From Service to Self: Gen X Doctors Aligning Values with a New Chapter

I talk a lot about values and purpose, but what exactly does that mean? More specifically, what does it mean for Gen X doctors, with career success who find themselves asking "what now?"

People have always been drawn to a medical career by core values of service, altruism, intellectual curiosity, status and security (Goel et al, 2018). Doctors in my age bracket (45-60) will, most likely, possess a set of values shaped by their training and years of lived experience that clusters around ethics, integrity and autonomy. Twenty years ago, Jovic, Wallace and Lemaire reported that doctors from the Baby Boomer generation considered Gen X - the then new entrants to the profession - as being less committed to their medical careers, an assumption that was not supported by the study's findings. And despite what the younger generation may think, we Gen Xers are tech-savvy. After all, we were the pioneers in using computers at school and playing video games at home. We simply regard technology as a tool rather than a lifestyle.

Gen X doctors carry responsibility generationally upwards and downwards without feeling seen by policymakers or employers.

Although it's important to avoid making too many assumptions based on generational differences, each generation possesses distinct motivations, influenced by the events they experience during childhood and beyond.

Compared to the generations that went before us, there were more dual-income families and single-parent households: we were the "latchkey kids" who spent more time home alone before and after school as our parents were out working. According to Britannia, that made us resourceful, independent and somewhat cynical. It instilled in us competing values of hard work and work-life balance, a circle that many of us have spent a career lifetime trying to square. As we grow older, it isn't getting any easier: Gen X is the squeezed middle, carrying caring and financial responsibility upwards and downwards without feeling seen by policymakers or employers.

Values aren't fixed: the ones we held as medical students will be different to those we have now. But some values "stick" to our core. When systemic pressures prevent us from practising in the way we were trained to, we often experience intense moral distress and question whether to stay. Our original values of service and excellence are still there, but compete with values around health, family, creativity, and using our remaining working years in ways that feel sustainable and congruent.

When you feel your values are in conflict, exploring your personal blend of values, assessing them against the values of your organisation, and anchoring back to purpose can be a powerful and transformative exercise. Reconnecting with our values isn’t about looking back with nostalgia; it’s about looking forward with clarity. For Gen X doctors, understanding what truly matters now can transform uncertainty into purposeful action for the years ahead.