A physician is a professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. They may focus their practice on certain disease categories, types of patients, or methods of treatment – known as specialist medical practitioners – or assume responsibility for the provision of continuing and comprehensive medical care to individuals, families, and communities – known as general practitioners.

Placing the needs of the patient above one’s own needs has long been the call-of-duty badge worn by the physician. Indeed, emergent patient care needs trump immediate personal needs such as sleep, fatigue, hunger, and family commitments. However, personal health and well-being are paramount to leading long and productive careers. Balancing the demands of a busy medical career with personal wellness is a daunting but necessary skill to acquire, yet there is little education on these principles available to physicians in training. For the most part, organized exercise, diet, and/or personal fitness programs are entirely lacking in modern graduate medical education.