Welcome to today’s episode, where we have a very special guest, Dr. Gary Sprouse. Dr. Sprouse is a retired primary care physician, having practiced in Maryland for 38 years. He graduated at the top of his class from George Washington University Medical School and is a member of Mensa. Dr. Sprouse has dedicated his post-retirement life to helping others manage stress and find happiness, which he shares through writing and speaking engagements.

The Stress of Practicing Medicine

Dr. Allen Lycka

Medicine is one of the most stressful professions. Did you experience any stress-related health issues due to the pressures of being a physician?

Dr. Gary Sprouse

Absolutely. Being a physician is inherently stressful, but it really hit home for me during an incident where I was talking to an insurance agent. In the middle of our conversation, I took a call from a nurse about a patient with chest pain. I gave some advice and then continued with the insurance conversation as if it was normal. The agent was shocked, and it made me realize that what I took for granted was actually quite stressful. Beyond patient care, factors like malpractice, board actions, and politics add even more pressure.

Practicing Solo: Added Stress

Dr. Allen Lycka

Were you part of a large group practice, or did you work solo?

Dr. Gary Sprouse

For most of my career, I worked by myself, sometimes with a nurse practitioner. In the last 10 years, I was entirely solo, which added stress due to financial pressures. However, I supplemented my income by doing nursing home work, which had lower overhead but came with its own risks, like increased malpractice suits.

BIO:

Dr. Gary Sprouse is a retired primary care physician who practiced in Maryland for 38 years. He graduated from George Washington University Medical School in the top 10% of his class and is a member of Mensa. He has taken everything he has learned about stress reduction and crafted his first book, Highway to Your Happy Place: A Roadmap to Less Stress. He aims to have everyone living in their Happy Place.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lessstressdoc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lessstressdoc/?next=%2F

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-less-stress-doc

Website: www.theLessStressdoc.com

Email: LessStressDoc@gmail.com