For many physicians, the hardest part of practicing medicine is no longer the medicine itself. Administrative demands, institutional pressures, and limited professional autonomy can leave doctors questioning whether the careers they once envisioned are still possible.
Pediatrician Athena Hall, founder of ZNA Health Network, understands these challenges through firsthand experience. Having practiced medicine in vastly different healthcare environments, from rural communities in the United States to a teaching hospital in Rwanda, she has witnessed how healthcare systems can either support or undermine the professionals working within them.
Those experiences helped shape her belief that physicians deserve greater influence over their professional lives.
Through The Agency Lab, a 12-week group program launching November 30, 2026, Hall is helping physicians experiencing burnout or career uncertainty examine their circumstances, explore their options, and make informed decisions about their futures.
Lessons From Different Healthcare Systems
Practicing medicine across different healthcare environments gave Hall a broader perspective on the relationship between physicians and the institutions surrounding them.
Despite differences in resources, organizational structures, and patient populations, she observed how healthcare systems could influence the ability of dedicated professionals to provide care.
The experience raised a question that would eventually inform her work: Why are physicians so often expected to adapt to systems that are failing them instead of being supported in creating something better?
“Physicians aren’t losing their love of medicine, they’re losing their ability to practice it in ways that align with why they chose it,” Hall explains.
For her, the distinction is essential. A physician struggling within an organization may still feel deeply committed to patient care. The frustration may stem from the conditions under which that care must be delivered.
Looking Beyond Physician Burnout
Physician burnout remains a concern across healthcare, yet many proposed solutions emphasize individual resilience and stress management.
Hall believes those approaches can overlook the organizational conditions contributing to professional dissatisfaction.
The Agency Lab encourages physicians to examine those larger influences while reconsidering their own priorities.
Throughout the 12-week program, participants will explore how healthcare systems shape their experiences and identify possible directions for their careers.
Some may choose to advocate for changes within their organizations. Others may pursue alternative professional opportunities or decide that stepping away is necessary for their well-being.
The objective is to help physicians make those decisions with clarity rather than exhaustion or desperation.
Connecting Personal Agency to Healthcare Reform
The program reflects the broader mission of ZNA Health Network, which Hall founded to support healthcare systems change.
The organization brings together healthcare professionals, community leaders, and allies interested in developing community-centered, relationship-driven approaches to care that prioritize whole person health and human connection.
Hall’s experiences in the United States and Rwanda reinforced her understanding that healthcare reform must consider the people delivering care alongside those receiving it.
“The system we inherited doesn’t have to be the system we help create,” she says.
A New Chapter for ZNA Health Network
The Agency Lab’s inaugural cohort begins November 30, 2026, with a public physician event planned for early February 2027.
For Hall, the program represents an opportunity to translate years of professional observation into practical support for physicians questioning their futures.
Her work begins with a straightforward idea: Physicians should have meaningful choices about how they practice medicine and participate in shaping the systems around them.
Learn More
Learn more about Athena Hall, The Agency Lab, and ZNA Health Network at www.znahealthnetwork.com or follow Instagram @zna.health.network.
