Surgeons with Purpose

TIME SENSITIVE: JOIN OR ENERGETICS HERE.What happens when being a doctor is no longer enough to sustain you?Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, OB/GYN and founder of A Tribe Called V joins me to explore identity, autonomy, and the hidden pressures of practicing medicine.Dr. Ghofrany didn’t follow a traditional path into medicine, and she doesn’t practice it traditionally either. From switching majors multiple times to building a parallel business, she shares what it looks like to question expectations, tolerate failure, and expand beyond the narrow identity many physicians inherit.We talk about the emotional and psychological realities of OB/GYN, the weight of responsibility in high-stakes situations, and the courage it takes to step outside the “golden handcuffs” of medicine.This episode is about more than career decisions.It’s about how you relate to yourself, especially when things don’t go as planned.🔍 In This Episode, We DiscussWhy identity in medicine can become limiting and how to expand beyond itThe concept of “golden handcuffs” and why so many physicians feel stuckLearning to tolerate failure (and why it’s essential for fulfillment)Building A Tribe Called V and what entrepreneurship revealed about her strengths and blind spotsThe emotional toll of OB/GYN, including moral injury and high-risk deliveriesThe psychological pressure physicians face in moments like shoulder dystociaHer personal journey through endometriosis, infertility, and ovarian cancerWhat illness taught her about resilience, perspective, and life beyond medicineThe importance of playfulness in the OR and how it shifts performanceA powerful daily mindset practice that shapes how she shows upWhy resentment is not useful in surgery—and what to do insteadCommunication, emotional intelligence, and how to navigate patient retaliation🧭 Why This Conversation MattersYou can follow every rule, do everything “right,” and still feel constrained by your career.This episode challenges the idea that medicine alone should define you—and offers a different way to think about autonomy, fulfillment, and what it means to build a life that actually works.👤 About Dr. Shieva GhofranyDr. Shieva Ghofrany is an OB/GYN in private practice and the founder of A Tribe Called V, a platform dedicated to increasing knowledge and reducing anxiety around women’s health.Her work sits at the intersection of medicine, education, and empowerment—helping women better understand their bodies while encouraging physicians to think more broadly about identity and impact.Learn more about Dr. Ghofrani here.

You don’t have a skill problem.You have a mindset problem, and it's time you learned the skillset of mindset mastery.In this special episode, I break down my why behind OR Energetics: The Mindset Mastery Intensive for Surgeons. White-knuckling your way through cases, patients, and your life is not mastery. It’s survival.And survival has an expiration date.Your hands were trained.But no one trained you to control your thoughts, your emotions, or the energy you bring into every case, every interaction, every decision.So what happens?You overthink.You second-guess.You carry the weight of every complication, every conversation, every expectation… home with you.And you call it “part of the job.”It’s not.You can be an exceptional surgeon… and still be completely out of control internally.And if you don’t fix that, it will catch up with you.OR Energetics is where that changes.If you’re done surviving your career, and ready to actually feel powerful inside it, this episode is your entry point.Join us inside OR Energetics here.Doors close May 9th.

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.Dr. Jake Goodman is a psychiatrist who works with healthcare professionals and has built a following of over 2 million people by saying the things most physicians are thinking but not saying out loud.His practice started in a telling way: his first patient was a surgeon, then a dentist, then a veterinarian, then an OB/GYN. That pattern wasn’t random; it revealed something much bigger. There is a massive, unmet need for mental health support in healthcare, and most of us are silently struggling more than we admit.Jake shares his own story of depression during intern year, when he thought he was “burned out,” but was actually depressed. Low energy. Numb. Going through the motions. And here’s the part that hits: he was a psychiatry resident and still couldn’t see it in himself. That’s how deep the stigma runs in our profession.We talk about what it actually takes to come out of that place and why “working harder” is not the answer. At some point, the armor has to come off. And for physicians, that’s often the hardest move.If you’ve ever felt like your life used to work—and now it doesn—you’ll recognize what he describes. The career, the family, the workouts, the expectations… at some point, something gives. His question is simple: Is what you’re doing sustainable for the next 20 years?We also get into the stuff no one taught us: – what to do with the stress your body is carrying after a case – why you can’t just compartmentalize forever – how to recognize your own “check engine lights” before things spiralAnd one of the most practical tools he shares is how to separate “hot thoughts” from reality. The ones that sound like: I’m a bad doctor. I’m an imposter. I’m going to be found out. Instead of fighting them, he teaches you how to create space from them so they stop running the show.We also talk about emotions: what they are, what they’re not, and why making permanent decisions in temporary emotional states is one of the biggest mistakes physicians make.This conversation is real, practical, and long overdue.If you’ve been telling yourself you’re just “burned out”… you may want to listen to this one.Learn more about Jake's practice here.Follow him on instagram here.

What if your relationship with food had nothing to do with discipline and everything to do with your nervous system?In this conversation with Luis Mojica, we explore the connection between developmental trauma, chronic stress, and the way we relate to food. Luis shares his own story of using an eating disorder to cope with undiagnosed PTSD, and how that led him to question the traditional psychology model that focuses on behavior without getting curious about environment, physiology, or nutrition.His work in nutrition counseling revealed a pattern: people with unresolved trauma and chronic stress often struggle to stabilize their health in ways that have nothing to do with discipline and everything to do with their nervous system.We talk about food as a relationship. Not just something we consume, but something that becomes us. Our tissues, our skin, our blood. Food can stimulate, suppress, or balance the body, much like our relationships with people. Caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates can activate the system. Rich, comforting foods can initially settle us but create downstream effects that dysregulate. Whole foods tend to support balance. This shifts the conversation away from good and bad foods and toward how different foods impact our internal state.We also unpack trauma as a physiological response rather than an event. The body mobilizes for fight or flight, and when that is not possible, it moves into freeze, collapse, or fawn. Many high achievers learn early how to override their own needs in order to belong. That override becomes a strength professionally, but it comes at a cost. Hunger signals, boundaries, and emotional cues all get muted, and over time there is a growing disconnection from the body. The same stress pathways that are activated in trauma can also be activated by the foods we eat.A big part of this conversation is reframing cravings. Instead of something to control, they can be understood as a signal. A compass pointing toward an unmet need. Luis shares examples from his work with patients, including how removing a coping mechanism too quickly can create more distress if we do not first understand what role it is playing. We talk about what it looks like to pause, get curious, and actually listen to what the body is communicating.We also go into practical tools. Tracking where tension or pressure lives in the body. Creating a sense of safety with simple physical cues. Working with numbness and understanding what is underneath it. For those of us in high intensity environments like surgery, this matters. The constant activation, sleep deprivation, and vicarious trauma create a baseline level of stress that most people never experience. In that context, food becomes more than fuel. It becomes a way to regulate. Meals and snacks can either amplify that stress or help bring it down.We close by talking about capacity versus desire. Many physicians love what they do, but their capacity to metabolize the constant input is maxed out. Without space to process, the system stays activated. Practices like pendulation, moving between states of activation and regulation, help rebuild that capacity. This is ultimately about returning to a more sovereign relationship with the body, supporting the microbiome, and understanding that even something as simple as fiber can play a meaningful role in restoring balance.Get Luis's book Food Therapy here.Follow Luis on instagram here.Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Learn more about Love and Science Fertility here.Learn more about the Norway retreat here. Get on my calendar for an interview for a spot here.Join Empowerd Surgeons here.Infertility is shaping the lives of female physicians, and we need to talk about it.Dr. Erica Bove, creator of Love and Science, shares the startling fact that 1 in 4 female physicians and 1 in 3 female surgeons experience infertility. Interestingly, the very mindset that makes us successful in surgery can work against us when it comes to building a family.We explore the hidden role of stress, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation, and the trap so many physicians fall into: trying to solve infertility by working harder, researching more, and disconnecting from their own bodies.Dr. Bove offers a radically different approach, one that begins with humanity.We talk about:Why going on a certainty frenzy doesn't solve the problemHow trauma states impact fertility physiologyThe courage it takes to receive care, not just give and giveReconnecting with your deepest “why” Boundaries, community, and learning to say: I deserve to be a patientThis is not just a conversation about fertility, it’s about reclaiming your humanity in a system that taught you to override it.Erica Bove, MD, is a double board certified OB-GYN and Reproductive Endocrinologist (REI) physician at the University of Vermont, She is also the CEO and founder of Love and Science: Thriving Through Infertility. She has a keen interest in marrying an evidence-based approach with intuitive knowing in the context of a trusting relationship. She empowers women physicians to build their families with confidence, self compassion and community. Her mission is to heal and support the healers and to create a legacy she is proud of. In her free time, she enjoys running, yoga, kayaking, skiing, reading, writing, and spending time with her inner circle.Follow her on Linkedin here, IG here, FB here, and check out her podcast, Love and Science Fertility here.

