Explore every episode of the podcast Moms of Medicine
Dive into the complete episode list for Moms of Medicine. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
In this conversation, Ali and Shani revisit the realities of burnout, perfectionism, and rebuilding a career in medicine in a way that actually fits your life. Shani shares how closing her practice, going part time, and coaching women in medicine all connect to one idea: you do not have to wait for some future milestone to feel joy. We discuss practical mindset tools for handling difficult moments, how to reframe failure and sunk cost thinking, and why small daily actions matter more than waiting for the “right” time to change.
Key topics
Shani shares what has changed since her last visit, including selling her practice in January and continuing to work part time as a retina specialist.
In this episode, she explains why closing a practice is not automatically a failure and how it can actually create more alignment and joy.
We discuss the concept of duality and how two things can be true at once, like being worried about a patient complication and still being fully present with your kids at Disneyland.
Shani breaks down a step-by-step approach for handling stressful moments:
feel the feelings
separate facts from fiction
create a plan
trust your decisions
She explains the “arrival fallacy” and why so many physicians keep postponing joy until after the next exam, promotion, publication, or career milestone.
We talk about making goals smaller and more specific so progress feels achievable and worth celebrating along the way.
Shani reflects on her own burnout experience, including ending up in the ER, and uses The Gap and the Gain to show how the same story can be framed as shame or growth.
In this episode, she emphasizes that burnout is largely system driven, but there is still a portion within your control, especially around boundaries, mindset, and rest.
She shares practical ways she recovered, including slowing down, going part time, journaling, yoga, friendship, and creative work.
We discuss why people know what would help them feel better yet still self-sabotage, often because of fear, guilt, perfectionism, or identity shifts.
Shani closes with the idea that saying yes to yourself strengthens your boundaries and helps you show up better for patients, kids, and partners.
59. Dr. Susan McIlvaine returns to talk having a baby as a new attending, infertility, and more
04 sept. 2026
00:41:18
Key topics
In this episode, Susan explains that getting pregnant with Nicholas took about a year, similar to her experience conceiving Maddie, but for different reasons.
She shares that after Maddie’s birth she had prolonged bleeding, which led to a DNC after a retained piece of placenta was found.
Susan describes how that earlier procedure likely contributed to Asherman syndrome, with significant scar tissue in the uterus discovered during fertility workup.
We discuss the repeated procedures she needed to clear scar tissue, including use of a Foley balloon to keep the uterus open while it healed.
Susan talks about the emotional stress of fertility treatment while starting her first attending job and trying to manage clinic schedules, OR time, and appointments.
She reflects on how hard it was to feel like a responsible new attending while also dealing with fertility care and early pregnancy visits.
Susan compares postpartum anxiety with her first baby to the second time around, saying she was less overwhelmed, less intrusive-thought driven, and more able to recognize hard phases as temporary.
She talks how the second baby changed the logistics of parenting, especially with a toddler already at home and less free time to ruminate.
We discuss the difference between emotional and logistical difficulty when returning to work, including the intense feelings around daycare dropoff the first time.
Susan explains how her family planned childcare coverage around the reality of daycare sickness by splitting parental leave and saving time for sick days.
She talks through the weekly division of labor at home, including dropoffs, pickups, bottle prep, meals, and the constant negotiation between flexibility and structure.
Susan shares that outsourcing more tasks, like laundry, feels like the next step, even though she still struggles with guilt about paying for help.
Susan discusses how hard it can be to accept help with tasks you are technically capable of doing yourself.
Susan says one of the biggest mindset shifts has been redefining what a successful day looks like, especially when parenting young children and working long hours.
She names watching her two children interact as one of the most meaningful parts of parenting now.
Susan also reflects on the strange, awe-inspiring biology of motherhood, including thinking about the eggs that existed in her body long before her children were born.
