The Junior Doctor Series Podcast - The Unspoken Truth

What happens after the resuscitation ends? In this deeply personal solo episode, I share my experience of leading an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for the first time as an Emergency Medicine Registrar and the emotional impact that followed. As healthcare professionals, we're trained to stay calm under pressure, make critical decisions, and keep moving forward. But what happens when the adrenaline...

Burnout doesn't just affect how we feel — it can also reshape how we see our work, our purpose, and ourselves. In this final episode, Vy reflects on how burnout affected her professional life, influenced her career path, and changed the way she approached her work in healthcare. She shares her transition from ICU and emergency nursing into advanced practice and family medicine, as well as the rene...

Balancing motherhood, education, and a career in healthcare is no easy task. In this episode, Vy shares her experience of becoming pregnant during graduate school, breastfeeding while studying and working clinical shifts, and navigating the realities of family life while pursuing a demanding healthcare career. She reflects on the support she received from her husband, colleagues, and workplace, as...

Burnout recovery is not just about rest — it is also about support, self-awareness, and learning how to reconnect with yourself. In this episode, Vy shares the coping strategies and support systems that helped her navigate burnout and difficult seasons in her life. We explore the role of counselling, cognitive reframing, brain dumping, mindfulness, and learning how to set healthier boundaries. Vy...

Behind every healthcare professional is a human story. In this deeply personal episode, Vy shares the experience of losing her father suddenly just three weeks before starting graduate school. While preparing to begin the next chapter of her healthcare career, she was also faced with an unexpected and profound loss. Vy reflects on receiving the news, navigating the practical and emotional responsi...

Burnout in healthcare doesn't always look the way we expect. In this episode, I'm joined by Venita Lê Schandorf, also known as Vy, a board-certified family nurse practitioner based in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Before moving into advanced practice, Vy spent ten years working as a registered nurse and has now been practicing in family medicine for the past six years. In this first...

The final segment brings the conversation back to humanity. Ryan speaks candidly about the emotional strain of being away from his family, missing milestones, and the work it takes to stay connected to a young child while deployed overseas. Koushi and Ryan explore: Parenting from a distance — guilt, communication, and boundaries Understanding your partner's work as equally important Why nurses exc...

In this opening episode of the three-part conversation, we go straight into the emotional and clinical core of Ryan's career. Ryan opens up about the cases that still replay in his mind, especially paediatric resuscitations and the self-reflection that follows every difficult shift. Key takeaways for junior clinicians: Always escalate — pride kills patients Ask early, not late Educate freely to re...

In this opening episode of the three-part conversation, Koushi interviews Ryan Dennis. He shares how he entered the Navy at just sixteen and a half years old and built a career spanning nearly 30 years in pre-hospital care, emergency medicine and Navy healthcare. They explore his evolution from an underwater medicine clinician and specialist medic to qualifying as a Navy nursing officer and resusc...

In this final episode of the three-part conversation, Koushi and Dr. Charlotte Tomlinson, a GP registrar based in the UK explore the power of truth-telling in medicine — and what happens when we share the stories that feel too raw to speak aloud. Charlotte opens up about one of her most vulnerable blogs, written during the height of the UK junior doctor training crisis a piece she almost didn't pu...

In this second episode, Koushi continues her heartfelt conversation with Dr. Charlotte Tomlinson , GP Registrar based in the UK and author of  The Health and Healing Narrative . Together, they explore the emotional realities of being a doctor — the grief, fear, and self-doubt that often exist beneath the surface of "resilience." Charlotte shares one of her hardest days in medicine and the power of...

In this opening episode of the three-part conversation, Koushi speaks with  Dr. Charlotte Tomlinson , GP Registrar in Liverpool, UK and the voice behind The Health and Healing Narrative — a beautifully reflective blog giving space to the untold stories of medicine. Charlotte shares how writing became her way to slow down, reconnect, and find meaning again in a profession that often moves too fast....

In this Episode of  The Junior Doctor Series: The Unspoken Truth, the host - Koushi shares one of the most vulnerable episodes she has ever recorded. In it, she opens up about her real experiences with both passive and active racism —from subtle assumptions about where she is "really" from to the blatant comments that cut deep. She share what it feels like to be constantly asked "Are you from Indi...

