MIT Neurosurgeon Quits & Blames the Healthcare System!

He quit Neurosurgery and escaped to the mountains.🏔️ I break down what I agree with and what I strongly disagree with from @GoobieAndDoobie’s viral video.

For more videos like this, check out my Doctor’s Quitting Medicine Reaction playlist linked below, where I cover famous “I Quit” stories, including Ali Abdaal, Faye Bate, and Santiago AQ. 👇🏼

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Reaction
44:40 Final Thoughts

LINKS FROM VIDEO:

#doctorvlog #doctorreacts #goobieanddoobie
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Disclaimer: Content of this video is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Kevin Jubbal, M.D. will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death. May include affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through them (at no extra cost to you).

[mikew]

Subspecialist surgeon here, completely agree with Dr. Jubbal. On one hand, Goobie's video in an inspiring story for a lot of docs. Many of us have experienced burnout and depression as a result of sinking our 20s and 30s into a career that, when we started, we thought would be a whole lot different. The call, the stress, the lowering reimbursement when adjusted for inflation are all real issues and many of us who have thought about leaving have lacked the courage to do so because of fear, embarrassment, or financial reasons. Seeing Goobie's video where he takes the leap in that regard is inspirational.

However, his video does a huge disservice to medicine and surgeons in particular, by imply that we're somehow snake-oil salesmen getting paid to operate on people who don't need it. We can counsel patients "you're not a good candidate for surgery" or " you need to loose weight, control you BP, get medically optimized etc. prior to surgery, come back in 6 months and lets see". That's still a billable visit. Part of the job is figuring out who NOT to operate on, especially when you're out in the real world. But in the end, someone's cancer isn't going to go away when the cut out salt. Even if all of America had perfect lifestyle choices there would still be plenty of surgery for all the traumas, all the cancer, the congenital defects, all infections that need to be drained, the disease brought on by autoimmune conditions etc. Even in his own field of spine surgery, scoliosis, compression fractures, spinal tumors etc aren't fixed with diet and exercise. Painting such a simplistic picture is unhelpful and pits doctors vs patients when it should be doctors and patients against insurance companies.

[bamahi]

It's HIS life people. He's doing what HE wants to do with HIS life. All respect to him and his life choices.

[maymie]

I’m so glad to see everyone in the comments section backing up Dr Goobie and it’s so interesting seeing how many similar stories there are out there.

[kirnjotsingh]

I can relate. I practiced Ortho Spine Surgery for 15 years and quit. Wasn't fun anymore, burned out. Much happier now.

[JohnSmith-dm]

24:28
His argument is not that everyone is gonna completely heal from better sleep, nutrition, and exercise. He's not saying that surgeries or other medical procedures are totally ineffective because obviously sometimes they are life-changing. Instead, he is criticizing the capitalist structure as a whole. In a capitalist society, every member of that society must prioritize one thing: money. Money is the arbitrary means with which we support ourselves and are able to eat, drink, and put a roof over our head. Even the most altruistic, caring person needs to make money to survive. Doctors are the same. Every medical institution has the primary goal of making money. As a result, Dr. Goobie simply felt that neurosurgery was no longer the most direct way for him to relieving suffering in others.

This is not to say that doctors or hospitals are evil. This is simply the truth of a capitalist society: any institution must make money to survive. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Hospitals do amazing things every single day and the money that they raise allows them to research new technology that can save more lives. I'm sure many doctors thrive in a hospital environment. Just because making money is the primary goal doesn't mean you can't save lives along the way. Different people thrive in different environments this was simply not the kind of environment Dr. Goobie wanted to be apart of anymore.

[areebr]

Kevin, at 21:18 I think you misunderstood what he said. When he said "hospitals need to grow economically, they need to make money", he was talking about the underlying capitalist system which is why hospitals "need to grow"

[mhkiam]

It s amazing how many people miss dr goobie’s point. He talked about his experiences of how he felt trapped in the medical SYSTEM as a doctor. The system doesn’t serve for the benefit of people it serves the pharmaceutical industry

[FLAC]

I'm an ER doctor and I did exactly what he did but now I work 4-6 days a month... today's health care is a disaster

[marzialemirarchi]

Dr Goobie, wasn't willing to sell his soul for prestige and money! I respect him for doing what most people would never do. He knew cutting up people wasn't right and wasn't helping anyone, except the medical system who is willing to destroy people instead of helping them. You did the right thing!!!! Bravo to you!

