In medicine, we’re trained to be precise, efficient, and composed under pressure. But when the day ends and the dermatoscope is put away, who are we beyond the white coat?
For me, that question led to the kitchen.
What began as a small curiosity has grown into a deeply meaningful outlet: baking. In a profession that demands constant vigilance, emotional resilience, and long hours, making space for joy and creativity is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Measuring ingredients, following recipes, and watching something transform in the oven offers a kind of calm I rarely experience in clinical care. It’s tactile, creative, and best of all, forgiving. If a cake collapses, it’s not a crisis. It’s a chance to learn. There’s something freeing about that, especially when so much of our professional identity is wrapped in high-stakes precision.
And while baking soothes my creative side, it also quietly feeds my inner science nerd. There’s chemistry in every rise and fall, biology in fermentation, and physics in heat transfer. It’s a delicious kind of experiment with real-time results. Like medicine, it requires attention to detail, but unlike medicine, the stakes are sweet and the outcomes edible. It’s deeply satisfying to channel that scientific curiosity into something joyful.
Baking has also reminded me to value process over perfection. In medicine, we’re trained to focus on outcomes for good reason, but hobbies offer space to explore, make mistakes, and play. That kind of freedom is incredibly healing. There’s something grounding about making something with your hands, especially when it brings joy to others. Sharing baked goods with friends and colleagues has fostered small moments of connection and a sense of community.
Most importantly, engaging in creative pursuits outside of work has helped protect my mental health. It’s a gentle reminder that I’m more than my career and more than any decision I make in the clinic. Baking brings me back to the present moment. The feel of flour, the scent of something sweet in the air, it’s therapy without a copay.
For those of us in healthcare, hobbies aren’t a distraction. They’re a path back to ourselves. Whether it’s baking, painting, gardening, or playing an instrument, these pursuits enrich our lives. They make us more present, compassionate, and whole, both inside and outside the exam room.
