation, Dr Bachmann’s diagnosis had prevented a potentially devastating heart attack.
“It felt great to know the judgment call was the right thing and not only did we save a life but we also managed to educate the nurses on ECGs.”

## **Creating the right environment to save more lives: **

If the environment is right, and the right staff is in the right placement, then more lives can be saved. “I think the most important thing is always to ensure you know the capabilities and limitations of each site and the staff with whom you will be working,” explained Bachmann. 
 
The importance of transparency around things like staffing levels, function and facilities, and environment is paramount, doctors need information so they can make informed career decisions. “Armed with this information, it is then imperative to be self-reflective and consider your own skill sets and whether by undertaking the role, you would be able to safely and adequately care for the patients. The job can be what you make it, but if you feel out of your depth in discussing the patient cohort, the staff capabilities, and the facilities available that should be a red flag for your acceptance.” 
 
The solution is the right amount of transparency and information around hospitals, and Solution Specialists who put the doctor first. This gives doctors the ability to make informed career decisions. 
“We are entrusted by people at their most vulnerable and the responsibility is upon us to ensure we are the best person for the job through continuing education and skill enhancement.” 

## **I will attend to my own health and wellbeing:**

Dr Bachmann says the professions attending to their own health and wellbeing is “paramount.” 
“We are expected to be healers but  “Physician heal thyself” is real. If we do not ensure a good frame of mind, a healthy lifestyle, an educated outlook, we are doing not only ourselves but also our colleagues and our patients a disservice.”
 
Doctors are trained in taking care of others, but the time has come for them to use that training on themselves “We know the benefits of regular exercise, good nutrition, and mental stability. The impact resonates with our careers and the repercussions of failing to acknowledge and adhere to self-care are significant”
 
“Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. Live, laugh, and love”

**Dr Dani Bachmann was placed by Medrecruit Solution Specialist Jarrod Dowling.**



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 Dr Dani Bachmann was on a last-minute placement when he ordered an EGC which saved a patients life 

How a placement saved a life | Medrecruit 

How a Placement Saved A Life 

Articles and tips to help you advance your medical career

Career


 
In 2016 Dr Danielle Dondiego was burnt out and exhausted. 
She was working 80 hour weeks, dealing with the stress and emotions that come alongside experiences on the front line,  and at home, she was dealing with an abusive relationship. 
After losing several colleagues to suicide, Danielle began to ask herself if this was all worth it. 
Fast forward five years and she is working in telemedicine whilst running a successful coaching business, she is a published author, and her bad relationship is a thing of the past. 
 
Dr Danielle DonDiego is a board-certified Family Physician and Obesity Specialist.  She also studied business at Virginia Tech, where she earned an MBA. We caught up with her to get some advice for other doctors looking to advance their careers or change their lifestyles by taking on[ locum](https://medrecruit.medworld.com/articles/how-locuming-can-help-you-choose-your-medical-career-path) shifts. 
 
**1. What are some tips you could give other doctors who want to advance their careers? **
 
Be creative! What you are naturally good at you CAN and SHOULD use in your career. If you see a gap you want to find a solution for, just do it. You don't need permission or another degree in most cases to be bold and start something of your own. 
 
**2. What advice can you offer to doctors working full time on how to manifest and secure their dream job?**
 
My ultimate advice is to create it. However, if creating a job from scratch feels too risky, look for jobs that are exactly what you envision. SteadyMD was that for me. Not many colleagues understood what I was doing when I started working in telemedicine 4 years ago. Could we really doctor online? Was I going to lose my skills? Turns out 2020 showed us the need and gap we could easily fill having been doing this for years already. It's ok to work unconventionally, let go of whatever others may think of you - your happiness is still the number one priority.
 
