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Practical EMSAuthor: Practical EMS
My mission is to use the stories we all have in emergency medicine to encourage and uplift you where you are. EMT, Paramedic, nurse, PA, NP or physician. Emergency medicine is a very difficult specialty with unique challenges, and it calls us all to be better than the average person in order to stay healthy for our patients, our families and own mental wellness. I want to connect with EMS crews, fire crews, ER RN's, ER techs and new ER advanced practice providers to better understand their current struggles. I also want to bridge the gap between prehospital medicine and the emergency department and to encourage those seeking to become an advanced practice provider. Disclaimer: All Practical EMS content is opinion only. It is unaffiliated with any company or organization and does not represent any company or organization that Aaron currently works for or has worked for in the past. No content should be taken as medical advice. Language: en-us Genres: Education, Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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128 | Dr. Brian | When the Dopamine Fades: Staying Driven in Emergency Medicine
Sunday, 16 November, 2025
Has been an attending physician since 2019Brian volunteered when he was a teenager in the ER and the staff that got him involved really drew him toward emergency medicine in med schoolBrian worked in the ED as an EMT as wellHe talks about early mentors and the impact they have, including helping him get loans for medical schoolWe need to remember to be like that mentor that encouraged us when we were new and pay it forward to the next generation of studentsYou must have something that drives you in emergency medicine, it is a difficult specialty. At first the dopamine drive from the excitement can carry you a ways but it will fade over timeBrian talks about how faith led him to where he is nowWe talk about the fulfillment of just having good conversations with patients and making sure they feel cared for and understoodBrian talks about recognizing burnout, it’s a “general sense of not being whole” like something has been taken from youHe talks about the golden handcuffs of being a physicianBrian talks about how he overcomes exhaustion and burnoutCold plunging - forces you to be in the moment, control you heart rate and breathing Choosing hard things makes those hard things that are forced on you easierLiving in the moment is largely equated with happiness, the more you can do this the more you can be happy. Meditation and many other therapies are simply teaching you to keep your mind in the momentA wandering mind is an unhappy mindPrayer is another method for focusing your mindSupport the showEverything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn’t represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions. This is not medical advice. If you have personal health concerns, please seek professional care. Full show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition
