Merry Christmas to all celebrating!

In Catholic tradition, Advent is a season of waiting—and for physicians, waiting is nothing new. From years of training to navigating burnout, moral injury, and an unfair healthcare system, medicine teaches patience at a cost. This reflective essay explores physician identity beyond productivity, the beauty of the physician-patient relationship, and how discernment, self-awareness, and support can help physicians reclaim meaning and peace in their work.