Pediatricians get up every day thinking about how to meet the needs of children. And very often we forget about our own health. In this episode of Pediatric Meltdown, Dr. Lia and Dr. Michelle Fiscus discusses physician burnout, what it means to face identity challenges as a physician, and overcoming these challenges.
Dr. Michelle Fiscus is a board-certified pediatrician who practiced general pediatrics in Franklin, TN for 17 years before joining the Tennessee Department of Health in 2016. She most recently served as medical director of the Tennessee Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program until she was terminated from that position for sharing a memo regarding a 34-year-old case law that allows certain minors to consent for their own medical care. Dr. Fiscus was thrust into the national spotlight after she released a statement shedding light on the choice of those in leadership in Tennessee state government to place their political agendas over the best interest of the people they serve. She has used this platform to support the work of public health and reinforce the importance of vaccines and other public health measures in ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Fiscus is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She is a past president of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and now serves on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Pediatrics as District IV Chair.
[00:01] Dr. MIchelle Fiscus Shares Her Story With Us
- Why she went into pediatrics
- Suffering from significant burnout that led her to Public Health
- Going into the Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program
[11:52] Covid-19, the Vaccine Rollout, and Controversy
- Dr. Fiscus’ role in COVID mitigation and responses
- Tennessee’s hesitation in promoting COVID-19 vaccines
- Controversy and pushback regarding vaccination in Tennessee
- Dr. Fiscus choosing to acknowledge the expiration of her executive service
[21:06] The Interference of Politics and Public Health
- The overstepping of political opinion into COVID-19 management
- Dr. Fiscus’ exposure to National and International news
- How it’s been for Dr. Fiscus and the difficulty and challenges of this exposure
- The toll on mental health when facing criticism and pushback
[32:54] Being a Disruptor in Pediatrics
- What’s next for Dr. Fiscus?
- Pediatricians taking the darkest punches and overcoming challenges
- If you could go back to when you were in residency what would you tell yourself?
[42:57] Closing Segment
- Connect with Dr. Michelle Fiscus on twitter @drfixus
- Final takeaways:
- Pursue your passion
- Burn out looks like exhaustion and unhappiness
- Being a pediatrician can look like many things
- The right thing keeps me going; I can move the needle, I am a problem solver, I will hold others accountable in the face of misinformation
Key Quotes:
“If you know that there’s something that you would just love, then figure out how to go get it. You have to make yourself a little bit vulnerable to get there. But don’t be afraid to pursue the thing that you think is going to make you happiest.” – Dr. Michelle Fiscus
“I honestly couldn’t stomach the interference of politics in public health. Just the unwillingness to understand that the decisions that are being made affect real lives and are causing real deaths and real suffering, and real orphans and real impact to our healthcare system.” – Dr. Michelle Fiscus
“As you get up every day and think about how to meet the needs of kids, remember to give yourself a moment of grace. “ – Dr. Lia Gaggino
Connect with Dr. Fiscus on twitter @drfixus
If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or email me at [email protected]. To learn more about me visit https://www.medicalbhs.com/
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