Vital Signs: Thriving as a Woman in Medicine

How many hours per week are you charting outside the clinic day? How often do you feel caught in clinic visits that go on too long or portal message volleys that sap both time and energy? If you’re looking for an alternative, listen in as my guest, Dr. Sarah Smith, shares her expertise on how to improve your clinic day and leave work at work.  Sarah Smith, MBBS, is a rural family doctor and clinic...

Being the only one like you in a room can be an added challenges to whatever your work entails. How about being the only one in the building? Dr. Florence Ene experienced bias and a pressure to outperform as she progressed through her education and professional career. Listen in as she shares about life-changing benefits of having a mentor and the strategies she’s used to thrive and achieve her pr...

Women physicians continue to be paid less than their male colleagues. If you’re looking to negotiate fair pay in your current or future job, what can you do? Join me and my guest, Dr. Janice Werbinski as we consider underlying factors and key steps to take. We’ll also dip into the importance of crafting a job in medicine around your passion.. Janice Werbinski, MD, FACOG, is an Associate Clinical P...

Physician moms often experience a double whammy of the message that giving of yourself entirely is required. Without intention and support, this can lead to overwhelm, burnout, and cutting back or leaving clinical practice. Join me and my guest Dr. La Toya Luces-Sampson, MD, MPH-C, as we explore strategies physician moms can use to thrive more and strive less.  Dr. Luces-Sampson, known as Dr. Toya...

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...

The “hidden curriculum” in medicine is powerful. You won’t find it in a textbook yet it teaches all of us in the profession how to behave, what to prioritize, what’s okay to do, and what’s not. Some aspects of the culture in medicine are positive; some are not. Join me and my guest, researcher Emilie Banse, as we explore the detrimental effects of the culture in medicine–and what we can do to mini...

Women are socialized to have certain strengths. Caregiving and relationship-building are two important ones. Issues arise, however, when the value of these strengths is not fully recognized in clinical care. As my friend and colleague, Dr. Laura Garelick put it, “You can’t code for chatting.” Join us as we dig into the strength of women’s relationships and how we could more fully realize their pow...

Funding your work through grants. Competing deadlines for grant applications. Existing bias that shows up as the “motherhood penalty.” In this episode, we focus on the specific challenges that scientist mothers face. My guest, Amery Treble-Barna, PhD, PC, is an executive coach and founder of MasterMind Executive Leadership. She’s also an NIH-funded Principal Investigator at the University of Pitts...

In past generations women were largely shut out of professional life. Then we were told that we could have it all–a full, vibrant career and a super full family life, all at the same time. Too often, this has led women physicians to feel overwhelmed and to blame themselves. What’s the alternative? Listen in to my conversation with Dr. Laura Zimmerman to find out! Laura Zimmerman, MD, MS is a prima...

Parenting is challenging, especially for busy physicians returning to work after adding a child to their lives. Dr. Josephine Li and Dr. Laura Dichtel, both endocrinologists at MGH and assistant professors at Harvard Medical School, lead the Mass General Brigham (MGB) Parental Wellness Program, which provides faculty navigating new parenthood with mentorship, financial support for lactation, and c...

Maybe you’ve heard of the Glass Ceiling? How about the Glass Cliff or the Broken Rung? While women make up more than half of medical school matriculants, they are not advancing through their careers at the same rate as their male colleagues. Join me and my guest Dr. Helen Burstin as we dig into why–and what individuals and organizations can do about it. Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, is CEO of the Counci...

Do you tend to see potential growth opportunities then find yourself leaning away? Join me and my guest Dr. Lida Turner as we dive into how to take advantage of those fortuitous openings when they occur. She did–and it led to a professional side gig that she loves. Lida Turner, MD, is a psychiatrist in Seattle, currently in transition from medical director at a large medical system to a private pr...

Feelings are what make us human. Yet, in medicine, we get the message that we need to ignore, deny, or repress our feelings. This comes at a cost, a high cost sometimes. There is another way. Join me and my guest Dr. Jessi Gold as we investigate feelings, and especially feelings in medicine. Jessi Gold, MD, MS is the Chief Wellness Officer of the University of Tennessee System and an Associate Pro...

