“First Do No Harm” is an impossible oath—a wonderful intention but an unlikely reality. So how do we create safety for ourselves in this profession, knowing we’ll inevitably cause harm?

This episode will teach you actionable steps to go from the “distract and avoid” type of surgeon to the “process and create” type of surgeon. The result for you? Empowerment.

Speaking of empowerment, if this resonates, you are going to want to sign up for the Empowered Surgeons Group! Learn more here.

Get Cesar's and Steven's book, Great Speech! here.

Watch my TEDx talk, How to Save Lives with Two Minutes of Listening here.

The best way to protect yourself in the profession of surgery is to build real connection with your patients.

People don’t retaliate against physicians they know, like, and trust.

This webinar will teach you how to cultivate know, like, and trust with every human you encounter.

You can take this work deeper by joining Empowered Surgeons Group. Learn more about what's included in the group here. Have questions? Feel free to email me at mel@melthackercoaching.com.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Essentialism is the disciplined pursuit of less, and the profession of surgery could use a hefty dose.

Surgeon Essentialists do less, but better. This means we focus on the results we are trying to create, and then we reverse engineer the actions required to get us there. The primary goal of a surgeon is to help patients sustainably. In order to do that, we must honor two main essentials:

1. Showing up in service to the patient

2. Protecting the asset

 Learn more about Greg McKeown and Essentialism here.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Mental health struggles, self-sabotage, rock bottom, psychiatric admissions, having the "wrong" facial expressions and tone of voice, an intra-op assault accusation, grief, discrimination, bad teachers, big emotions, and creativity.

In this episode, Dr. Cindy Lee Neighbors shares her experience as a creative, passionate, and vocal presence in a system that couldn’t handle her. Her story highlights the immense emotional toll when training programs target their trainees.

I was definitely a troublemaker in residency too, and I watched other troublemakers get pushed out—just like Dr. Neighbors was. But are the troublemakers really the problem? Or are they the solution?

Cindy Lee Neighbors is a physician, writer, and advocate for mental health, education reform, and women's rights. Born and raised in Honolulu, she pursued her dreams of acting in Los Angeles before embarking on a career in military medicine. Her debut memoir, TOO MUCH, is a raw and honest account of her experiences navigating mental health challenges and fighting for change within the demanding field of military medicine. She won a 2024-2025 Reader Views Readers Choice Gold Prize in Humanities and was a Finalist in Memoir/Biography/Autobiography.

TOO MUCH is a gripping true story of a woman driven to the brink, sacrificing everything—love, loyalty, and sanity—in the name of retribution. It's a raw and honest look at the dark side of medicine, the challenges of mental illness, and the courage it takes to break free. It’s a story that will remind you how a brighter future is possible, even when it feels like everything is broken. This is the story of a whistleblower.

Find Dr. Cindy Lee Neighbors on instagram @cindyleeneighbors @surgerylandbooks @toomuchthebook, her websigte, www.cindyleeneighbors.com, and LinkedIN Cindy Lee Neighbors

TOO MUCH can be purchased from Amazon here, Barnes and Noble here, and Strand Book store here. Get Benji and Briana Become Booger Doctors here.

Here's that poem she talks about in our discussion and submitted to The Pharos:

I actually miss

The stupid little things

Retracting

In the OR

Suturing

People

Wearing a headlight

Starving

Not being able to pee

Freezing

Standing on a stool

Bumping heads

Having to suction the blood

Adjusting my loops “loupes”

Holding my breath

Because of the plume

Praying

Not to kill someone

Even though I know that doesn’t change thin

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Going from trainee to attending requires a death and rebirth. One identity dies and another is born. Stepping into the identity of an authority, an expert, an attending IS the first step. If you are studying for oral boards or about to graduate, elevating your self-concept is the best thing you can do. Here are some self-concept qualities to consider for a trainee vs attending:

Trainee:

- In service to patient first, then program and self

- Surgery looks easy (it's not)

- Self-worth is detached from outcomes

- Striving

- Revere your mentors' ideas

- Say "yes" to everything for approval and popularity (sacrifice your own needs for success)

- World is small in a good way; it's a container you signed up for

Attending:

- In service to patient first, then self and practice/employer/institution

- Surgery might seem hard or scary, until you get to know your new environment and build muscle memory and confidence, then it can get easy to the point of boredom

- Self-worth is attached to outcomes (can shrink your world)

- Stagnation (unless you learn to strive for something you desire again)

- Revere your own ideas

- Say "no" more than "yes" knowing respect matters more than approval (unless you stay stuck in trainee identity, particularly the story that you have to sacrifice yourself for success)

- World can become big if you allow yourself to evolve or world can shrink from anxiety and experiential avoidance

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

From ambitious and intelligent young woman who fast-tracked through college and medical school to hard-working surgery resident to new mom in her chief year to attending trying to navigate life after training, Dr. Vassell tells us all about how she reinvented herself multiple times to create a career that aligns with her desires and values. Her story is an example of what is possible for all of us. We are NOT stuck. There are paths that allow us to help patients in meaningful and fulfilling ways without sacrificing our autonomy, freedom, or joy. We just have to get creative and learn how to feel comfortable with uncertainty. If she can find her happy place, so can you.

Dr. Rashida Vassell is the CEO and Founder of Safahla Medical PLLC, an integrative, cutaneous surgery and medical aesthetics practice. She is double Board-Certified in Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine and Anti-aging Medicine. Dr. Vassell spent years honing her clinical skills as a Medical Director at the teaching institution, Montefiore Mount Vernon, in Westchester County, NY; followed by Guthrie Corning Hospital.

Find out more about Dr. Vassell and Safahla Medical here. Follow her on instagram here.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

We don't typically end up living the life we imagined we were going to live when we applied to our specialties. Dr. Amina Farooq shares her experience working as an academic interventional radiologist within a dehumanizing system. For many of us, this dehumanization erodes our sense of purpose. Healthcare is the one profession where institutions have normalized dehumanizing doctors and patients. If we want to humanize this profession, we are going to have to start with recognizing and stepping in to our own humanity.

