20. Building a Career in Medicine as a Black Woman: Burnout, Leadership & Freedom-First Careers

What does it actually take to build a career in medicine as a woman of color — and what happens when the system that trained you starts breaking you down?In this episode of The Ambitious Woman of Color, Jessica sits down with Dr. Kristine Goins, a board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Nomad MD, for an honest conversation about burnout, identity, leadership, and what it really looks like to build a career in medicine on your own terms.This episode is part of the Industry Series — where we spotlight women of color building careers in high-barrier industries and unpack what it actually takes to grow, survive, and thrive in them.Dr. Goins shares her experience navigating medicine as a Black woman physician, the emotional and physical toll of working inside systems that demand constant sacrifice, and the breaking point that pushed her to leave traditional medicine behind and build a freedom-first career through telemedicine.We also discuss the deeper realities women of color in healthcare face: hypervisibility, burnout, emotional labor, people-pleasing, and the pressure to overperform while still being underestimated.If you work in medicine, healthcare, public health, therapy, nursing, social work, or any demanding profession where you feel like your career is costing you your health, this conversation will hit deeply.In this episode, we cover:• Building a career in medicine as a Black woman• Physician burnout and emotional exhaustion• The hidden cost of overworking in healthcare• Navigating systemic barriers in medicine• Identity, self-worth, and leadership for women of color• Creating a freedom-first career through telemedicine• Leaving traditional career paths without abandoning your purpose• The mindset shifts required to build differently• What women of color physicians are normalizing that they shouldn’t be• Boundaries, visibility, and protecting yourself while growingAbout Dr. Kristine GoinsDr. Kristine Goins is a board-certified integrative adult and pediatric psychiatrist, digital nomad, and founder of Nomad MD. After experiencing severe burnout while working across multiple healthcare settings and leadership roles, she rebuilt her career around freedom, flexibility, and sustainability.She now helps burned out physicians replace their income remotely and build freedom-first careers through telemedicine and entrepreneurship.🌍 Connect with Dr. Kristine Goins📱 Instagram @thenomadmdsWork With JessicaIf you’re a woman of color in healthcare or another high-pressure field where you’re carrying invisible labor, constantly proving yourself, and still not being seen as leadership — this is exactly the work we do inside 1:1 coaching.We focus on:• Positioning you for leadership and advancement• Making your work visible and tied to results• Navigating high-stakes conversations with confidence• Building boundaries that protect your health while you grow• Creating a sustainable strategy for long-term career success✨ Book a consult📩 Join Dear Ambitious WOC📱 Follow @jessicalynnrojasSubscribe so you don't miss an episode. Rate & review to support the podcast!