Surgeons, join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group today.In this episode, Dr. Karen Leitner and I explore the hidden thought patterns that keep women physicians stuck. And how to break free!We cover:Why charting paralysis happens (and the thought loops that drive it)Being diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) later in life and the shift from self-judgment to self-understandingThe power of acceptance and letting go of control over outcomesThe moment Karen realized even “good doctors” get suedHow medical training builds a hypercritical inner voice (and how to replace it with self-compassion)Moving from walking a tightrope → to feeling solid and safe within yourselfThe reality of inequity: women physicians being undervalued and underpaidLessons from Women Don’t Ask on why women avoid negotiationThe mindset shifts needed to negotiate powerfully:Your value is yours—even if others don’t recognize itHearing “no” is part of the process, not the endDiscomfort is the price of increasing your impact and incomePractical negotiation strategies:Research compensation (e.g., Medical Group Management Association data)Communicate your value from the institution’s perspectiveHave the conversation in person and set expectations ahead of timeAnticipate objections and stay in the conversationKey takeaway:Money = impact. When you are compensated appropriately, you expand your ability to create change.Ready to go deeper?If you’re a woman physician looking to feel better, think clearer, and show up more powerfully in your life and career, check out Dr. Karen Leitner's coaching program here. Make sure to follow her on Instagram here.And if you’re a surgeon ready to step out of burnout and lead your career from a place of confidence and ownership, join Empowered Surgeons. You don’t have to keep doing this alone.

Interested in our retreat to Norway? Get on my calendar for an interview here.What does it really take to survive and succeed in a system that wasn’t built with you in mind?In this episode, I explore that question with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sonya Sloan. We talk about the hidden curriculum of medicine: the unspoken rules, the power dynamics, and the strategies required to navigate surgical training, especially as a Black woman in a historically white, male-dominated field.From early inspiration in the operating room to enduring microaggressions, bullying, and even physical assault during training, Dr. Sloan shares what she learned, how she protected herself, and why resilience alone is not enough.This episode is not just about survival; it’s about strategy, leadership, and rewriting the rules for the next generation.We talk about:How her early experiences sparked a career in orthopedicsWhat it was like being one of the only Black trainees in a surgical programThe reality of bias, microaggressions, and exclusion in medicineThe difference between mentors and true advocatesA moment of physical assault in the OR, and how she handled itWhy documentation and strategy are essential for protecting your careerThe hidden “rules” of medicine no one teaches youHow surgical culture impacts womenThe critical importance of leadership and communication skillsWhy “soft skills” are not optional but essentialHow humor and tone-setting can transform the OR environmentThe emotional toll of training, and the importance of narrative processingWhy so many trainees feel isolated, targeted, or unsupportedWhat needs to change in surgical education right nowTakeaways:Resilience isn’t enough. You need strategy, awareness, and supportDocumentation is power in environments where bias existsMentors advise. Advocates act. You need both.Microaggressions shape careers, even when they seem subtleLeadership skills are not taught, but they are critical to survivalYou don’t have to silently tolerate inappropriate behaviorProcessing your story is part of healing and reclaiming your voiceLearn more about Dr. Sonya Sloan and get her book, The Rules of Medicine here.Follow Dr. Sloan on instagram here.Check out Hardball for Women here.Check out White Fragility here.Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.Learn more about what's inside ESG here.In the perfectionist surgeon's mind, either we get a perfect outcome or we fail. But in the realm of humans, perfection is impossible. And we don't always have full control over the final surgical result.Instead of thinking in terms of surgical "success" and surgical "failure", what would it look like to categorize circumstances into mistakes, complications, and missed expectations? That's what I explore inside this episode.

What does it mean to stay grounded in your identity and your humanity inside a system that often asks you to override both?In this episode, orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Brian Nwannunu, shares his journey from being the son of Nigerian immigrants to building a career in surgery rooted in purpose, faith, and service. Brian knew from a young age that he was called to medicine, but his path wasn’t linear. After not getting into medical school on his first attempt, he pursued a master’s in physiology, eventually gaining admission and thriving - reinforcing a powerful truth: test scores don’t define clinical excellence or future success.We talk about the realities of surgical training, where Brian faced criticism, microaggressions, and the pressure of being one of the only Black residents in his program. Despite external narratives that questioned his performance, he had objective evidence of his excellence and mentors who helped him stay grounded. His story highlights the disconnect that can exist between perception and reality in training environments, and the lasting impact of bias, labeling, and unequal protection among trainees.Brian shares how these experiences shaped the way he practices today. As an attending, he’s intentional about bringing humanity back into orthopedic surgery: slowing down, listening deeply, and recognizing that every surgery affects not just a patient, but an entire life system. We also explore the difference between operating from service versus ego, and how that distinction changes both outcomes and fulfillment.The conversation expands into the broader realities of modern medicine: insurance barriers, loss of autonomy, and the growing influence of private equity. Brian explains why he chose private practice, why physicians need an exit strategy, and how models like direct care may shape the future of certain specialties.Finally, we talk about identity beyond medicine. Brian shares how he’s diversified his life through teaching, speaking, and financial literacy, which all creates a sense of purpose and stability that extends beyond the OR.This is a conversation about resilience, integrity, and choosing how you want to practice, both as a surgeon and as a human being.Follow Dr. Brian Nwannunu on instagram here.Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

What do physicians actually need when they find themselves on the receiving end of a malpractice lawsuit?In this episode, I have a conversation with emergency physician, educator, speaker, coach, advocate and legal expert Dr. Gita Pensa about the reality of medical malpractice from the physician defendant’s perspective. We explore why getting sued can feel like being dropped onto another planet. Also why shame, fear, and avoidance often keep doctors from learning how the system actually works.Gita explains how the malpractice landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. Public trust in medicine has eroded since COVID, nuclear verdicts are increasing, and third-party investors are now funding lawsuits in pursuit of massive payouts. Meanwhile, physicians often stay silent, leaving the narrative about medicine to be shaped by media outlets, documentaries, and plaintiff attorneys who are highly organized and strategic about influencing public perception.We also unpack a crucial misconception: a verdict or settlement does not necessarily mean bad care. Medicine operates in a world of uncertainty, yet the public expectation of perfection has never been higher. Complications, missed expectations, and true mistakes are very different things, but in courtrooms and headlines, they’re often treated as the same.Gita shares practical insights into the litigation process, including why the deposition is one of the most important moments for a physician defendant. She also discusses the work she does helping physicians prepare for these high-stakes conversations so they can show up with clarity instead of fear.Finally, we zoom out to the bigger picture. From legislative advocacy to improving how medicine talks publicly about risk and error, physicians need to become more informed, more strategic, and more willing to speak openly about malpractice and its consequences.Because the truth is: if we want the system to change, we have to be willing to understand it and talk about it out loud.Learn more about Dr. Pensa's LEAP course here.Listen to Doctors and Litigation: The L Word podcast here. Season 3 episode 4 features Dr. Nirav Patel, the radiologist who is an example of what is possible.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.

In 2019, two patients complained to the Board of Registration in Medicine about me.At the time, it felt deeply unfair. I felt hate. I felt indignation. I felt like a victim. I even fantasized about horrible things happening to the people who complained about me. They were my villains.But, through my own coaching journey, I began to understand that pain is not individual; it is inherited, relational, generational, and cultural. These two complaints were sources of clean pain, but they were not the source of my suffering; my decision to indulge in drama was the real cause of my suffering.In this episode, I'll teach you the important lessons I learned from that year.I now feel immense gratitude for experiencing what it's like to be investigated by the Board, and I'm so happy I can bring these lessons to all of you.If you want to take this work deeper and master the lessons I now teach, you're going to want to join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.Not ready yet? Definitely get on my email list here so as not to miss any free or paid offerings.Sign up for the webinar, "Mistakes, Complications and Missed Expectations" on March 26th at 5 pm EST here.

Surgeon-writer, Dr. Cornelia Griggs joins me this week.Check out her article with Dr. Andrea Merrill, The Hidden Reason Women are Leaving Surgery: They're Being Pushed Out here.Check out her book, The Sky Was Falling here.The first physician in a family of writers, artists, and communicators, she grew up surrounded by people willing to speak openly about medicine’s vulnerabilities. A former theater kid, she found early inspiration in Atul Gawande’s Complications and the patient safety movement—so much so that she wrote her senior honors thesis on its history. After college at Harvard and medical school at Columbia, she developed a deep interest in health policy and the cultural forces shaping modern medicine. She reflects on how differently she writes when her “research hat” is on—passive voice, sterile, stripped of self—compared to the personal writing she uses to metabolize the hardest moments of her career.We talk about what it was like to be a young surgeon in New York City when COVID hit—what was meant to be the crown jewel of her training. Following intensivists on early medical Twitter, she became convinced by February that disaster was coming. What frightened her most wasn’t ventilator shortages but the prediction that hospitals would run out of staff as clinicians fell ill. She felt dismissed, even gaslit, when others minimized the threat. Yet she knew—capital B Bad was coming. When the surge hit, it felt dystopian: inadequate PPE, mounting loss, the emotional toll of watching a system strain and fracture. That experience deepened her commitment to nurturing the softer, intuitive, vulnerable parts of herself—and to helping others do the same.Cornelia also speaks candidly about women’s attrition from medicine, including her co-authored work with Dr. Andrea Merrill examining why so many are leaving. From differential treatment in the OR to referral streams quietly diverted to younger male partners, from pay disparities to the subtle “thousand paper cuts” of heightened expectations, she describes the cumulative mental load women surgeons carry. She has a unique vantage point watching how OR staff treat her husband compared to how they treat her and her female colleagues. Meanwhile, medicine offers few of the perks seen in tech and other industries—despite the time, sacrifice, and invisible labor the profession demands.We explore the erosion of public trust, the ways academic medicine has ceded ground to the wellness industry, and how rebuilding credibility will require more than data—it will require humanity. For Cornelia, the path forward means reinjecting compassion into the profession, setting boundaries, and redefining what it means to be a powerful physician in today’s world.Follow Dr. Griggs on TikTok here.Check out Dr. Frances Mei Hardin's book, Surgeon on the Edge here.Sign up for "When you Can Cut the Tension with a #10 Blade: Anxiety, Performance, and the Surgical Nervous System" here.Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.Life is more fun when your career path isn’t linear. Dr. Raymund King knows this well. From performing magic to practicing medicine, from the courtroom to the screen, Raymund’s life reflects a deep willingness to evolve and follow his inner knowing.We talk about witnessing tragedy, bucking the norm, the mindset of a doctor vs lawyer vs creative, reinvention of self, becoming a good steward of service, and the importance of trust, even when things are scary and uncertain.For physicians navigating burnout, or identity shifts, Raymund’s story is a reminder that your path does not have to be singular to be coherent. Reinvention is not failure. And sometimes the most powerful next step is the one that makes the least sense on paper.Find Dr. Raymund King on IMDB here and Linkedin here.

