Working in certain professions — religion, medicine, and the law come to mind — is more likely to be associated with the idea of a calling than others. (We don’t commonly think of plumbers, office managers, or salespeople as being “called” to their work.) But while definitions of a “calling” vary, authors of a recent survey of more than 1200 physicians and advanced care providers defined a calling as “a commitment to work that is personally meaningful and serves a prosocial purpose.”
The survey, conducted by Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com, found that 90% of physicians described medicine as a calling at the onset of their careers. Half found that sense of calling weakened over time.
Did you still feel “called” to practice medicine?
About Our Research
Medscape continually surveys physicians and other medical professionals about key practice challenges and current issues, creating high-impact analyses. For example, a Medscape poll, Do You View Your Career as a Calling Rather than a Job? also found that
- 65% of doctors said they do view their career as a calling.
- 18% said they love medicine and find it deeply satisfying.
- 20% said they enjoy their career but also find other areas of their life fulfilling.
What Is a Calling, Anyway?
How do doctors define a “calling,” and is it necessary to have one to have a successful practice? Further, is being called to medicine changing with the newest generation of physicians? And will feeling called (or not) affect your happiness as a doctor?
“I think most physicians are drawn to the practice of medicine due to some level of deeper calling or some kind of deeper purpose,” said Jennifer Adams, MD, professor of medicine and assistant dean of Medical Education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. “It’s not just a job — they find meaning and purpose in it besides a paycheck.”
Participants in the LocumTenens.com survey agreed. Almost three quarters of respondents named “helping others/serving humanity” as a primary motivator for pursuing medicine, with more than half citing the intellectual challenge and opportunity for lifelong learning. Other motivations included job stability (34%), encouragement/inspiration from family or mentors (25%), and personal experience with healthcare (21%). Only 1 in 5 listed financial rewards as their motivator.
Nearly everyone who winds up in medicine displays two common factors — an interest in science and/or how the human body works and a desire to help people, Adams told Medscape Medical News. “I think you have to have the helping part, and the interest in science — you have to have both to make a career of medicine,” she said.
What Makes Doctors Choose Medicine?
Every doctor has a different story, but many confirm that the desire to help people was a primary reason for choosing medicine. “For me, medicine was always in my fiber…it was a solitary trajectory,” said Miechia Esco, MD, a vascular surgeon and chief medical resource officer for LocumTenens.com. “There was nothing else in my mind as to what I would do.”
On the other hand, Roopal, Kundu, MD, a physician, professor of dermatology and medical education, and the associate dean for Admission at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, explored a lot of different fields before she committed to medicine. “The core and essential component were taking care of others at vulnerable moments and being able to be in that very privileged state,” said Kundu.
Kundu said that incoming medical students have similar reasons for choosing medicine. “I think they are attracted to the field from a similar vantage point. The way they interact and engage in the field looks different, but the core is always, ‘I want to serve others.’”
“I don’t see our students as being any different [from earlier ones],” said Adams. “They face the same pressures and same stressors. Medicine is a lot more complex now, but they really are driven by the same motivators. They care about patients; they care about medicine; they care about the world.”
Is Medicine Still a Calling?
The LocumTenens survey reflected some generational differences among the reasons for pursuing medicine, Helen Falkner , regional vice president, recruiting at Jackson Physician Search, noted.
“It may be the vernacular, but boomers said they were ‘called,’ while Gen Z said it was a desire to help others,” she said. Only 51% of Gen Z and 50% of millennials said that medicine was definitely a calling (compared with 67% of Gen X and 76% of baby boomers), and 85% of Gen Z and 73% of millennials said they were motivated to help others.
Why the difference between the generations? Older physicians may have more fully embraced the idea that medicine required a commitment to give up everything else and that patients’ needs always come before your own. That is changing, with younger doctors focusing more on work-life balance. “Newer physicians are resisting that idea [of giving up everything for your practice] with the realization that we can’t make our patients well unless we are well,” said Adams.
Reigniting Your Purpose
Whether you consider medicine a calling, reconnecting with your reasons for entering the field can help you avoid burnout. “The best way to reorient is to go back to the bedside and focus on patient care,” said Adams. “Having the opportunity to be there when their patients need them the most is the most gratifying part of medicine.”
“I always say that I really value my time with the patients because it’s an incredible human connection,” agreed Esco. “I’m very humbled by that. I don’t take that for granted.”
Whether it’s caring for patients, exploring new treatment modalities, or the satisfaction of giving back, both new and more experienced physicians can benefit from staying in touch with their personal motivations to practice medicine. “As with any job, you’re going to have good days and you’re going to have bad days,” said Falkner. “There are things in the day-to-day reality of the job that can dilute your passion over time. Continue to be proactive about burnout. Young physicians should focus on their passion — and know that it takes more than passion to sustain a fulfilling medical career.”
That calling, or purpose, can keep you going even during demanding times. William B. Workman, MD, double board–certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert at DISC Sports & Spine Center, had his interest in medicine sparked in high school biology. “I was 15, and I really liked the idea of living things and how they move and how they do,” said Workman. It wasn’t until he started medical school that he heard medicine referred to as a calling, and he related to that. It has stayed with him.
“Now, at 58, I’m feeling the same way — the feeling, the service, the mystery, and the challenge is still there. It [medicine] is something that’s much bigger than me,” he said. “All of that goes into what a calling is, regardless of what material things come from it. It’s a connection to something bigger.”
Kelly K. James is a freelancer, content manager, and author of The Book That (Almost) Got Me Fired: How I (Barely) Survived a Year in Corporate America. She covers health/wellness, business/career, and psychology topics from her home in the Chicago suburbs.