Follow Amina on instagram here.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

****SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*******

****This episode discusses suicide, which can be distressing for some. If this subject is triggering for you, please consider skipping this one. If you are going to listen, make sure to listen carefully and take good care of yourself. If you are feeling hopeless or suicidal, please find support, call the suicide and crisis lifeline 988 or click here****

In this episode, Dr. Blake Palmer's widow, Dr. Andrea Palmer, comes on to talk about Blake's life, his committment to his patients and profession, his struggles, the lack of support from his institution, and the circumstances leading up to his death. Blake's story highlights how the glaring lack of humanity in our systems and institutions leads to desperate measures, particularly for a surgeon who is empathetic and caring, who feels isolated, and who is poorly resourced. His story is unfortunately not unique. 

Consider supporting the well-being and mental health support of healthcare workers by donating to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation here. Find an Internal Family Systems Practitioner near you here.

Find Dr. Andrea Palmer on instagram or email her at andreabpalmer@gmail.com.

"Blake was a loving husband and father who enjoyed all things outdoors. From hiking mountains, to traveling, to running Spartan races with his wife and kids, he was a man who loved music, movies, good food and making people laugh with classic dad jokes.

Blake will be remembered as a skilled and caring surgeon who spent his working life devoted to his patients. Blake earned his Bachelor's degrees in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Colorado and went on earn his M.D. from the University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine. He completed his Urology residency and Pediatric Urology Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He was board certified through the American Board of Urology in Urology and Pediatric Urology and was an active part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Urology Executive Committee as the Vice-Chair for Education.

Prior to arriving in Fort Worth, Blake was an Assistant Professor in the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Department of Urology, Director of Pediatric Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma and was Pediatric Surgery Director in the Oklahoma Transplant Center. At Cook Children’s in Fort Worth he developed the kidney transplant program, the robotic surgery program and was Chief of Urology from 2018 until his death."

Excerpt from Blake's obituary.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

"I think we need to stay relentlessly curious. And we need to understand what we're working in and recognize there is nobody who comes to work everyday and thinks I'm going to make somebody else miserable." - Dr. Wendy Dean

When service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were not responding to PTSD treatments, it became clear that they were not dealing with the anxiety and experiential avoidance caused by PTSD but instead the shame associated with perceived immoral conduct. This specific form of distress is called moral injury: "perpetuating, bearing witness to, or failing to prevent acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations" (from If I Betray These Words: Moral Injury in Medicine and Why It's So Hard for Clinicians to Put Patients First by Wendy Dean, MD with Simon Talbot, MD).

Whenever the business of medicine gets in the way of our ability to provide care to our patients, we experience some form of moral injury. It's hard to escape moral injury when we have all the responsibility and all of the accountability but none of the autonomy. And that is the system we work in. None of us are completely autonomous. A whopping 78% of US physicians are employed by hospitals, health systems, or other corporate entities, and the meager few of us who are independent are still beholden to insurers for compensation. Because medicine has become corporatized and consolidated over the last several decades, we have slowly given up our ability to provide care efficiently and affordably. Sixty years ago, hospitals were locally owned and operated and decisions made by experts in healthcare--the physicians. In the 1970's, doctors formed groups and outsourced operations to administrators, entering an era of skyrocketing administrative growth and costs in a system in which executives do not see themselves as responsible to clinicians or patients but to shareholders, who have one goal: to maximize profit. 

But what can we do about it? In this conversation, I discuss the broken US healthcare system with Dr. Wendy Dean and Dr. Matt Ramsey and what we can do right now to make a dent in fixing this behemoth of a problem. We may have gotten into this profession to practice medicine and surgery, but it is part of our job to learn the bureaucracy and the business sooner rather than later. We have to understand where we are, and from there, maybe, just maybe, we can collectively come together to creatively solve this thing.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here. One investment of $2,499 to learn essential concepts you didn't learn in training. This one course will change your perspective, and life, permanently.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

Nobody in your audience, including your patients, wants your CV shoved down their throat. They don't care. They want to know if and how you can help them. Steph Sheldon is a website designer, former architect, and master at helping people reconnect with their creative side.

Creativity is the emotion we generate to solve problems. We tell ourselves we don't need to be creative, or we say "I'm just not creative", and that works fine when we only encounter problems humans have previously solved. But what about the times we encounter problems that have no tried or true solutions? We are all going to find ourselves in unique and novel situations, and we need to use our creative brain to find the solution, which sometimes leads to incredible innovations.

If your website needs an update or you want to launch a side gig and aren't sure how to market or brand yourself, Steph can help you! Find her at her website and on instagram.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here. One investment of $2,499 to learn essential concepts you didn't learn in training. This one course will change your perspective, and life, permanently.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

As a society, we are collectively dealing with an epidemic of anxiety. And no, we can’t just calm down.

In today’s episode you will learn 3 important characteristics of anxiety

1. Anxiety lives in the left hemisphere, which has been strengthened by cultural messages

2. Anxiety is contagious

3. Anxiety must be replaced, not erased

We are all born with a powerful force within us that we can use at any time to melt our anxiety and solve problems: creativity.

Creatively calming anxiety is a 2 step process:

1. Be kind to yourself (like really though)

2. Ask your brain: What can I create from this situation?

For more, check out Martha Beck’s book, Beyond Anxiety as well as Jill Bolte-Taylor’s book Whole Brain Living and Gavin DeBecker’s The Gift of Fear

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here. One investment of $2,499 to learn essential concepts you didn't learn in training. This one course will change your perspective, and life, permanently.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

Facial plastic surgeon, entrepreneur, and life coach, Dr. Dan Ward, comes on the podcast to share his story. He offers his insights on the struggles of parenting, what makes it difficult for surgeons to show up as our best selves, and the power of understanding our human brain and human emotions.

