Episode 65 - Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas: Moral Injury and Wellness Toolkits in Residency

In this episode, Dr Rui Ariyapala speaks with Dr. Michael Baca-Atlas. Dr. Baca-Atlas is originally from Baltimore, MD. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Maryland, College Park and medical school at University of Maryland in Baltimore. He completed his Family Medicine residency at UNC and an Addiction Medicine fellowship at UNC in the Department of Psychiatry. He serves as the Medical Director for UNC REACH Enhanced Primary Care and Associate Medical Director for the Tobacco Treatment Program. Dr. Baca-Atlas has a special interest in the intersection of physical and mental health and addiction.  He also serves as a contributor for Primary Care RAP (Reviews and Perspectives), a medical education podcast. We dive into how he switched his career aspirations from OBGYN to Family Medicine and he gives important advice on how to choose your specialty wisely. We talk about the need to triage medical tasks as a resident, to feel empowered and work to the best of your ability. Finally, we discuss how to navigate the interesting concept of moral injury in medicine and address burnout, as he provides insights in building your own ‘wellness toolkit’ during residency and beyond.