**3. You mention the importance of creating a positive relationship with money on your website. Are you able to provide some steps doctors can take to achieve this? **
 
Yes! I love discussing money with other doctors, mostly related to mindset. We have a unique situation where most of us graduated with a LOT of debt and feel frantic to pay it off, also want to live our lives, and maybe never had a finance course in our educational past. Maybe our households didn't discuss money in a healthy way either. All of this plays into how we spend, save, and invest. There are a lot of broke doctors living paycheck to paycheck, and this greatly contributes to mental health issues and feeling locked into a job they may not truly feel aligned with. We have to stop making money a taboo topic. 
 
**4. From a medical industry perspective can you provide some tips on how to turn burnout into inspiration in the workplace?**
 
From my experience, our personal story perfectly sets us up for what we are capable of accomplishing and are called to create. Use what you know, what you see, what you've personally experienced. There is no way your experience won't help someone else out there silently going through the same thing. Releasing my story in "Self-Care Rx" was one way I was able to do that. Rejecting the 80-hour work week is another. I radically put myself before anyone else and that has been very taboo in medicine.
 
**5. Can you provide some tips for doctors interviewing for their dream role on how to present themselves and create their brand? **
 
Personal branding is so important! Don't be afraid to discuss your interests outside of the job you are after. I always loved hearing about residency applicants' interests outside of work. Who are they? What do they stand for? Is this someone I want to be on call with for 24 hours? This may be more radical advice, but if you end up at a job where the culture is not welcoming of WHO you actually are, you will be unhappy no matter the salary. So don't hide who you are. Go where you are celebrated, not what you think the world wants to see.
 
**6. Can you provide some tips for doctors on harnessing a mindset for success? **
 
I would first ask them how they personally define success. The world may say one thing, but deep down you may have an entirely different definition. If you aren't happy, external success is really meaningless. I choose to live in an apartment instead of buying the big dream home, because I define my personal success differently than the world sees. I know what I value and what I don't. If you don't know your personal core values, success will be hard to define, so start there. 
 
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Dr Danielle DonDiego is a board-certified Family Physician and Obesity Specialist.  She also studied business at Virginia Tech, where she earned an MBA. We caught up with her to get some advice for other doctors looking to change their career and their life. 

Dr DonDiego 6 tips on creating your dream job | Medrecruit 

6 tips on creating your dream job with Dr Danielle DonDiego

How to take care of your health and wellbeing, so that you can be a better doctor

Doctor Wellbeing 

The medical profession can be a [stressful occupation](https://medrecruit.medworld.com/articles/why-being-a-doctor-is-a-stressful-job). In some cases, this leads to burnout, depression and disillusionment with the job. 

Burnout prevention at an organisational level is important, but this is hard to take on as an individual, particularly if you’re already feeling burnt out. An important first step is to focus on what you can control – and this starts with personal health. Like all health issues, prevention is easier than the cure, which is why burnout prevention is so important. 

## Why is burnout an issue for doctors? 
Doctors face a large number of risk factors for burnout and mental health issues like depression. Studies have found that mental illness rates are disproportionately high among doctors. This is particularly the case among junior doctors, where working long hours in under-staffed environments are the norm. 

Another issue is that doctors tend to be reluctant to seek appropriate medical care. 

## Signs of burnout
According to the Royal College of Australasian Physicians, [signs of burnout](https://medrecruit.medworld.com/articles/the-three-stages-of-doctor-burnout) and depression to look for include: 

•	Emotional exhaustion

•	Cynicism

•	Perceived clinical ineffectiveness

•	Depersonalisation in relationships with patients and/or colleagues 

## Tips to prevent burnout
There are no downsides to prioritising and optimising your own physical and mental health. Healthier doctors make better doctors.

1.	Do not self-treat or self-prescribe. Establish contact with a GP outside of your family and work circles. See your GP when you need to and consider regular health checks.
 
2.	Establish a ‘buffer zone' between work and home. Schedule breaks and holidays and try to maintain your paid hours (this means not starting early and finishing late for every single shift!).

3.	Schedule time for your own needs and make this a priority, not a wish list. Make time for exercise and to prepare healthy meals. Prioritise some time every week to do something you enjoy or find relaxing. 
 