In this episode you'll learn:

- Thoughts are real but not true

- The two rules of CBT

- Why it makes sense that surgeons tend to act like toddlers 

- Drama is a symptom of cognitive distortion

- The problem with buying into all the stories our brain tells us

- The importance of taking care of ourselves and our tribe when we create big things

- It’s okay to downsize, seek help, and advocate for ourselves

- If we are going at a million miles per hour, we need to prioritize rest and recovery

- Masterminding is an incredible way for surgeons to support each other

P. Daniel Ward, MD, MS, FACS works to empower surgeons and physicians to unlock their full potential in both business and life. As the founder of multiple successful businesses, including Ward Institute, Form Derm Spa, FormRx Medical Grade Skin Care, and a Real Estate fund, Dr. Ward has demonstrated firsthand what it takes to build thriving enterprises while maintaining a focus on quality care and patient satisfaction.

Through his coaching programs, Dr. Ward has guided numerous surgeons in transitioning from being employees to becoming visionary business owners. He helps his clients master the principles of entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth, enabling them to build practices that not only reflect their values but also create financial freedom and personal fulfillment. 

Follow him on instagram here

Find out more about his upcoming mastermind in Hawaii here

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Curriculum here. One investment of $1,997 to learn essential concepts you didn't learn in training. This one course will change your perspective, and life, permanently.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program (group coaching, Empowered Surgeons playbook, bonus videos) here or sign up immediately here.

In this rich and layered conversation, we explore how sex coaching becomes a powerful *pleasure* portal to self-compassion, nervous system regulation, and healing from burnout. Danielle shares how experiencing debilitating physical symptoms in her twenties—and recognizing the abusive dynamics in her own mind—led her to a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection.

We talk about the bridges between neuroscience, pleasure, and human behavior, and how these connections help women access not only physical intimacy but personal freedom. From sex and surgical intuition to compassion-based strategies for self-evaluation, this episode is a deep dive into reclaiming agency, inside and outside the bedroom.

• Why neuroscience gave Danielle a language that mindfulness and yoga couldn’t
• Why prescriptive strategies fail without mindset alignment
• That sex can be one of the most nourishing human pleasures, be it the truly intimate version or "donut sex"
• How to create safety in the bedroom just like in the OR
• The parallels between surgical intuition and sexual agency
• How to have hard conversations with your partner about sticky subjects like sex
• Why intentions matter
• The importance of nonjudgmental evaluation of less-than-perfect surgery and less-than-perfect sex
• How sex coaching becomes a masterclass in self-compassion

Danielle Savory is a master certified coach, podcast host, and expert in the fields of neuropsychology, mindfulness, sexual pleasure and intimacy. Danielle brings a unique perspective to coaching, helping clients understand the ways in which the brain and body are interconnected and how this connection can be harnessed to experience the sensual pleasure the body is wired for.

As the host of Mashable's #1 Rated Sex & Relationship podcast "It's My Pleasure," Danielle has explored a wide range of topics related to sexuality, relationships, and personal growth - empowering women to embrace their sexuality and prioritize their pleasure. Danielle is a master certified coach with over 10 years of experience coaching hundreds of women with her proven process of increasing desire and expanding orgasmic capacity.

Check out her [website here], catch her insights (and wit) on [Instagram here] and on the It's My Pleasure podcast here, and don’t miss the Wall Street Journal piece she contributed to: “Is Everyone Having More Sex Than You This Summer?”—read it [here]!

If you loved this conversation, you are going to want to join the Empowered Surgeons Group! Get immediate access to the 4 step process, bonus courses, the empowered surgeons playbook and weekly coaching with peers from all surgical specialties. Learn more HERE.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING***

This episode discusses eating disorders and suicidal ideation. If these topics are triggering for you, please listen carefully or skip this episode all together. Take care of yourselves. And if you are struggling, please seek out professional help.

A person I consider my soul sister, Dr. Jillian Rigert, comes on the podcast to talk about how a life-threatening illness led her to leave surgery and shaped the person she is today. We talk about tying external validation to worthiness, the perils of unresolved toxic shame, anorexia and what it’s like to be stigmatized by the medical community, giving up on life, survival instincts, her path back to her essential self, the beauty of being witnessed in her vulnerable truth to begin her healing journey, and how important it is for all of us to have a community of support and unconditional love. We also touch on emotional manipulation, the problems with autocratic leadership, how surgical training culture and military culture compare, and finding compassion for your inner bully. Whether that inner bully wants you to numb out with substances, overworking, disordered eating or otherwise, your inner bully NEEDS your love and compassion. And if you want to help your patients heal, stay until the end and learn how to harness mindsight with “PARTS”.

Jillian is truly a one-of-a-kind human being, a beacon of truth and light, and a resource for all of you.

As Jillian said so poignantly, “Healing requires love not shaming”

Check out Jillian's Youtube Channel, A Life True to You, her TEDx talk, and her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program (group coaching, Empowered Surgeons playbook, bonus videos) here or sign up immediately here.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Enjoy salient snippets from 2024. I left out episodes #1 and #2, which are foundational and need to be listened to from start to finish. If you haven't checked them out, go back and listen. Have a great New Year and see you all in 2025!

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Good surgeons get sued. That’s the hard truth. Even if you do everything right. Even if you establish “know, like, and trust”. When the stars align, patients sue. And, as surgeons, the cards are stacked against us.

Dr. Pensa has experienced malpractice first hand and explains what it’s like to go through the misery of being tried TWICE. She embodies what it means to become a creator when circumstances make us want to fall into victimhood. She is a wealth of knowledge and a resource for all of us. Come back to this episode any time litigation anxiety seems too big to hold.

Gita Pensa, M.D., FAAEM, is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brown University, and is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading experts on malpractice litigation stress and physician litigation support. Her open access podcast curriculum, "Doctors and Litigation: The L Word" is an introduction to the practical and psychological preparation necessary for malpractice litigation defendants, and is now used as a teaching tool in medicine, law, and the malpractice insurance industry. She works as a consultant to medical malpractice insurance companies, hospital systems and defense attorneys, and also is a well-being and litigation performance coach for medical defendants. She has been featured in forums such as Time magazine, SXSW, NPR, and the new PBS documentary "A World of Hurt: How Medical Malpractice Fails Everyone.” You can find more about her at https://doctorsandlitigation.com/ .

