Surgeon, Interrupted

What happens when you spend years becoming excellent at medicine while constantly masking who you are? On this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei Hardin, MD, sits down with OB-GYN, physician educator, and creator Jessica Geida, DO, for a candid conversation about neurodivergence in medicine, adult ADHD diagnosis, burnout, masking, people pleasing, and the complicated relationship between physician identity and personal identity. Jessica shares what it was like to move through medical school and residency with undiagnosed ADHD, why she often felt like she “fit in everywhere but belonged nowhere,” and how becoming a mother eventually helped her recognize her own neurodivergence. Together, they explore the strengths neurodivergent physicians can bring to medicine—including empathy, creativity, pattern recognition, and unconventional thinking—as well as the cost of repeatedly shrinking yourself to fit systems that may conflict with your values. They also discuss toxic teaching environments in surgical training, why leaving clinical medicine does not automatically untangle your identity from your work, and a different way to think about burnout: not simply as exceeding your capacity, but as the exhaustion that can come from constantly forcing yourself to fit into a system that does not fit you. In this episode: • ADHD and neurodivergence in physicians • Adult ADHD diagnosis in women • Masking and people pleasing during medical training • Feeling like an outsider in medicine • Strengths of neurodivergent physicians • Burnout and values misalignment • Toxic surgical training environments • Physician identity outside of clinical medicine • Learning to ask, “If I say yes, what will it cost me?” • Unmasking and building a career that fits who you actually are A thoughtful conversation about what happens when the same traits that can help someone excel in medicine also make traditional medical culture especially difficult to navigate. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Jessica Geida, DO Connect with Jessica: @smilesandscrubs Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What if burnout doesn’t look like hating your job, but like losing your creativity? In this solo-style episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei Hardin, MD, is joined by her husband Colin after returning from more than two weeks of solo travel through Denmark and Norway. They talk about how Frances’ relationship with travel has changed since leaving clinical medicine, why stepping away from work often seems to create more opportunity rather than less, and the habits she is trying to unlearn after years of surgical training—including opening email the moment she wakes up. Frances also shares what she learned from filling an entire journal while traveling, why physicians can become overly precious about creative work, and the importance of practicing before the “perfect” opportunity arrives. In this episode: • How burnout can show up as a loss of creativity • Why Frances stopped checking email first thing in the morning • Solo travel after leaving clinical medicine • Journaling and developing your own voice in the age of AI • Why waiting for inspiration can keep you stuck • Practicing before the big opportunity arrives • The surprising relationship between taking time off and getting new work • Moving beyond travel as escapism • Creating a healthier relationship with ambition and productivity • Why your inbox does not deserve to control your day For physicians, creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build a life where work matters without allowing it to consume everything else. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What if you didn't get on the wrong train? What if you simply became a different person along the way? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with Dr. Wai-Jia Tam , a Singaporean humanitarian doctor whose career has spanned public health, humanitarian medicine, COVID response, and global health leadership. Dr. Wai-Jia Tam shares an extraordinary story of following a path that looked successful on paper while gradually losing touch with the person she wanted to be. From becoming a physician after growing up dreaming of being a wildlife documentary host, to humanitarian work, moving her family to Tanzania, and now finding her way toward conservation, her story is ultimately about something bigger than career change. It's about reclaiming yourself. The conversation explores: What happens when the career you've built no longer feels like the right destination Why physicians can struggle to recognize their own definition of success The pressure to prove yourself in medicine and high-achieving cultures Reconnecting with the dreams you had as a child Why changing direction doesn't mean your past was a mistake The difference between reinventing yourself and reclaiming yourself How a major health setback forced Dr. Wai-Jia Tam to reconsider her identity Finding purpose outside of credentials, titles, and professional achievement How one cold DM led to an unexpected opportunity in wildlife conservation Why the work you do quietly for years may eventually open an unexpected door Giving yourself permission to get off the “wrong train” Dr. Wai-Jia Tam also shares the remarkable story of creating a children's book as a teenager to raise money for a home for girls she met in Nepal. Despite being told she couldn't do it—and being told her paintings were terrible—she taught herself to paint, published the book, and ultimately raised $100,000 to build the home. For physicians and other high achievers who have ever wondered “Is this really what I want?” , this is a conversation about permission: permission to change, to pause, to choose differently, and to become more fully yourself. And Dr. Wai-Jia Tam leaves us with a beautiful definition of healing: Healing isn't about returning to who you were before the pain. It's about giving yourself permission to be who you were always meant to be. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Dr. Wai-Jia Tam Connect with Wai Jia: @drwaijiatam Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What if changing your mind isn't failure, but actually a sign that you're paying attention? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with Rachel Gerber Kule , a communications strategist, entrepreneur, and self-described Renaissance woman who has built a career by repeatedly pivoting toward what fits her better. Rachel shares how she went from wanting to be a news anchor, to realizing that path wasn't right for her, to building a successful career in communications and PR—and eventually launching a new venture supporting people going through IVF and fertility challenges. The conversation goes much deeper than career changes. Frances Mei and Rachel explore what it means to let go of a chapter without feeling ashamed, understand your own values, build confidence, set boundaries, and create a life that actually reflects who you are. They talk about: Why changing direction isn't the same as failing How to recognize when a path no longer fits Letting go of shame and unmet expectations Why knowing your values makes decision-making easier How self-confidence gives you the courage to make your own choices Setting boundaries at work and in relationships Why crying and emotional expression aren't signs of weakness How difficult experiences can shape who we become Learning to trust yourself when you no longer have someone else to call Why uncertainty can actually create freedom and possibility Building a life around your own values instead of inherited expectations For physicians especially, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: you don't have to spend your entire life following the path you originally chose. Frances Mei reflects on what it meant to leave clinical surgery and build a portfolio career—and why becoming clear about your values and boundaries is essential to creating a life that feels like your own. Rachel's favorite advice comes from Henry David Thoreau: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” The question is whether you've taken the time to figure out what those dreams actually are. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Rachel Gerber Kule Connect with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkule Founder of Pursuit PR, a C-suite communications advisory firm, and Fertilyfe, a community focused on supporting people navigating IVF and fertility challenges. Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

In this follow-up episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei and Colin continue their conversation about Frances Mei's transition from clinical medicine into consulting, and get much more practical about what happened once she actually made the leap. Frances Mei explains how her first consulting opportunity started as a loose, low-commitment engagement and evolved into a formal role, why physicians should consider “dating before they get married” when evaluating new jobs, and how she learned to create a role around her skills instead of waiting for someone to tell her what to do. From there, she went on to a director-level physician engagement and strategy role, built a network that generated new consulting opportunities, and eventually became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startup . The big lesson? The best opportunities for physicians leaving medicine often aren't posted on LinkedIn. In this episode: How to get your first consulting opportunity after medicine Why small projects can be better than committing to a new career immediately How to create a job that doesn't exist yet The skills physicians can translate into consulting Why clinical expertise alone isn't enough How networking and referrals create a consulting “flywheel” How to prove your value before asking for a bigger role How Frances Mei went from leaving medicine to a director-level role within a year How she ultimately became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startup Why physicians need to stop asking, “What jobs can I get as a doctor?” How to figure out what you're actually good at and what you actually want to do For physicians considering leaving clinical medicine, consulting, healthcare startups, marketing, strategy, or other careers outside medicine , this episode offers a candid look at what the transition actually looks like. The conversation also gets into something physicians don't hear enough: you don't necessarily have to follow another prescribed career ladder after leaving medicine. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when doctors spend their entire careers learning to suppress their emotions? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with clinical psychologist Sacha McBain, PhD , a national leader in medical traumatic stress, to unpack what happens when physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers are repeatedly exposed to trauma without being given the tools to process it. Sacha explains how emotional suppression can shrink our “window of tolerance,” leading to hyperarousal, irritability, shutdown, and disconnection, and how those reactions don't just affect clinicians themselves. They can change team dynamics, undermine psychological safety, increase the risk that people won't speak up about potential errors, and ultimately affect patient care. The conversation explores: • What medical trauma actually is and why we don't talk about it enough • Why “just push through it” can make trauma worse • The science behind the window of tolerance • Why some physicians respond to bullying and pressure by working harder while others shut down • How physician culture can perpetuate trauma from one generation to the next • Why psychological safety is also a patient safety issue • How a patient's experience of trauma can shape their relationship with healthcare • Why we can't humanize patients if healthcare workers aren't being humanized themselves • What trauma-informed care can change for both patients and clinicians Sacha also discusses her new patient-facing workbook on medical trauma and how clinicians can better understand what patients and families may be carrying into the hospital. If you've ever been told to toughen up, push through it, or leave your feelings at home, this conversation is worth hearing. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Sacha McBain, PhD Connect with Sacha: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/sacha-mcbain-phd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

How does a physician actually go from full-time clinical practice to consulting? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei is joined by her husband, Colin, to break down the real, and highly nontraditional, path that took her from practicing as a full-time ENT surgeon to consulting, strategic advising, and serving as a chief medical officer at a healthcare technology company. There was no MBA, formal corporate fellowship, or perfectly mapped-out career plan. Instead, the transition began years earlier with a passion project called Rethinking Residency, where Frances Mei learned how to build a brand, create a website, understand SEO, edit and publish stories, conduct interviews, develop a social media presence, and speak publicly about the culture of medicine. Those skills eventually led to podcasting, a paid media opportunity, her first formal consulting contract, and a series of roles at the intersection of medicine, media, storytelling, marketing, and strategy. Frances Mei and Colin discuss: • What “physician consulting” actually means • Why being a doctor is not, by itself, a consulting pitch • How passion projects can create real professional expertise • The importance of making specific, purposeful asks • Why networking works better when you have something to offer • Going back to being a beginner after becoming an attending • How one podcast rejection led to a paid hosting opportunity • Landing a first consulting contract without an MBA • Learning to work inside corporate and healthcare-adjacent environments • Why likability, humility, confidence, and authenticity matter outside the hospital • How to increase your “surface area for luck” • Building a portfolio career before you know exactly where it will lead This is not a blueprint or a promise that every career pivot will happen the same way. It is an honest look at the years of groundwork, experimentation, unpaid work, rejection, relationship-building, and luck behind what can otherwise look like an overnight transition. For any physician or high-achieving professional wondering whether they are allowed to build something beyond their original career path: why not you? Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Medicine teaches us who we're supposed to be. But what happens when we step outside of that identity? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Dr. Frances Mei sits down with physician, graphic medicine artist, and longtime friend Dr. Ryan Montoya to talk about the unexpected lessons that come from traveling alone, exhibiting artwork around the world, and building a life beyond traditional medicine. Ryan shares his journey from family physician and commercial illustrator to exhibiting graphic medicine in galleries across Tokyo, New York, Athens, and Naples , what it's like entering the fine art world for the first time, and why travel has become one of the greatest tools for personal growth. Together, Frances Mei and Ryan explore: • Why travel changes your identity • Making meaningful friendships as an adult • Leaving medicine without leaving yourself • The difference between commercial art and fine art • Reinvention after a medical career • Why physicians need interests beyond medicine • How new environments help you become the person you want to be If you've ever wondered who you are outside your white coat, or felt like medicine became your entire identity, this conversation is for you. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Ryan Montoya, MD Connect with Ryan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/ryan-montoya-md Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when a corporate lawyer leaves law behind to become an orthopedic surgeon? On this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei Hardin, MD, sits down with Christina “Dr. Chrissy” Greenfield, MD, JD—an orthopedic surgery resident, new mother, and former corporate attorney who applied to medical school four times before finally getting accepted. They discuss failing the bar exam, surviving rejection, gender bias in surgery, motherhood during residency, and why female surgeons are often expected to be both excellent and endlessly accommodating. Dr. Chrissy also shares practical strategies from her legal career for handling conflict in the hospital, negotiating with other services, documenting difficult interactions, and de-escalating tense conversations. In this episode: • Going from corporate law to orthopedic surgery • Applying to medical school four times • Recovering from failure and rejection • Gender bias and double standards in surgery • Pregnancy and motherhood during residency • Women undermining other women in medicine • How to disagree effectively in the hospital • Negotiation and de-escalation strategies for residents • Why persistence matters more than a perfect path Whether you are a medical student, resident, physician, lawyer considering medicine, or anyone navigating a nonlinear career, this conversation is a reminder to keep going—even when the path looks nothing like you planned. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Dr. Chrissy Greenfield, MD, LL.L, JD Connect with Chrissy: @dr.chrissymd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

One of the most accomplished neurosurgeons in Europe joins Surgeon, Interrupted. Dr. Yu-Mi Ryang is President-Elect of the German Spine Society, Chair-Elect of the EuroSpine Education Council, and one of the first women of color to rise to the highest levels of leadership in German neurosurgery. But her journey was anything but straightforward. In this conversation with Dr. Frances Mei Hardin, she shares what twenty years of surgical training, leadership, and perseverance taught her about excellence, mentorship, competition, and staying true to yourself in a profession that often rewards conformity. Together, they discuss: Why so many people told her not to become a neurosurgeon Working 100+ hour weeks during surgical training The unique challenges of being an Asian woman in medicine Competition, scarcity mindset, and surgical culture Why mentorship matters—and why it sometimes fails People pleasing, authenticity, and leadership Building a reputation through excellence instead of ego How passion sustains a career in medicine Whether you're a medical student, resident, attending physician, or simply interested in leadership and personal growth, this episode is a candid look at what it really takes to build a meaningful career in surgery. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Yu-Mi Ryang, MD Connect with Dr. Ryang: https://de.linkedin.com/in/prof-dr-med-yu-mi-ryang-949310135 Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Can someone still change medicine after they've left it? After returning from Hippocratic Collective's Los Angeles End of Academic Year celebration, Frances Mei shares a comment that stopped her in her tracks: "You walked away. Your credibility is gone." That criticism sparks a deeper conversation about one of the biggest questions in medicine today. Does meaningful change only come from people still inside the system, or are outsiders sometimes the ones most able to challenge it? Frances Mei and Colin discuss the backlash that comes with speaking publicly about residency culture, why doctors often police each other more than the system itself, and why they believe lasting change requires people working both inside and outside of medicine. They also share updates on the LA event, the newest issue of ex vivo , and why protecting your identity outside of medicine may make you a better physician. In this episode: • Highlights from Hippocratic Collective's LA End of Academic Year celebration • The release of the Summer issue of E x Vivo • The comment that questioned Frances Mei's credibility after leaving surgery • Why "fix it from the inside" isn't the only path to change • The hidden cost of sacrificing creativity during medical training • Why building lasting resources for physicians matters more than social media EX VIVO 2026: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/ex-vivo/2026 Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when grief collides with medical training? In this deeply personal episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with family physician, educator, and author Dr. Shanda McManus to discuss loss, caregiving, resilience, and the hidden emotional costs of becoming a doctor. Growing up in North Philadelphia, Shonda helped care for her mother through advanced ovarian cancer before eventually becoming the first person in her family to attend college and pursue medicine. During medical school, her brother was murdered, a loss that would shape her life in profound ways. Like many physicians, she learned to keep moving, keep performing, and keep achieving—even while carrying unprocessed grief. Together, Frances and Shanda explore the culture of medicine that often rewards endurance while leaving little room for healing, and why creating space for grief may be one of the most important acts of self-preservation for physicians. Topics include: • Growing up in North Philadelphia • Caring for a parent with cancer as a child • Becoming the first person in your family to attend college • Pregnancy and parenthood during medical training • Taking time away from medicine without derailing your career • The murder of a sibling during medical school • Unprocessed grief and emotional survival in medicine • Why physicians deserve space to heal • Writing, memoir, and finding meaning through storytelling • The inspiration behind Shanda's new book This conversation is about loss, love, family, identity, and the ways medicine sometimes asks us to be less human when we need humanity most. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Shanda McManus, MD Connect with Shanda: https://www.shandamcmanus.com/ Brother Epistles - https://www.splitlippress.com/product-page/brother-epistles Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when your residency program suddenly shuts down mid-training? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with internal medicine physician Dr. Julia Torrellas to discuss one of the most destabilizing experiences a trainee can face: the closure of a residency program during training. Julia shares what it was like to learn that her hospital was shutting down, how residents were absorbed into a new program, and the emotional fallout of losing mentors, support systems, routines, and a sense of stability overnight. The conversation explores burnout, identity, self-sacrifice, boundaries, and what happens when medicine becomes your entire sense of self. Topics include: • What it feels like when a residency program closes • Starting over in a new hospital as a senior resident • Burnout and emotional exhaustion in training • Why many physicians tie their identity to their career • Self-abandonment and self-sacrifice in medicine • Setting boundaries without sabotaging your career • Navigating residency politics and power dynamics • Finding agency during uncertainty and disruption • Lessons learned from career setbacks and unexpected change Whether you're a medical student, resident, attending physician, or someone navigating a major life transition, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at resilience, identity, and rebuilding after disruption. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Julia Torrellas, MD Connect with Julia: @drjuliatorrellas Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What does it actually feel like to finish a plastic surgery residency in 2026? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with graduating plastic surgery resident Dr. Liz Malphrus just days before graduation to reflect on the end of a six-year journey through surgical training. Together, they discuss burnout, confidence, identity, career choices, and what comes next after residency. Liz shares how her perspective on medicine evolved during training, why she ultimately chose private practice over academia, and the lessons she wishes she could tell her intern-year self. The conversation explores everything from comparison culture and perfectionism to finding agency, building a meaningful career, and the role supportive partners play in surviving medicine. They also discuss: • What residency teaches you about yourself • The surprising parts of surgical training • Why comparison is the thief of joy in residency • Academic medicine vs. private practice • The power of mentorship outside institutions • Marriage, support systems, and surviving training together • What happens when you finally get your life back • Why physicians may be more capable than they realize Whether you're a medical student, resident, attending physician, or simply curious about life behind the curtain of medical training, this episode offers an honest look at one of the biggest transitions in a physician's career. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Liz Malphrus, MD Connect with Liz: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/liz-malphrus-md @dr.malphrus Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Why does the United States spend more on healthcare than ever before while chronic disease continues to rise? In this episode of Surgeon Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr. Joshua Mirrer to explore the systems behind modern healthcare. From residency burnout and preventive medicine to agriculture, economics, chronic disease, and the incentive structures shaping American health, this conversation goes far beyond the operating room. Dr. Mirrer shares how his experiences in surgical training led him to study the larger forces influencing health outcomes, and why he believes meaningful change will require both individual action and community-level solutions. Topics include: Why healthcare is built around treating disease rather than preventing it The rising cost of chronic illness in America How food systems and healthcare incentives intersect The role of community in improving health outcomes Lessons from diabetes prevention programs Writing, medicine, and making sense of complex systems What surgeons can teach us about long-term thinking If you've ever wondered why healthcare feels broken, or what it might take to fix it, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to start. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Joshua Mirrer, MD Connect with Joshua: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-mirrer-ab27436b https://substack.com/@jmirrer Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when a longtime magazine editor leaves the world of celebrity journalism and finds herself at the forefront of narrative medicine? This week on Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with Donna Bulseco, editor of the literary and arts journal Intima and co-editor of Where It Hurts: Dispatches from the Emotional Front Lines of Medicine . Together, they explore the power of storytelling in healthcare, why medicine needs the humanities, and what physicians can learn from writers, poets, and artists. Donna reflects on her journey from InStyle magazine to Columbia University's Narrative Medicine program, the lessons she's learned from editing thousands of submissions from clinicians, and the common writing mistakes physicians make when trying to tell meaningful stories. The conversation also dives into creativity, taste, ego, revision, and why the most powerful stories often trust the reader enough to leave conclusions unsaid. Whether you're a clinician, writer, artist, or simply someone interested in the human experience of healthcare, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the stories that shape us, and the ones that help us heal. Topics discussed: Narrative medicine and physician storytelling The transition from publishing to healthcare humanities Why doctors need art, literature, and philosophy Developing taste, voice, and creativity Common pitfalls in physician writing The making of Where It Hurts Finding humanity in modern medicine Trusting the reader and embracing revision Books Mentioned: Where It Hurts: Dispatches from the Emotional Front Lines of Medicine Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Donna Bulseco Connect with Donna: @dbulseco Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down again with her husband Colin for an unfiltered conversation about residency culture, hyper-productivity, and the psychological habits that follow physicians long after they leave the hospital. What begins as a discussion about planning Hippocratic Collective’s first West Coast event in the Hollywood Hills evolves into a broader examination of how medicine conditions people to equate suffering with value. Frances Mei and Colin unpack the “culture of sacrifice” mentality in residency — bragging about missed weddings, sleepless nights, impossible workloads, and constant exhaustion — and question whether any of it actually makes better doctors. The episode explores: Why suffering is often mistaken for productivity in medicine The toxic martyrdom culture embedded in residency training How physicians lose the ability to rest guilt-free Hyper-vigilance, comparison, and the “zero-sum game” mindset in surgical culture Why high-achieving people struggle to play, relax, or exist without output The long-term effects of residency on identity, nervous system regulation, and self-worth The difference between loving medicine vs. loving the culture surrounding medicine How Frances Mei still carries residency habits into entrepreneurship and creative work, even a year after leaving clinical practice A recent study showing physicians are leaving medicine at younger ages than ever before Through stories about migraines, video games, art, childhood conditioning, and even a neighborhood encounter with children playing outside, the conversation becomes a larger meditation on adulthood, performance, and what it means to reclaim joy after years of survival mode. This episode is for physicians, trainees, and high-achieving professionals who feel trapped in cycles of overwork — and for anyone trying to learn that rest, creativity, and play do not need to be earned. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

This week on Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with family physician and educator Dr. Joan Chan for a conversation about ambition, burnout, identity, and the myth of “having it all.” Together, they unpack the pressure many physicians feel to optimize every area of life at once — career, relationships, creativity, wellness, leadership — and why that mindset so often leads to exhaustion and loss of self. Joan shares what she’s learning while helping build a new residency training site from the ground up, including the tension between preserving institutions and protecting the humans inside them. The conversation explores medical education, agency, tradeoffs, focus, seasons of life, and the difference between suffering for something aligned versus suffering inside deep misalignment. Topics include: Why “you can have it all” is incomplete advice The hidden cost of trying to do everything simultaneously Burnout in medicine and academic systems Building residency programs differently Institutional culture vs. human sustainability Creativity, fulfillment, and feeling “alive” again Why protecting people matters more than preserving systems A thoughtful, funny, and deeply honest conversation about building a life intentionally — and what medicine gets wrong about success. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Joan Chan, MD Connect with Joan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/joan-chan-md Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

One year after leaving the hospital, Frances Mei reflects on what actually changes when you step away from medicine, and what doesn’t. After a month-long Europe trip spanning Cambridge, London, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast, Frances and Colin unpack identity, burnout, healing, neurodivergence, perfectionism, and the uncomfortable reality of personal growth after medicine. They talk about: Why “wellness” often isn’t enough for doctors The trap of outsourcing your rational brain Learning how to enjoy life again after survival mode Why high achievers struggle to dream outside of medicine How travel, art, museums, and creativity changed Frances Mei's life The surprising grief of realizing you actually can change Letting go of the version of yourself built entirely around achievement This episode is about what happens when the career you sacrificed everything for is no longer the center of your life — and how difficult, disorienting, and beautiful rebuilding can be. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when life doesn’t wait for training to end? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with ENT surgeon Dr. Kelly Schmidt to talk about a reality rarely discussed in medicine: navigating fertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy during residency. What begins as a straightforward plan to “just have a baby” quickly becomes something else—cycles that don’t work, loss that doesn’t pause training, and the disorienting experience of trying to solve a problem that effort alone can’t fix. Kelly shares her story openly—from miscarrying while on call to continuing to work through grief, to eventually building a path forward with fertility treatment and advocacy. This episode covers: Trying to conceive during residency Miscarriage while on call—and returning to work The emotional toll of infertility in high-achievers What actually helps (and what doesn’t) when supporting someone Navigating FMLA and time off during training How to advocate for yourself in a rigid system If you’ve ever felt like medicine leaves no room for real life—this conversation is for you. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Kelly Schmidt, MD Connect with Kelly: @kschmidt93 Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.