Learning to Lead

Available on Substack , Spotify , YouTube , and Apple Podcasts How can we navigate conflict, communicate across differences, and repair relationships when conversations get hard? In this episode of Learning to Lead , Colonel Jess Bunin, MD, co-founder of All Levels Leadership, joins us for a practical and deeply relevant conversation about civil discourse, community building, and the leadership sk...

In this Leadership Hacks episode of Learning to Lead , Jessica Bunin, MD , co-founder of All Levels Leadership, shares two simple but powerful practices for becoming a better leader. First, she explains the value of a listening tour : intentionally hearing from people across roles and levels to better understand the culture, needs, and realities of an organization. Then, she explores the leadershi...

In the Season 4 premiere of  Learning to Lead , Dr. Rebecca Zucconi joins us to explore how storytelling can make communication more meaningful, memorable, and effective. Dr. Rebecca Zucconi shares a simple yet powerful framework: every story has a challenge, a choice, and an outcome. This structure keeps your audience invested and wanting more. Beyond this structure, she gives us her top 3 ingred...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Beth Frates, MD discusses how effective leadership begins with truly understanding your team and aligning their individual strengths with a shared mission. Drawing from her experience in lifestyle medicine leadership, she highlights the importance of building personal connections, fostering collaboration, and helping each team member contribute meaningfully...

In episode of Learning to Lead Dr. Beth Frates MD, a Harvard-trained physician and pioneer in lifestyle medicine, shares the experiences that shaped her path into healthcare and leadership. Listeners will hear how she navigated major career decisions—choosing physical medicine and rehabilitation over cardiology and later stepping away from a traditional academic trajectory to pursue the emerging f...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Amber King PharmD, BCPS, FNAP shares a powerful leadership insight: trust your team. Recorded in honor of Jefferson’s Interprofessional Care conference, she discusses how delegating, empowering others, and valuing diverse perspectives strengthen collaboration—especially in interprofessional settings. The conversation also explores how trust is built through com...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Brooke Salzman, MD shares a powerful leadership hack: focusing on strengths. Recorded in honor of Jefferson’s Interprofessional Care conference, the conversation explores how recognizing and amplifying the strengths of others fosters psychological safety, collaboration, and growth. The team discusses practical ways to apply this approach in teaching, teamwo...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, five fourth-year medical students from QU Netter share insights from over a year of combined experience on away rotations, one of the most high-stakes and formative parts of medical training.  They discuss how to make a strong impression, navigate unfamiliar environments, and balance confidence with humility when you don’t know all the answers. The group also e...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Erin Barry PhD and Beth Koltz EdM explore how conflict—while often uncomfortable—is inevitable and can be a powerful driver of growth and better decision-making. They discuss common causes of conflict, including unclear expectations, hierarchy, and communication breakdowns, as well as different types of conflict seen in clinical settings. The conversation h...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Nina Kim MD, MSc shares insights on managing time, energy, and attention in demanding fields. She challenges the idea that productivity means doing more, emphasizing intentionality, prioritization, and meaningful work instead. The conversation explores burnout, overcommitment in medical training, and practical strategies like setting boundaries, focusing on...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Nina Kim MD, MSc shares a simple but powerful leadership hack: resisting the urge to give advice and instead asking thoughtful questions. She explains that leaders are often expected to have all the answers, but more effective leadership comes from helping others reflect and arrive at their own solutions. By asking the right questions and listening carefull...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Alexa, Sam, and Sal—Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University alumni now in their third year of residency—reflect on the transition from medical school to residency, sharing how leadership training shaped their growth, resilience, and evolving identities as physicians. Through stories of leading interprofessional teams, navigating feedback,...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Alexa, Sam, and Sal—three Quinnipiac University medical school alumni—now third-year residents at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Pennsylvania, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center—reflect on how leadership training in medical school has shaped their growth as physicians. They discuss psychological safety, situational leadership,...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Lauren Weber, MD, clinical cardiologist and co-founder of All Levels Leadership, reframes the concept of followership and challenges its negative stereotypes. She defines followership as leading from positions of responsibility without formal authority—an essential skill in healthcare, where influence often matters more than title. Dr. Weber explores the differ...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Lauren Weber, MD, a clinical cardiologist and co-founder of All Levels Leadership, discusses how to navigate difficult conversations. She introduces the “opening alignment statement,” a simple tool to reduce anxiety, ask permission, and lead with respect and shared purpose. The conversation highlights how thoughtful communication can strengthen relationship...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Gita Pensa, MD, an emergency medicine physician, educator, and host of the podcast Doctors and Litigation: The L Word, shares her personal journey through medical malpractice litigation. She reflects on how the experience reshaped her confidence, career, and understanding of leadership in medicine, while highlighting the culture of silence and shame that of...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Elizabeth “Beth” Koltz, EdM, Senior Director of Instructional and Curriculum Design and Assistant Professor at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, shares why feedback is one of the most powerful leadership tools. The conversation explores how asking for feedback builds trust, uncovers blind spots, and fuels growth especially when paired with coaching an...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Erin Barry, PhD and Elizabeth “Beth” Koltz, EdM explore the growth mindset and its role in leadership, learning, and healthcare culture. Drawing on research from Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology or Success and personal stories from engineering, medical education, and organizational leadership, Erin and Beth explore the difference between fixe...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Erin Barry, PhD—associate professor, leadership scholar, and certified executive coach—shares her powerful leadership skill: listening to learn, not to respond. Erin shares how true listening requires slowing down, suspending assumptions, and creating space for others to fully express what’s really on their minds. Through personal stories and coaching insig...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Jesse Wescott, Tim Smith, and Karisma Quintas —leaders at The Towers, an innovative senior living community in New Haven—share how a values-driven, team-based leadership model transforms care. Through their “/caregiver” philosophy, every staff member is empowered to put residents first, break down silos, and respond proactively to both human and environmental n...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Jesse Wescott, Tim Smith, and Karisma Quintas—leaders at The Towers senior living community—share their Leadership Hacks. Tim reflects on teaching as a way to strengthen teams, Jesse emphasizes investing in yourself to prevent burnout and foster growth, and Karisma highlights “operationalized empathy” as a calm, structured approach to supporting others. Togethe...

In this episode of Learning to Lead, Dr. Tracy Van Oss DHSc, MPH, OTR/L shares the energy, gratitude, and coaching mindset that shape her approach to leadership and teaching. She reflects on her journey into occupational therapy, how she helps students build meaningful habits through lifestyle redesign, and why self-care is essential for anyone in healthcare. Tracy also discusses the gaps she sees...

In this episode, Dr. Tracy Van Oss DHSc, MPH, OTR/L shares how her daily gratitude ritual shapes her mindset, strengthens her resilience, and enhances her work as a healthcare leader. She discusses the importance of grounding practices, intentional self-care, and expressing appreciation to others, revealing how small acts of gratitude can deepen relationships and elevate leadership in everyday lif...

In honor of Veterans Day, we are rereleasing this powerful episode with Joshua Hartzell MD, a retired Army Colonel and seasoned physician-educator. In this episode, he explores what it truly means to lead with care in healthcare. Drawing from his military and medical experience, Dr. Hartzell shares insights on developing cultures of compassion, fostering professional growth, and the power of follo...

In this inspiring conversation, Matthew Swanson MD, MBA shares his journey to medical school and business school, reflecting on how loss, resilience, and curiosity shaped his path. Matt discusses lessons from his MBA at NYU Ster —how to take risks, see healthcare through a systems lens, negotiate effectively, and build meaningful networks. He explores how combining compassion with business insight...