Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career

Dealing with an angry, upset patient can feel like walking into an emotional storm. The frustration in the room is palpable, and even the most experienced clinicians can feel thrown off balance. While medical training equips us to handle complex diagnoses and emergencies, it often falls short when it comes to managing interpersonal conflict. That’s where the Universal Upset Patient Protocol comes...

What defines the unique mindset of an emergency clinician? It’s not just the fast pace or the chaotic environment—it’s the deliberate, top-down thinking that prioritizes patient safety over diagnostic certainty. This approach, though deceptively simple, often flies in the face of traditional medical training, which emphasizes comprehensive differentials and exhaustive workups. In emergency medicin...

Mastering nonverbal communication can be an elusive task, but the fact remains: what’s unsaid leaves a significant footprint in any interaction. Nowhere is this more palpable than in the medical exam room, where trust and connection between physicians and patients often hinge on subtle, nonverbal cues. So, how can one build trust through facial expressions and tone of voice alone? In this episode,...

What’s the biggest mistake people make about meditation? Thinking they’re bad at it. Why do they think this? Because they’ve tried meditating, and their mind just won’t shut up! It’s a common misconception that meditation means clearing your mind of all thoughts. But in reality, meditation has little—or nothing—to do with that. If your mind wanders or feels like a crowded room full of shouting voi...

It started in medical school, when I witnessed the stark reality of the hidden curriculum: a transgender patient referred to as "it" by an attending physician. Over the years, I saw more subtle but no less harmful behaviors—snickers, misused pronouns, quiet biases. I often felt lost in how to respond. Today, transgender identity feels more politically charged than ever. But beyond the politics, wh...

Why do our minds seek explanations for everyday patterns, even attributing a cause where none may exist? "Regression to the mean" offers a statistical lens on why extreme experiences naturally revert to the norm. In medicine, this concept reveals why critical observations and repeated assessments are essential to avoid overreactions to abnormal results. In this episode, we explore the nuances of r...

Being a patient can feel like a lonely experience, especially when you sense your doctor is disconnected. A rushed or disengaged interaction can leave patients feeling unheard and uncared for, no matter how clinically skilled the physician is. At the same time, doctors struggle with overwhelming workloads, which can lead to unintentional detachment from those they treat. In this episode, we explor...

Holding onto a grudge can feel strangely delicious, but that sense of righteousness often comes at a steep cost. In this episode, EMRAP founder Mel Herbert joins Rob to unpack a rift that’s lingered for over half a decade—and explore the way forward to healing.  We also break down why achievement does not demand extraordinary genius or talent but a shift in how we view our perceived mediocrit...

It's often not the big power moves that change our lives; it's the small, intentional actions. By focusing on micro-skills, even the most ambitious goals become achievable. In this episode, we talk with Drs. Adaira Landry and Resa E. Lewiss about their new book, MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact . We explore how financial literacy, self-presentation, concise communication, and allyship can be...

Ready to reset, recharge, and level up? Join us at our live event - Awake + Aware, a game-changing 3-day workshop from May 5-7 in Bend, Oregon. Learn how to stay cool when the pressure’s on and lock in the mindset you need to flourish. Space is limited. 🖱️ Website:  Awakeandawarebend.com 🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!

How do you handle your authority being challenged under stress? Even minor communication missteps in high-pressure environments like medicine can create lasting rifts and missed details. While the instinct to push back is strong, it's rarely the best response. We share a story of miscommunication between a resident and a nurse, highlighting the importance of humility and inquiry in clinical settin...

It’s hard to be a good boss and even harder to work under a bad one. This episode breaks down how to begin as a new leader with little to no experience, the critical errors leaders often make, and what to do when your boss is suboptimal. We explore how quick fixes, lack of empathy, and poor communication can alienate teams and stifle growth. Leaders who ignore the importance of relationships, skip...

Navigating the complexities of taxes can be daunting, especially for medical professionals with unique financial situations. From maximizing retirement contributions to understanding the benefits of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), strategic tax planning is essential. In this episode, we explore various tax strategies that physicians can leverage to optimize their financial outcomes. Finally, we de...

A cautionary tale about how I mismanaged my own physician burnout for many years, doing the easy thing instead of the right thing.  More coaching goodness with a side of practical nuggets YouTube Instagram Our bi-weekly newsletter with short form, evidence based articles you won't find anywhere else.

Psychological safety is a crucial factor in creating a healthy and effective workplace. It involves a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. This episode delves into the intricacies of psychological safety, particularly in high-stakes environments like medicine. We explore how rigid hierarchies, cultural biases, incivility, and unrealistic expectations can hinder psycho...

What would you do if your job ended tomorrow? Even though you might want to say, “Take this job and shove it,” that won’t help build stepping stones to your next job. In this episode, we discuss: what it’s like for physician coaches who regularly work with docs in this situation, getting fired, dealing with unexpected events that shake up professional stability, planning for career disruption, the...

Many of us have ideas that could make a great business. Most of the ideas, however, never see the light of day. It can feel like a big leap from physician to entrepreneur. So how do you do it? We speak with Dr. Jason Hine, the founder of SimKit, and see how he went from community emergency medicine doctor to successful business owner. In this episode, we cover how Jason started his business, accou...

Success and happiness are often determined by where we place our focus: within ourselves or on external factors. Mastery lies in asking the right questions, and understanding the locus of control is a key part of this. Those who focus on what they can influence are generally happier and more successful. In this episode, we explore the philosophy behind the locus of control, its impact on burnout,...

Medical debt has a strange and storied history in America. Stretching back to colonial times, physicians and patients alike have grappled with its harsh realities. In recent years, hospitals have resorted to selling medical debt to third parties, who then aggressively pursue patients. In today’s episode, medical historian Luke Messac, MD, PhD, guides us through the past and present landscape of me...

It's natural to feel guilt or shame when living in abundance while much of the world faces hardship. In this episode, Dr. Barry Kerzin, the Dalai Lama's personal physician and a Buddhist monk, shares his approach to managing these emotions with a simple yet powerful tool. He also discusses his journey to becoming a monk, life within the Dalai Lama's compound, as well as anger management, self-comp...

Non-compete clauses have plagued contracts for decades. It’s been analogous to asymmetric warfare, with employers holding the upper hand. All of that may soon be a thing of the past. In this episode, we explore the Federal Trade Commission's recent ruling to ban these clauses and its implications for doctors and the healthcare industry. We'll also discuss the unexpected ways non-competes can prote...

Understanding cultural context in healthcare can seem overwhelming, especially when time and resources are limited. Why should clinicians invest energy in learning about different cultures? In this pod, we break down the differences between cultural competence and cultural safety, explaining why the latter is essential for patient care. We share practical examples of how understanding cultural con...

"Kicking the can down the road" is a common behavior that manifests in various ways, from delaying difficult patient decisions to avoiding complex tasks. We explore the reasons behind on-shift procrastination and strategies for overcoming it. Our discussion includes practical steps to recognize and address decision deferral, techniques for managing aversion to some decisions, and pre-loading accou...

How do you build a team in the critical first moments of a crisis? The balance between rapid response and thoughtful planning is delicate, especially when understanding what defines a crisis and acknowledging when you're in the midst of one. This conversation delves into the complexity of emergency team dynamics, emphasizing that the composition and organization of these teams are deeply influence...

Will you have enough money to retire? What does that even mean? In this pod, our guest physician financial coach, Elisa Chiang, M.D. Ph. D. breaks down Trading time for money and money for time Working harder vs creating value The FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement and why it doesn't always mean living by austerity rules The risk of relying solely on retirement accounts to fund yo...