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.”It makes you feel crazy as a patient,” Tiphany Kane.As physicians, we have more influence than we realize over how patients feel and how they perceive us (and the profession in general). Whether or not we diagnose them or operate on them, patients want—and deserve—to be treated humanely.At its core, our job is simple: serve the patient.But that becomes profoundly challenging inside a dehumanizing healthcare system rife with moral injury and burnout. I get it. It’s easy for physicians to slip into a transactional mindset when the system itself is transactional.And still, both things can be true.We can humanize ourselves, humanize every patient we see, and work to change the system at the same time. In fact, I believe everyone wins when we choose this path.In this episode, you’ll hear one patient’s journey. Tiphany Kane is an entrepreneur and a medical mystery. She shares what it was like to be gaslit for years by her primary care physician, cardiologists, nephrologists, and endocrinologists. It wasn’t until she independently enrolled herself in a clinical trial that she finally received the care she had been searching for.And it wasn’t easy. Despite surgical complications and unexpected setbacks, Tiphany speaks with gratitude and deep respect for the surgical team who cared for her.Her story is a powerful example of what becomes possible when physicians make compassionate, patient-centered, service-based care their highest priority.Follow Tiphany and her medical journey on instagram here.

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons here. Subscribe to Stitches here.What happens when the skills that make you a great surgeon begin pulling you toward a different kind of impact?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ivan Capobianco, who trained as a hepatobiliary and transplant surgeon and whose career journey spans Italy, Germany, global health work in Angola, academic research, AI, entrepreneurship, and medical publishing.Ivan shares a deeply honest account of how he moved from the operating room into startup life and research, not because he couldn’t handle surgery, but because he began asking a bigger question:How else can I serve?We talk about:-Growing up in Italy in a creative family, and why medicine wasn’t always the obvious path-Training at the University of Padua, one of the oldest medical faculties in the world-Key differences between European and U.S. surgical training systems-How a year “off” before residency led him to Angola and permanently changed how he saw medicine-Why pediatric surgery culture felt different, and what that revealed about surgical identity-Burnout that didn’t announce itself until it did-A pivotal moment during parental leave that forced a reckoning between career, family, and self-Attrition in surgery, particularly for women-The unfortunate truth that productivity and profit override patient-centered values in modern surgical systems-The realization that helping healthcare workers may help more patients than operating aloneIvan also shares how his love of research, data, and prevention led him to:-Learn coding and machine learning-Found the healthcare documentation startup Briefly-Create STITCHES, a daily newsletter that curates and summarizes the most relevant surgical literature from hundreds of papers published each dayWe explore:-Why most “AI in surgery” papers miss the mark-The value of small case reports and practical technique papers-Why knowing open surgery still matters in a robotic era-The loss of discussion and collaboration in modern academic medicine-The myth of “I don’t have time”-How essentialism can reduce cognitive and bureaucratic burden for surgeonsThis is a conversation about agency, courage, and redefining service and usefulness in a system that often narrows our sense of who we’re allowed to be.About the GuestDr. Ivan Capobianco leads the Surgical AI anda Digital Phenotyping Group at the Department of General Surgery, University of Tübingen. His research focuses on machine learning and artifical intelligence, Big Data in medicine, with a a particular emphasis on natural language processing methods applied to clinical data. He is the founder of the healthcare startup Breeflee, and creator of the surgical research newsletter STITCHES, which reaches over 5,000 readers daily. His work focuses on improving working conditions for surgeons and other healthcare professionals through better data, automation, and access to meaningful research.

The Pain to Power Workshop is the foundation upon which your self-concept is built. You can't step into the next version of yourself until you heal old wounds and rewrite your past. We start this work Feb 2nd, 2026. You have access to the content until March 2nd, 2026. Sign up here.If you are catching this episode outside the window, no worries! You can still join us inside Empowered Surgeons group here.

LIMITED OFFER: The Pain to Power 5-day Coaching Program starts Feb 2nd. Sign up here.In this episode I speak with Dr. Mandy Rice, a dual board–certified General Surgeon and Surgical Intensivist whose path to surgery was anything but traditional. She began her career as a pediatric ICU nurse at 22, carrying the belief that she “wasn’t smart enough to be a doctor” - until a physician challenged that narrative, and she chose to believe him.Mandy loved medical school: the chaos, the autonomy, and the sense of purpose. Only later did she realize that the chaos she gravitated toward mirrored the chaos of her childhood, and that comfort and disorder had long been paired in her nervous system. After graduating medical school at 36, she entered residency and discovered stark differences between nursing and medicine, mentorship and hierarchy. A strong female role model in medical school contrasted sharply with a toxic training environment in residency, where lack of support - particularly from women in leadership - left her asking, “Why would people who are paid to train me treat me this way?”We talk openly about the pain and disorientation of being fired from a training program, and the rude awakening that truth, logic, and “first, do no harm” do not always govern surgical culture. From there, Mandy navigated her first job out of training, reimagined the life she wanted, and ultimately designed a practice on her own terms, including direct-care surgery and later, community-based women’s health and hormone therapy.Along the way we examine burnout, depersonalization, and the subtle spectrum between over-empathizing and dehumanizing patients. The middle ground, we learn, is compassion and skillful empathy. We also explore the gifts of palliative medicine and how it reshaped her ability to have difficult conversations, confront uncertainty, and meet suffering without collapsing into it.Today, Mandy practices community surgery through a circuitous and self-authored route - proof that there are many ways to practice surgery, many ways to serve, and many ways to live a life in healthcare that is meaningful, humane, and your own.Learn more about Dr. Mandy Rice here.Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Have you ever felt like you were on a moving sidewalk toward retirement, as if you had committed to a life path long ago and now you’re simply being carried along it? If so, you’re not alone, and you won’t want to miss this episode.This week I speak with Mark Shrime, MD, PhD - Head and Neck surgeon, researcher, and former Chief of the Harvard Program in Global Surgery - about discernment, vocation, risk, and the search for meaning in medicine. Mark talks candidly about disliking medical school, nearly quitting, and ultimately choosing ENT after spending time with a surgeon who modeled what it means to balance work and play - a theme that never stopped mattering.We explore how physicians make consequential decisions under uncertainty, how intuition can be trained, and why medicine treats vocation almost like the clergy: you choose young, never leave, and give your whole life to it. Along the way, we discuss administrative bloat, the profit motives of healthcare, the indoctrination of not listening to our inner voice, and the question of whether doctors are truly risk-averse or simply trained to be.A turning point comes with Mark’s service work on Mercy Ships, where he performed head and neck surgery in a purely service mindset. An epiphany in Monrovia - punctuated by a near-fatal car accident - clarified his path in a way that finally felt aligned rather than obligatory. Conversations in Madagascar later informed his paper Trading Bankruptcy for Health (Value Health, 2018), a study I referenced in my TEDx talk Seeing Beyond the Red Swans.We talk black swans, white swans, and red swans, and the privilege of being present with people in their deepest truths. Ultimately, we circle back to what humans crave most: to be seen, accepted, safe, and unjudged, even though safety is not incentivized in modern healthcare.We close with positive psychology, the inner judge and its saboteurs, and the uncomfortable but necessary skill of falling in love with failure, especially in surgery, where complications become harder emotionally even as skill peaks.Watch Mark's TEDx talk, Putting Purpose Over Path.Work with him and buy his book here.Follow him on instagram here.