[earthtone]

Dr. Jubbal has confliciting parts to him. On one hand, he's encouraged people to take care of their mental and emotional health, and has talked about the toxicities in the healthcare industry. But you can also see the alpha, competitive persona that you see a lot during medical school and it seems to still stick with him. Not just this video, but there were other times where someone expressed frustration or were open about their "weakness" and he writes it off as "that's just life." It's just moral posturing, contrasting off something "softer" or "weaker" to create the image of looking stronger.

I really appreciate Dr. Goobie's perspective. He's taking burden of the "white knight ceiling" off the backs of doctors, you don't have to cosplay being "strong" for the sake of it. And being courageous to call a spade on the healthcare shit show that everyone can sense. I feel he's speaking out for the benefit of every team, for healthcare providers and for the public. The cons of a corrupt system and the moral conflicts it keeps producing outweighs the benefits of a professional field that doesn't even produce long term, quality of life dividends (to the professionals and the public).

[adelejay]

Yep. Truth. RN here who hung on to her service job until early retirement at 62 y.o. The fast faced very stressful environment plus, abusive marriage partner was literally killing me. I was in fight/flight mode all the time. I was dying. The first day I awoke from sleep and realized I didn’t have to continue doing what I had been doing was amazing. I was so happy, so relieved, I felt like my real self, again. I was happy…no…I was joyous, and have been ever since, ten years later. Plus, I was released from my horrible marriage. What years I have left I now live in peace and I thank Jesus every single day for answering my prayers.

[Drift]

I saw this video and was astonished. Neurosurgery is an especially difficult because of the poor outcomes of patients. But, I think the person makes a very interesting point on those who do recover best in his experience and observations. It reminded me a lot of the osteopathic medicine philosophy of holistic care.

[mangomama]

Dr Goobie, from MIT, with a neurosurgeon's skill,
Quit the hospital, seeking a new thrill.
May the mountains, rivers and NATURE renew his zest,
With energy and passion, find his best.

Don't give up, the journey's just begun,
Purpose and passion, for everyone.
Do what he LOVEs what he is good at, what serves,
And happiness will find him, in life’s many curves.

[davidlakhter]

this has got to be one of the most viral videos in the medical YouTube space over the last decade

[funlo.vingco]

Without watching this video I'm just gonna comment.. Goobie hit the nail on the head. It may not be YOUR NAIL, but he's accurate in his observations and i support his decisions. No doctor had EVER CURED my parents, but eventually we learned to cure ourselves.

[wisdomofahappylife]

Why so many people responding Dr Goobie’s video, he has the right to say what he feels. Come on guys, post your own stuff, live your own life.

[modernkhajiit]

I don't like it that you interpret Dr Goobie's point as "black and white". I can hear the grey - he might be trying to describe in the most polite way that "middleground" was impossible to accomplish in the system. I don't think plastic surgeons meet this problem - forcing surgeries no matter what. I've been in the first raw of this battle against surgeons of many specialties. Up to the point when palliative patient got a surgery that we, anaesthesistes, told might kill him. He was ASA 5, in palliative care, permanently disoriented. I had nothing to say and he died on the operating table. No matter what we would tell the surgeons, they will always say it's "life saving" issue. Don't let me start on neurosurgeons. 😅
The "middle ground" and "grey" is somewhat unachievable, even if we chose little battles.
With some surgeons, even stopping them from giving ketoprofenum in acute kidney disease is impossible.
We had even a special online training for all the doctors in hospital, training on pain management - they scored it cheating and never learned anything.
We might be missing some part of the story and dr Gooble will never let us know it. I wouldn't dare neither.

[Luna-mssh]

Hes explaining his perspective and why he quit, but youre taking his video literally, hence youre frustrated. He literally said “Im not saying that will happen”. He isnt trying to attack you personally, hes saying the system is broken, hes looking at bigger picture.

[incognita]

I’m on Dr agobies side- all the other doctors just care about saving face- their fraternities and maintaining the status quo. Dr Goobie is a real leader.

[taleofawhale]

Kevin you talk but not listen to the doc who quit cause he talks about existential problems. He is the key answer to our modern bluff.