Timestamps
00:00 - Reconnecting with Susan and introducing the second-baby conversation
00:41 - Nicholas turns one and the family keeps his birthday low-key
01:30 - Getting pregnant with Nicholas took another long road
03:47 - The postpartum bleeding after Maddie and the retained placenta
04:44 - Fertility testing leads to an unexpected diagnosis
05:18 - Discovering scar tissue and Asherman syndrome
06:14 - Multiple procedures with Foley balloons to reopen the uterus
07:16 - What it felt like to hear grim fertility statistics at nearly 40
08:32 - Managing pregnancy while starting a new attending job
09:47 - Balancing fertility appointments with clinic days and OR scheduling
10:47 - Why pregnancy felt hard to fully believe until much later
12:36 - Nicholas arrives and the second postpartum experience begins
13:02 - Less anxiety, fewer intrusive thoughts, and more emotional ease
14:28 - Why the second baby phase felt more peaceful overall
15:19 - Postpartum anxiety, vigilance, and intrusive thoughts
16:39 - Breastfeeding with less pressure the second time around
18:21 - The emotional pain of first daycare dropoff
19:41 - Why returning to work was harder logistically than emotionally
20:58 - Leaving a child at daycare versus leaving with familiar help
23:57 - Leave policy discussion gets cut from the conversation
24:57 - Why childcare planning starts with backup support
25:56 - Splitting parental leave and saving time for sick days
27:22 - Weekly dropoff and pickup coordination between parents
28:16 - The daily battle over meals, bottles, and night versus morning tasks
31:17 - Why outsourcing laundry feels like a realistic next step
32:31 - Hiring help for meal prep and folding laundry, and still feeling weird about it
35:29 - Relearning that not every productive task is the right task
36:27 - Redefining a successful day beyond housework and to-do lists
37:32 - Cleaning as a way to regain control in a chaotic season
38:29 - Favorite and least favorite parts of parenting
39:19 - Watching siblings interact and the wonder of family biology
40:40 - The “baby store” joke and closing thoughts
00:00 - Introducing Colin’s birth story and the weekend that led up to it 01:00 - Why the induction was scheduled around 37 weeks 02:00 - A calm morning with Connor before heading to daycare 03:00 - Boston rush hour versus the chaos of natural labor 04:00 - Checking in at the hospital and the first emotional moment with the OB team 05:00 - Crying when kindness hit harder than strength 06:00 - Why she chose to proceed with induction despite grief 07:00 - What “birth plan” meant in this context 08:00 - Wearing her dad’s Patriots hat and wanting an epidural ASAP 09:00 - Reflections on epidurals, pain, and her first labor with Connor 10:00 - Starting the induction and wanting to be a passenger this time 11:00 - Cytotec, Foley balloon, and contractions that got things moving 12:00 - Her husband points out they do not need to wait for pain before requesting the epidural 13:00 - Her outpatient OB’s unusual commitment to seeing her for every prenatal visit 14:00 - How thoughtful communication and data-driven care shaped the pregnancy 15:00 - Her OB’s support behind the scenes, including tumor board advocacy 16:00 - Brief Pitocin trial and the baby’s immediate reaction 17:00 - Watching TV, laughing, and keeping the room light during labor 18:00 - The surprise baby-name vote and the fun of not knowing the sex 19:00 - Checking the ICU schedule just in case birth complications sent her there 20:00 - Pressure builds and the team realizes the baby is crowning 21:00 - Waiting for the OB to arrive before pushing 22:00 - Colin is born and the room fills with tears and emotion 23:00 - Why pregnancy felt emotionally distant and uncertain 24:00 - Seeing the baby on ultrasound and struggling with chemo-related worry 25:00 - How not knowing the sex helped her stay detached and hopeful 26:00 - Colin arrives healthy, despite the cord being wrapped twice 27:00 - Naming Colin Robert and honoring her dad through the middle name 28:00 - Telling family the baby is a boy and heading to postpartum recovery 29:00 - Post-birth CT and MRI scans while still processing the cancer 30:00 - Crying in the MRI and the strain of high highs and low lows 31:00 - Why she does not believe grief and trauma can always be neatly processed 32:00 - Family meeting Colin and the reminder that life keeps moving 33:00 - Watching both boys grow and comparing first-time parenting to second-time parenting 34:00 - Colin’s bright, social personality and the sense that he brought light into the family 35:00 - Looking back on cancer during pregnancy as an unexpected blessing 36:00 - Closing gratitude for Colin, Connor, and the listeners
In this episode, I talk about grieving my dad's death while preparing for the birth of my son and navigating cancer treatment.
