Vital Signs: Thriving as a Woman in Medicine

What is belonging and why does it matter? According to my guest, Rani Nandiwada, MD, MSEd, belonging is a sense that you can be your whole authentic self and be embraced and valued for it. When we don’t feel we belong at work and hold ourselves back, it can lead to exhaustion, anxiety, self-doubt, and the stifling of new, innovative ideas. In this episode, you’ll learn how to step into being your...

When you’re really busy or experiencing burnout, it can feel isolating. It’s easy to believe you’re the only one struggling to get through the work day. In this episode, my guest, Dami Babaniji, MD, shares her personal experience with burnout–and the initiatives she’s undertaken at her organization to address burnout and create supportive communities for physicians. Tip: she shares some great idea...

Over the past decade, more physicians have moved to employed positions and experienced less autonomy and control over their work than previously. The erosion of influence has adversely affected professional satisfaction. My guest, Christine Sinsky, shares her expert opinion on steps physicians can take to find more agency and enjoy their work again.  Dr. Christine Sinsky is a retired internist who...

Capable women physicians may hesitate to step into leadership roles and other opportunities for a host of reasons. Feeling not quite ready, concern about work overload, discomfort with managing peers. My guest, Grace Perez-Lirio, MD, FACP, shares her not-so-straightforward journey to leadership and an important message for women physicians who have held back.  Dr. Grace Perez-Lirio is a primary ca...

Primary care physicians are stretched thin these days, and many have found the work simply not sustainable. Patients are feeling the effects, with long wait times for appointments and difficulty finding a new PCP.  Join me and my guest, Diane London, MD, as she shares her wisdom gleaned over several decades, on options for “staying in the game” as a primary care physician.  Dr. Diane London is a p...

You get a nudge about an opportunity to advance in your career, and you wonder, “Did they mean to nudge me? I’m not qualified!” Sound familiar?  Join me and my guest, Darilyn Moyer, MD, as she shares insights on overcoming self-doubt gleaned from her career as an “accidental physician CEO.”  Dr. Dariyn Moyer is Executive Vice President and CEO of the American College of Physicians. Her passion is...

If you’re a clinician, you’ve likely experienced or observed administrative harm, even if you’ve never heard the term before. What is it? What causes it? And how can we move to a better way of making and implementing administrative decisions? Listen in and learn from my guest, Marisha Burden, MD, MBA.  Dr. Marisha Burden is Division Head of Hospital Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the Univer...

A professional conference this fall, I had a short conversation with a colleague as we went from one breakout to another. Gaurava Agarwal, MD, shared that my social media posts on the challenges that women in medicine face had inspired him to dig into the data at his organization. That was flattering, but what really inspired me was hearing about the steps the organization has taken to help women...

Work stress can easily spill over to our personal lives, affecting our physical health, mental health, and general outlook on life. Interventions to improve physician wellness can be complex, costly, and challenging to spread.  My guest, Dr. Rebecca Levine, created an alternative: a walking program for clinical staff that has reduced burnout and stress. How did she do it? Listen in to find out. Pe...

“Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored.” What does that mean and why does it matter? Listen in to my conversation with Felisa Schneider to out and learn why improving gender parity in leadership is a win for everyone.  Felisa Schneider is the Chief Operating Officer of the Carol Emmott Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender parity in healthcare leadership and governan...

Feeling like you’re the only one struggling with a recurring challenge, like getting charts closed and messages answered, can be very isolating. Given how time-strapped everyone in healthcare is today, trudging on alone seems like the only option. Listen in as my guest, Kelly Holder, shares her insights about building our capacity through connection and self-compassion.  Kelly Holder, PhD, is Dire...

The pandemic has had a huge impact on the healthcare workforce. How do we meet their current needs? Why does this matter? Listen in to hear a healthcare leader weigh in on where the levers are for meeting these needs and why it’s critical today.  Alisha Wallace-Smith, MHA, is president of the American College of Healthcare Executives of Greater Charlotte and clinical provider liaison for Continuum...