After returning from our inaugural women surgeon's retreat in Cabo, Steph Sheldon and I debrief about the lessons we learned. Please enjoy this special episode of Surgeons with Purpose. The "Pain to Power Workshop" will launch on Jan 18th. Get on my email list here to get all the updates about the program.And if you are ready to join us in Empowered Surgeons Group, click here.Steph Sheldon is a creative entrepreneur, business coach, website designer, and brand strategist who works primarily with women founders and coaches to help them clarify their voice, build intentional digital spaces, and grow sustainable, aligned businesses. She blends her background in architecture with business strategy and creativity to support her clients in creating meaningful, effective online presences and offerings.Steph frames business not just as technical work but as creative and personal expression, rooted in clarity, intention, and connection between the founder and their audience. Her content and coaching often explore how inner beliefs, creativity, and somatic experience inform business success.Follow her on instagram here.

Are you a woman surgeon who wants to retreat with us in Norway in August? Get on my calendar for an interview here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.In this episode, Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares her journey through otolaryngology training, a painful facial plastics fellowship experience, and the difficult decision to leave a path that no longer aligned with her values. First drawn to ENT as a medical student by its breadth and clinical complexity, Lauren enjoyed the precision of endoscopic and microscopic surgery during residency but found herself emotionally weighed down by head and neck cancer care. A rotation in facial plastic surgery changed everything, offering her clarity, creativity, and a sense of elective choice that resonated deeply.Fellowship, however, became one of the most difficult chapters of her training. Despite being a strong student, Lauren felt profoundly out of alignment with her fellowship director and increasingly isolated, questioning herself in ways she never had before. As the experience deteriorated, she began simultaneously building her future practice, ultimately making the terrifying decision to resign just ten months in, despite fears about certification and professional identity. Ultimately, she chose her hard.Lauren goes on to describe building a facial plastic surgery practice rooted in trust, transparency, and psychological safety. She discusses leveraging social media, thinking like an entrepreneur, and learning to separate the certainty required in surgery from the experimentation required in business. Central to her work is reframing perfectionism and failure, setting honest expectations with patients, and acknowledging that neither surgeons nor outcomes are ever perfect.This conversation explores what it means to design a life and practice on your own terms, build culture intentionally, and fall in love with the hard parts of the work. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the bravest move in surgery and life is choosing alignment over approval.Dr. Lauren Umstattd is a facial plastic surgeon and entrepreneur known for her commitment to autonomy, ethical patient communication, and psychologically safe practice culture. She is passionate about building systems that support excellence without sacrificing humanity. Follow her on instagram here and TikTok here.

Dr. Kat Hudon shares her journey from enthusiastic learner to an employed physician slowly beaten down by a system designed to keep doctors exhausted, constrained, and disconnected from their creativity.In this convo, we explore how medicine places an impossible mantle of perfection on physicians, why resilience is a finite resource, and how the system punishes anything that falls outside the narrow definition of “excellence.” Dr. Hudon reflects on moral injury, middle management challenges, the growing administrative bloat in healthcare, and how she realized she always had a choice.This episode is about reclaiming agency through values, connection, collaboration, and the courage to design a life and practice that actually aligns with who you are.Key Themes:From Idealism to DisillusionmentKat describes the arc many physicians experience: entering medicine as a high-achieving, enthusiastic learner and slowly realizing, “I thought this was going to be better.”Residency forges some of her most meaningful, lifelong relationships—even as the system itself begins to erode joy and creativity.As leadership changes in employed medicine, conditions often worsen rather than improve.The Myth of Infinite ResilienceMedicine demands perfection while punishing anything less.Resilience is not endless—it’s a bucket that must be actively filled and resourced.The dream of post-training life rarely matches reality; the clinical work is often the easiest part of the job.Moral Injury and Systemic FailureFive years ago, Kat witnessed a dramatic rise in loneliness and anxiety among children without adequate training, resources, or systems to support them.The moral injury of feeling like she was causing harm simply by working within a broken system shook her willingness to participate in it.Healthcare has become an industry of industries, bloated by layers of administration and confusion designed to perpetuate itself.Insurance, Power, and AutonomyInsurance companies dictate care decisions, limiting physician autonomy and patient-centered care.If given a magic wand, Kat would eliminate the outsized power insurance holds over medical decision-makingThe growing number—and salaries—of administrators contrasts sharply with the lived experience of clinicians.Choosing a Different PathDisillusionment with healthcare helped catalyze Kat’s move toward building a direct care clinic focused on longevity and age management.Starting a business required clarity around core values and identity.Physicians have highly transferable skills and more freedom than they are often led to believe.Relationship Over PaternalismOne of medicine’s most powerful skills: building trust within minutes.Relating well to patients—rather than using fear or authority—creates better outcomes.Kat shares how relationship-centered conversations led to a 95% success rate with vitamin K acceptance, compared to 10% when scare tactics were used.Designing a Sustainable PracticeKat describes her current practice model, including hour-long initial consultations followed by a membership structure.Diversifying income streams and designing life intentionally creates capacity for empathy, connection, and meaningful discourse, even in challenging conversations.The Second Mountain & What Comes NextDrawing on David Brooks’ concept of The Second Mountain, Kat reflects on moving from achievement-driven success to purpose, service, and community.If You Feel Stuck: Where to StartKat offers practical first steps for physicians who feel trapped:Pause and reflect: Identify what’s working and what isn’t. This isn’t quitting; it’s pruning.Assess probability: What are the chances you’ll be happy if you stay? What are the chances you’d be happy doing something else?Remember: You always have a choice.Dr. Kat Hudon isn’t just another voice in the crowd; she’s a dedicated advocate for a new era of medicine–one that values integrity over profit, compassion over convention, and authenticity over everything.Her voice rises above the noise, guiding both practitioners and patients toward a more holistic, honest approach to healthcare. Because real medicine isn’t just about treatment; it’s about trust, and Dr. Hudon is here to redefine what it means to truly care. Dr. Hudon is on a mission to educate, inspire, and advocate for a system where patients and practitioners are empowered to pursue health and healing with more humanity.Follow her on instagram here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.

See you all in 2026!Click here to join us in Empowered Surgeons group.Check out my latest TEDx talk, "Seeing Beyond the Red Swans", here.

In this conversation, I’m joined by author and human performance expert Brad Stulberg to explore identity diversity, mastery, and what it really means to build a sustainable, meaningful career. We discuss the concept of the identity house, what it means to feel one's way to skill attunement, core values, process vs product, and how presence and flow are at the heart of mastery.This episode is especially relevant for surgeons and high-achievers who have poured everything into one role and are wondering how to prevent burnout without giving up ambition.We Talk About:The Identity HouseThe idea that we all live in an identity house with multiple rooms (e.g., surgeon, parent, artist, athlete, writer)Why having multiple rooms matters: if one room floods or burns down, the entire house doesn’t collapseNot all identity rooms are the same size, and we don’t need to spend equal time in eachYou can spend most of your day in one “room”—the key is not letting the others get moldyThe concept of minimum effective dosing for neglected parts of identityWhy it’s never too late to renovate your identity home, even if you’ve lived only in the “surgeon room” for yearsCore Values as Burnout PreventionWhy defining core values is the first step in preventing burnout and moral injuryResearch-backed values associated with long-term well-being: Autonomy, mastery, belongingTwo distinct types of burnout:Career vs. Week ThinkingThe danger of optimizing for a “successful week” instead of a successful careerHow ego convinces us we’re more indispensable than we areThe liberating truth: the world keeps turning without usMastery, Presence, and the Craft of Surgery“Feeling our way to excellence” and how it intersects with see one, do one, teach oneThe universal mastery trajectory: Simple → Complex → SimpleWhy what looks “simple” is actually hundreds of unconscious micro-stepsThe four stages of competence:: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, unconscious competence (the apex of excellence)Why many high-achievers get stuck in conscious competence (or try to skip steps)Presence, intimacy with craft, and why the best moments (like a first kiss) are thoughtlessProcess Over ProductSeeing your work as a craft, not just a jobIdentifying the right goals without obsessing over themThe danger of outcome fixationWhy process is what sustains excellence over timeIntensity, Rest, and RenewalThe nuance of “going all in” without “going all the time”Stimulus + rest = recoveryHow intensity and joy are not opposites, but partnersJoin Empowered Surgeons Group here.Find Brad Stulberg and his incredible books here.

Trauma is more common than we think, especially in high-stakes professions like surgery. In this episode, I define trauma, PTSD, and post-traumatic growth and explore how these experiences can show up in the body, the nervous system, and everyday life.Drawing from my own experience with complex PTSD and panic attacks, I walk you through a practical, humane process for moving through trauma rather than around it. This isn’t about fixing yourself or returning to who you were before. It’s about learning how to metabolize difficult experiences and create something meaningful from them.If you need support, you can get on my calendar for a free consult here.Join us in Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Join Empowered Surgeons here.Book a free consult with me here.And if you're here for the free content, amazing! My next masterclass + open coaching is on December 14th at 10 am EST. Sign up for "5 Ways Surgeons Fail" here.In this episode, I break down what coaching is. Not the corporate wellness version, but the real, practical, life-changing version that surgeons and high-stakes professionals actually need.Coaching, as I define it, is choosing thoughts that generate feelings that empower you to create results you truly desire. It's the antidote to the soul-crushing grind of modern healthcare, moral injury, the day-to-day depletion, and the feeling that you’re running out of capacity while the system demands more.It’s also the only part of this profession that you can truly control.We start by identifying what you yearn for (your will), then reconnecting with your power, the internal clarity, agency, and authority that have been buried under years of training, cultural conditioning, and systemic pressure. Then we learn how to wield that power with intention and compassion. In this way, one moment at a time - little by little - your impact and your world expands. Instead of stagnating and staying small, you show up big. You create big things. I know it works because I've done it.If you’ve ever wondered what coaching actually is (and isn’t), why it works, or whether it’s worth your time, this episode is your starting point.