Key topics
Coping with grief after losing a parent
Balancing emotional pain with joyful moments
Preparing for childbirth amidst health challenges
The significance of meaningful keepsakes and rituals
The coexistence of sadness and happiness in life
Keywords
grief, motherhood, cancer, resilience, personal story, loss, emotional strength, life challenges
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and overview of the episode 00:28 Personal reflection on the impact of losing her father 01:21 The challenge of coping with grief in daily life 02:21 The unpredictability of grief and emotional responses 03:19 A moment of humor during a difficult day 04:49 The significance of photos and memories 05:48 Managing cancer pain while preparing for childbirth 07:12 Medical check-up and reassurance about the baby 08:54 The innocence of children and their impact on grief 09:33 Scheduling conflicts between birth and funeral arrangements 11:22 Deciding on the timing of induction and funeral 12:46 Making the most of last family moments before birth 14:24 The significance of meaningful keepsakes and symbols 16:32 Carrying a piece of her father with her during labor 17:54 Conclusion and upcoming episode focus
56. Solo episode - my dad's death and how it changed my perspective on end of life care
23 juil. 2026
00:40:32
In this episode, I talk about my experience with my father’s death, navigating difficult conversations, and how my medical background both challenged and supported me during this time.
Main Topics Covered:
The reasons behind my hiatus
The significance of storytelling for connection, reflection, and emotional resilience
Walking through the emotional and logistical experience of my father’s death in the hospital
Challenges of end-of-life conversations within my family and the impact of medical burnout
Lessons I learned about planning for chronic illness, death, and the importance of having honest, compassionate discussions
The emotional aftermath, including feelings of grief, guilt, and gratitude
The cathartic process of sharing my story and the future of my podcast
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: Why I stepped back 02:00 - The healing power of storytelling in connecting with others 03:30 - Navigating personal grief while balancing a medical career 05:00 - The moments leading to my father’s death 07:00 - The hard realities of end-of-life decisions and family discussions 09:00 - The emotional toll of seeing a loved one suffer and die 11:00 - The impact of healthcare burnout on personal and family moments 13:00 - Reflections on medical planning, directives, and difficult conversations 15:00 - The experience of loss and feelings of guilt and sadness 17:00 - The significance of presence, love, and memory in grief 19:00 - Returning to the podcast: sharing my story to heal and connect 21:00 - Future plans for solo episodes and interviews
cancer treatment, chemotherapy, motherhood, emotional support, personal journey, health challenges, parenting, medical experiences, resilience, community support
Summary
In this solo episode, Dr. Alison Trainor shares her personal journey through cancer treatment while balancing motherhood. She discusses the emotional and physical challenges of chemotherapy, the impact of hair loss, and the support she received from friends and family. Alison reflects on the complexities of navigating her health while being a parent and the importance of community support during difficult times.
Takeaways
The transition from work to medical leave was emotionally challenging. Chemotherapy brought both physical and emotional struggles. Hair loss was a significant emotional hurdle during treatment. Support from friends and family was crucial during this journey. The experience of being a patient gave insight into patient care. Navigating treatment while pregnant added complexity to her situation. The emotional toll of scan results can be overwhelming. Community support, like meal trains, made a big difference. It's important to communicate openly about what support is needed. Finding joy in small moments with family helped cope with challenges.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Personal Update 01:28 Navigating Work and Cancer Diagnosis 05:41 Chemotherapy Regimen and Initial Experiences 12:27 Emotional and Physical Challenges of Treatment 16:03 Hair Loss and Its Impact 20:13 Adjusting to Public Perception and Normalcy 23:02 Additional Treatment Considerations and Reflections 26:20 Navigating the Emotional Landscape of Illness 34:07 The Impact of Community Support 47:39 Finding Meaning in Difficult Times
In this conversation, Ali and Polly reflect on the past year since their last chat, discussing personal growth, work-life balance, and the challenges of parenting. Polly shares her experiences with returning to work, navigating childcare, and the impact of illness on their family. They delve into the pressures of the medical profession, the importance of mental health support, and the benefits of couples therapy. The discussion also touches on family planning and the considerations that come with it, particularly in light of Polly's husband's health. Overall, the conversation highlights the complexities of parenting, relationships, and self-care.
Takeaways
Polly has experienced significant personal growth over the past year.
Finding a balance between work and family life is crucial for well-being.
Childcare can provide valuable socialization and learning opportunities for children.
Illnesses in daycare can be challenging but are often part of the experience.
The pressure to show up in the medical field can lead to neglecting personal health.
