Surgeon, Interrupted – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In the first episode of Surgeon Interrupted, Dr. Frances Mei Hardin shares her journey of leaving a career in surgery after years of feeling unsafe and unfulfilled in her work environment. She discusses the toxic culture of residency, the pressures of being a physician, and her path to self-discovery and personal growth. Frances Mei emphasizes the importance of breaking free from societal expectations and finding fulfillment in life beyond medicine.

Surgeon, Interrupted is a new podcast taking you behind the scenes of Frances Mei's journey from young surgeon with promise and a full career in surgery ahead of her, to a drastic pivot out of medicine and into something completely different. This is a show for anyone who has felt uncertain about their career of life choices and wants to see and hear exactly how one person is starting the journey. This is will be a real time account of how the decisions were made, the wins and losses along the way, and everything in between.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & TikTok @francesmeimd

And Subscribe to @hippocratic-collective on Youtube for all of the other great shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Orthopedic surgery almost never looks like Dr. Brian Nwannunu, and that’s exactly why his story matters. His path through Morehouse, Georgetown, Howard, and Baylor reveals a specialty still reckoning with exclusion, even as it demands excellence at every turn. We talk about breaking through the gates, the mentors who rearrange your trajectory, the patients who shape your practice, and the quiet toll of carrying representation into the OR.

This episode is about resilience, reinvention, and the future of surgical training, told by someone who is changing it from the inside.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Brian Nwannunu

Connect with Brian: @doctor.brian

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Sophie Engelhardt—a German physician who left clinical medicine to build a portfolio career—shares the bold, deeply personal journey behind her pivot.

We talk about what it takes to walk away from a stable, prestigious path and choose a life that feels like yours: acting, plant-based nutrition, creativity, and the freedom to design a career outside of the exam-room walls.

Sophie also reveals the discipline and determination behind her move to Denmark, including the intense process of learning Danish from scratch to build a new professional chapter abroad.

This conversation is about more than career change. It’s about self-fulfillment over expectations, the quiet bravery of choosing authenticity, and the truth that you don’t need permission to reinvent your life—not from society, not from medicine, not from anyone.

If you’re standing at the edge of a pivot—or wondering who you are outside of your job—this episode is for you.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Sophie Engelhardt

Connect with Sophie: @doc.sophiengelhardt

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when you realize your residency isn’t the right fit - after you’ve already started?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Olivia Perez (@drliv.md) shares her bold decision to leave family medicine after intern year and successfully reapply to dermatology. She opens up about the doubts, the guilt, and the logistics of making such a high-stakes switch, and why two “lost” years are nothing compared to decades of fulfillment in the right specialty.

We talk about:

– Recognizing when you’re in the wrong field and finding the courage to pivot

– How Dr. Perez navigated ERAS, planning, and backup options

– The role of mentorship and seeing examples outside medicine

– The psychological fallacies that keep doctors stuck in the wrong path

– Why enjoying the day-to-day matters more than chasing the “shiny object” at the end

Dr. Perez’s story is a powerful reminder that the straight path isn’t the only one, and that sometimes the bravest move is to start over.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Liv Perez

Connect with Liv:

Substack: https://drliv.substack.com/

IG & TikTok: @drliv.md

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when you refuse to be one-dimensional in medicine?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Alyssa Cole (@doctor.cole), a PM&R physician specializing in cancer rehabilitation, shares her journey of weaving multiple identities into her career: physician, MBA, pageant competitor, children’s book author, and content creator.

We talk about:

– Why authenticity, boundaries, and “mosaic careers” matter in medicine

– Navigating social media as a physician without compromising professionalism

– Pageantry, advocacy, and the lessons she brings back into the clinic

– Redefining “influence” in medicine and turning it into inspiration

– How Gen Z doctors are reshaping medicine around well-being and humanity

Dr. Cole’s story is a reminder that being human isn’t a liability in medicine—it’s the point.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Alyssa Cole

Connect with Alyssa:

IG & TikTok: @doctor.cole

Blog: https://dailydoseofvita.blogspot.com/

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Dr. Liz Malphrus, chief resident in plastic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Surgeon, Interrupted to talk about what really matters in medicine today: authenticity, identity, and rewriting the old definitions of success. As a female surgeon in one of the most demanding specialties, Liz opens up about the challenges and triumphs of carving out her own path, reminding us that the journey is both deeply personal and profoundly collective.