⚠️ SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNINGThis episode discusses suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. If this subject is triggering for you, please consider skipping this episode. If you choose to listen, do so gently and take good care of yourself. If you’re feeling hopeless or suicidal, please reach out for support. You can call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or click here for additional resources.Dr. Michelle Chestovich is a family medicine physician, physician coach, and the host of the Remind Yourself podcast—soon to be renamed Stress Rx. She is also the sister of Dr. Gretchen Butler, a brilliant, beloved human and radiologist who died by suicide on March 5, 2021.Michelle’s story mirrors the quiet struggle many physicians face. She found herself living a life she didn’t quite sign up for, balancing the demands of medicine with a shifting sense of identity after becoming a mother. Coaching became her pathway back to clarity, alignment, and truth.Her sister, Gretchen, faced the impossible convergence of pressures, expectations, and circumstances that contribute to the staggering statistic of 300–400 physician suicides each year.This episode is a tender, honest conversation about grief, the hidden burdens physicians carry, the systemic failures that harm our colleagues, and the transformative power of recognizing our own humanness.Get a lifetime of support in Empowered Surgeons Group here.Learn more about Dr. Michelle Chestovich and how she can help you here.

*********SENSITIVE TOPIC WARNING*******************This episode discusses substance abuse and suicide. Please listen carefully.In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Dr. Courtney McKeown shares the story she was once told would be “career suicide”—a story of mental health crisis, addiction, recovery, and the hard-won journey back to her authentic self.She reflects on the research-year psychotic break that led to hospitalization, the healing support of an extraordinary program director, and her rise into a prestigious hepatobiliary fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. But even at the top, her body kept signaling what she now sees clearly: her life was misaligned, fueled by external validation and hidden coping mechanisms.When routine monitoring uncovered her secret drinking, she was thrust into the harsh reality of how the medical system treats physicians in distress—often punitively, fearfully, and without nuance. She describes how the state of Ohio’s approach pushed her to rock bottom, how a trusted psychiatrist saved her life, and how the state of Massachusetts’ more compassionate physician health program ultimately helped her rebuild it.Courtney has been sober since March 2021. She chose to share her story publicly, despite warnings it would end her career. Instead, the opposite happened. A closed credentialing door redirected her to a new opportunity—now serving as Chief of Surgery in a community where she is supported, aligned, and deeply fulfilled.Her journey highlights both truths: yes, institutions can weaponize oversight against physicians who don’t “fit,” and our ultimate success cannot be dictated by anything outside of us. Alignment, authenticity, and courage are powerful forces.Today, she is living her best life: thriving in private practice, leading a department, and connecting with her patients more meaningfully than ever.Key TopicsThe research-year crisis: stimulants, psychosis, and hospitalizationThe power of a supportive program director and the road back to residencyThe dream fellowship that wasn’t aligned, and how her body told the truthAddiction, secrecy, and the moment she was “caught”How states differ dramatically in supporting (or punishing) physicians in distressThe paradox of safety expectations: punished for depression, allowed to operate without sleepThe credentialing roadblock that redirected her to the role she was meant forTwo truths: systemic weaponization and internal sovereigntySobriety since March 2021 and what real recovery looks likeLiving in alignment: joy, leadership, community practice, connection with patientsFind Courtney on instagram here.Watch her story on CBS morning news here.Join Empowered Surgeons here.

Trauma surgeon and healthcare leader Dr. Scott Ellner joins me to talk about the moments that reshaped his life and career, from witnessing a beachside intubation at age 21 to navigating one of the lowest points of his surgical practice. We explore complications, shame, psychological safety in the OR, and why compassion and emotional intelligence are essential (not optional) in surgery.Scott shares the retained foreign body case that transformed his approach to leadership, the danger of tense OR energy, and the difference between title-based authority and referent power. We also discuss the failure of punitive peer review, the legacy of Ernest Codman, and what it really takes for surgeons to regain confidence after early-career mistakes.We each open up about panic attacks—mine recently in the OR, his in medical school—and talk about vulnerability, preparation, and staying ahead of fear. Scott also previews his upcoming book, Wipe Out Rise Up, a blend of surgical stories and lessons from surfing on resilience, perseverance, and facing storms head-on.Find Scott and his book here.Listen to his TEDx talk "Lessons from Surgery and Grey's Anatomy" here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Get the pre-or mindset checklist here.Join us in Empowered Surgeons Group here.Anxiety can be transformed into resilience and courage, but only when we move toward it, not away from it.Anxiety is the life-saving fear response misapplied to the imagination.By definition, anxiety is a lie.What we fear—killing the patient, facing a lawsuit, losing our reputation, losing everything—is not actually happening in real time.Fear is intuitive, primitive, and immediately actionable. It comes in a wave, then recedes.Anxiety, on the other hand, never relents.The Five Fear ResponsesFightFlightFreezeFawnFlopWhen we close a loop with fight or flight, our brain registers safety and completion.But when we respond with freeze, fawn, or flop, the event can encode as trauma.That’s why exercising healthy fight—asserting boundaries instead of people-pleasing—is essential.In the hierarchical culture of surgical training, this can be especially hard to do.Managing Anxiety: Before, During, and After SurgeryPre-opNotice the thoughts your brain offers, often disguised as innocent questions:“What if I don’t find the nerve?”Instead of accepting that thought as truth, offer the opposite:“What if I do?”Then, shift into a mental state that serves you. I like to remind myself:“It’s not about me. It never was, and it never will be.”Finally, create a short ritual, like visualizing the entire case from start to finish at the scrub sink.Intra-opWhen anxiety hits—bleeding, getting lost in a dissection, uncertainty—let the physiologic surge pass through your system for 90 seconds.Do not believe the story your brain tells you during those 90 seconds.Once the wave subsides, find certainty:“What do I know for sure?”Then move from known to unknown with curiosity and creativity.Post-opDownload your thoughts.Speak them into a voice memo or write them down unedited, unfiltered, stream-of-consciousness.Getting it out of your head helps you process, release, and reset for the next case.Key takeaway:Anxiety isn’t the enemy; it’s an invitation.When you learn to meet it directly, you transform it into the fuel for courage, clarity, and growth.

In this episode, digital marketer Colin Royal—husband to ENT surgeon and fellow Hippocratic Collective co-founder Dr. Frances Mei Hardin—joins the show to discuss everything we didn’t learn about how industries outside of surgery work.In surgical culture, we often carry false notions, like the idea that we should give our time, energy, and value away for free (see Episode #4: Toxic Martyrdom).The truth is: we aren't exempt from the rules of business. Businesses need money for sustainability, and money comes from value.As surgeons, we have a lot of value to give the world.We give value to our patients when we hold space for them in clinic and offer our expertise. We give value in the operating room when we use our skills to help fix their problems. We give value to our communities by taking call. We give value every time we answer phone calls and messages.These are all value points, and we’re not wrong or bad for monetizing them. Every other industry does. That’s how a profession becomes sustainable: the more value you offer, the more people want to pay to receive it. The more resourced and protected you are as the ASSET, the more capacity you have to give your value for free…when you want to. Giving value away for free isn’t bad in and of itself, but when a system or culture forces us to martyr ourselves against our will, that’s a recipe for burnout and implosion. When we begin to understand how the world outside of surgery works, we open the door to diversifying our identity. We start to feel comfortable with the idea of multiple income streams. We stop telling ourselves that we’re special snowflakes with no discernible skills beyond surgery. We can learn marketing, selling, and social media just as well as the next person. The sooner you learn these lessons, the sooner you release yourself from your self-appointed shackles and the sooner you create freedom to evolve with your career. You deserve to be compensated for the immense value you offer the world. And you get to give value away for free on your terms.If this resonates, you are going to want to follow The Hippocratic Collective here. If you have an idea you want to share with the world, HC can bring that idea to life. If you are a woman surgeon interested in the Cabo retreat, get on my calendar here. You can learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

******SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*********This episode discusses child abuse, religious trauma, depression, moral injury, and pediatric violent trauma. Please listen carefully.Pediatric surgeon Dr. Jose Greenspon shares an unflinching account of practicing at one of the busiest trauma centers in the country, shouldering all of the work after his partners resigned, all while his own faith, family, and mental health unraveled. He speaks candidly about stigma in surgery, moral injury, being labeled “disruptive” when asking for help, and the moment a sensory trigger in the OR surfaced a childhood assault by a rabbi. This conversation is about the cost of carrying more than one human can hold, and the courage to put the burden down.If this episode resonates with you, and you'd like to reach out to Dr. Greenspon, email him at [email protected] this episode we discuss:Dealing with life-and-death without a vent partner: Pediatric penetrating trauma is difficult enough; facing it without support is punishing. Dr. Greenspon recognized the essential need for a trusted peer or space to unburden the experiences surgeons carry.Faith in crisis: As an Orthodox Jewish man, he struggled to find God in the chaos—then a flashback to childhood molestation shattered what remained of his religious safety net and contributed to the end of his marriage.The breaking point: A child his daughter’s age died from a gunshot wound to the chest. A smell in the OR triggered a panic attack and a vivid flashback. He finished the case, then self-reported to the CMO.Stigma and moral injury: Seeking help led to being labeled rather than supported. “You martyr yourself, and it gets weaponized against you.”Choosing to leave: Why leaving a toxic job and facing his demons was the best decision, and how outstanding residents became close friends.“Parent whisperer”: How he builds trust with families, honors the gravity of every operation, and treats residents with radical humility: “The only difference between me and you is that I happen to come first.”Work as a vice: How unprocessed trauma can morph into work addiction, guilt, and a compulsion to protect children—plus what recovery looks like now with a therapist who understands religious abuse.System reflections: On toxic competitiveness in pediatric surgery, administrative incentives, and what true appreciation and backup should look like.Resources & supportRAINN (U.S.) — National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) — Call or text 988 | 988lifeline.orgPhysician Support Line (U.S.) — 1-888-409-0141 | physiciansupportline.comConnect & continueIf this conversation resonated, share it with a colleague.Subscribe to Surgeons With Purpose and leave a review to help other surgeons find the show.For coaching and community: Empowered Surgeons Group—tools, calls, and connection for surgeons navigating moral injury, complications, and career inflection points.Thank you, Dr. Greenspon, for the honesty and heart you brought to this episode.

Click here to join Empowered Surgeons Group.On today's episode, enjoy the replay of the webinar, "From Imposter to Integrated: Reclaiming Humanity and Authenticity in Surgery".You can access all webinar replays inside the Empowered Surgeons Group member portal. Looking forward to seeing you inside the group!

Click here to get on my calendar for a 15 min interview for the Cabo retreat. Women surgeons only.Click here to learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group.It's back-to-back Chrissy(ie) episodes! Dr. Chrissy Guidry is a trauma and critical care surgeon and founder of Whole Body Optimism, a program designed to empower busy healthcare professionals find integrity of mind, physical body, and soul by implementing practical intentional practices into their everyday lives.In this conversation, we explore Dr. Chrissy's journey through academic medicine, infertility, and institutional betrayal, and how it all led to a deeper integration of mind, body, heart, and soul.After seven and a half years at Tulane, she found herself at a crossroads. While navigating marriage and fertility treatments, she faced the harsh reality of how academia often punishes physicians for being human. What began as an ultrasound appointment became a weapon used against her and a defining moment in reclaiming her integrity and purpose.In This Episode:Surgeon Purpose Check: Who are we really doing this for: ourselves or the patients?Coaching as Catalyst: How hiring a coach for the department transformed the culture for everyone.Fertility and Academia: The tension between starting a family and the unspoken expectations of academic productivity.Integrity in Healing: How her fertility journey sparked a whole-self integration of mind, body, heart, and soul.Becoming the Medical Education Wellness Director at TulaneCreating wellness champions across departmentsUsing GME funding to host interdisciplinary networking eventsDeveloping an app to centralize well-being resources for residentsExpanding the Mission Online: How she brought physician wellness work to the digital space, helping clinicians worldwide prioritize their humanity.Mindset Over Strategy: Why happiness isn’t a moving target; it’s a mindset shift.Key Reframes for Resilience:We are human beings, not human doingsLife doesn't just have to happen to you; it can happen for you.Reflection Questions:How can I take more responsibility for the outcome?How can I grow from this opportunity?What good is already present in this challenge?

Interested in Empowered Surgeons Group? Click here.In today's episode, Dr. Chrissie Ott and I sit down to discuss my journey.In this episode, you’ll learnHow panic, insomnia, and “I must be broken” thoughts can be early sirens of burnout—and what healing looked like for me.The Drama Triangle (victim–hero–villain) vs. David Emerald’s Empowerment Dynamic (creator–coach–challenger), with real clinical scenariosWhy the “healthcare hero” narrative can unintentionally disempower patientsFiduciary ethics in the exam room: naming incentives, protecting integrity, and keeping decisions in the patient’s handsWhy creation must be “for you first”What agency looks like in career evolution: closing one chapter so another can fully beginHow to transmute suffering into service without bypassing the hard partsThe vision of the Hippocratic Collective: every physician’s voice belongsDr. Chrissie Ott is a physician, coach and host of Solving for Joy Podcast.Find her on instagram here.

Follow me on instagram here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.In surgery, it's tempting to attach our identity to surgical outcomes. But what result does that create? Because complications are inevitable, patients are unpredictable, and surgeons are human--and fallible, the result of grasping onto perfection is always the same: suffering. If we instead define failure as simply failure to serve, we create freedom for ourselves. Our focus shifts from trying to control the uncontrollable to setting a clear intention: service. In that reality, we reclaim agency and purpose no matter the outcome.

Are you a woman surgeon interested in our Cabo retreat? Click here before we fill our cohort!Today I’m talking with financial activist, author, and viral TEDx speaker Mel Dorman about how to create wealth in a way that’s simple, sustainable, and rooted in community. This conversation will stick with you long after you listen.Watch their TEDx talk [here], grab their book [here], and explore the Seller Finance Academy [here].Ready to join Empowered Surgeons? Click here.

Women Surgeons interested in the Self-Concept Weekend in Cabo, click here to schedule a 15 min interview with me.In this episode, my guest, Dr. Priya Kothapalli, and I discuss the beauty and power of intuition, the challenges of corporate medicine, imposter syndrome, don't know mind, and what it's like to have the courage to design a life true to oneself. Priya Kothapalli, MD, is a coronary and structural heart disease interventional cardiologist based in the Dallas Fort Worth area, model, yogi, and host of the Open Heart podcast.Follow Priya on instagram here. Follow her podcast, which debuts this fall, here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.Check out Hippocratic Collective here.

After a tragic car crash in 1983 changed the course of his family forever, Dr. Brian Hoeflinger pursued neurosurgery with a new sense of purpose. Decades later, when his teenage son died suddenly in a car accident, he found himself once again reshaped by grief. In this episode, Dr. Hoeflinger shares how these experiences inform the way he practices medicine: communicating with clarity, leading with empathy, and honoring the reality that it’s families who must live with the consequences of life-and-death decisions. He and his son, Kevin, open up about what it means to carry unimaginable loss, and how they've chosen to turn tragedy into a source of hope, compassion, and human connection.You’ll hear:How loss reshaped their family and his career as a physicianWhy talking about death matters more than avoiding itThe art of skillful empathy and being present without absorbing every tragedyWhy doctors should guide, not decide, for familiesDr. Hoeflinger's words of wisdom for physicians: "The world’s not on your shoulders…Don't expect so much of yourself." "Spend more time away from the hospital." Follow the Hoeflinger podcast on Apple podcasts here and on YouTube here. Get on the Dr. Hoeflinger newsletter here.Follow Dr. Hoeflinger on instagram here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.Check out Hippocratic Collective here.

Women Surgeons, click here if interested in the retreat in Cabo.Have you ever considered the creative process of your favorite artist? I, personally, will never forget the moment I found out that Jerry Seinfeld wrote his jokes on napkins!Comic book artist and family practice physician, Dr. Ryan Montoya, comes on the show to talk about his evolution as a physician and an artist, how he balances his dual life, and the value of a creative outlet. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:From Rags to Resilience: Growing up on welfare in California and being treated like just another number, then moving to Massachusetts and experiencing a system that valued him as an individual.Education & Isolation: How higher-quality education and feeling singled out shaped his perspective and fueled his drive.Creativity as Survival: Using art, movement, and creative thinking to solve problems when conventional support systems weren’t enough.Capturing Creative Moments: The importance of noticing and preserving moments of creativity in everyday life.Learning from the Greats: Insights drawn from creative icons like Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David on harnessing creativity effectively.Creativity vs. Anxiety: Why channeling energy into creative outlets is healthier than letting the brain default to anxiety.A New Lens on Media: How approaching shows and comics with a creative, analytical mind can unlock new perspectives.Balancing Medicine & Art: Managing parental pressure to pursue medicine while following artistic passions, and finding harmony between professional and creative endeavors.Preventing Burnout: How maintaining a creative outlet and staying aligned with personal values protects against professional exhaustion.Career Wisdom: The pitfalls of overvaluing power, status, or wealth over meaningful experiences, and the importance of self-knowledge before taking leadership roles.Introspection & Self-Knowledge: Understanding your conative style, whether you’re a visionary or implementer, and how tools like the Kolbe Index can guide career and creative decisions.Creating for Yourself: Embracing imperfection, starting before you’re ready, and why being “paid for your art” transforms you from hobbyist to professional.Who Before How: Why understanding yourself and your values is always the first step in any field or endeavor.Follow Dr. Ryan Montoya on instagram here.Join Empowered Surgeons group here.Learn more about the Hippocratic Collective here.Dr. Ryan Montoya, MD is a board certified Family Medicine physician. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Biology, and completed graduate courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University, before attending medical school and residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Montoya provided full spectrum family medicine care and opioid addiction medication assisted treatment (MAT) at a Federally Qualified Health Center while starting his own direct primary care practice in Massachusetts. He has lived and provided community healthcare in the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and India, and acted as the Associate Medical Director of Planned Parenthood in Washington, DC. He currently serves as the Physician Medical Officer for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia.Aside from the practice of medicine, Dr. Montoya is a professional comic book artist and writer whose works have appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and Scientific American. He received art training from the Massachusetts College of Art, Art Institute of Boston, School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Joe Kubert School of Comic Book Art. He has also worked as a luggage and trunk designer for the brand Goyard and a project manager for the CIFF Raven fashion fair in Copenhagen and the Devambez Panorama fashion collective in Paris.Dr. Montoya’s describes his blog, “Forced Perspectives,” as follows:  “I am interested in perspectives: what does the world of medicine look like from the patient’s point of view, and from the provider’s point of view. I’m attracted to stories devoted to the mundane, nuanced experience of receiving medical care in the United States, and I want to write essays and illustrate comics that explore the interface between patient and provider on a small and large scale – whether that means discussing just how informed your “informed consent” might be, to how the color of your skin might affect your medical bill. My hope is that these pieces will be informative, engaging, and fun. If you also find them compelling, transcendent, ground-breaking, and award winning, I won’t be upset.”

