Going back to work

That’s going to depend on your recommendations. Some of it won’t be a choice: whatever your recommendations require, they require. The rest of it is a personal choice about what you say, and to whom.

It’s a personal choice as to how we respond to this. I lean more on the total open honesty side: “I was off getting treated for my depression and my burnout, and now when I go, I’m getting checkups on those issues.”

And the more people who know what’s going on, from at least an addiction standpoint, the more accountability we have. “Hey, I’m in treatment for substance abuse.” Okay, well, let’s not all go out drinking after work. People pay attention if you’re missing for long periods of time and can’t be found.

It’s almost like everyone just heard that you got cancer, and they don’t really know what to say or how to interact with you. You have to set the tone for that. “Hey, I’ll talk about it: here’s where I was, here’s what happened, here’s what’s going on now.” Or: “It’s private, and I’m not discussing it.”

What I find is that the more we try to keep it private and keep details from people, the more they’re going to invent details themselves and fill in the blanks as they see fit.

If you have them, they’re typically just black and white. You can only work 12 shifts a month. You can’t work more than 10-hour days. You can’t be alone in a room with a female or a male. These are cut and dried: you have to do this, or you can’t do that.

If you work in a hospital system, the medical staff office is going to need whatever it needs to get you credentialed, or re-credentialed, or to keep your credentials current.

This is where the physician health program really works more as an advocate for us, and in our favor: navigating any issues that come up while getting credentialed back on staff. After evaluation and treatment are complete, that’s where they’re going to be the most helpful.

The machinery above is the licensed version. Going back looks different without a board and a medical staff office in the picture.

Many clergy get moved, and which office handles the new placement depends on the denomination.

Executives often get thrown back in. “Okay, you’re fixed. Back to work.” Not a lot of real support, just piles of work waiting.

Who has to know, in your case. What your restrictions are, if any. What credentialing will ask for. And the big one: what you’ll say, and to whom.

Those genuinely vary, by profession, by recommendation, and by workplace. The cancer feeling, the black and white restrictions, and the program’s advocacy don’t vary much at all.

The monitoring contract page lays out what yours requires; year one covers the rhythm you’re walking back into.