She shares how her background as a violinist shapes her practice, why career paths don’t have to follow a rigid script, and how younger physicians, especially Gen Z, are shifting medicine toward well-being, inclusivity, and genuine connection.

From breaking down outdated notions of prestige to embracing the fluidity of self-identity, this conversation is about more than just surgery. It’s about reclaiming your narrative and building a medical culture where authenticity comes first.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Liz Malphrus, MD

Connect with Liz:

IG: @dr.malphrus

Website: https://www.lizmalphrusmd.com/

Substack: https://cutandtell.substack.com/

Views are Dr. Malphrus's own and do not represent her training program or institution

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

Today, I’m stepping into something I never thought I’d allow myself: a sabbatical. After years of moving at full speed as a surgeon, I’ve finally built in a month to stop, to breathe, and to see what happens when I’m not buried under the weight of clinical responsibility.

This isn’t just a vacation. It’s a leap of faith I planned more than a year ago - trading call schedules for train tickets, clinic lists for café tables, and using every travel point I’ve hoarded to make it happen. For five weeks, I’ll wander Paris, the south of France, Milan, and Lugano. I’ll be chasing sunlight, quiet mornings, and maybe finally the ending of the book I’ve been writing for years.

In this episode, I share what it takes to actually step away, why most doctors never do, and how I’ve wrestled with giving myself permission to pause. We’ll talk about the logistics of planning a month abroad, the myth that you can’t afford to step off the treadmill, and the truth that you can’t afford not to.

Because sometimes, the bravest thing isn’t grinding harder—it’s daring to walk away, even just for a little while.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

In this episode, family physician and fellow HC member Dr. Joan Chan introduces the idea of Creating Space—a philosophy of time management and self-preservation that challenges the culture of overcommitment in medicine. Drawing from her experience during the pandemic, Joan explains the “75% rule”: the practice of deliberately leaving room in your schedule for the unexpected, for self-care, and for breathing space in a world that constantly demands more.

Together, we unpack the hidden costs of overcommitment, from burnout to moral distress, and explore why so many of us equate busyness with success. We examine the psychological hurdles that make it hard to step back - the scarcity mindset, the fear of falling behind, and how shifting these beliefs can unlock resilience and clarity.

The conversation moves beyond medicine, highlighting how Creating Space applies to every facet of life. By carving out room for rest, reflection, and flexibility, Joan argues, we not only protect our well-being but also show up more fully - at work, at home, and in the relationships that matter most.

This is an invitation to rethink how you spend your time, honor your limits, and embrace a more intentional, spacious way of living.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Joan Chan, MD

Connect with Joan:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/joan-chan-md

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when you follow every rule, secure the prestigious grant, build the academic career, only to have it all unravel?

In this powerful episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, I’m joined by Dr. Arghavan Salles, a bariatric surgeon and national leader in gender equity, physician well-being, and anti-bias reform in medicine. We talk about what it means to be a woman in a system that was never designed for us, and what it costs to try to change it from the inside.

Dr. Salles shares the personal impact of losing her NIH grant, the identity crisis that followed, and the painful reality of investing so much into a career that can feel so disposable. Together, we confront the systemic forces that push talented women out of medicine, the performative nature of many DEI efforts, and the urgent need for cultural transformation in healthcare.

This conversation is for anyone who’s ever wondered: What if doing everything “right” still isn’t enough? And what if it’s not you that’s broken, but the system?

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD

Connect with Dr. Salles:

https://www.instagram.com/arghavansallesmd/

https://drarghavansalles.com/

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to  ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩  on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What happens when the career you once worked tirelessly for no longer feels like the life you want?

In this deeply honest episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, I sit down with Dr. Maggie Binder, a dear friend and seasoned pediatric hospitalist, to talk about what it really feels like to step away from medicine. Together, we reflect on the invisible weight that physicians carry - the guilt, the pressure to stay, the fear of disappointing others - and how hard it can be to imagine a different life when your identity has been built inside hospital walls.

We share raw stories from our medical training, examine the internal and external forces that make leaving feel like failure, and challenge the notion that walking away means giving up. Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is admit the truth: you want something else.

This episode is for anyone at a crossroads, anyone grieving a version of themselves they’re outgrowing, and anyone who needs to hear that leaving isn’t quitting - it’s choosing yourself.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Maggie Binder, MD

Connect with Frances Mei:

IG & TikTok: @francesmei.md

Produced by: Hippocratic Collective