After more than two decades as a physician, Dong Min made an unexpected career change three years ago, leaving medicine to open a steamed stuffed bun shop in Wuhan, Hubei province. Since launching the store in 2023, the business has thrived, leading her to open a second outlet this past July.
Dong, 48, graduated from Wuhan University School of Medicine in 1999 and initially practiced as a gynecologist in Shenzhen. She later returned to Wuhan to help manage her mother’s private clinic. Following her mother’s retirement, the clinic was closed, and Dong took a position at a community hospital in Tianmen, Hubei, where she served as both a doctor and the legal representative of the facility.
The demands placed on Dong extended beyond her medical duties. She described considerable mental pressure arising from administrative responsibilities, including handling numerous government inspections and legal liabilities related to medical disputes—a common issue in China’s healthcare system. “As a legal representative, I bore full responsibility when disputes occurred,” she said.
In search of relief from the mounting stress, Dong found a new path through a friend’s family-run bun shop. Initially an investor, she took over food preparation herself after the head chef suddenly resigned. She quickly acquired the necessary skills and found fulfillment in the culinary work.
Despite initial resistance from her family—who viewed the medical profession as more prestigious—Dong decided to leave medicine entirely to focus on the bun business. “I am nearly 50 years old and have gone through many experiences. I don’t care what others think of me. I just want to live a life I love and live for myself,” she said. Over time, her mother and brother grew supportive and occasionally assist at the shop.
Dong’s story reflects a broader pattern of healthcare professionals in China stepping away from medicine amid burnout and challenging work environments. In 2024, another doctor with 13 years of experience in a clinical laboratory at a hospital in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, also left to run a street snack stall, reporting that his new venture provided a higher income than his previous monthly salary of less than 10,000 yuan (about HK$11,720).
Commentators on social media, including the Xing Lin Yuan Community—which provides content for doctors in China—highlight systemic issues underlying such shifts. They point to the extensive non-medical tasks, legal risks from patient complaints, and mental exhaustion faced by doctors, along with compensation that does not match the demands of the profession.
For Dong Min, the change has brought personal satisfaction despite long working hours. “There is no definitive answer in life. It is never too late to make a change,” she said. “I hope to run my bun store until I can no longer move.”