Women Surgeons, click here if interested in the retreat in Cabo.Master storyteller and fellow disrupter, Dr. Frances Mei Hardin comes on the podcast to discuss the article The Impossible Oath.We talk about what the Hippocratic Oath is and, perhaps more importantly, is not. You'll learn how the system grooms us for "betrayal blindness" and why a better-you-than-me, cut throat mentality isn't good for anyone.Dr. Hardin recounts a residency moment when she was wrongly reprimanded, an experience many of you will recognize.Finally, we address the disproportionate number of women and minorities placed on remediation plans.Learn more about the Hippocratic Collective here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.Frances Mei Hardin, MD, is a reformed gunner. She survived ENT residency, practiced solo in the rural South, and then peaced out of medicine entirely to start the Hippocratic Collective. She decoupled her self-worth from her identity as a surgeon, survived an ego death, and is now entering her mogul era—writing her first book, building a physician-led media empire, and making the kind of stuff she wishes existed back when she was white-knuckling her way through surgical training. She no longer thinks being a doctor is her whole personality. You shouldn't either.

Are you a woman surgeon ready for a transformative January (1/9/26-1/11/26) retreat in Cabo? Click here to book your call and see if it’s the perfect fit for you.Your self-concept is the story you tell yourself about who you are. It shapes everything: the decisions you make, the risks you take (or avoid), and the way you show up in the world. But most of us never consciously choose it. Instead, we inherit it from cultural messages, past experiences, and unconscious beliefs we’ve never questioned.In this episode, we explore the hidden beliefs that quietly steer your career, relationships, and happiness as well as the behaviors and emotions of imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, or perfectionism.Because changing your self-concept is not about waiting for confidence to arrive; it's about deciding to become the person you want to be, and then stepping into your power.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Learn more about Pearson Ravitz here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.Learn more about Hippocratic Collective here.What happens when the surgeon becomes the patient? When the body you relied on to do your life’s work… stops cooperating?Today’s guest, Dr. Stephanie Pearson, walks us through her powerful, often painful journey, from aspiring pediatrician to ObGyn surgeon to founder of PearsonRavitz, a physician disability insurance firm born from lived experience.This episode is a raw, inspiring conversation about loss, identity, reinvention, and the deep cracks in our medical system that no one talks about until it’s too late.We cover:🔹 Wanting to be just like her childhood pediatrician, and realizing in med school she couldn't make kids cry🔹 The inappropriate OR moment that changed her surgical trajectory (and the perfect clapback that still lives rent-free)🔹 Falling in love with ObGyn by accident and matching into her dream program🔹 The career-ending injury: torn labrum, frozen shoulder, being called a “pussy” by an orthopedic surgeon, and ultimately losing her surgical identity🔹 The spiral that followed, and how a puppy and her husband saved her life🔹 What happens when physicians become the meanest part of your grief🔹 Losing everything that brought joy: martial arts, rock climbing, her career🔹 Trying to rebuild through med mal, biotech, editing, until nothing lit her up🔹 The disability insurance nightmare (rejected workman’s comp, denied group policy), and why she sued the state of Pennsylvania🔹 Getting licensed in insurance and crying in her car when she passed... because she didn’t get an A🔹 Why musculoskeletal injuries are just the tip of the iceberg for physician disability🔹 The “emotional ergonomics” of surgery and why we need an ergonomic time-out🔹 What it means to “protect the asset”🔹 People-pleasing, perfectionism, and the impossible standard for woman surgeons🔹 How understanding both medicine and insurance is her value add🔹 Building a mission-driven business (Pearson Ravitz just turned 8!)🔹 Why she won’t be satisfied until every resident is covered🔹 The quiet truth: Physicians are human. Health issues happen. And identity can evolve.

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.

If you enjoyed this topic, you're going to want to join Empowered Surgeons. There’s a dedicated classroom to this topic in the “Surgeon Self-Concept” module. Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here. Watch Charles Duhigg's TEDx talk here.Get his book, Supercommunicators: how to unlock the secret languange of connection here.To recapSupercommunicators:Listen closely to what’s said and unsaidAsk the right questionsRecognize and match others’ moodsMake their feelings easy to readThe four types of conversations are:SocialEmotionalExperientialPracticalSocial conversations answer the question, "Who are we?" The goal=acknowledgement.Emotional conversations answer the question, "How do we feel?" The goal=empathy.Experiential conversations answer the question, "What was that like?" The goal=understanding.Practical conversations answer the question, "What's the solution?" The goal=decision making.The more we match and synchronize with the person we’re communicating with, the more effective the communication becomes. Doctors often try to jump straight into practical conversations with patients, believing it saves time. In reality, first matching the patient’s style of communication and then gently guiding them into a practical discussion is a far more efficient—and effective—approach.

*****************SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING******************This episode contains discussion of suicidal thoughts. Please listen carefully or, if this topic is especially triggering for you, skip this one entirely.In this episode, Dr. Femi Oyewole shares his deeply personal journey of navigating medical training while living with undiagnosed ADHD. He opens up about how the pressures of residency, coupled with ADHD-related challenges, led to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts, and how a leave of absence, support from loved ones, professional help, and self-discovery transformed his life.We explore:✨ How ADHD can masquerade as anxiety and depression, especially during times of high stress✨ The spiral of negative self-talk: “I can’t manage my life → I’m not worthy → I’m worthless”✨ Doing well at work while your personal life quietly unravels✨ The power of a diagnosis: learning he wasn’t broken, and strategies for managing ADHD✨ Why medication and coping strategies are both essential but not always enough✨ The critical role of supportive programs and communities when taking a mental health break✨ Signs of ADHD often missed in high-achieving adults, especially women✨ How ADHD traits, like rejection sensitive dysphoria and executive dysfunction, impact everyday life and training✨ Dealing with stigma as a neurodivergent physician✨ How lived experience with mental health challenges can make you a better doctor✨ Meditation, gratitude, and re-directing your brain as tools for healing✨ Advice for physicians who suspect they may have ADHDFemi's story is a powerful call to action to prioritize your mental health, lean on your support system, and embrace your authentic self.Follow Dr. Femi Oyewole on instagram here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.Get Boyd Varty's book, The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life, access his courses, or retreat with him here.What if losing your way isn’t a detour, but the only way forward?In surgery—and in life—we’re taught to crave certainty. A clear path. A guaranteed outcome. But what if that very craving is what keeps us stuck?In this episode of Surgeons with Purpose, Dr. Mel Thacker invites you into a conversation about uncertainty, purpose, and the courage to follow your inner tracker. Mel explores how self-trust can become a portal to transformation, especially for those of us navigating burnout, career crossroads, or the deep sense that something in our lives isn’t quite aligned.You’ll hear reflections like:✨ “Too much uncertainty is chaos, but too little is death.” - Boyd Varty🐾 “As paradoxical as it sounds, going down a path and not finding a track is part of finding the track.” - Boyd Varty💡 “If you can see your whole life’s path laid out, then it’s not your life's path.” -Joseph CampbellWe’ll unpack how following your bliss may lead you into spaces where others don’t understand or respect you, and why that might be the most vital, alive place you can stand.This episode is for you if:✅ You’re a surgeon (or any high-achiever) standing at a career crossroads.✅ You feel restless or disconnected from your original purpose.✅ You’re tired of “playing it safe” and longing for a life that’s fully your own.Because on the trail, as in life, there’s not one right way. The only mistake is refusing to choose at all.

