How One Pharmacist Found Wellbeing Through Art (And What It Taught Her About Leadership)
Hello Reader,
I love meeting and talking with colleagues who are inspiring, real, and authentically following their inner voice.
Dr. Trisha Patel is a critical care pharmacist, residency program director, and artist running her own business—all while working full-time. When I asked her how she does it, she was honest: she'd burned out along the way.
But here's what kept coming up in our conversation: how do you sustain a life where you care deeply about multiple things?
The myth she had to unlearn
Trisha told me she grew up believing art was something you do after you retire. Creative work wasn't serious. You get the stable career first, and maybe—someday—you paint.
Then her daughter was born. Her son was five. And she found herself holding a Rifle Paper Co. notebook, looking at the design, and thinking: Why can't I make this?
So she didn't wait. She found a 12-week course and did it in the margins—car rides, folding laundry, after the kids went to bed. A year later, she'd licensed her first fabric design.
Burning out from loving too much
Here's something we don't talk about enough: you can burn out from doing too much of what you love. This happened to me, many years ago.
Here's the part of our conversation that I was grateful that she shared: Trisha burned out, too. Not from hating her work—from loving too much of it.
She tried to be fully present everywhere. Hospital. Home. Art studio. She refused to drop any balls. And it caught up with her.
What pulled her back was going to her values. Asking what mattered most right now. Accepting that some weeks, not everything would get done.
She called it high-achiever burnout. It's just as real as the kind caused by broken systems—it just looks different from the outside.
The advice she didn't want to hear
At one point, Trisha told me she hired a business coach expecting tactical answers. How many posts? What drives sales? Give me the formula.
Her coach said: You need a mindset change. Focus on creating. Love your work. Let go of the metrics.
Not what she wanted to hear. But it shifted everything—her art practice and how she leads.
How this shows up at work
Here's where there are lessons for all of us:
The skills Trisha developed as an entrepreneur—resilience, intentionality, knowing her limits, practicing mindful transitions between roles—directly informed how she leads her residency program.
When she became residency director four years ago, she made one thing crystal clear: resident wellbeing would be the priority. Not as an afterthought, but as the foundation.
What that looks like in practice:
- Multiple preceptors and advisors for every project—no one flies solo
- Mandatory half-days at the end of rotations (and no, you can't go back to the office—go take a walk, get lunch with your co-resident, do something for yourself)
- Careful attention to scheduling to ensure adequate rest
- Regular wellness check-ins (even more than residents probably want, but she keeps asking anyway)
- Community outreach programs that provide immediate satisfaction beyond hospital walls
- A firm rule: no activities or requirements without clear purpose—no busy work to make the program look "robust"
The result? Students who have never interacted with her program are hearing about its commitment to wellbeing and specifically seeking it out for interviews.
That's the report card that matters.
The Permission We All Need
What struck me most was Trisha's realization that every week she doesn't create something—paint, design, make art—is not a good week. Creativity isn't a luxury for her. It's essential for her wellbeing and mental health.
For too long, she felt guilty about carving out time for creativity. It wasn't bringing in the same financial return as pharmacy. It wasn't "productive" in traditional terms.
But she came to understand: this creative practice makes her a better person. It supports her wellbeing. It models for her children that you don't have to suppress your passions just because you have a competing career.
Her message to all of us: Don't wait. Don't give yourself excuses. If you feel like you've lost your creative spark, start trying things again. The stakes are low. Just begin.
What This Means for Healthcare Leadership
Trisha's approach to her residency program stems directly from her own journey with creativity and sustainability. She learned firsthand what happens when you don't honor your limits. When you try to do all the things. When you prioritize metrics over meaning.
She brings that wisdom to how she leads:
- Recognizing that open communication is a skill residents need to learn—and creating safe spaces to practice it
- Understanding that robust programs aren't measured by how much you pile on, but by how well you support learning and growth
- Modeling that it's okay to say "I can't do this extra thing today" because you're prioritizing what truly matters
Leadership isn't just about directing a team. It's about being your own leader first—knowing your values, honoring your limits, making intentional choices about where you spend your energy.
The Cross-Pollination
I love how Trisha's lessons flow between her different worlds. Triaging what's most important in a busy ICU translates to knowing what's essential in her business. The resilience required to build something from scratch applies to creating sustainable residency programs. The intentional living she promotes through her art informs how she shows up clinically and academically.
All the small things—in business, in teams, in patient care—become big things. It just requires mindful awareness and patience with the process.
A Final Thought
Trisha's art focuses on nature symbolism—historical meanings embedded in flowers and natural elements. She doesn't create pieces that just hang on walls. She creates art that tells your story, that represents obstacles you've overcome, that becomes an heirloom of meaning.
Her mission: promote intentional living through art.
And she lives that mission. If she's not practicing her own values, she can't help others do the same.
I think there's something powerful here for all of us. Whether your creative outlet is music, writing, painting, cooking, or something else entirely—nurturing that part of yourself isn't selfish. It's essential. It makes you better at everything else you do.
The wellbeing we want for our patients, our trainees, our teams? It starts with us modeling what sustainable practice actually looks like.
What might change if you gave yourself permission to prioritize something creative this week?
Until next week,
Lillian
P.S. - If you're interested in how Trisha's residency program prioritizes wellbeing, the conversation goes deeper into specific practices and the culture shift required to make it real. Worth a listen for anyone in academic medicine or training program leadership.
🎧 Listen to the podcast sneak peek episode below and listen to the full episode on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Podbean, or Amazon Music.
What's inspiring us this week:
Coming off of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday...our bellies are full, our gratitude journal was restarted, and we are gearing up for Giving Tuesday today! A few of our favorite local and national charities that our coaches at Transforming Healthcare Coaching are fond of and support:
Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation: advocating for widespread policy change for all healthcare professions through state credentialling boards and system organizations, including bi-partisan support for clinician wellbeing
The Practice: Celebrating Wins
We get more of what we focus on. The practice of gratitude and celebrating the goodness of life is the first step in changing our brains, mindsets, and circumstances for the better.
Grateful for each and every person who bought a ticket to medThriving Virtual Summit so far!
Also I can't believe it's next week!
Today I am on a jet plane to Boston, where Klaus and I will be exhibiting at the MA Conference for Women on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Follow us on IG @transforminghealthcare.coach for live updates!
Stay mindful and keep leading,
Lillian
Founder & CEO
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