Medicine is a marathon, not a sprint — this is a mantra we hear repeatedly from the beginning of medical school.

It’s embedded in our culture that to be successful we must be perpetually productive and work without interruption.

After all, no one wins a marathon by having a nap in the middle.

However, with burnout rates rising as high as 93% in recent years, doctors are increasingly seeking career pit stops to sustain this long-distance pursuit.

This year, I am one such doctor. My 3-6 months off will be an ‘interruption in training’, a breather, a pseudo gap year.