Doctor N is not just a Clinical Editor at BMJ; she is a force redefining how professionals especially doctors perceive identity, impact, and authenticity in and beyond their careers. In a world where compartmentalisation is often seen as a mark of professionalism, Doctor N is boldly dismantling that narrative. Her recent reflections from a trip to Barcelona with fellow doctors, entrepreneurs, and creators highlight a powerful truth that most people overlook your greatest asset is not your degree, your title, or your résumé it’s you.
Doctor N candidly admits she fell into the trap many high achievers do hiding her true self behind roles and responsibilities. For years, she didn’t talk about her side projects. She didn’t share her passions outside of medicine. She showed up to work as a fraction of who she really is. And in doing so, she denied herself and the world the full expression of her brilliance.
This kind of self-editing is not rare. It’s especially prevalent in medicine, where doctors often feel the need to present a specific version of themselves one that is polished, controlled, and curated for acceptance. Doctor N sees this pattern in many of the professionals she mentors. They dim their light out of fear of judgment. They wait for permission to be whole in spaces where they already belong. But what if the real value lies not in perfection, but in presence? What if being unfiltered, unpolished, and fully expressed is the key to true influence?
Doctor N has learned that being your full self is not only brave it’s necessary. And this lesson didn’t come from books or theory, but from experience and introspection. Her voice now serves as a much-needed mirror for others who find themselves torn between who they are and who they think they need to be.
In response to this awakening, Doctor N is launching The Second Opinion a newsletter for doctors who crave more than clinical practice. It’s a call to those who feel confined by their 9 5 but still want to serve, create, and grow on their own terms. Every Sunday, she’ll share honest reflections and practical strategies for building a fulfilling life that integrates income, identity, and impact. It’s not about giving up medicine. It’s about expanding beyond it authentically.
Doctor N’s perspective is refreshing because it’s not performative. There’s no attempt to preach or posture. Her words carry the humility of someone who has walked the path and made the mistakes. She speaks from a place of clarity that only comes from confronting one’s own limitations and choosing to break free.
By acknowledging the years she spent hiding parts of herself, Doctor N models vulnerability. And through that vulnerability, she invites others to stop playing small. She isn’t telling anyone to abandon their profession. Instead, she’s challenging them to bring their whole self into every room they enter. To stop looking for the “right” version of themselves and start being the real one.
The clarity Doctor N now shares didn’t come overnight. It emerged from discomfort, from conversations with like-minded peers, and from observing the cost of inauthenticity. Her journey to Barcelona may have been about ideas and strategies, but the real takeaway was about self-worth unfiltered, uncompartmentalised, and undeniable.
Doctor N’s message is particularly timely in an era where many professionals feel boxed in by their roles. The global workforce is waking up to the truth that fulfillment doesn’t come from ticking boxes it comes from alignment. Doctor N reminds us that alignment starts by honoring who you are across all contexts not just the one printed on your ID badge.
In launching The Second Opinion, Doctor N isn’t just building a platform she’s creating a community. A space where doctors and professionals can explore what it means to build lives that reflect their full selves. Where curiosity is not seen as a distraction from their profession, but as a necessary ingredient to it.
Ultimately, Doctor N offers more than insight she offers permission. Permission to be honest. Permission to explore. Permission to be different. And in doing so, she’s not just transforming her own path she’s lighting the way for others.
As she so powerfully says, “Nobody is better at being you than you.” This isn’t just a motivational phrase; it’s a truth that can change lives. If more people especially those in high-stakes, high-pressure fields embraced this truth, imagine the innovation, fulfillment, and growth that could follow.
Doctor N’s journey is not about rebellion; it’s about realignment. It’s a return to self in a world that often rewards conformity. And through her work, she’s inviting others to do the same with courage, clarity, and compassion.