4.	Use your [colleagues for support](https://medrecruit.medworld.com/articles/making-a-difference-to-doctors-wellbeing). Get involved in professional support networks like a mentor programme or peer support network. 

5.	Recognise that your personal and professional life will be affected by work-related stress. Learn to notice the signs of excessive stress and burnout in both yourself and colleagues, and find out what you can do locally to help. Act now, not later.   


Female doctors - preventing doctor burnout 

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Act now, not later. The medical profession can be stressful. Here’s a few simple tips to prevent burnout. 

Tips for doctors to prevent burnout | Medrecruit 

Tips for doctors to prevent burnout

Australia-based emergency medicine registrar Dr Eva Rosenbaum had big plans for 2020.  
 
From hiking and climbing in Australia and New Zealand, to travelling Iceland and Israel and even the opportunity to compete in the infamous Barkley Fall Classic adventure running race… yup, Dr Eva had a bucket-list-busting year planned.  
 
After 12 years as an intensive care paramedic and on reaching PGY4 at the age of 37, she was beginning to lose her passion for medicine. She realised it was the right time to take a break from her emergency medicine registrar job.  
 
“I’ve realised that you just have to stop and take stock a little bit,” she explains, “I was pretty [exhausted](/articles/the-three-stages-of-doctor-burnout) and I thought this was a good opportunity to do something for myself, to not lose passion and go back to training with a whole new approach. 
  
“Medicine is an intense journey at whatever age you do it and there’s positives and negatives to doing it a little bit younger or a little bit older. It consumes more of your life than any other career and I was tempted to be head-down, bum-up and to push through and finish my training as quickly as I could… but we see it every day in our jobs: plans get cut short and you’ve just got to have balance.  
 
“I love this career and I’ve met some incredible people but at the same time – you’ve got to live!”  
 
## She quit her emergency medicine job  
Dr Eva decided to spend all of 2020 exploring, adventuring and ticking things off her bucket list that she’d never had the opportunity to do before. She quit her emergency medicine registrar job, but still needed some sort of financial security and didn’t want to completely step out of medicine – it had been such a big part of her life. [Locuming](/articles/why-i-love-locuming-dr-lesina-nakhid-schuster) was the obvious answer; it offered good renumeration, the opportunity to learn and travel, and enabled her to have the flexibility she needed to go on crazy adventures.  
 
“I think I resigned from my job before I actually had a proper plan. Medrecruit enabled me to quit my job and put my finances in the hands of the gods for a year. I talked to Renae (who has been amazing throughout this whole thing), and I said: listen, I have just quit my job… what are my options? Can I just locum for a year? How does that work?”  
 
## The bucket-list-busting plan 
Working with recruitment specialist Renae, Dr Eva began planning out her bucket-list-busting year. She took on emergency medicine locum jobs and managed to squeeze in a trip to Aoraki Mount Cook, in New Zealand.  
 
“It was epic, the plans we had were epic! Every six weeks I’d be flying out of the country and then come back to do work that Renae had organised. {…} I remember sitting at the top [of a mountain] and we were right in front of Mount Cook and the sun was setting and I couldn’t believe that this was the start of my year… but, we got six weeks in and cue the global pandemic…”  
 
## Thanks, Covid-19 
Ultimately, [the pandemic](/articles/moving-to-new-zealand-after-covid-19) spelled the end of Dr Eva’s plans for 2020. Apart from the fact that international travel was off the cards, the healthcare response needed reminded Eva how important medicine was to her life:  
 
“Covid made me realise that medicine is part of my DNA. It’s what I do. It’s who I am. But to know that I can take a breath and take off for a period of time… I can’t describe how valuable that is.”  
 
Though Dr Eva’s adventure plans don’t stray too far from Sydney right now, her fling with locuming and adventure have renewed her passion for medicine. Knowing that “head-down bum-up” isn’t the only option helps her tackle the day-to-day.  
 
