Episode #77: What does it mean to be a "worthy physician"? Dr. Sapna Shah-Haque & Dr. Jackée Clement

Dr. Sapna Shah-Haque is a practicing internist, podcast host of “The Worthy Physician,” writer, speaker, and consultant. Dr. Jackée Clement is a family physician by training, wellness coach, and keynote speaker. Our deep and earnest conversation begins with Sapna sharing the tragic story of her best friend from med school and residency dying by suicide, and how she didn’t seek help because she feared professional repercussions.Sapna started her podcast to normalize these discussions. Jackée says there’s so much work to be done, sharing her own med school experience. Sapna speaks to the connection between mental health and physical health…“stress literally kills.” Jackée describes the culture shock she experienced in med school, and how she came to choose family medicine, and locums work. We dive into what makes a "good doctor"? sharing examples of building a relationship of trust, understanding it’s collaborative, and that patients are the experts on their bodies. We explore reasons that patients may feel unheard, as well as the critical importance of listening and keeping an open mind.Jackée and Sapna speak to the necessity of setting boundaries, how they’ll change over time, and how you need to honor that. I ask what has helped them to overcome challenges, and we spotlight that talking about suicide does not increase the risk for it, how you actually might save a life by discussing it. We’re all hoping to create a culture where it’s ok to say, “You know I’m not doing so well…” where doctors feel safe expressing their emotions openly and honestly. Our serious conversation is punctuated by moments of laughter and joy, including a reference to marshmallow peeps!