Christine J Ko, MD

Girl Doc Survival Guide

Health EN ↓ 234 episodes

Young doctors are increasingly in ‘survival’ mode.    Far from flourishing, the relentless pressure of working in medicine means that ‘balance’ is harder than ever to achieve.   On the Girl Doc Survival Guide, Yale professor and dermatologist Dr Christine J Ko sits down with doctors, psychologists and mental health experts to dig into the real challenges and rewards of life in medicine.    From dealing with daily stressors and burnout to designing a career that doesn’t sacrifice your personal life, this podcast is all about giving you the tools to not just survive...    But to be present in th...

Author

Christine J Ko, MD

Category

Health

Podcast website

christinejko.com

Latest episode

Jul 8, 2026

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Episodes

EP176: Beyond Sound: Owen's Story of Silence and Sound 23.07.2025

Exploring Life with Cochlear Implants: A Conversation with Paul Bass and Owen Whang In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we have excerpts from Dateline New Haven, in which host Paul Bass interviews Christine and her son Owen Whang about their picture book, SOUND SWITCH WONDER. The book, inspired by Owen's experiences with cochlear implants, aims to fill a gap in children's lit...

EP175: From Melanoma to Mindbody Medicine: Dr. Keira Barr's Story 16.07.2025

Unveiling the Connection: Dr. Keira Barr on Stress, Skin Health, and the Mind-Body Paradigm In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Keira Barr, a dermatologist specializing in somatic psychodermatology, shares her personal journey of discovering early melanoma and the ensuing health challenges that led her to explore the mind-body connection. Dr. Barr discusses the critical role of str...

EP174: The Empowered Physician Mom: Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson's Survival Tools 09.07.2025

Redefining Success and Survival for Physician Moms with Dr. Toya In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson, aka Dr. Toya, shares her top five tools for navigating motherhood while being a physician. She emphasizes the importance of redefining one's own values around motherhood, building a supportive village (both paid and unpaid), maintaining a healthy marriage...

EP173: Medicine and Motherhood: Insights with Dr. Toya 02.07.2025

Overcoming Burnout and Redefining Physician Motherhood with Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson, also known as Dr. Toya, an OB/Gyn, perinatal mental health specialist, and transformational coach, shares her personal journey through three periods of burnout during her medical career and postpartum experience. Dr. Toya discusses the pre...

EP172: Dr. Ilona Frieden: Navigating a Groundbreaking Career in Pediatric Dermatology 25.06.2025

Navigating A Stellar Career in Pediatric Dermatology: Dr. Ilona Frieden In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Ilona Frieden, a distinguished leader in pediatric dermatology, shares her journey and insights. Dr. Frieden discusses her personal background, the challenges she faced growing up in California, and her unexpected path into medicine. She underscores the importance of balancin...

EP171: Empowering Healers: Prioritizing Self Within Medicine 18.06.2025

The Importance of Awareness, Boundaries, and Support in Medical Culture In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we continue our compilation from the last 40 episodes, focusing on critical topics like error and diagnostic discordance, dealing with mistakes, the toxic culture in medicine, the necessity of self-awareness, and prioritizing personal well-being. Featuring insights from various m...

EP170: The Human Side of Medicine: Confronting Error and Discordance 11.06.2025

Embracing Imperfection: Navigating Error and Diagnostic Discordance in Medicine In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine reflects on key insights from various experts across multiple episodes that discuss the inevitability of errors and diagnostic discordance in medical practice. Featuring quotes from Dr. Philip McKee, Dr. Ale Gru, Dr. Rose Elenitsas, Dr. Gauri Agarwal, and others...

EP169: Medicine's Dual Challenges: Gender Bias and Parenting with Dr. Wendy Stead 04.06.2025

Balancing Medicine and Motherhood with Dr. Wendy Stead In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Wendy Stead, the Program Director for the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Infectious Diseases Fellowship, discusses her dual roles in medical education and as a mentor for residents. She provides a personal anecdote about her experiences as a mother of two. The conversation explores gend...

EP168: Building a Sustainable Medical Career: Lessons from Dr. Tessa Davis 28.05.2025

Thriving in Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Insights from Dr. Tessa Davis In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we are joined by Dr. Tessa Davis, a pediatric emergency medicine consultant at the Royal London Hospital and co-founder of the pioneering educational platform Don't Forget the Bubbles. Dr. Davis shares her unique journey from Glasgow to Sydney and back to the UK, detailing h...

EP167: Beyond the Operating Room: Dr. Celeste Royce on Mentorship and Equity 21.05.2025

Navigating Medicine with Dr. Celeste Royce: Mentorship, Motherhood, and Advocacy In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Celeste Royce, a Harvard Medical School OB/GYN educator with over 35 years of experience, shares insights from her comprehensive career. Dr. Royce discusses her journey from initial medical school fears to her love for OB/GYN, shaped by camaraderie and a pivotal surg...

EP166: Off the Treadmill: Discovering Your True Path with Dr. Dawn Baker 14.05.2025

Finding Authentic Balance: A Conversation with Dr. Dawn Baker on Burnout and Rediscovery In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, host Christine interviews Dr. Dawn Baker, a board-certified anesthesiologist and lifestyle design coach. Dr. Baker shares her journey from burnout and significant health issues, including a pituitary tumor, to finding a sustainable path forward. They discuss the...

EP165: Medicine's Lost Mind: Dr. Robert Smith's Guide to Transforming Patient Care 07.05.2025

Reimagining Mental Health in Medicine with Dr. Robert C. Smith In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine hosts Dr. Robert C. Smith , a University Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry Emeritus from Michigan State University. Dr. Smith discusses his journey from a traditionally trained internal medicine doctor to an advocate for integrating mental health care into prima...