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons group here.Plastic surgery isn’t just about appearance—it’s about reinvention. For Dr. Blair Peters, that theme runs through every part of his story.After coming out before medical school and finding his place within the queer and trans community, Dr. Peters saw firsthand the inequities in gender-affirming care. Patients traveling across continents for surgery, often with no idea who their surgeon was or how they’d get post-op care—it felt wrong. That’s when his mission became clear.Today, gender-affirming surgeries like phalloplasty, vulvoplasty, vaginoplasty make up the majority of his practice. But that’s not where the innovation stops. His expertise in peripheral nerve surgery is now transforming care for cisgender patients too—addressing chronic pelvic pain, loss of orgasm, and other conditions that have long lived in the "black box" of genital health.We discuss:The massive, all-consuming nature of gender-affirming surgery as a fieldThe unique multi-disciplinary approach requiredHis work creating a national fellowship registry for plastics training in gender-affirming careDr. Peters also opens up about the resistance he faced in becoming a pioneer:The stereotype that trans patients would be too high maintenanceThe internal debate about making an entire career out of being queerThe real fear of becoming a public target in a national political firestormWe cover the grim reality many gender-affirming surgeons now face:Death threats, doxxing, and needing police escortsBeing secretly recorded at conferences, with videos landing on right-wing mediaThe political machinery driving today’s anti-trans healthcare movement—how it started with trans athletes, moved to youth care, and now threatens adult care nationwideDr. Peters explains how state-level policies, executive orders, and forthcoming legislation have created chaos at institutions like his—leaving surgeons to navigate legal, ethical, and personal safety decisions on the fly, often unpaid and unprotected.Yet through all of it, he continues to operate—literally and figuratively—at full capacity:Fielding political crisis calls from 6 am to 10 pmTaking urgent meetings between casesConsulting with institutional leadership and legal teamsWondering daily: Are we still safe to provide care?We also dive into the joy and creativity that sustain him:Designing nerve reconstruction surgeries with sticky notes and sharpiesInnovating individualized procedures for patients both trans and cisgenderFinding peace in the OR, surrounded by blue gowns and bright lightsReinventing his practice to stay engaged and energizedDr. Peters shares powerful reflections on visibility and authenticity in academic medicine:The exhaustion of assimilationThe freedom of showing up as himselfThe real question: Is it professionalism… or forced conformity?We close with a conversation about sustainability, boundaries, and the 30-year plan:Guardrails around time and energyThe wide, interdepartmental future of peripheral nerve surgeryThe healing power of storytelling—both his own and his patients’His plans to one day write a book that blends memoir with patient narratives to build empathy in a time when it’s urgently neededThis is a conversation about surgery, identity, advocacy, and resilience. About holding space for others while fighting for your own right to belong.Because at the end of the day, we’re all just humans trying our best to live our lives in a crazy world.Follow Dr. Blair Peters on instagram here.Blair Peters, M.D. is a leading expert in gender-affirming surgery—a pioneering surgeon, researcher, educator and advocate whose influence extends across medicine, policy and social discourse. He is an Assistant Professor in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Urology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and serves as the Surgical Director of OHSU’s Transgender Health Program, the most extensive multidisciplinary transgender health program in the country. He is also the Fellowship Director of the Advanced Gender-Affirming Surgery Fellowship, the premier training program of its kind. Additionally, he leads the national gender-affirming surgery fellowship match, shaping the next generation of surgeons and expanding access to high-quality, affirming care across North America.Dr. Peters is a prolific surgeon and a respected researcher, driving the field forward. With over 65 peer-reviewed publications in major medical journals, he is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work on genital nerve anatomy, sensation and the clitoris—revolutionizing the understanding of sensation in gender-affirming surgery and setting new standards for patient-centered care. His research is not just theoretical; it has reshaped surgical techniques and outcomes, ensuring that sensation and autonomy remain at the core of gender-affirming procedures.Beyond the operating room, Dr. Peters is one of the most influential voices in gender-affirming healthcare today. A highly sought-after speaker, he has delivered over 50 keynote presentations and endowed lectureships and has served as a visiting professor at more than 20 of the most prestigious medical institutions worldwide. His expertise is called upon at the highest levels of academia, and he is frequently referred to as a defining leader of the modern era of gender-affirming care.Dr. Peters’ impact extends far beyond medicine—he is a tireless advocate at the intersection of healthcare, social justice, and policy. His bold, authentic voice challenges misinformation, dismantles barriers to care, and drives systemic change. He engages with major media outlets and uses social media to further amplify education, advocacy, and the urgent fight against anti-trans rhetoric and policy.Dr. Peters work is transforming the future of gender-affirming surgery, ensuring that access, quality, and innovation continue to evolve in service of transgender and nonbinary communities worldwide.

Tyler Beauchamp is a pediatrician and children’s/YA author from Georgia whose earliest experiences with medicine came not as a student, but as a patient. As a child, Tyler spent years in and out of research clinics searching for answers. He began writing in waiting rooms as a way to cope, and eventually fell in love with both storytelling and medicine.A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Tyler pursued both writing and medicine with the quiet hope that someday, he could bring those two worlds together.In this episode, Tyler shares how being a long-time patient shaped his perspective on medical training and culture, including the deep stigma around being labeled a “pain patient.” We explore what it really means to be a physician or surgeon: Is our job simply to diagnose and treat? Or is there something more intangible—bearing witness, holding space, and being present with patients?We also talk about why doctors are wired to hate uncertainty, and how that can get in the way of both healing and growth. Tyler reveals the counterintuitive secret that helped him expand his capacity during medical school. The best part is that it’s something you can access too.Learn more about Tyler and his best-selling book, Freeze Frame, here.Follow him on instagram here.Check out Hippocratic Collective here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Psychologist and reparenting expert, Barlas Günay, comes on the show to reveal why the majority of us are really just children in white coats. Toddlers in scrubs. Babies pretending to be adults. And what we can do about it.In this powerful episode, we explore why traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may fall short for high-functioning professionals—especially surgeons—whose deeply ingrained patterns stem from unmet emotional needs. We dive into the world of Schema Therapy, which addresses the origin of recurring emotional pain, not just its surface-level expression.You’ll learn about the concept of “limited reparenting”, the 18 core maladaptive schemas, and the one that often plagues high-achievers: unrelenting standards and hypercriticalness. We explore how the environments of surgical training—hierarchical, elitist, and shame-based—reinforce these painful inner narratives.What You’ll Learn:What schemas are: core beliefs developed through repeated unmet needs in childhoodHow trauma gets “stuck” in the body when fight-or-flight is inhibitedThe cycle of negative feedback in training, and how it impairs learning and emotional developmentWhy positive reinforcement—not criticism—is the most effective teaching toolHow to reconcile compassion for others with righteous anger and boundary-settingWhy mental self-flagellation is learned, not necessaryHow it’s possible to be a brilliant surgeon with the frustration tolerance of an 8-year-oldThe link between repressed anger and chronic illness (“Repression of anger will f*ck you up”)Somatic and schema therapy techniques that actually help you heal, not just copeModalities We Discuss:EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – how moving your eyes during trauma recall helps decouple the emergency responseSomatic Completion – allowing the body to finish survival reflexes that were blockedImagery Rescripting – going back into a childhood memory and rewriting the experience to reclaim powerCore Insight:You can be competent, accomplished, and admired—and still be psychologically underdeveloped. It’s not your fault. But it is your responsibility to grow.Final Thought:Emotions are just data. Anger is not dangerous—it’s a vibration. Learn to feel it without reacting to it. Only then can you choose wisely.Join more than 83k others and follow Barlas on instagram here and join his reparenting community. We all know we need this.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.

In this episode, I sit down with cardiac surgeon, Dr. Alexandra Kharazi. Together, we explore what it means to operate—literally and figuratively—from a place of purpose rather than fear.We discuss:The emotional rewards of caring for high-risk cardiac patients who have few options leftThe "Black Swan" framework for surgical decision-making: a grounded process for choosing wisely when the stakes are highestWhy just because we can, doesn’t mean we should—and how she decides when not to operateWhy post-op cardiac care is never à la carte—and how communication defines outcomesWhy self-flagellation after a complication sabotages future decision-making—and how to shift from fear-based to mission-based thinkingWhat skydiving teaches about emergency preparedness, trust, and rapid executionHow anxiety, fear, and trauma must be processed after the fact—not in the middle of the ORUsing celebration and reflection to build self-trust and resilienceReclaiming your identity in medicine by anchoring to mission, not job titleThis episode is a powerful invitation to rethink risk, courage, and how we serve. If you've ever struggled with self-doubt, anxiety about litigation and complications, or the emotional toll of high-stakes surgery—this conversation is for you.Alexandra Kharazi, MD, is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, author, speaker and skydiver.​Dr. Kharazi is board certified in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. She has publications in numerous medical journals including The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, and Journal of Innovations in Cardiac Rhythm Management. In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Kharazi holds a masters degree in biology, having completed a masters thesis titled "Generation and molecular analysis of dominant negative alleles of anthrax lethal factor in Drosophila."Having received multiple honors and recognition for patient satisfaction, she has been featured in regional and national media outlets and peer-review journals, Medium, KevinMD, and Doximity among a few. Dr. Kharazi is the author of “The Heart of Fear” and offers realistic success plans that help her audience to become better … both personally and professionally.​She is a member of the American College of Surgeons.Follow Dr. Alexandra Kharazi on instagram here.Connect with her on her website here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.