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING. This podcast discusses addiction and may be triggering for some. That said, most of us are addicted to something, be it behaviors like overworking, overeating, overspending, numbing out on socials, or some other substance or behavior that creates feel-good neurotransmitters. There is no shame in the human desire for comfort, which, at its heart, is the source of addiction. Take care of yourself, seek professional help if you need it, and listen with care.***

ENT surgeon, friend from residency, and burnout coach in training, Dr. Brett Cordes comes on the podcast to talk about how and why addiction upended his seemingly perfect life. He discusses what led him down that dark path, what it was like to be investigated by the Texas Medical Board (news flash: they treat doctors like crap), and the exciting new path his life is on now. 

If we had "most likely" contests in residency like we do in high school, Brett would have easily been voted "Most Likely to Succeed". His story illustrates how none of us are exempt from mental health struggles or substance abuse. We are NOT super humans. We are regular humans navigating a challenging, identity-consuming career and doing our best to manage those inevitable moments of shame, self-doubt, inadequacy, and suffering without crashing and burning. 

Does Brett's story resonate? He is a resource for you! Find him on instagram @the.burnoutdoc or email theburnoutdoc@gmail.com.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Surgeons are humans, and all humans err. In this episode you’ll learn how to become the “architect of your experience” in the face of intraoperative mistakes. You'll also learn how fear and anxiety shrink cognitive capacity, and what you can do instead to expand your brain space. Take these immediately actionable and science-based tools with you to the OR, and you’ll be ready when mistakes are inevitably made.

Listen to Dr. Feldman Barrett’s talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_feldman_barrett_you_aren_t_at_the_mercy_of_your_emotions_your_brain_creates_them?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Learn about Internal Family Systems and “No Bad Parts” by Dr. Richard Schwartz here: https://ifs-institute.com/nobadparts

Creating connections with patients can be fun and easy...if you know a few simple hacks. In this episode, otolaryngologist and veteran podcaster, Dr. Brad Block, enlightens us on how to give patients our presence simply and easily. Use these tips and you'll create relationships in which 1. patients feel seen, heard, and cared for, 2. you protect your time, and 3. you get rave reviews and explode your reputation.

You'll learn:

- how it's not about shaming yourself for not listening deeply enough but instead about showing up with presence

- that giving patients your presence is an investment that actually saves you time

- the importance of engaging with patients about a subject that's completely different than medicine

- what it means to appreciate how their symptoms affect them and how that makes them feel

- the power of noticing eye color

- how bringing enthusiasm and humor can elevate the patient's experience

- what it means to identify the "question behind the question" and how to use your "marmoset response"

- how we are uniquely positioned to build patient self-confidence and self-efficacy

Bradley Block, MD, is a general otolaryngologist and partner at ENT and Allergy Associates on Long Island. He is the creator and host of the Physician’s Guide to Doctoring, a personal and professional development podcast for practicing physicians, which has over 400 episodes and almost half a million downloads. This covers all topics that affect the lives of physicians, in and out of the exam room, one of which is doctor-patient communication. He is also the CEO and the Doctor Podcast Network, which provides community and services to physician podcasters.

PhysiciansGuidetoDoctoring.com

@physiciansguide on Instagram, Twitter, Threads

http://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-block-md-1712a6127/

https://www.youtube.com/@physiciansguidetodoctoring

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Physician contract lawyer, Michael Johnson, comes on the podcast to talk about protecting your freedom and your value, and getting it in writing. First, you must get clear on what you want. You may think it’s a big paycheck, but your desires often evolve, and you do yourself a service to make room for future changes of heart. Then, make sure you understand your employer's motivations. What do they want from you? Approach the negotiation with a mindset that you are actually hiring them. You’re the highly skilled and knowledgeable asset, and you get to decide how much you want to pay a potential employer to take care of the back-end business stuff.

Some take aways:

- There are 3 main components of physician contracts: work obligations, compensation, and exit strategy

- Employers may have the power to unilaterally change your work obligation clauses; look for this in your contract

- 40% of physicians change jobs in the first 5 years, so know the legal and financial penalties of exit (how much will it cost me if I change my mind?)

- Get clear on what's most important to you: control and autonomy, scholarship, or compensation?

- There are 3 established insurance-based practice models: true classic academic, perpetual employment, and business owner/private practice

- Direct care/concierge is the one practice model that gives you 100% control, freedom, and autonomy, but it comes with potentially more risk and less upfront compensation

- You are a small business, and your potential employer is an entity to which you outsource the business end of medicine--billing, collections, equipment, staffing, marketing, etc.

- Employers can still subtly or not-so-subtly discriminate against women and BIPOC physicians even if they have standardized the compensation plan

-Don’t let financial needs blind you, and always prepare to pivot

- Everything is negotiable, even if they say it’s “non-negotiable”

Follow Michael on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/physiciancontracts

Get his course here: https://physiciancontracts.com/

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Author, speaker, and coach, Brad Stulberg comes on the podcast to talk about what surgeons can learn from performance athletes. He researches and writes about mental health, mastery, meaning, and excellence. He is bestselling author of the books The Practice of Groundedness and Master of Change. He regularly contributes to the New York Times and his work has also been featured in the Atlantic and Wall Street Journal, among other publications. He is a co-founder of the Growth Equation, a newsletter and media platform dedicated to the art, science, and practice of excellence.

Some of the pearls we cover in this conversation:

- Building a strong foundation to ride the highs and lows

- Becoming okay with acute failure to achieve chronic gain

- Addressing failure to achieve mastery

- Consistency over intensity

- How simplifying your practice can monumentally improve your life

- The importance of going all in in a way that is sustainable

- Striving is the point

- World class suffering does not equate to world class performance

- Minimum effective dosing to diversify your identity beyond "surgeon"

- 3 causes of physician burnout

- The clutch state and raising the floor

- Stress + Rest = Growth

- Showing up as a fallible human to create psychological safety for your team

- The middle ground is where genuine excellence lives

- Anyone can crush the day, but it takes intention and compassion to sustain excellence

Here's how to find him and work with him:

https://www.instagram.com/bradstulberg/

www.bradstulberg.com

https://t.co/6XWf8OT0it

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”-Viktor Frankl.

This episode is all about the space between stimulus and response, circumstance and action, event and reaction. That space is an opportunity.

