#44| A Veteran Dad’s Guide To Surviving Training Years

We sit with Ian Wessels, a Navy veteran and work-from-home dad, to explore the unseen labor, identity shifts, and relocations that define life as the primary parent while a spouse trains in cardiothoracic surgery. The talk blends candor, humor, and practical tools for mindset, self care, and community.• military medicine training timeline and family milestones• invisible labor and the emotional load at home• pressures facing female physicians in male-led specialties• strategies for moves and setting a positive family tone• pandemic solo parenting and building core memories• self care without guilt and being explicitly acknowledged• identity loss and making fatherhood your own• finding community as a male spouse through interests• vulnerability, communication, and stating what you need• practical tips for routines, resilience, and confidenceIf this episode made you feel seen or gave you a sense of relief, I would love for you to share it with another medical family or physician spouse who might need the same reminder. And if you have not already, please follow the show and consider leaving a review. Your support truly helps us reach and connect with more families navigating this journey. Connect with me on Instagram or email me at [email protected] with your thoughts, topic ideas, questions, or even guest suggestions.