Dr. Michael Hersh gets honest about the silent rules many physicians live by: always be available, always stay clinical, never stray from the traditional path. But what happens when those rules begin to feel like a cage rather than a calling?

Through personal stories, reflective exercises, and heartfelt insight, Dr. Hersh invites listeners to examine the story they've inherited about what it means to be a “good doctor.” He explores how fear, guilt, and outdated expectations can stifle creativity and authenticity and how shifting that story opens the door to purpose, possibility, and a more human version of success.

Whether you’ve felt hesitant to try something new, questioned your worth outside of clinical practice, or are simply wondering what else might be possible, this episode offers a compassionate, courageous starting point.

1. Name the Rules – Write out the “I am” and “I’m not” statements that shape your identity as a physician. Then swap the “I” for “you” to see whose voice you're really following.
2. Challenge the Narrative – Ask yourself: Who gave me this definition of a good doctor? Is it still serving me, or just keeping me safe?
3. Take One Small Step – You don’t need to reinvent your life—just take one small, curious step toward something that lights you up.

Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.

Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.

His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.

Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching

📱TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Balance isn’t about managing your time perfectly. It’s about giving yourself permission to live fully. Dr. Michael Hersh gets real about the myth of work-life balance and why it often falls short of reality. With honesty and insight, he explains how medicine seeps into every corner of life, making separation nearly impossible. Rather than trying to extract “life” from an already blended identity, Dr. Hersh offers a refreshing reframe: stop chasing balance and start embracing alignment.

He walks us through how guilt, outdated definitions of success, and rigid expectations create a cycle of self-criticism and how small, intentional shifts can begin to reverse that. Through stories, metaphors (yes, including chocolate milk), and questions for reflection, this episode reminds listeners that you don’t need perfect boundaries or flawless systems. You need grace, presence, and values-based choices.

Whether you’re managing inboxes on vacation or struggling with missing moments at home, this episode offers a compassionate, real-world roadmap to redefining what balance actually means.

1. Shrink the Goal – If sweeping lifestyle changes feel impossible, start smaller. Even five minutes of intentional space can rebuild trust with yourself.
2. Focus on Alignment, Not Perfection – Balance isn’t about equal time for everything. It’s about giving what matters most your best attention in that moment.
3. Reclaim Grace – You don’t need to earn rest or joy. Show yourself the same compassion you give your patients and your family.
   
   

Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.

Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.

His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.

Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching

TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

In this episode, Dr. Michael Hersh dives into the real-world journey of physician reinvention not as a dramatic overhaul, but as an intentional, grounded shift toward meaning and alignment. He shares why mid-career restlessness isn’t a crisis but a clue, and why the question “Is this it?” may be the beginning of a more honest, fulfilling chapter.

Dr. Hersh explains how the strict path of medical training can leave doctors feeling stuck—and how taking small, brave steps like creating space, asking questions, and exploring new options can lead to real change. If you’re tired of living by old definitions of success, this episode can help you start fresh with clarity and confidence. He also shares a free guide: “The 5 Essential Steps Every Physician Needs to Figure Out What’s Next” at betterphysicianlife.com/whatsnext.

1. Create White Space – Step away from the noise. Give yourself the time and silence to hear what your intuition has been trying to say.
   
   
2. Get Curious – Explore what energizes you and what drains you. Rediscover the parts of you that have been buried under clinical obligations.
   
   
3. Test, Don’t Overthink – Start small. Try something new (a side project, a committee, a walk without your phone). Clarity comes from movement, not perfection.
   
   

About the Show

Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.

Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.

His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.

Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching

TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.