EP164: The Art of Not Doing It All: A Conversation with Dr. Annie Im 30.04.2025

Balancing Hematology, Oncology, and Parenthood with Dr. Annie Im In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Annie Im, a hematologist oncologist and Program Director for Hematology Oncology Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, shares her insights on balancing a demanding medical career with personal sustainability. She discusses the unrealistic expectations of 'doing it all,&ap...

EP163: The Savvy Working Mom: Grace and Joy with Whitnee Hawthorne 23.04.2025

Thriving as a Savvy Working Mom: Insights from Whitnee Hawthorne In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine welcomes Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel and Hospitality at Snowflake and author of T he Savvy Working Mom: A Guide to Prioritization, Delegation, and Making Time for Cocktails . Whitnee shares her personal journey from New York to Georgia, detailing how she and her h...

EP162: Bridging Passions: From Medicine to Humanities with Dr. Amanda Swain 16.04.2025

The Intersection of Medical Humanities and Physician Wellness with Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain, MD, Faculty Director for UME Medical Humanities and Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses her advocacy for incorporating medical humanities into medical education to teach empathy, perspective taking, and...

EP161: Finding Strength in Vulnerability: Dr. Dympna Weil's Journey 09.04.2025

Balancing Healing and Doctoring: Insights from Dr. Dympna Weil In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Dympna Weil, a former Ob/Gyn hospitalist, discusses her experiences with vestibular migraine and how these challenges reshaped her approach to physician wellness. Dr. Weil highlights the complexities of navigating the healthcare system as a physician-patient, the emotional toll of hea...

EP160: A Lifelong Experiment: Exploring Intimacy and Curiosity in Relationships 02.04.2025

Navigating Intimacy and Connection in High-Stress Professional Lives In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell, a physician turned relationship expert, shares her journey and insights into nurturing passionate and fulfilling relationships for high-achieving professionals, particularly those in medicine. Dr. Stockwell discusses the challenges faced by physician couples...

EP159: Trailblazing in Orthopedics: Dr. Deepa Bose on Breaking Barriers 26.03.2025

Breaking Stereotypes in Orthopedic Surgery: A Conversation with Ms. Deepa Bose In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Ms. Deepa Bose, a consultant in Orthopedic Trauma and Limb Reconstruction at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, UK. With over 13 years of experience, Ms. Bose shares her journey in the traditionally male-dominated field of orthopedics. She discus...

EP158: Gaslight Effect Author Dr. Robin Stern on Emotional Intelligence and Healthcare 19.03.2025

Emotional Intelligence in Healthcare: Insights from Dr. Robin Stern In this episode of 'The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine welcomes Dr. Robin Stern, a key authority on emotional intelligence. They discuss the vital role emotional intelligence plays in healthcare, exploring its impact on patient interactions, workplace challenges, and the parallels between parenting and medical practice. D...

EP157: Rethinking Emotional Distance: Lessons from Dr. Laurie Lyckholm 12.03.2025

The Power of Emotional Connection in Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Laurie Lyckholm In this episode of the Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Laurie Lyckholm, a hematologist oncologist, discusses her three-decade journey challenging the notion that doctors should emotionally distance themselves from patients. Despite traditional training advocating emotional detachment as a professional strength, Dr....

EP156: Defeating Burnout: Dr. Kathy Stepien's Empowering Insights 05.03.2025

Overcoming Burnout: Insights from Dr. Kathy Stepien In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Kathy Stepien, founder of the Institute for Physician Wellness, shares her journey from experiencing burnout as a physical therapist to thriving as a pediatrician and coach. She discusses the importance of self-compassion, setting boundaries, and recognizing one's own capacity in order to p...

EP155: Carving Out Time: Managing a High-Pressure Career and Family Life 26.02.2025

Navigating Work-Life Balance in ENT Surgery with Dr. Nina Shapiro In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we chat with Dr. Nina Shapiro, MD a seasoned pediatric surgeon from UCLA who has over 25 years of experience and has successfully balanced her demanding career with raising a family. Dr. Shapiro shares her journey, discussing the unrealistic advice on work-life balance she received, th...

EP154: Navigating Soft Skills: Insights from Dr. Maxwell Fung 19.02.2025

The Intersection of Dermatopathology and Emotional Intelligence with Dr. Maxwell Fung In this episode, Christine welcomes Dr. Maxwell Fung, a seasoned dermatologist and dermatopathologist, who shares his insights from over 25 years of experience. Dr. Fung discusses pivotal 'soft skills', such as communication and active listening, that have shaped his career. He also delves into the chal...

EP153: Building a Healing Narrative: Dr. Susan Hingle on Data + Stories = Change 12.02.2025

Empowering Women Leaders in Medicine: An Interview with Dr. Susan Hingle In this episode, Dr. Susan Hingle, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, discusses the ongoing gender gap in medical leadership. Dr. Hingle emphasizes the importance of combining data with personal stories to drive change, shares her journey in medicine, and highlights th...

EP152: Where Passion Meets Professionalism: Dr. Vineet Arora's Approach to Medicine 05.02.2025

Navigating Healthcare: Mentorship, Wellbeing, and Innovation with Dr. Vineet Arora In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Vineet Arora, Herbert T. Abelson Professor of Medicine and Dean for Medical Education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Arora discusses her career trajectory, emphasizing the importance of preparation, passion, and leadership in medical education. She...

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