In this podcast, I discuss what happens internally when you get the dreaded postop call, "Doctor, your patient is bleeding (or insert postop problem here)". I explore what happens in your brain when you let yourself react by default vs accepting the invitation to enter the space and consciously meeting the moment.

Learn more about Laura Jack and the Compassion Code Academy here: https://www.laurajack.com/

Get her book here: https://thecompassioncodeacademy.com/book/

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

If you get the pre-OR jitters or you deal with anxiety on a daily basis, these two lessons on anxiety will be exceptionally useful for you. As someone who has dealt with anxiety my entire life, standing on the TEDx stage was a pinnacle moment for me where my self concept evolved from someone who is terrified of public speaking to someone who can deliver a powerful speech for an audience of humans. I used two concepts to ground me in my purpose before standing on the red dot, and you can use these same concepts to ground you before you operate.

If you have a big idea to share, Cesar can help you get to the stage! Join his mentorship here: https://www.cesarcervantes.tv/

I highly recommend Simon Sinek’s courses to hone your delivery and understand your “why”: https://simonsinek.com/

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

In today’s episode, we dive deep into how the systems around us—medicine, culture, even religion—can deplete our humanity when we’re not paying attention.

I’m joined by Dr. Joan Chan, who brings her unique perspective of growing up in a fundamentalist Christian household, deconstructing black-and-white thinking, and navigating her career as a family physician through boundary-setting, and rehumanization.

Together, we explore how deindoctrination—whether from dogma or systemic norms—can actually bring us closer to creativity, innovation, and truly humane care.

If you’ve ever felt trapped between "just work harder" and "this isn’t sustainable," this episode will help you find your way back to the messy, liberating middle place where real solutions live.

We cover:

• Why surgeons can become unintentionally "scary" in a dehumanized system
• How depleting the system of humanity is dangerously short-sighted
• The fact that women physicians lose their longevity advantage compared to the general population (spoiler: it's the profession, not the gender)
• The connection between growing up with black-and-white thinking and entering rigid medical systems
• Joan’s personal journey: deconstructing religious dogma and deconditioning from overwork as virtue
• The trauma of realizing the rules you were taught aren't always humane — and learning to think for yourself
• How medicine can feel like religion: follow the dogma or be labeled a heretic
• The impossible math of family medicine (and, let's be real, every specialty): why no doctor can follow every guideline and stay sane
• The essential practice of setting boundaries around administrative burdens
• Reframing "saying no" as a sign of humanity, not laziness
• Why less work doesn’t mean less care (and why we urgently need more people doing less, not fewer people doing more)
• Moving from the drama triangle (villain, victim, rescuer) to the empowerment dynamic (creator, challenger, coach)
• How emotions protect us — and why success is often a terrible teacher while failure is a fantastic one
• Using curiosity, creativity and experimentation (instead of rigid certainty) to innovate in medicine
• Deindoctrinating ourselves from toxic beliefs about work, worth, and emotions
• Why the truth doesn’t break—and how to trust yourself (and your patients) as experts of your/their own lives
• Taking the same precision you use in surgery to cut out what no longer serves you

If you loved this conversation, you can get more Dr. Joan Chan in your life by listening to her podcasts, The Other Human in the Room and Experiential Anatomy. Follow her on instagram here and find her website here.

If you are a surgeon looking to humanize your life, I’ve got the perfect program for you. Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Becoming an emotional adult as a surgeon is essential, but it's not easy. You are working in a high-stress, high-stakes industry, and it's so much easier to act out and throw tantrums like a toddler. Perhaps that's been modeled for you in training. Perhaps you think you have to throw a fit to take good care of your patients. Well, you don't. You'll learn why a lot of adults—including surgeons—live their lives as emotional children, what it means to be an emotional adult, and how to take ownership of your life.

Listen to The Life Coach School Podcast episode about emotional childhood and adulthood here:

https://www.thelifecoachschool.com/podcasts/the-life-coach-school-podcast-2/episodes/2148780126

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

The best way to insulate ourselves against patient retaliation is to cultivate "know, like, and trust". But how do we do that? In this episode, I'll tell you how I used to do it right, then, in a state of burnout, I did it very wrong (2 patients complained about me to the board of medicine during that time), and now I'm creating "know, like, and trust" with everyone, "difficult" patients included. 

I'll teach you a simple 5 step process that will allow you to connect with anyone and everyone. No need to people please or let patients walk all over you. The result will be glowing reviews from your patients, less chance for retaliation, and, hey, maybe you'll even look forward to clinic.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

**This episode discusses sensitive topics including sexual assault**

Today's episode features Dr. Francis Mei Hardin, an otolaryngologist, host of "Promising Young Surgeon", and a pioneer of culture change. She interviewed me about being sexually assaulted when I was a 4th year resident. We talk about power dynamics in training, the importance of compassion and support for trainees, and how my program cared for me in my wounded state after the assault. If you have ever experienced assault or violence, please take good care of yourself, seek support, and listen with caution.

Link to Promising Young Surgeon Podcast:

https://heyinfluent.com/podcasts/promising-young-surgeon/

Thank you to the Influent Network!

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Short and sweet, I will give you ONE thought that can become the foundation of your surgeon self concept. Adopt this belief and you’ll remember why you became a surgeon in the first place. With a solid self concept, you can grow confidence, curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

You don’t have to hunker down in a basement bunker (your "surgeon room"). You actually have the freedom to explore the rest of your beautiful home. Consider your identity a multi-room house, and you’ve merely ignored the other parts/rooms of yourself for so long that you’ve forgotten they exist. Consider detaching from your surgeon identity and reconnecting with other parts of your multifaceted self.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

The key to creating wealth is learning how to engage with and manage your emotions. Emotions are vibrational frequencies in your body. As a surgeon, you have been taught to ignore your body. That's BS. It's time to reconnect with your body and realize the power of your intuition. In this episode, I discuss how emotions are the key to unlocking your potential, how to engage with emotions as though you were engaging with a child or training an animal, and the boundless places you can go when you allow and digest negative emotions to get to a place where you can intentionally generate emotions that create momentum in your life.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Life is not all or none. Black or white. This or that.

