The first sentence of this comment hits the nail on the head. The further I get away from Epic, the more I realize how messed up it was. I have told friends and colleagues that the worst thing about working at Epic was constantly feeling like a failure when I knew then and know now that I wasn't. Especially given the intense time and energy required of being IS. If you feel like you have a good handle on Epic, try to stick it out for 3 years then wait out your non-compete and switch to consulting.

The worst thing I remember is that I received negative feedback for calling out behavior that at any other company, could've led to disciplinary action or even a lawsuit. I really don't want to get too specific but when I was an AC, an AM said something sexist en route to a customer site. I called it out and refused to back down. A week later, I received negative feedback for challenging a superior. I didn't think at the time to report any of this to HR but in hindsight, I should have.

I don't want to make you paranoid, but play your cards close to the vest. Assume anything you say or do will get back to your TL and that your TL will choose Epic over you every time. Just remember, that Epic (allegedly) never contests unemployment claims so no matter what happens, there's always that