In this episode of  The Junior Doctor Series: The Unspoken Truth , I sit down with Lakmal and explore the deeply human side of being both a doctor and a mother. Lakmal shares how she looks after herself—through art, meditation, yoga, healthy living, and making sure she takes half an hour of "me time" each day despite being a mum, wife, and daughter. She opens up about the challenges of working in...

From Sri Lanka to Australia – The Early Journey In this episode of  The Junior Doctor Series: The Unspoken Truth , I sit down with Lakmal, who takes us back to her beginnings as a junior doctor in Sri Lanka, where the stress and pressure nearly pushed her to quit. After migrating to Australia, she paused medicine for a year to simply enjoy life, before reigniting her passion and sitting the AMC ex...

In this episode of The Junior Doctor Series: The Unspoken Truth , I sit down with Claire , a lawyer and mindfulness advocate, to explore how organizations and individuals can prevent compassion fatigue and create healthier, more supportive work environments. We discuss: How  supportive leadership and effective policies can protect staff from burnout and emotional exhaustion. The importance of cult...

In this episode, host Koushi sit down with the incredible  Claire E. Parsons — a Cincinnati lawyer, mindfulness teacher, and mum of two — for a real and honest chat about life behind the titles. Claire opens up about her journey through post-partum depression, the pressure of high-stakes legal work, and how meditation completely changed the way she handled life's curveballs. We talk about what she...

🌼 Koushi's conversation with Claire,  this is what we cover: redefining compassion fatigue as "empathic overwhelm." talking about Claire's struggles with anxiety, depression, and burnout. How Meditation and self-compassion helped her recover from emotional overwhelm. the difference between empathy (feeling others' emotions) and compassion (connecting and offering support). Unchecked empathy can l...

Caring for others can come at a cost! In this episode, Koushi unpacks the science and signs of compassion fatigue — the emotional and physical burnout that affects healthcare workers, caregivers, and anyone in high-empathy roles. Learn how chronic stress impacts your body and mind, and discover simple, science-backed practices like meditation, sound therapy, journaling, and movement to restore bal...

🌼 **Koushi's conversation with Charlotte Ingham around Mental Health, Serotonin, and Overcoming Burnout**  🌼 As we wrap up our discussion, we focus on actionable strategies for supporting mental health and overcoming burnout. This is what we cover: The Role of Serotonin: How serotonin affects our mood and emotional regulation? We discuss practical ways to boost serotonin levels, such as getting...

🧠 **Koushi continues her conversation with Charlotte Ingham** 🧠 In this segment, Koushi and Charlotte dive into the fascinating science behind burnout and the physiological responses our bodies undergo under stress. Our discussion covers the following: Understanding Cortisol: The explanation of the freeze response and how rising cortisol levels can affect our physical and mental states. We refle...

🌟 **In Our Latest Episode with Koushi** 🌟 Join us as we explore season 2 the intricacies of burnout and conflict resolution. Koushi has a heartfelt conversation with Charlotte sharing valuable insights on how our approach to conflict can shape our interactions and emotional well-being. This is what we cover: Conflict Resolution Styles: We discuss the differences between passive and aggressive st...

In this segment, we're thrilled to have the wonderful Lena Smith with us! Lena opens up about her biggest challenge with movement—navigating injuries and the vital lesson of being gentle with ourselves during the healing journey. She emphasizes how important it is to find balance in our movements, reminding us that it's not just about intensity, but also about listening to our bodies and respectin...

Get ready to groove your way to wellness in our latest segment with the fabulous Lena Smith! We're diving into fun and practical tips for incorporating movement into your daily routine, all while finding that sweet spot of relaxation. Lena shares how focusing on a single point can help calm your busy mind, almost like meditating on the move! Just turn on some music, start with your feet, and let t...

In our latest segment, we're excited to introduce the incredible Lena Smith—a passionate yoga teacher, somatic therapist, and remedial massage therapist who truly embodies the power of movement! Lena shares her inspiring journey, starting with her experience of a fractured coccyx, which ignited her quest to understand pain and the healing process. With a sprinkle of self-reflection, she dives into...