Finding Your Authentic Path in Medicine: Lessons from Dr. Susan Baumgaertel’s Journey
Physicians are at a crossroads in a healthcare landscape increasingly dominated by metrics, productivity targets, and administrative pressures. Do they continue down the traditional path of medical practice, potentially sacrificing their well-being and passion, or do they explore alternative avenues that allow them to stay true to their core values while still serving patients? Dr. Susan Baumgaertel’s story, recently shared on The Worthy Physician, offers a compelling narrative of transformation, advocacy, and purpose beyond conventional medical practice.
From Conventional Medicine to Personal Crisis
Dr. Susan Baumgaertel spent over 25 years practicing medicine at a large group in Seattle, Washington. Her career spanned an era of immense transformation in medicine. As a highly productive physician, Dr. Baumgaertel was successful by most external measures. But over time, she began to feel the weight of practicing in a system that seemed increasingly disconnected from the foundational values of medicine.
Despite her achievements, something felt off. She found herself increasingly disillusioned—not exhausted, as burnout is often described, but spiritually and ethically wounded. She was witnessing a betrayal of the oath she took and the values that drew her to medicine in the first place.
“I wasn’t burned out—I was morally injured,” she explains. That distinction is key.
Understanding Moral Injury in Medicine
While burnout is often used as a catch-all term to describe stress and fatigue, moral injury speaks to something deeper: the pain of not being able to provide the level of care that aligns with one's professional values and ethics. Moral injury is a concept gaining more recognition in medicine today, and it resonates with many physicians who feel their hands are tied by corporate policies, time limits, and systems that prioritize efficiency over empathy.
For Dr. Baumgaertel, moral injury came from feeling forced to rush patient encounters, deny care due to insurance constraints, and ignore her intuitive, holistic approach in favor of checkbox medicine. The sacred doctor-patient relationship—once the heartbeat of clinical care—was eroded by corporate mandates and inflexible productivity targets.
Healing Through Art and Authenticity
Amid the growing disconnection, Dr. Baumgaertel found solace in a perhaps unexpected source: art. Her late mother, an artist, left behind a collection of vibrant paintings that Dr. Baumgaertel brought into her clinical space. With 25 pieces adorning her office walls, she transformed the sterile environment of modern medicine into a place of color, warmth, and humanity.
Patients noticed, commented, and connected to the paintings and something deeper within themselves. One woman was moved to tears by a painting titled Migration, which transported her back to her childhood at the New Jersey shore. In that moment, the patient and the physician were two humans, connected by memory and meaning. It was healing, just not in the traditional medical sense.
These moments reaffirmed Dr. Baumgaertel’s belief that medicine must treat the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. They also signaled that perhaps her true calling lay beyond the exam room.
Reimagining the Physician Role: From Clinician to Advocate
As she stepped away from traditional clinical practice, Dr. Baumgaertel didn’t leave medicine—she redefined it. She now works as a patient advocate, allowing her to stand in the gap between overwhelmed patients and a complex, impersonal healthcare system. As an MD advocate, she offers her time, knowledge, and empathy to patients navigating medical decisions, treatment plans, or even simply trying to make sense of their diagnoses.
This work is not in competition with her physician colleagues—it’s a compliment. Many busy doctors find it reassuring that their patients have a trusted ally who can spend the time they simply don’t have. This model honors the physician-patient relationship without the burden of rushed appointments or productivity metrics.
Patient advocacy is also a growing field that reflects the evolving needs of patients and healthcare professionals. Dr. Baumgaertel’s journey underscores that a meaningful medical career can take many forms—and that success isn’t confined to the hospital or clinic.
Walking as Self-Care and Insight
One of the most inspiring aspects of Dr. Baumgaertel’s transformation is her commitment to daily self-care, particularly walking. Rain, shine, or snow, she walks 3 to 5 miles each day. It’s more than exercise—it’s a ritual, a meditative practice, and a source of mental clarity.
“When I walk, which is about 45 minutes or sometimes close to an hour, I solve all of my problems,” she says.
This daily commitment is revolutionary in a profession where physicians are taught to ignore their own needs for the sake of others. It’s also deeply symbolic: with each step, she moves closer to a life aligned with her values and further from the system that wounded her.
These walks have also become a form of community building. On one walk, she noticed a neighbor’s blooming Hellebores, snapped a photo, and shared it online. The neighbor saw the post and thanked her, and a new friendship was born. This small story reminds us that healing, connection, and joy can be found in everyday moments if we’re willing to slow down and notice.
Honoring Creative Instincts: The Menopause Menu
Dr. Baumgaertel’s creative spirit doesn’t stop with visual art or walking meditations—it also extends to writing. Her book, The Menopause Menu, is a uniquely structured guide that helps women navigate the transition of menopause with evidence-based knowledge and empathy.
Unlike typical medical texts, The Menopause Menu is designed like an artful meal, with sections titled appetizer, entrée, palate cleanser, and dessert. It’s both educational and nourishing—a reflection of the author herself. The book cover features one of her mother’s paintings, further integrating her personal and professional legacies.
By authoring this book, Dr. Baumgaertel does something many physicians dream of but rarely pursue: combining clinical expertise with creative freedom. She has stepped fully into her authenticity, using her voice to empower women and shift the conversation around menopause from stigma to strength.
Lessons for the Rest of Us
So, what can we learn from Dr. Susan Baumgaertel’s journey?
Redefine Success: Success in medicine isn’t a fixed destination. It’s about alignment with your values. Whether you see 30 patients a day or guide one patient through a life-altering decision, your impact is valid and worthy.
Honor the Whole Human: Whether through art, storytelling, or deep listening, remember that medicine is a human endeavor. Bringing your whole self to work invites patients to do the same.
Prioritize Self-Care: The airplane analogy holds—put on your oxygen mask before assisting others. Physicians must model wellness if they are to care for others sustainably.
Explore New Paths: There is no one right way to be a healer. Advocacy, coaching, writing, and art are all extensions of your medical training and your humanity.
Resist Dehumanizing Systems: Challenge the idea that productivity metrics define your worth. True healing cannot be measured in RVUs.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Baumgaertel’s journey reminds us that transformation is possible—even in the middle of a long career, even after trauma, and even within a profession as demanding as medicine. It’s never too late to pivot, listen to your inner voice, and chart a path that is as fulfilling as healing.
Her story, shared on The Worthy Physician, resonates with so many physicians who find themselves at a similar crossroads—questioning the system, yearning for more, and wondering if it’s too late to change course.
It’s not.
Asking those questions may be the first step toward your transformation.