There is overlap between two contradictory sides of ourselves. When we see the world this way, we are able to accept ourselves in whatever realm we tend toward and consciously shift ourselves to the realm that best serves our goals. From the system's perspective, we should be unemotional, selfless martyrs. The truth is: we are complex, feeling, thinking, imperfect creatures.

In this episode, you'll learn about the energy-sucking disadvantages of self-focused, "get" energy and the benefits of other-focused, "service" energy. You'll learn how to use duality to strive for 100% perfect results with every patient while also knowing that is an impossibility. You'll also learn how to use strategic disconnection to get out of your own head and serve your patients at your highest level. Don't miss this one!

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Humans love drama. But when we indulge in drama, we keep ourselves stuck in our current lived experience. In this episode, you will learn a language you can use to recognize drama in your life and a new lens through which to see the world that will help you exit the drama triangle and become empowered. You can create whatever you want in your life, and in order to do that, you have to redefine the roles of victim, villain and hero.

I want to hear from you! Email me all about the drama in your life at mel@melthackercoaching.com or shoot a text to 262-893-0303.

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

According to Byron Katie, there are three businesses: your business, other people's business, and the universe's business.

Surgical complications are none of your business. They are the universe's business.

What do I mean by this? NOT that you shouldn't take action to help your patients when they have a complication. You absolutely should. I say this to mean that you do not own a complication as something you intentionally caused or have full control over.

We own our own business. That's where we have agency. That's where we get to decide how to respond to circumstances of the world. That's where we get to decide what we make them mean. We simply have no jurisdiction in the other two businesses.

I want to hear from you! How does this framework change your perspective? Email me at mel@melthackercoaching.com

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

Our training has taught us to rely on white swans and fear red swans. In this episode you'll learn why approaching your patients this way creates roadblocks, can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment of the patient, causes you distress, and distracts you from reality.

The way to reduce medical errors, build rapport with patients, and increase efficiency is to identify the black swans--the unknown unknowns--and turn them into white swans--known knowns.

White swans exist both in the real world and in our brain. Red swans do not exist in the real world but do exist in our brain. Black swans exist in the real world but do not exist in our brain...unless we identify them by asking the right questions.

Great black swan questions:

-What don't I know?

-What would make this picture whole and complete?

-Is this a problem worth solving for the patient?

-Is my belief triad (belief in self, belief in surgery, belief in patient) strong?

-Is the patient's belief triad (belief in self, belief in surgery, belief in me as a surgeon) strong?

I want to hear from you! If you implement this framework, please email me your story at mel@melthackercoaching.com.

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

It's normal to fall out of the current in the OR. We know we've fallen out when our brain sends us into anxiety, urgency, and self-doubt.

Getting back into the current is as easy as ABC:

A: Awareness, Allowance, Acceptance, Aligned Action

B: Breathe; Get your Brain Back in your own Business

C: Certainty-->Curiosity-->Creativity

Now...

You learned how to operate.

You learned how to care for patients.

But no one taught you the essentials of being human in the world of surgery.

This program fills that gap.

✔ Gain clarity on your internal and external world.

✔ Develop the tools to surf your way through all of life's challenges.

✔ Learn how to evolve and grow with your career.

✔ Free yourself from confusion and powerlessness.

▶ When your patients have complications.

▶ On your commute to the OR and clinic

There’s nothing else like this.

This program distills everything I’ve learned from 12 years as a surgeon. It combines tested coaching concepts—proven in both the clinic and the OR—giving you the language to finally describe your experiences and navigate them effectively.

No more wondering why you dread going to work.

No more spinning in confusion or feeling like a victim.

No more unnecessary stress.

This program will empower you.

I will hold you to your highest power—

And what you create with that power is limitless.

Get immediate access to the entire program + bonuses like “Surgical Mistakes and Complications”, “Mindset Reset OR Day”, “Mindset Reset Clinic Day”, and “Diversifying Your Identity” (Diversifying my identity is exactly how I found the courage to evolve with my own career. While your path will not look anything like mine, you can’t evolve until you diversify.)

And because implementation is the hardest part, you get weekly group coaching with me.

Every Wednesday at 4pm EST, we will come together for an hour and work the process.

A place for you to be held in a non-judgmental, compassionate space and solve the collective problems and pain points we have all faced as surgeons.

While you may think you are the only one who experiences anxiety in the OR, imposter syndrome, or self-blame after complications, I can assure you, everyone feels the same as you do.

Being witnessed in your truth and receiving a weekly infusion of coaching is the most impactful gift you will give yourself this year.

And if you can’t make the calls, the replays will be available to you.

Carve out your time. And invest in yourself.

Get your hard copy of the Empowered Surgeon Workbook.

And remember…this is a risk-free investment!

There is no scenario where you lose value. Either you get value from the program or you get your investment back, no hard feelings.

It’s really that simple.

Purchase and get immediate access to the Empowered Surgeons Group HERE.

Learn more about what's included in the group HERE.

We know how to create safety for patients. The processes and procedures have been shoved down our throats. Sure they are useful to keep patients safe in specific situations. But what about keeping us safe? Little does JHACO know that a surgeon who feels safe creates safety for everyone. So, surgeon, let's make your safety a priority.

Viral video "I was an MIT trained neurosurgeon": https://youtu.be/25LUF8GmbFU?feature=shared

"Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss: https://www.blackswanltd.com/never-split-the-difference

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

Wait...our bodies aren't just vessels carrying our intelligent brains and skillful hands from the OR to the clinic? In this episode, you'll learn what makes you a whole, complete human and the importance of understanding and honoring your whole, undivided self.

