#56 Prioritizing Non-negotiables with Dr. Hannah Thompson and Chris Herring

Medicine often forgets the people who live just beyond the call room: the spouses, the partners, the ones holding it together while the system pulls physicians apart. In this conversation, we meet Hannah and Chris, a couple who turned conflict into clarity.As the husband of a physician, Chris found himself isolated and invisible during Hannah’s residency. What followed were hard conversations, conscious choices, and a shared commitment to rewrite the rules. Together, they challenge the unspoken norms of medicine, from toxic gratitude and performative suffering to the misplaced belief that having a family somehow weakens you as a physician.They also introduce their project, The Other Side Med, aimed at supporting the often-ignored partners of those in medicine and building a new vision of success that includes relationships, rest, and real human connection.In This Episode, We Discuss:The origin story of The Other Side Med and why male spouses of doctors need their own spaceChris’s emotional turning point, and the conversation that changed everythingThe unspoken rules in medicine that quietly punish anyone who colors outside the linesThe cultural gaslighting of residents: ‘if you can’t deal with it, change your choices’How Hannah protected herself during pregnancy without asking permissionWhy 70% of what happens in medicine would get you fired anywhere elseYou don’t need to leave your personal life at the door, and why integration makes doctors betterThe difference between transactional and relational medicineTheir personal non-negotiables and how you can start defining your ownLearning to say “no” with intention, knowing it will get easier every timeKey Takeaways:“You're not alone.” Whether you’re getting married, raising kids, or prioritizing your health, there’s no one right way to do medicine.Define your non-negotiables. What do you need (relationally, physically, emotionally, spiritually) to feel whole? Those are your anchors.You don’t need permission. From scheduling OB visits while pregnant to creating boundaries, advocacy doesn’t require approval.Toxic appreciation is real. Gratitude shouldn’t be used to normalize exhaustion or mistreatment.Say no, and mean it. If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no. Protecting your time and energy isn’t selfish; it’s essential.Follow Other Side Med on instagram here.Learn more about the Hippocratic Collective here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.