Therapy and support systems have been vital for Polly's mental health journey.
Communication is key in maintaining a healthy relationship, especially during stressful times.
Considering family size involves weighing personal desires against practical realities.
The experience of parenting can evoke nostalgia and a desire for more children.
It's important to discuss and normalize the challenges of postpartum mental health.
Keywords parenting, mental health, work-life balance, childcare, couples therapy, family planning, postpartum anxiety, child development, daycare challenges, personal growth
Chapters 00:00 Reflecting on Growth and Change
02:45 Finding Balance in Work and Family Life
05:44 Navigating Childcare and Developmental Milestones
53. Dr. Jenn Gates Nassar on doing pediatrics residency with young children, how being a mom impacts her work, what it's like being a pediatrician with the current misinformation, and her future career aspirations
25 sept. 2025
00:45:40
Summary
In this conversation, Dr. Jenn Gates-Nassar shares her journey as a pediatric resident, balancing the demands of her medical training with motherhood. She discusses her motivations for pursuing medicine, the challenges of being a resident with young children, and the emotional toll of caring for sick kids. Dr. Gates-Nassar also highlights the importance of advocacy in public health, the impact of adverse childhood experiences on long-term health, and the challenges posed by misinformation in healthcare. Throughout the discussion, she reflects on her aspirations for the future and the ongoing learning process in medicine.
Takeaways
Dr. Gates-Nassar is a second-year pediatric resident at Mount Sinai.
She balances her demanding residency with being a mother to two young girls.
Her journey into medicine was influenced by her family's public health background.
She emphasizes the importance of reliable childcare for working parents.
Guilt when away from her children but recognizes the need for stable caregivers.
She discusses the emotional challenges of being a pediatric resident.
Advocacy and public health are significant aspects of her career aspirations.
Adverse childhood experiences can have lasting impacts on health outcomes.
Misinformation in healthcare is a growing concern for pediatricians.
Time stamps
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:01 Journey into Medicine
05:57 Balancing Family and Residency
09:00 Navigating Parenthood and Guilt
11:58 Career Aspirations in Pediatrics
15:12 Challenges in Pediatric Care
17:53 Addressing Systemic Barriers
21:05 Misinformation and Public Health Advocacy
27:29 Balancing Clinical Work and Personal Life
31:03 Navigating Parenthood and Medical Training
34:14 Advice for Future Parents in Medicine
38:06 Influences and Inspirations in Medicine
43:24 Experiences and Challenges in Residency
48:45 The Ongoing Journey of Learning in Medicine
keywords
pediatrics, residency, motherhood, public health, advocacy, work-life balance, adverse childhood experiences, healthcare challenges, physician insights, medical training
In this episode we catch up with Dr. Lauren Puretz from episode 33. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, I would suggest listening to that episode first.
In this episode we talk about:
- How Lauren's practice has been doing since opening 8/2024. We last spoke when she was 2 months in and there have been some bumps in the road
- How her running career has been going. Also, a few bumps.
- Feeling a bit like she was in the hole and how she's been digging herself out
- and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
51. Dr. Janelle Nassim on life after her spontaneous coronary artery dissection and how it affects her views on motherhood and her career
28 août 2025
00:53:47
Summary
In this conversation, Dr. Janelle Nassim shares her journey as a dermatologist and a mother, detailing her experience with a life-altering heart attack caused by a coronary artery dissection (SCAD) shortly after the birth of her second child. She discusses the symptoms leading up to the event, her hospital experience, and the emotional and physical recovery process. Janelle reflects on the changes in her perspective towards life, motherhood, and work, emphasizing the importance of gratitude, vulnerability, and accepting help from others.