2020 wasn’t the bucket-list year she planned, but Dr Eva’s passion for medicine and adventure still inspires us. You can keep up with her latest escapades on her blog –  
[evasadventures.blog](https://evasadventures.blog[text](link)) or on Instagram [@eva.rosenbaum1](https://www.instagram.com/eva.rosenbaum1/).  
 
 

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Losing her passion for medicine, Dr Eva set out to find adventure and a new zest for life. Epic plans were afoot, until Covid reared its ugly head.  


Covid-19 bust my bucket list - Dr Eva's story | Medrecruit

Thanks, Covid-19. What happens when the bucket list goes bust...

Burnout caused by the stresses of a doctor’s job is sadly common. Psychological stress, especially within the medical profession, has been investigated regularly since the early 80s. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), burnout can be viewed as a process with different stages. Typically, stress at work leads to physical/emotional exhaustion, followed by depersonalisation and a cynical attitude towards the job.  
 
The burnout process often ends with an aversion to everything, feelings of despair and guilt. However, burnout stages may develop sequentially too, and may be a result of high demands and low resources – something we all know is common in a doctor’s daily work.  
  
## Physical and Emotional Exhaustion 
The first thing that someone heading in the direction of burnout will suffer from is physical and emotional exhaustion from high levels of stress, job expectations and workloads. The environment and resources of an institution also affect emotional exhaustion. Relationships, interactions, and decision-making have also been shown to affect stress in numerous ways. The person suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion will just have nothing left to give after getting home from work, which leads onto not having anything to give at work. This can become dangerous fast, especially within doctor jobs. All in all, the emotional exhaustion aspect to burnout is very important and can be addressed through philosophy, attitude, passion, personality, and emotions from an individual and [institutional perspective](/articles/making-a-difference-to-doctors-wellbeing). 
  
## Depersonalisation 
The second part of burnout is depersonalization. This is the “psychological withdrawal from relationships and the development of a negative, cynical, and callous attitude”. People in doctors jobs are facing depersonalization and withdrawal, which is characterized by individuals pulling away, isolating them selves, feeling a diminished sense of accomplishment and considering a departure from medicine altogether. General awareness of the mind, body, and environment can increase the ability to assess a situation, which can affect stress and help address depersonalisation. 
  
## Helplessness / Existential Crisis 
At this stage, people in doctor jobs start to question what they’re doing in medicine and start to lose that original sense of accomplishment that they would have had earlier on in their career. This is the stage that doctors start to wonder if this is actually the profession for them, they have lost all the meaning and passion that is required to thrive in such a high-stress environment. This is when physicians often consider leaving medicine altogether. 
  
  
The difference between working in a high-stress environment and burnout is that there is a loss of joy, meaning and a loss of commitment. Burnout is a multifaceted phenomenon, it includes work, home, personality, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a lack of [personal accomplishment](/articles/the-exceptional-story-of-dr-sam-prince) that affects the physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing of physicians in doctor jobs. 
 
If a person holds a more flexible and reflective attitude and understanding of the meaning of life, the less likely they will be to experience stress and burnout from emotional exhaustion. Addressing how you feel at work and at home is an important first step.  
  
Are you at risk of burning out? Simply assessing the way you feel about your job and experiences can be a reality check. This [self-assessment tool](https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm) is a really good way to see where you’re standing in relation to potential burnout. 
 
 

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Burnout, caused by the stresses of a doctor’s job, is sadly common. Do you recognise these three burnout signs?

The three stages of doctor burnout | Medrecruit

The three stages of doctor burnout

A doctor’s job does not have to be stressful; it should be a rewarding and fulfilling career. So why are so many doctors reporting high levels of stress and burnout – and what can we do about it?  
 
I believe that any doctor can be exceptional and live an exceptional life, and as doctors when we do that we practice better medicine. It’s a privilege to have the knowledge and skills to help people and make a significant difference in their lives. That’s why many of us became doctors – we thrive on making a difference.   
  