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

Wondering why I went from a seemingly successful surgeon to a surgeon coach and podcaster? In this episode, I give you a peak behind the curtain into my personal life. You'll learn about the drama of my past, my struggles with mental health, how the shock of the pandemic sent me on an unexpected journey of introspection, and the miracle of coaching.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, please find support. Contact your doctor, call your best friend, make an appointment with a mental health professional, do whatever you need to do to support you. I'm here for you, and I'd love to hear your story and support you. Please email me at mel@melthackercoaching.com

Find The Life Coach School Podcast here:

https://www.thelifecoachschool.com/podcasts/the-life-coach-school-podcast-2

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

Martyrdom is a toxic, one way street to burn out. In this episode, I explore why humans feel the need to add suffering to their lives, from historical and religious examples of martyrs to martyrs in medicine (and the dangerous precedent that sets for the rest of us). The ultimate message here is: you matter. I hope you'll feel inspired to prioritize yourself and give martyrdom the middle finger.

I want to hear from you! Please share your personal experiences of martyrdom culture with me at mel@melthackercoaching.com.

EmpoweredSurgeonsGroup is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Shame is an emotion that can either destroy you or humanize you. In this episode, you'll learn what shame is, why it is such a powerful social motivator and de-motivator, who is particularly susceptible to shame, the origins of shame, how to manage shame when we face surgical complications, and how to become unshameable.

Listen to Bewildered's "Unshamable" episode:

https://marthabeck.com/episodes/unshamable/

Empowered Surgeons Group is the lifeline you never knew you needed as as a surgeon. It 's where surgical mastery meets self-mastery. Learn more about it here or sign up immediately here.

Surgeons are humans, and humans feel anxiety. Anxiety does not have to derail you in the operating room. If you are a surgeon who struggles with anxiety, nothing is wrong with you. I've struggled my entire life, and I've learned to love the anxious side of me. This episode will normalize this omnipresent emotion and provide you with immediately actionable strategies to implement right away.

EmpoweredSurgeonsGroup is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Imposter syndrome is pervasive in high-achieving women...even surgeons. In this episode, I look at all sides of this very important issue. You'll learn the history, the origins, the impact, and most importantly, how to overcome it.

EmpoweredSurgeonsGroup is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.

You climbed a mountain. You beat the video game. And you have all the diplomas, AOA memberships, awards, degrees, and board certifications to prove it. 

Now what? What matters to you? Where are you going next? Let's get you there with a sense of purpose.

Empowered Surgeons Group is available now! This program will teach you everything you wished you learned but didn't in training. Read about everything you get in the program here or sign up immediately here.

Sign up for Empowered Surgeons Group here.

It's not the prior auths, unfinished charts, or patient messages that are burning you out. While those circumstances need reform, they are merely symptoms of a much bigger problem—a problem that has everything to do with you, which is fantastic news because it means you can do something about it.

In this episode, you’ll:

• Learn how your human animal communicates with you
• Normalize feeling unfulfilled, even when you’ve achieved everything you ever dreamed of
• Understand how we sometimes use the profession against ourselves—and how that leads to pretending
• Explore how the perceived cultural forces of self-sacrifice, people-pleasing, and always saying “yes” prevent meaningful change
• Dive into the evolution of self and the importance of reconnecting with your essential self
• Unpack why internal conflict is so common among surgeons
• Understand that every surgeon has their own burnout timeline
• Recognize how resisting what is can reduce your capacity
• Discover how to be okay where you are—so you can feel safe enough to move forward

Because you have a human brain with a built-in negativity bias, it will naturally direct your attention to what’s wrong.

It will point out all the problems in your world, presenting them as if it’s simply reporting the news.

But it’s up to you to intentionally look for what’s right—to pause, scan your life, and notice what’s actually working.

From that place, you can make a conscious and deliberate decision about the direction you want to go.

And remember, you always have three choices:

1. Accept it
2. Change it
3. Leave it

Sign up for Empowered Surgeons Group today and don't miss any of my offerings by getting on my email list here.

Failure is required for success—but failing in surgery is different. It’s layered. It’s nuanced. It carries weight that most outside the field can’t fully grasp.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why failure in surgery is fundamentally different from other professions
• The distinction between objective failure and subjective failure
• How to process the complex emotions that come with failure
• Why evaluating failure is not optional—it’s essential
• A clear, compassionate process for evaluating your own failures
• How to detach your self-worth from your outcomes
• The power of strategic pessimism to help you prepare for and learn from failure

Whether you’re grappling with a recent complication or quietly carrying one from years ago, this episode offers tools to help you reflect, reframe, and move forward with intention.

Get free value curated for surgeons straight to your inbox here.

Want to learn how to create safety for yourself in the profession of surgery? Register for my upcoming webinars:

Register for Master Curveballs in the OR (and life) in 5 Steps here.

Register for Your Best Career Insurance: Know, Like, and Trust here.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

How do we incentivize surgeons to evolve their techniques? Why hasn’t scarless thyroid surgery taken off in the U.S.?

In this episode, we dive into:

• The disconnect between those who stay stuck in their beliefs and those who have incentive to innovate
• Why we often don’t offer techniques we don’t fully understand
• Rethinking patient counseling for thyroid surgery
• The evolution of surgical standards
• The delicate balance between certainty and an open mind in the profession of surgery
• How rigidity in our convictions keeps us stuck—and how loosening our grip can create new possibilities
• The crisis of faith in healthcare and how clinging too tightly to beliefs may be making it worse
• The pros and cons of academia and the challenges of building something new
• Following the internal whisper that calls for change—and the stickiness of leaving a job
• Navigating career transitions while keeping joy and curiosity alive
• The art of offering all the options—RFA, transoral surgery, and traditional surgery—without bias
• The mindset of an innovator and the power of Vu Ja De (seeing the familiar in a completely new way)
• Ego and bias in surgery—how to channel them for good rather than letting them hold us back
• The unexpected joy of being bad at something (when no one gets hurt)
• How fear keeps us where we are—and the fallacy that life is ever certain
• Expanding your identity to unlock new career horizons

This conversation is all about embracing uncertainty, questioning our assumptions, and stewarding change in a profession built on tradition.

Tune in—this one will challenge the way you think!

Follow Jon on instagram here.