Time stamps
00:00 Introduction and Background 04:52 Life as a Dermatologist and Mother 09:53 The Day of the Heart Attack 19:58 The Experience in the Hospital 24:30 Processing Trauma and Growth 24:30 Navigating the Hospital Experience 25:57 The Journey of Recovery 29:25 Reconnecting with Family 31:25 Shifting Perspectives on Parenting 31:53 Physical Recovery and Exercise 35:38 Emotional Grief and Acceptance 44:03 Work-Life Balance Post-Diagnosis 47:02 Current State: A Year Later
50. Dr. Tali Lando - pediatric ENT surgeon, mom of 3 and author of 2 books
14 août 2025
01:37:52
summary
In this conversation, Dr. Tali Lando shares her journey as a pediatric ENT and a mother of three daughters. She discusses the challenges of balancing a demanding medical career with motherhood, the importance of support systems, and the evolution of parenting dynamics as children grow. Dr. Lando reflects on her experiences with burnout, the role of passion projects in rejuvenating her career, and the lessons learned from her journey through cancer treatment. She emphasizes the significance of honesty in parenting and the power of anecdotes in medicine, providing valuable insights for working parents in the medical field. In this conversation, Tali Lando shares her deeply personal journey through medical challenges, including her experience as a mother in the NICU and her battle with breast cancer. She discusses the emotional toll of these experiences, the impact on her family, and how writing became a therapeutic outlet. Tali also reflects on her return to work after treatment and the process of writing her upcoming book, 'Breathless,' which aims to provide insights from her medical career and personal experiences.
takeaways
Dr. Tali Lando is a pediatric ENT with a busy practice.
She had her first child during her chief year of residency.
Balancing motherhood and a demanding career is challenging but rewarding.
Support systems play a crucial role in managing work and family life.
Quality time with children is more important than quantity.
The dynamics of parenting evolve as children grow older.
Burnout is a common issue among medical professionals.
Passion projects can rejuvenate a career and provide fulfillment.
Experiences during cancer treatment inspired her writing.
Honesty with children about career sacrifices fosters understanding. Tali's experience in the NICU highlighted the emotional toll on parents.
The transition from being a doctor to a patient is profound and challenging.
Writing became a therapeutic outlet for Tali during her cancer journey.
The importance of family support during health crises cannot be overstated.
Tali's father's glioblastoma diagnosis added another layer of complexity to her journey.
Navigating treatment options for cancer can be overwhelming and confusing.
The impact of cancer on family dynamics is significant and often heartbreaking.
Tali's writing process was influenced by her personal experiences and desire to help others.
Returning to work after treatment requires careful consideration of one's health.
The upcoming book 'Breathless' aims to share valuable insights from Tali's medical career.
keywords
pediatric ENT, work-life balance, motherhood, residency, surgical training, parenting, career fulfillment, burnout, passion projects, breast cancer, medical challenges, NICU experience, cancer diagnosis, family dynamics, writing, coping mechanism, health, career, book release, personal journey
ENT
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
48. Catching up with Dr. Kashi Goyal from episode 9
17 juil. 2025
00:37:50
keywords
career transitions, parenting, work-life balance, family dynamics, health journey, personal experiences, professional choices, future planning, medical education, lung transplantation
summary
In this conversation, Ali and Kashi reconnect after two years to discuss Kashi's recent transition to faculty in lung transplantation, her family's dynamics, and the impact of Anika's health journey on their lives. They explore themes of work-life balance, career aspirations, and the emotional complexities of parenting, especially in light of past challenges. Kashi shares her insights on navigating uncertainty and the joy of expanding their family, while reflecting on the lessons learned from their experiences.
takeaways
Kashi has transitioned to faculty in lung transplantation after completing her fellowship.
She emphasizes the importance of taking things year by year in her career and personal life.
Kashi's husband has taken on a new role with a more stable schedule to support the family.
Anika's health journey has profoundly impacted their family dynamics and future planning.
Kashi is exploring her interests in medical education and research.
She acknowledges the challenges of balancing clinical work with family time.
Kashi reflects on the emotional weight of her past experiences and how they shape her present.
The couple is excited about expanding their family and preparing for a new baby.
Kashi shares the importance of setting anchors in her job search based on core values.
They discuss the complexities of parenting and the joy of watching Anika thrive.
Chapters
00:00 Reconnecting After Two Years
02:54 Navigating Career Transitions
05:57 Family Dynamics and Parenting
08:56 Reflections on Work-Life Balance
11:53 Career Goals and Aspirations
14:45 Impact of Personal Experiences on Professional Choices
17:40 Anika's Health Journey and Family Planning
20:48 Embracing Uncertainty and Future Possibilities
47. Dr. Joyce Park (aka TeaWithMD) on her career in dermatology with a social media platform, brand partnerships, and telehealth private practice all while being a mom to 2 little kids
03 juil. 2025
00:39:09
Summary In this episode, Dr. Joyce Park shares her journey as a board-certified dermatologist and social media influencer, discussing her unique path into teledermatology and the challenges of balancing motherhood with her career. She reflects on the evolution of her practice, the importance of social media in driving patient engagement, and the realities of outsourcing childcare. Dr. Park emphasizes the need for women to redefine success and not be afraid to take non-traditional paths in their careers.
