Offcall Physician Spotlight: Meet Dr. Lara Zibners

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1. Lara, what do you think the public most misunderstands about being a physician in 2026? I don’t think the public understands just how “not okay” many physicians are. The system is under huge strain and many of the enjoyable parts of caring for patients have been taken away from us. I think it would shock many people to learn just how unstable the system is as a whole, but also just how fragile the state of healthcare providers is.

2. Forget pizza parties — what’s one way you’ve coped with burnout that’s actually made a difference? I quit. Just kidding. I’ve pivoted out of clinical medicine and that was because of life circumstance, not burnout, in my situation. But I’ve definitely felt it at times and it is something that we need to keep talking about. On our podcast, Unstable Vitals, Adam Brown and I talk a lot about burnout and the answer we keep coming back to is diversify your portfolio of activities. Don’t let your whole life be about the job. Don’t let the whole job be about one type of activity.

3. What’s the hardest part about being a physician that you think should be talked about more openly? The personal sacrifice and the opportunity cost of becoming one. When I decided to go to medical school, there was still this sense that it would all be worth it. You’ll always find a job. The financials made sense.