Dr. Jon Russell is the Founder of The Russell Center for Endocrine Health. Before starting the Russell Center, he was Director of the Division of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery at Johns Hopkins and directed the Thyroid Tumor Center.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Dr. Colleen Plein, an otolaryngologist and coach for gifted adults, joins the podcast to explore the unique challenges of being a gifted or neurodivergent adult—something many of us in medicine and surgery can relate to. Find her on instagram here or email her cpleincoaching@gmail.com. She is resource for all of you gifted docs out there.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Neurodivergence isn’t something kids "grow out of"
• Gifted individuals often experience social struggles due to asynchronous development
• How normalizing your neurodivergence can be incredibly freeing
• The lack of support for gifted kids in school systems—and the lasting impact
• The performance cliff and how it affects gifted individuals
• How early praise for intelligence and achievement can lead to a fixed mindset and self-worth tied to external success
• Why gifted kids can struggle, even with loving, supportive parents
• The challenge of finding identity and self-worth beyond what you do or produce
• The overlap between giftedness, ADHD, and autism
• Why coaching can be especially effective for gifted minds, who are drawn to “out-thinking” their thoughts
• The impact of rejection sensitive dysphoria in residency
• How simply having language for your experience can be a relief
• A surprising reason you might procrastinate finishing your charts
• How coaching can fill in gaps that therapy often doesn’t
• The importance of connecting with other gifted and neurodivergent individuals who share similar lived experiences

This conversation is packed with insights that can shift the way you see yourself and your experiences.

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Dr. Andrew Brunswick, a neurosurgeon at Kaiser Permanente in LA, joins us on the podcast to discuss the psychological challenges and culture in surgery. In this episode, we cover:

• The culture Andrew experienced while working on Wall Street
• The problem with getting stuck on the hedonic treadmill
• The power of the word "enough"
• Why satisfaction is a decision available to all of us at every moment
• Parallels between athletes and surgeons
• The psychological challenges of training in neurosurgery
• Navigating difficult conversations and the human tendency to self-blame after surgical complications
• How surgery culture addresses complications and mistakes
• The slippery slope of feeling like we owe our patients our lives
• The perils of perfectionism
• Reflecting on the kind of surgeon we would want if we were patients
• Self-care and balance during residency and beyond
• Making Mom proud in the OR
• The power of being courteous, patient, respectful, and empathetic
• How focusing on “What if?” can drain joy from the job
• The importance of modeling emotional intelligence and resilience
• Why protecting the asset is not the same as protecting the ego or being lazy
• How being salaried can reduce subconscious bias in decision-making

Follow Dr. Andrew Brunswick on Instagram here and find his clinical profile here.

Dr. Sharon Stein is a colorectal surgeon, professor, coach, and creator of The Intentional Surgeon. In this episode, she shares her unconventional path to medicine—from outdoor education and real estate to academic surgery—and how she carved out a career aligned with her values. We explore her rise through academic leadership, the stresses of trying to fix a broken system, and the moment she realized the job she worked so hard for wasn’t the job she wanted.

We talk about the cost of “doctor-pleasing,” the power of saying “no,” and the importance of waking up to the beliefs we inherit from medicine. Sharon opens up about taking a sabbatical, discovering coaching, and now enjoying a mix of surgery, speaking, and professional development—all rooted in her values.

If you’ve ever questioned the system or felt torn between who you are and what medicine asks of you, this one’s for you.

Sharon Stein, MD, FACS, FACRS is a Harvard trained colon and rectal surgeon with over 10,000 cases under her belt. Laparoscopic, robotic, open - all of the cases. Textbook author. The kind of surgeon people went to when other surgeons couldn't figure out what to do next. Always an advocate for her patients.  Professor of surgery with over 150 articles in peer reviewed journals. Moderator, course director and faculty for more than 150 programs internationally. Program director for surgical fellowship. Board examiner.  Former president of Association of Women Surgeons, Committee chair for American College of Surgeons, Executive Council for American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. With 100's of hours of coaching under her belt, Sharon provides her clients with insight, perspective and skills that they need to be more effective as a surgeon and communicator.  Sharon trained as a coach at Weatherhead School of Business, Case Western Reserve and completed diversity and leadership training at Kellogg School of business/ Northwestern University. She is internationally known as a coach, speaker, and host of the Intentional Surgeon Podcast. 

Connect with Dr. Sharon Stein via her website here.

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.

In this impactful conversation, we dive deep with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Colleen Balkam into the emotional, physical, and cultural terrain of surgical practice—particularly in orthopedics and geriatric care.

What we cover in this episode:

• Coaching, reframing excitement as anxiety, and the importance of pausing when things get hard.
• Facing your first complication as an attending.
• The emotional weight of complications post-training versus during residency.
• Growing up the daughter of an orthopedic surgeon—rounding in soccer cleats and witnessing community impact.
• The torn ACL that inspired her path into orthopedics.
• Giving birth to her first child during residency—and what it took to keep going.
• Trailblazing as one of the first two women in her fellowship program, and how much she loved it.
• Navigating “ortho bro” culture.
• The growing pains of her first year in practice.
• Ergonomics in orthopedic surgery—and how to operate smarter, not harder.
• What enrages her about how the system treats grandma’s hip—and why it matters.
• Going head-to-head with the head of medicine as a resident advocating for patients.
• The sad reality: if healthcare workers don’t advocate for geriatric patients, no one will.
• Understanding hip fracture care as end-of-life care—and reframing what that means.
• Knowing when to go above and beyond for the people who need it most.
• The parallel between breaking barriers as a female surgeon and the women we care for who once broke barriers themselves.
• Seeing herself in her older patients—and why that connection matters.
• Setting boundaries thoughtfully—who are we saying “no” to and why?
• Carving out time for meaningful conversations within a system that rarely makes space for them.
• Her dream to collect patient stories and write a book that honors their lives.
• The privilege of hearing people’s stories at some of the worst moments of their lives.
• Remembering our impact—how a two-hour surgery can define a patient's entire life.
• Why caring deeply is both a gift and a burden for highly empathetic surgeons.
• Sound advice from an ER resident: “Every time a patient is horrible, I remember—they’re having the worst day of their life.”
• And finally: Don’t mess with little old ladies with hip fractures. They are history. They are human. They matter.

Follow Dr. Colleen Balkam Balk on instagram here. Whether you are a medical student, resident, or practicing physician, she’d be honored to serve as a sounding board for you!

Find out more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.