Hold My Scalpel: Dr. Stephanie Muh on Being the 7% in Surgery's Mostly Male Specialty

Dr. Stephanie Muh didn't just choose orthopedic surgery — she wrote it down in the third grade and never looked back. Her elementary school teacher kept that letter and returned it to her after medical school graduation. Now a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow pathology, Dr. Muh has more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, serves on multiple national committees, lectures internationally, and is joining the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Orthopedic Surgery. She's also one of only 7% of orthopedic surgeons in the country who is female.   What We Get Into [00:38] Introduction — The bone doctor who called it in third grade [02:15] Origin story — How a rambunctious kid with a lot of orthopedic injuries found her path [04:25] First self-doubt — Grades, test scores, and wondering if she was "good enough" for medical school [05:44] The grades debate — Why test scores reflect test-taking ability, not aptitude or potential [07:23] Passion as fuel — Why orthopedics isn't a job for Dr. Muh, it's her life [08:35] Behind the scenes — Designing surgical implants, working with engineers, and the 1–2 year road from concept to commercialization [12:19] The 7% — Why orthopedics ranks last among all surgical specialties for female representation [14:26] The mold — What people picture when they think "orthopedic surgeon" and why that perception is both wrong and stubborn [18:41] The carpentry myth — Why strength is a misread of what orthopedic surgery actually requires [20:43] Still questioning — How external bias and peer resistance still surface, even now [21:13] The review score problem — Research showing female physicians receive lower patient ratings and more complaints, across all of medicine [23:10] Finding support — Professional coaching, mentorship networks, and why Dr. Muh isn't ashamed to say she used both [27:17] Paying it forward — The Perry Initiative, the Nth Dimension program, and why representation isn't just about gender [31:48] Words for the road — What resilience really looks like when the path keeps pushing back [34:20] The "I'll show you" gene — Why defiance got her there, and wisdom taught her to turn it into a smolder The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.