I'm Also A Doctor

Because no one deals with more daily stress than today’s doctors, the threat of burnout is never far away. Burnout rates among physicians in the United States are at an all-time high. With consequences from negative effects on patient care, professionalism, and physicians’ own care and safety, research shows that hobbies and personal interests outside of work can effectively promote physicians' wellbeing and reduce stress.

Laurel Road, in partnership with VICE News, set out to tell inspiring stories of how doctors from various backgrounds and areas of expertise lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilled lives in I'm Also a Doctor, a five-part unscripted docuseries that highlights five extraordinary physicians and their even more extraordinary outside interests. The series examines the positive effects that hobbies, passions, and personal side-projects can have on mental health, emotional wellbeing, and even job performance.

The primary challenge was to cast five doctors representing an ideal mix of unique personal passion, type of physician, and geographical diversity. The physicians' hobbies needed to be visually interesting in order to tell the strongest story on camera. Coordinating alongside five physicians' busy schedules to shoot across the country within a 4-week window was an obstacle. Furthermore, there were limitations to secure film access within busy medical institutions, like an ER. Filming live animals required extra time to ensure we captured content with horses and sharks in a safe and respectful manner. Lastly, filming two episodes in the ocean required adaptability to weather conditions. With Dr. Ravitz, the surfer and neurologist, the waves were small on the shoot day, so we filmed from lower angles and utilized cuts between dynamic shots in the edit. Dr. Atia's deep sea diving episode was interrupted by Hurricane Ian, requiring a shoot reschedule.