"Something had to give, and it would either be clinical medicine, or my business. I finally had to admit I was no longer fulfilled to the same level doing hospitalist work.

So I made the decision to leave my clinical job.

It was so terrifying that I put off making a decision for months. I thought about what it would mean for my blog readers that I wouldn't be in the trenches with them anymore. I thought about how it would affect my family if our real estate portfolio ever fell apart and I needed to be able to make money.

I had a lot of fears.

But I'd made the decision, long ago, that I would never make decisions from fear alone. So I submitted my resignation. And I threw out my Danskos."

Letizia Alto is a hospitalist and who blogs at Semi-Retired MD.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "After 4,380 days, a pair of Danskos — and a calling — fall apart." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/after-4380-days-a-pair-of-danskos-and-a-calling-fall-apart.html)

Letizia Alto, MD on why to become a semi-retired MD