Given the large number of women in the specialty, researchers were surprised when family medicine showed a gender wage gap, with male physicians receiving higher compensation than their female colleagues. What solutions could bring wage parity to family medicine? How might parity serve women physicians - and patients too? Learn more from my guest, Dr. Yalda Jabbarpour. Yalda Jabbarpour, MD, is a f...

Pregnancy and family life can be challenging. From protecting your health when pregnant to finding and paying for child care. Listen in as Dr. Annabelle Volgman shares wisdom gleaned from a successful career in cardiology.  Annabelle Volgman, MD, is the McMullan-Eybel Endowed Chair for Excellence in Clinical Cardiology at Rush University Medical Center. Her expertise is taking care of women with h...

You probably have a sense of whether your organization is a great place to work for, or not. But do you know the factors that determine that? And can you name the #1 most important driver?  Join me and my guest, Michael Bush, as he reveals the secret and tells us why “healthcare is an anomaly.” Michael Bush is CEO of Great Place to Work, a research and analytics company that produces the annual Fo...

Are you uncomfortable with the idea of promoting yourself? Does the idea of negotiating for a title or benefits trigger all kinds of stress in you? You’re not alone. Join me and my guest, Michelle Bailey, MD, as we look at why speaking up for our careers is so challenging and why it’s so important. Dr. Michelle Bailey is a physician career and life coach and an executive medical director working a...

We know that our healthcare system too often fails patients and the healthcare workforce who cares for them. Individuals can feel they lack the ability to affect improvements in the larger system. How can I shift this? Join me and my guest, Andrea Austin, MD, to hear about her new research on what makes for changemakers in healthcare–and how we can create more of them.  Dr. Andrea Austin is an eme...

Do you ever feel like you’re pulled in so many different directions and your energy is spread so thin that something has to give? Join me and my guest, Cindy Van Praag, MD, as we explore the myth or mirage of “having it all.”  Dr. Cindy Van Praag is an anesthesiologist and physician coach who founded Inspired Mom MDs. Her passion is helping physician moms take back control and find time for what m...

Let’s face it: for many physicians taking time away from work to recharge is challenging and stressful in its own right. Concerns about coverage, the onslaught of work when you return, the financial implications make taking PTO less than optimal. Join me and my guest, Dr. Jill Jin, as we delve into ways to make time fully off duty a reality.  Jill O. Jin, MD,  is a clinical associate professor of...

Research has shown that women in academic medicine, who are often in junior positions, receive less administrative support. For this reason, they may spend time doing these tasks themselves, leaving less time for professional advancement. If this sounds familiar, listen to my conversation with Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni as she shares her insights and suggestions for getting the support you need. Hint: h...

If there is one thing that is certain about our world today, including our work in healthcare, it is uncertainty. How do we manage? How can we navigate uncertain times with more groundedness and well-being? Join me and my guest, Dr. Kerri Palamara, as we explore these questions. Don’t miss out on her very sage advice! Kerri Palamara, MD,  is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical Sc...

Are you leading your career or is it leading you? In this episode, my collaborator, Gretchen Rickards, MD, and I share our inspiration for our transformational retreat coming this Fall.  Too often women in medicine feel stretched thin, wonder if their path in medicine is sustainable, and want to grow professionally but feel pulled in different directions. If this resonates, listen in to hear why o...

We receive messages in our medical training about what it is to be a physician. One message many of us receive is that we must be superhuman, hiding our feelings and needs. Join me and my guest, Charu Gupta, MD, as we talk about being vulnerable. What are the potential benefits? What does being vulnerable as a physician look like? Dr. Charu Gupta is a clinical assistant professor of cardiology in...

Overfunctioning. In training it is often rewarded, leading many of us to continue this way of being until we hit a wall or become stuck. Join me and my guest, Sarah Webber, MD, as we look at the costs of overworking and potential solutions, including owning our choices, values, and preferences from an inner authority.  Dr. Sarah Webber is an associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of W...

Many physicians today report feeling they aren’t valued by their organizations. New research by Dr. Amy Young and others shows a direct connection between leadership behavior, specifically communication, physicians feeling valued, and increased risk of burnout.  Dr. Amy Young is a professor of Business Communication at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Her expertise is lea...