But the reality is, most of us aren’t thriving. An American study of over 2,000 physicians demonstrated that 87% of doctors are stressed beyond levels that are productive. A recent study in New Zealand showed that over 50% of doctors are right now experiencing [symptoms of burnout](/articles/the-three-stages-of-doctor-burnout) and over half would not choose medicine as a career again. 
  
There are countless studies to support this. 
  
We are in a crisis. 
  
But that’s not even the worst of it. 
  
## Stress harms us – and our patients  
Studies show that stress causes depersonalisation, emotional disconnection with our patients, and depersonalisation leads to increases in major medical errors. 
  
Despite ‘First, Do No Harm’ underpinning who we are as doctors, the way we are being as doctors is harming our patients. 
  
[Medrecruit](/about-us) is not like other medical recruitment agencies. We’re not just about finding doctor jobs; we also want to improve the profession and the lives of doctors as we know this has a wider impact on our communities. In 2017, I successfully got the World Medical Association to include the need for doctors to prioritise their own health and wellbeing in the Declaration of Geneva, the Physician’s Oath. 
  
But it’s one thing to know it’s important and another to know how to make it work amidst the rigours of the vocation that is being a doctor. 
  
I’ve created an evidence-based wellbeing seminar specifically for doctors called [Whole Life Health.](https://www.medworld.com/together) In it, I help doctors master the five core determinants of health: mind, body, career, financial and social. Here’s an excerpt from the seminar to help you get started on your road to better wellbeing:  
 
## How to make your job as a doctor less stressful 
  
We all have wants and desires in these areas, but that’s not enough. 
  
There are two ways to live your life. The two ways have just one difference in how you show up, but the outcomes are worlds apart: 
 
- Dabbling 
- Mastery 
  
Whenever you start something new, you improve. This is the same for the Dabbler and the Master. But after a while you reach a plateau where progress slows, and sometimes even stops. This is where the Dabbler and the Master show up differently. 
 
The Dabbler loses heart, gives up, and looks for the next ‘magic bullet’: the ‘get rich quick’ and ‘2-minute abs’ solutions. They start again on something new and repeat the cycle, continually giving up and starting again. 
  
The life and career of the Dabbler is a sad one, because there is no measureable improvement. As a doctor, they flit from job to job, they flit from fad diet to fad exercises, and never create any level of real success, they are always looking for the easy answer, which they never find because there isn’t one. 
  
When things get difficult the Master doesn’t lose heart. The Master understands that this is to be expected. They knuckle down, they work harder, they find a coach, they develop a new skill set, they persist until they break through the plateau and get on the next growth trajectory. 
  
They then grow until they reach the next plateau. Once again, instead of giving up they say, “To be expected” and dig in to find the next breakthrough. 
  
## Be a Master, not a Dabbler 
Instead of trying a new fad repeatedly, the Master actually masters the core areas of their life and job. There is a compounding effect of living a life of Mastery and when the Master is in the later years of their lives they have significantly improved from when they were younger. They experience a life of growth and progress, and progress leads to happiness. 
  
Mastery is rare, and it is the price that must be paid for sustainable success and fulfilment; successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do. Masters:  
 
Identify a paradigm shift that is fundamental to mastering their own wellbeing 
Use evidence-based framework identify changes they need to make, then to implement them consistently 
Connect with themselves and re-identify why they became a doctor in the first place  
  
Mastery requires both the desire and the skills, it’s a marathon not a sprint, so it also requires a framework to create consistency. This will not only improve how you operate as a doctor, but improve your whole lifestyle, social life and relationships. 
 
You invested so many years to professionally become the person you are, invest a fraction of that time to master the skills to really thrive in the life you have chosen as a doctor. 
  
### Together, we can make medicine better.  

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Being a doctor doesn’t have to be a stressful job. I believe it can be a rewarding and fulfilling career. Here’s how. 

Why being a doctor is a stressful job | Medrecruit 

Why being a doctor is a stressful job

Inspiration and information about moving to Australia or New Zealand as a doctor 

Moving to Australia or New Zealand

Moving to AU/NZ

Medrecruit news, events, and other important things happening in the medical world 

News and Events