In medicine, we get the message early on that perfect is the standard. But perfectionism takes a toll on our mental health, our self esteem, and our personal life. It’s a trap that’s the polar opposite of joy. Join me and my guest Dr. Katie Jobbins as we investigate the causes, costs, and solutions for perfectionism. Katie Jobbins, DO, MS, FACP, is an Associate Program Director and Associate Profe...

If there is one thing that healthcare professionals learn early on, it is “at all costs, self-sacrifice.” It’s the water we swim in. What are the costs? How do we begin to “see” the water? What can we do to shift so that we get our basic needs met? And, how does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs fit in here? Find out by listening in on my conversation with my friend and colleague, Dr. Jennifer Clark. Dr...

Are women physicians paid less because they work fewer hours? It’s a justification we’ve heard before. What does the research say? Ishani Ganguli, MD, MPH is an Associate Professor of Medicine, health services researcher, and practicing primary care internist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her research focuses on primary care payment, delivery, and policy; the use and...

Mary Beth Miotto, MD, MPH is a pediatrician at a community health center in Boston and president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatricians. Her passion is child health advocacy and policy. In this episode, you’ll learn why focusing on managing time misses the boat and how to own our energy instead. Contact Dr. Miotto at madocforkids@gmail.com .  Like what you heard?  Li...

Lisa Rotenstein, MD, MBA, MSc is an assistant professor at the University of California—San Francisco and Director of the Center for Physician and Practice Excellence. Her passion is ensuring the well-being of the healthcare workforce with particular focus on women in medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn why we should be emulating the work patterns of women physicians rather than trying to “fix...

Many of us have times in our lives where we feel stuck. Rather than sink, with the right approach we can use these times to pivot to something even better. Dr. Tricia Wooden has some amazing insights and tips for how to do just that.  Tricia Wooden, MD is a family physician and system director for clinician well-being at a large health system. Her passion is creating spaces where clinicians can fl...

Do you have a tendency to fill any time slots that appear with more “productive tasks”? While it feels like this moves us ahead in our professional lives, there are associated costs. Join my conversation with Dr. Virginia O’Hayer as we dive into creating pockets of down time: why we should and how to do it! Virginia O’Hayer, PhD is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor at Thomas Jefferson Universi...

The journey to become a physician can lead us to focus on achieving, sometimes to our own detriment. In fact, many clinicians miss getting basic needs met (think Maslow’s hierarchy) as they try to meet perceived expectations. How can we begin to set boundaries around those expectations so that we can preserve our energy and be our best selves?  Listen to our conversation to find out! Diane Sliwka,...

At first glance, you might not see the parallels between predicting the potential damage of climate change and improving the retention of clinicians. I didn’t either–until I spoke with Dr. Sisi Hu. She helped me understand the value of predictive modeling and the power of data to help leverage change in our clinical workplaces. Intrigued? Listen to our conversation! Dr. Sisi Hu is an economist at...

Unhealthy organizational culture is a key driver of burnout for everyone in healthcare. Women in medicine also struggle with asking for what they need to advance their careers and thrive at work. Join my conversation with my friend and colleague, healthcare consultant Nancy Jacoby, to get a better handle on these challenges and specific steps we can take as individuals to create a healthy culture...

Leaders, especially our immediate supervisors, have a huge impact on our daily work experience and our risk of burnout. But what exactly is the relationship between leadership behaviors and clinician well-being? And what steps can an individual physician take to better lead their clinical team? To find out, join my conversation with Dr. Paul DeChant, a healthcare thought leader who spent 25 years...

Many women in medicine miscategorize their struggles to advance. They believe it’s their fault–if only they were smarter or worked harder, they would have reached full professor or a leadership position by now. Dr. Shikha Jain realized she was facing some system issues that were holding her back. She now advocates for greater awareness of gender inequity in medicine, mentors others, and helps high...