1. Narrow and deep — Follows a specific interest (typical of professors);

2. Linear — Wants to rise through management hierarchy (medical directors);

3. Spiral — Tends to broaden a sphere of influence (policymakers, advocates); and

4. Transitory — Needs to change environments regularly (consultants, entrepreneurs).

Which are you? Maybe you’re a composite. That’s fine, too — it just means you’re an individual, so celebrate that. In any event, understanding your type can help clarify your own desires. Hopefully, that can help you develop a model for your career that’s based on your true needs, even if it means following an unconventional path.

Determine a practice style that works for you. Only you will truly know what you can handle. Determine what that is, and stick to it. And there’s no need to be Superman or Wonder Woman. Say “no” when demands compromise your plan. Wible tried five or six different practices before striking out on her own. “They all had their own dysfunctions. It became clear to me I had to create my own solution,” she says.

Haley’s burnout flashpoint last year made him realize he needed to jettison the stress of doing obstetrics. “I really wanted to get back to giving women the care they want and I know they were missing,” he says. “I’ve been open about nine months. The joy of running a practice has returned.”

Through his transition, Haley learned that, for him, nurturing his spiritual self provided a great deal of comfort. “I just trust God and put it in his hands,” he says. “That’s how I practice.”

Renew yourself daily. If you’re running on fumes halfway through the day, how can you give your patients what they need? Take a few minutes to recenter yourself, as often as you need it, in a way that works for you. Meditate. Eat something. Breathe deeply. Whatever. Just do it. Yes, there’s paperwork to complete and phone calls to return, and patients to see, but if you don’t screw your brain back on straight, you’ll just waste time trying to work while hobbled.

Support others. One of the best ways to ensure you’re not alone in the world is to reach out to others. Get involved with a physician support group, or start your own, even if it’s with just one friend or associate. Ask for and give clear, honest feedback. Remember, within every criticism lies a greater truth. Consider what is being said to you before reacting emotionally. What can you learn from it? “We don’t always have to put on the façade that we’re perfect,” says Pfifferling.

Can you recover?

Absolutely. Wible’s story bears testament. In 2005 her world spiraled into what could’ve been inspiration for a country music ballad: “I went into this huge depression. I was in bed for about two months after I left my last job. Then my dog died. I was in a very negative place.”

Wible felt better after dragging herself to a self-help seminar, where “just one weekend of being in a supportive atmosphere was able to turn the tide of being in 12 years of an abusive one.”

A few weeks later she decided to open a different kind of clinic, one she says gathers the community together and that better reflects her values and work style. Everything fell into place. “It was all so effortless,” she says. Haley’s practice model remained the same, but pared down the scope to what he really wanted. Bauer says he will be investigating alternative therapies, overhauling his philosophies on food, supplements, and such.

“Some can grin and bear it and turn [practicing medicine] into a scheme, but it really erodes our humanity. And I don’t think that’s in alignment with anyone’s value system. When someone thinks and lives within their values, it all works. When you’re out of alignment, that’s when the burnout happens,” says Wible. Do what works for you, she says, because “really, this is a sacred honor to be able to practice.”