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The Article in Brief
Are We the Walking Dead? Burnout as Zombie Apocalypse
Benjamin R. Doolittle
Background Reflecting on physicians' struggles in medicine, in particular the high prevalence of burnout and the challenge to cultivate compassion and meaning, this essay, asks, "Are we the walking dead?"
What This Study Found The plot and themes of the popular television show "The Walking Dead" and the zombie apocalypse metaphor could shed light on the state of medicine in 2016 as physicians struggle to survive. The author challenges physicians to reclaim their central purpose -- to promote life, to focus on patients' healing and the flourishing of their own lives -- in order to avoid becoming the walking dead.
