Why more medical students are leaving medicine before residency

Medical student Christopher Nmai discusses his article, "Leaving medicine is not a failure: It might be the change you always needed." Christopher shares his deeply personal decision to forgo residency and explore non-clinical paths, highlighting the toll that chronic illness and burnout took during his training. He contextualizes his story within a broader trend—rising rates of physician dissatisfaction and exits from clinical practice—citing stress, administrative burdens, and mental health stigma as driving forces. Christopher advocates for systemic reform, increased flexibility, and destigmatizing alternative careers, arguing that true success in medicine includes honoring one's well-being and passions—even if that means stepping off the traditional path. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended