Cut & Tell

After six years of surgical residency, I expected to leave with better technical skills. I didn't expect to leave without one of my defining personality traits. In this episode of Cut & Tell , I share the story of how a formal complaint from a senior resident completely changed how I saw myself, and ultimately forced me to stop trying to make everyone happy. We talk about: Why medicine attract...

What actually makes a great chief resident? After finishing plastic surgery residency, Dr. Liz Malphrus reflects on one of the most important leadership roles in medical training, and the lessons no one formally teaches. From setting expectations and managing team dynamics to giving meaningful feedback and building trust, this episode is a practical guide for anyone preparing to lead in residency....

Starting residency can feel overwhelming. New city, new hospital, new responsibilities, and suddenly everyone expects you to know what you're doing. In this episode of Cut & Tell , graduating plastic surgery resident Dr. Liz Malphrus shares her most requested advice for incoming interns. Drawing on six years of residency experience, she breaks down the physical, cognitive, and psychological st...

Residents today earn roughly the same inflation-adjusted salary as residents did decades ago. So why does training feel so much more financially difficult? In this episode of Cut & Tell , plastic surgery resident Dr. Liz Malphrus explores the economic realities facing modern trainees—from exploding medical school debt and rising housing costs to childcare expenses, delayed financial independen...

Attendings often tell stories about residency "back in the day" - more autonomy, more responsibility, more independence. But was training really better, or has the entire system changed? In this episode of Cut & Tell , plastic surgery resident Dr. Liz Malphrus explores why modern residents often report feeling less prepared for independent practice despite performing similar case volumes to pr...

What if the most important lessons of residency aren't found in a textbook? With graduation just days away, Liz shares the three pieces of writing that most shaped her understanding of medicine, residency, and life beyond training. From the realities of surgical culture and physician burnout to the hidden history of American healthcare and the power of personal agency, these recommendations offer...

What makes a good resident? And beyond that — what actually makes someone great ? In this episode of Cut & Tell , Dr. Liz Malphrus breaks down the unwritten skills of residency that no one formally teaches: anticipation, adaptability, reading the room, emotional resilience, communication, and learning how to survive medicine without becoming robotic in the process. From OR etiquette and closed...

Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. In this episode, Dr. Liz Malphrus opens up about the failures, regrets, rejections, and detours that never make it onto a CV. From getting a C in biology at Columbia, to losing out on a White House job she thought would define her future, to walking away from a career in music — Liz reflects on the moments she once believed had ruined everything. This...

Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. In this episode, Dr. Liz Malphrus gets real about the hidden economics of residency training, and why so many residents feel trapped, undervalued, and burned out before they ever become attendings. With just weeks left before finishing plastic surgery residency, Liz reflects on what she wishes someone had told her on day one: know your worth. She share...

Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. In this first episode, Dr. Liz Malphrus, a plastic surgery chief resident, opens up about what residency is actually like, beyond the polished narratives. From the hidden curriculum of training to the emotional weight of becoming a surgeon, this is a candid look at the parts of medicine that are usually left unsaid. She shares: Why residency culture is...