Taking care of those who
take care of us

Combating physician burnout through connection, mindfulness, and community — because healthcare heroes deserve care too.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to support the lifelong well-being of physicians and healthcare professionals by providing physician-led programs that promote balance, resilience, and human connection—recognizing that those who dedicate their lives to caring for others deserve the support, space, and tools to live healthy, fulfilled lives themselves.

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Events filled to capacity

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Attendees across all events

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Reported decreased burnout symptoms after events

Oct 3

Next event — Thanksgiving Point, Lehi UT

What's Happening to our Doctors:

30%40%50%60%70%201120142017202020212023% Physicians Reporting BurnoutCOVID peak

Physician Burnout Survey Years

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Physicians have 82% higher odds of burnout compared to the general US working population.

1. Shanafelt TD et al. Changes in Burnout and Satisfaction With Work–Life Integration in Physicians and the General US Working Population Between 2011 and 2023. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025;100(7).

2. American Medical Association. National physician burnout survey, 2023. ama-assn.org

Our Hope:

The whole physician: career, golf, and family

At MedGolf Wellness Foundation, we believe that caring for physicians means supporting the whole person — not just the professional. Medicine is deeply meaningful work, but it is also demanding; often leaving little space for rest, relationships, and renewal. Sustainable excellence in healthcare depends on physicians having a healthy balance between their career and their personal lives. When work is integrated with time for family, meaningful friendships, physical activity, and life-giving hobbies, physicians are more energized, connected, and fulfilled. Prioritizing healthy outlets and social connection is not self-indulgent — it is protective. It strengthens resilience, reduces burnout, and ultimately enhances the care provided to patients. By intentionally creating opportunities for connection, recreation, and shared experiences outside the clinical setting, we help physicians thrive both at home and at work — because those who care for others deserve care, balance, and community themselves.

Michael Christensen, D.O. and Ashley Christensen at a Clubs & Scrubs golf event

From the Founder

Michael Christensen, D.O.

Anesthesiologist · Founder, MedGolf Wellness Foundation

After nearly a decade as an anesthesiologist and former Chief of Anesthesia, I started noticing something troubling — not in my patients, but in my colleagues and in myself. The isolation that builds quietly over years of training and practice. The loss of identity outside the white coat. I built MedGolf Wellness Foundation because I wanted to create what I wished existed: a space where physicians could step outside the hospital and genuinely reconnect — with each other, and with who they are outside medicine.

This isn't a corporate wellness program. It's a physician-led community built around real connection. Golf is just the vehicle.

— Mike Christensen, D.O., Anesthesiologist · St. George, Utah

Programs to Prevent Physician Burnout

Medical student in white coat reviewing anatomy — medical school program
Medical School Presentations on Burnout

We'll visit your school and educate students on burnout prevention and wellness skills through interactive, engaging presentations.

Medical team in a conference room discussion — residency program
Residency Program Presentations on Burnout

We provide presentations to residents and faculty members about burnout and ways to keep your program healthy.

Golfers on the course at a Clubs & Scrubs physician wellness event
Social Events

Join us for fun events to socialize and cultivate hobbies. We'd love to do one in your area.

Physician at desk reviewing notes and professional resources
Resources

Need more help? Various resources can be found here to help you manage burnout.

What physicians are saying

Participating in one of the foundation's golf tournaments was incredibly refreshing. It gave us a chance to reconnect as colleagues and friends in a completely different setting outside of healthcare. The event was well organized and a lot of fun.

Alan Sutak, M.D.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Golfing with other local physicians in such a well-organized event was so fun and therapeutic. To be outside with colleagues that I work with on a daily basis, enjoying the beauty Southern Utah has to offer, and building relationships was honestly priceless. Thank you for organizing these events—hope to be a part of them in the future.

Joseph Orme, D.O., MPH

Electrophysiologist / Cardiologist

Participating in the MedGolf event was a refreshing experience that allowed me to connect with colleagues in a relaxed environment. It reminded me of the importance of camaraderie and the social aspects of our profession in combating burnout.

Matt Irvin, D.O.

Interventional Pain / PM&R

The Clubs and Scrubs tournament by MedGolf Wellness was a well-organized and fun event. It provided a meaningful opportunity for my colleagues and their families to connect outside the clinical setting, strengthen relationships, and step away from daily demands. Events like this play an important role in supporting morale and helping prevent burnout. I would love to see more of these in the future.

Reed Nelson, M.D.

Anesthesiologist

STAY IN THE LOOP

Get updates on upcoming tournaments, foundation news, and physician wellness resources.

Our Story

“Those who dedicate their lives to caring for others deserve the support, space, and tools to live healthy, fulfilled lives themselves.”

After nearly a decade of practicing medicine as an anesthesiologist, I reached a point of reflection. I had achieved many of the goals I once worked relentlessly toward—a fulfilling career, a place I was proud to practice, and a beautiful family. I felt deeply grateful. And I also recognized how much sacrifice it had taken to get there.

Like many physicians, much of my life had been shaped by training, long hours, and responsibility. Somewhere along the way, meaningful connection outside of work—true camaraderie, shared experiences, and simple joy—had quietly become rare.

I felt a strong pull to create something I would genuinely want to be part of—an experience I could invite my colleagues and friends into, not as coworkers, but as people. Fellow workers in medicine, stepping outside the hospital together. Golf had been a passion of mine for years, so I planned the kind of day I wished existed: intentional, well-done, and purely enjoyable.

When the event happened, it exceeded expectations. We laughed, connected, and spent time together in a way that medicine rarely allows. What stayed with me most were the conversations afterward—colleagues sharing how meaningful it felt to reconnect, to strengthen relationships, and to feel human outside of work.

That was the moment it became clear: this wasn't just a fun day. It was something that was missing.

The process of creating that event was energizing in ways I hadn't anticipated. It reminded me how vital connection and purpose are—not just for our patients, but for those who care for them. I realized I needed this space just as much as everyone else.

That realization became the foundation.

This organization exists to strengthen the people who strengthen our communities every day. We are committed to supporting physicians and healthcare professionals at every stage of their journey—from training through long-term practice—by fostering connection, balance, and humanity before burnout takes hold.

Because when we care for healthcare professionals as whole people, everyone benefits.

Foundation Milestones

December 2025

Foundation established & first Clubs & Scrubs tournament

April 2026

Second event — National Doctors Day

June 2026

Third event — Summer Scramble

Founder's Statement

Michael Christensen, D.O. — Founder

Michael Christensen, D.O. · Founder

I founded this organization not as a business venture, but as a physician, a husband, and a father who has witnessed firsthand the toll that modern medicine can take on the people who dedicate their lives to caring for others. Throughout medical training and into practice, I saw exceptional, compassionate physicians pushed to the brink—not from lack of commitment, but from a system that often overlooks the human behind the white coat. Too often, support for physicians is reactive, arriving only after burnout has already taken hold. I believed there had to be a better way. This foundation exists to meet physicians and healthcare professionals earlier in their journey—from education through long-term practice—with physician-led programs that foster balance, connection, and resilience. Our goal is not to offer escapes or perks, but to create meaningful opportunities for restoration, community, and perspective—so healthcare professionals can sustain fulfilling careers while still showing up fully for their families, patients, and themselves. At its core, this work is about protecting the people medicine depends on. When we care for physicians as whole human beings, everyone benefits—patients, families, healthcare systems, and communities alike.

Michael Christensen, D.O., Anesthesiologist