Are You a Highly Sensitive Physician?

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Quiz Questions

1.
After a full day of patients, you feel...
- A.
  Tired, but okay. I bounce back after dinner or a good night's sleep.
- B.
  Pretty drained. I need some quiet time before I can really engage with anyone at home.
- C.
  Completely emptied out. Like I have nothing left. Even small things feel like too much.
2.
When a patient cries, you...
- A.
  Feel it deeply, almost like it's happening to me. I carry it home without meaning to.
- B.
  Feel it in the moment and sometimes think about them later, especially if the situation was hard.
- C.
  Feel for them and offer support, but it doesn't stay with me after the appointment ends.
3.
Loud, chaotic environments (e.g., a busy hospital floor, a packed waiting room) affect you...
- A.
  Not much. It's part of the job. I tune it out.
- B.
  Significantly. The noise and stimulation build up throughout the day and leave me frayed.
- C.
  Somewhat. I notice it, and a busy day can wear on me more than a calm one.
4.
When you make a mistake at work, even a small one, you...
- A.
  Replay it a few times, feel bad about it, but eventually let it go.
- B.
  Revisit it for days. The guilt/self-criticism is hard to quiet, even when the mistake was minor.
- C.
  Address it, learn from it, and move forward without dwelling too long.
5.
You need time alone after social interactions because...
- A.
  Almost always. Even positive interactions take something from me. Alone time isn't a preference - it's a necessity.
- B.
  I usually don't. I'm energized by people and rarely need to decompress.
- C.
  Sometimes, yes. A long day of interactions can leave me ready for some quiet.
6.
You've been told you're "too sensitive" or "too emotional" for medicine...
- A.
  Never, or rarely. I've always been seen as composed and steady.
- B.
  Once or twice, usually in a high-stress moment.
- C.
  More times than I can count. It's a message I've been carrying for a long time.
7.
Background noise, bright lights, or strong smells at work...
- A.
  Are genuinely disruptive. My nervous system picks everything up, whether I want it to or not.
- B.
  Don't bother me. I barely notice them.
- C.
  Occasionally get to me, especially on harder days.
8.
You notice subtle changes in patients - a shift in mood, an unspoken worry - that others seem to miss...
- A.
  Rarely. I focus on what's in front of me and the clinical picture.
- B.
  Almost always. It's like another stream of information running alongside the medical one.
- C.
  Sometimes. I pick up on things when I'm paying close attention.
9.
After a patient death or a difficult diagnosis conversation, you...
- A.
  Feel it more deeply than I might show. It takes some time to shake.
- B.
  Process it professionally, feel appropriately sad, and move through it.
- C.
  Carry it for a long time. It shows up in my sleep, my mood, my body, my interactions with others. It doesn't just pass.
10.
Your inner world, including thoughts, feelings, and the way you process things, is...
- A.
  Fairly straightforward. I don't tend to overthink or feel things too intensely.
- B.
  Deep, layered, and constant. My inner world is exciting and intense, and always running in the background.
- C.
  Rich and somewhat complex. I feel things deeply, but I've learned to manage it.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
You are a Highly Sensitive Physician.
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You feel everything.The weight of a difficult diagnosis, the fear in a waiting room, the sounds of a busy office. You notice what others miss because your nervous system is designed to take everything in.It's why you are exceptional at what you do. Your patients feel seen by you in ways they cannot fully articulate. And that matters.But it costs you.Deeply.You're likely running on empty in ways that are invisible to everyone around you because you keep showing up anyway.Your energy isn't broken.But it IS being spent without a system to protect it.Check your inbox - your full results are on their way and should arrive within the hour. If you don't see them, check your Promotions folder and All Mail. If you find the email there, mark it as important so every message from me reaches you.
2.
You are a Moderately Sensitive Physician.
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You feel more than you let on. You carry things home sometimes. You need space to decompress in ways that others around you might not fully understand.You have likely built coping strategies that work — most of the time. But there are days, or seasons, when the weight accumulates and the usual rhythms are not enough.Your sensitivity is an asset. It makes you a more attuned physician. And like any asset, it works best when it's tended to.Protecting your energy is not a luxury. It's a practice.Check your inbox - your full results are on their way and should arrive within the hour. If you don't see them, check your Promotions folder and All Mail. If you find the email there, mark it as important so every message from me reaches you.
3.
You are not a Highly Sensitive Physician.
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You move through medicine with a steadiness that is genuinely valuable. You recover well.You don't tend to carry your work home in ways that disrupt your life.That's a gift and something worth protecting.Even physicians who aren't highly sensitive benefit from building intentional rhythms around energy, time, and the pace of a demanding career.The work is hard regardless of how you process it.Wherever you are, tending to how you move through your days matters.Check your inbox - your full results are on their way and should arrive within the hour. If you don't see them, check your Promotions folder and All Mail. If you find the email there, mark it as important so every message from me reaches you.