Takeaways
Dr. Joyce Park is a board-certified dermatologist with a teledermatology practice.
She began her journey in social media in 2011, initially as a blog.
Her telehealth practice allows her to balance work and motherhood effectively.
Social media drives all her patients, eliminating the need for traditional advertising.
Dr. Park emphasizes the importance of flexibility in her career to spend time with her children.
She discusses the challenges of maternity leave in the medical field.
Outsourcing childcare is essential for working mothers to maintain balance.
Dr. Park is launching a new haircare line, focusing on specific conditions.
She believes in the importance of training the next generation of men to share household responsibilities.
Success in medicine should not be defined by traditional metrics but by personal fulfillment.
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
46. Postpartum Depression, taking time off from residency, type I diabetes, and health care education and advocacy with Dr. Padget Skogman
19 juin 2025
00:51:59
"Because then I had to go back to residency, and I could have quit but I didn't want to. I was feeling better, but going back as a brand new first time mom - breastfeeding, not sleeping, all the things - was so much easier than going through residency with depression."
This episode is with Dr. Padget Skogman who is a board certified pediatrician.
In this episode we talk about:
- Dealing with depression in residency
- The disconnect between what her program director thought was an appropriate mental health leave (1 week) vs her psychiatrist advocating for much longer
- The difference between doing residency training depressed vs as a new mom coming back from maternity leave
- Second episode of postpartum depression, taking much longer to recover from as she only had 6 weeks of maternity leave
- Being a physician with type I diabetes
- Being the first woman physician to join a practice
- Her current passion project
- and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
44. Dr. Suzanne Koven on the importance of writing in medicine, how things have changed for women since she trained and how there's still room for improvement, and so much more!
22 mai 2025
00:58:43
"It’s really just an extension of the general ethos in medicine which has existed for a very long time – generations, centuries - which says that in order to make other people well we have to make ourselves sick. That is only recently being questioned. "
This episode is with Dr. Suzanne Koven who was a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital for over 30 years, has had a prolific literaray career and now serves as the Writer in Residence of Massachusetts General Hospital full time.
In this episode we talk about:
- Her experience having a baby in residency
- Pre-eclampsia
- Being asked to write her own maternity leave policy
- Her feelings about going part time and what her primary care patients thought about this
- What it was like to retire from clinical medicine (spoiler alert - she doesn't miss it)
43. Private surgery practice with your spouse, waiting to have kids until after residency, and the challenges of female mentorship with Dr. Nicole Basa
08 mai 2025
00:41:48
"I think we're so geared on the next step - what do I have to do next, I need to complete this before I get to the next step, then this will make me happy. I think we're constantly doing that to ourselves and we don't even know what happy means or what we wanted. My husband and I sat down, we were at Red Robins getting french firies and burgers, and we looked at each other and were like 'Is this what we worked our whole lives to be? This is not great. This is not that fun'."
This episode is with Dr. Nicole Basa who is a private practice general and bariatric surgeon in Austin , Texas.
In this episode we talk about:
- Female mentorship in surgery (spoiler alert, it wasn't always positive)
- How she thought about having a child in surgical residency vs not
- Getting pregnant with her first child while she was in the thick of starting a private surgical practice with her husband
- Starting a private practice with her husband and what it's like working with your husband
- The logistics of owning a practice with your spouse when you have to deal with the unpredictability of childcare (daycare illnesses...)
- and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
42. Dr. Sheri Dewan on neurosurgery, ignoring the detractors, having children in residency, writing her memoir, and doing pro bono surgeries in India
24 avr. 2025
00:38:07
"That was the moment where I almost quit. That was my pivotal moment. We saw so many people die as a level 1 trauma center so there was so much emotional baggage that we carry as doctors through that, but I never faltered. It was always 'this is what I want to do, this is what I was born to do,' and that moment when I was verbally attacked at this grand rounds, that questioned everything to me about my choices in neurosurgery."
This episode is with Dr. Sheri Dewan, a board certified neurosurgeon practicing in Chicago.
