REST is not a state physicians find themselves in very often. In fact, the medical profession has a thing for “pushing through fatigue, working long shifts, being up all night on call, or spending marathon sessions in the operating room.” Its called endurance, and being physically and mentally able to meet any medical emergency any time, anywhere is it’s end point. The process of selecting those who are capable of functioning without sleep is rigorous and takes a toll on those who are unable to deal with the process.
Medical education has long valued physicians who live, eat, and breathe patient care or whose professional life is incomplete without spending hours in the operating room doing as many cases as possible. Sleep deprivation is a badge of courage and is regarded by some as a learning experience of maximum concentration. Doctors who “survive” the training process are prepared for anything, but the physical and psychological strain they experience often leads to burnout, depression, or worse.
Because of the “overwork ethic” of many physicians, rest is something they need, but often find elusive, or they simply don’t know how to accomplish. Rest is more than just reclining in a chair and closing your eyes for 10 or 15 minutes. It’s more than just lying in bed or on the couch to take a “power nap” that in your mind refreshes your head and relaxes your body. But these actions don’t always result in the disconnect the doctor needs to really let his mind recharge.
Disconnect is one descriptive term for rest, but the ultimate description is “mental restoration.” Rest, or the method to achieve it, requires scheduling and effort. It requires a change in mindset and behavior and “unlearning what medicine taught them in the first place.” Fighting these ingrained attitudes is not a sign of weakness. Working untold hours doesn’t make you a better doctor. It makes for a doctor who is fatigued, prone to medical errors, and has difficulty communicating.
Rest means a change of pace, lighter workload, and improving efficiency. It is setting boundaries, saying “no,” and “disengaging from productivity pressure.” (You don’t have to see every patient to be a good doctor). Rest is “not a sign of personal weakness,” but rather a factor improving patient safety. “Rest is not a reward for finishing everything else.” Rest “allows a doctor to continue doing the job well.”
The definition of the ideal doctor has been altered by the emphasis placed on rest, and the scheduled and protected time to allow the mind to be restored to its baseline alertness, competence, and stability. A good doctor today is “one grounded in competence….clear thinking….emotional regulation….and knowing when judgement is being compromised by exhaustion.” “Rest is not the opposite of professionalism….but is one of its clearest expressions.”
“Rest is not a luxury or a lifestyle preference. It is a safety practice….knowing when to stop, step back, and recover.”
Reference: Spitznagel A. How “Rest” Became the Biggest Four-Letter Word in Healthcare” Medscape 2026 January 30.
