If good deeds beget good consequences, why do you always get the toughest shifts, ask Jakob Mejdahl Bentin and Frida Run Jonsdottir
Why do some colleagues seem to always have easy shifts, while others face a consistently high workload? Could something more than mere chance be at play? Ancient Indian and Chinese philosophies posit a law of karma that is, your previous actions, thoughts, and behaviour decide your future.12
Cycles of rebirth (samsara) occur, determined by the accumulation and resolution of karma from past lives, finally culminating in liberation (moksha), according to many schools of Indian religions. Despite no scientific basis, healthcare professionals often speculate about “work karma” that is, doctors who have done good deeds experience relatively easier shifts. The less than virtuous, those with karmic debt, face more arduous tasks, paperwork, and sleep deprivation.
We considered doctors’ working patterns to decide whether karma was at play in a European ho