THE BREAKING POINT
I never expected to walk away from clinical medicine. But after years of keeping it together for everyone else—my patients, my team, my family—I hit a wall.
The day it broke was ordinary. My employer and a patient reprimanded me for billing issues I had no control over. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt blamed for a system I didn’t design, but this time, something cracked.
I was constantly working: waking before my kids, finishing charts at midnight, skipping meals, snapping at my family because I had nothing left in the tank. I used to love solving complex medical puzzles and being there for patients. But at some point, I started to feel distant, irritated by simple questions, and disconnected from stories that used to move me. I even began forcing myself to notice patients’ eye color during visits just to feel something resembling empathy.
That’s when I knew: this version of being a doctor wasn’t sustainable. And it wasn’t who I wanted to be.
WHAT COMES AFTER LETTING GO
Leaving medicine felt like letting go of my identity. But slowly, I found space to breathe.
I worked with a coach, spent time outside, and thought hard about what I enjoyed, what I was good at, and where I felt most like myself. I remembered how much I loved medical expert work and its potential. For the first time, I asked: What if I built something of my own?
So I did. I began laying the foundation for what would become High Rock Experts®. It started with one case, then another. I found new ways to use my training that didn’t require sacrificing my health or my family life.
REDEFINING PURPOSE
Although being a physician is still part of who I am, I no longer define myself by a job title or a badge. Instead, I define success by how aligned my work feels with my values and how much space I have to live a full, meaningful life.
Through expert witness consulting, I’ve reconnected with what drew me to medicine in the first place: thoughtful analysis, advocacy, and service. I’m using my voice, my clinical experience, and my business to help physicians like me find their own next chapter.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
If you're reading this and feeling the edges of burnout, or already deep in it, I want you to hear this:
You are not stuck.
You are not alone.
And you are not failing.
There’s no shame in choosing a different path. Whether you’re ready to walk away or just beginning to imagine something new, know that it’s possible to find purpose again—and to build a life that fits who you are now.
Walking away was the hardest thing I've ever done. It was also the best.
Amy Fogelman, MD
highrockexperts.com