In this episode we talk about:
- Sheri's inspiration behind becoming a neurosurgeon
- Talking with her husband while they were dating about what it would look like for the two of them to get married and her have a career in neurosurgery
- How she dealt with the numerous people who told her she couldn't be a neurosurgeon
- Having her children in residency training
- The pivotal moment in which an attending clearly didn't want her in the residency program, publicly humiliated her and how that was the first time she thought about quitting
- The support of her parents, husband and mentors that carried her through
- The times in training when she might go several days where she only saw her children while they were asleep
- Writing her memoir, Cutting A Path
- Doing pro-bono surgeries in India, another thing people told her she couldn't do or would no longer have the desire to do after finishing her training
- And so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
40. Infertility, emergency medicine, long distance relationships, quitting your job, advocating for yourself, and having a large family with Dr. Camie Sorensen
13 mars 2025
00:59:26
" I remember I was working a morning shift and it was 7 or 730 and I remember exactly where I am because I have a spatial memory and I was in between these two rooms. One had a STEMI and I was trying to get him to the cath lab, the other had a stroke I was trying to administer tpa and I get a phone call and the nanny is calling out."
This episode is with Dr. Camie Sorenson who is an Emergency Medicine physician in Fresno, California.
In this episode we talk about:
- Meeting her husband and the decision not to factor in where he was living when she made her rank list
- Making a long distance relationship work
- Infertility and how she thinks her job contributed to this
- How she managed to undergo fertility treatments
- Being the first woman at her job to take maternity leave
- Going on to have 4 children and what that looks like today now that they are a little older
- Quitting her job when it wasn't working for her
- Advocating for yourself and knowing your worth
and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
I answer some listener questions in this episode including:
- My journey through med school, residenc, fellowship into being an attending - The specifics of my current job - What it's like training and raising a family in Boston - If I ever feel guilty about choosing medicine as a mom - Expectations vs reality - what I hold onto and what I let go - Best time to have a baby - Using a financial planner - Self doubt as a new attending - Dealing with childhood illness - Balancing things with spouse - Setting boundaries with work and more!
38. Pregnancy outcomes for surgical trainees, leave policies, and culture change with Dr. Erika Rangel
16 janv. 2025
00:34:14
"I had Ethan when I was a fourth year resident and then my younger son, Lane, I had as a first year attending. Both of them were NICU babies. They were both preterm delivieries, both had quite a number of complications and even more prominent a memory than the experience in the ICU was that desire to avoid being a burden to your colleagues."
This episode is with Dr. Erika Rangel, who is a trauma and critical care surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital.
We discuss: - Parental leave policies and how these effect birth and non-birth parents - Health outcomes for pregnant surgical trainees - Culture change - Her own story with having a child in training and another child later through IVF, both of whom spent time in the NICU
37. Dr. Jessi Gold on her memoir "How Do You Feel", changing the culture of medicine, and being human
02 janv. 2025
00:54:35
"For some reason we were taught that if we were good at our jobs we could do it and never be affected by it. I don't know who told us that but that was stupid."
This episode is with Dr. Jessi Gold, who is a psychiatrist at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the Chief Wellness Office for the University of Tennesse System.
In this episode we talk about: - Her memoir "How Do You Feel" - The decision to share her story - Changing the culture in medicine to allow us to be humans who have emotions, and how we will all be better for it - How to make it through your day and also make time to feel your feelings - Her thoughts on wellness culture and "hacks" and her personal experience trying some of these - And so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
36. Dr. Cornelia Griggs on her memoir "The Sky Was Falling", having kids in surgery training, balancing the demands of surgical training with the need to become competent, and how she's doing now
19 déc. 2024
00:54:36
"I am proud of myself for everything I've overcome but I also think it's ridiculous some of the sutff I had to go through to get here and I think some of it made me a better person and I think some of it was just bad to go through."
This episode is with Dr. Cornelia Griggs, who is a pediatric surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital.
In this episode we talk about: - Her memoir "The Sky was Falling" about her time working in NYC during the pandemic - Finding out her husband was sick shortly after they got married as surgical residents - The decision to have kids in training - Living with her kids away from her husband for a year while she finished fellowship (this just so happened to be when the pandemic hit) - Her thoughts on the tension between training needing to be rigorous in order to become a surgeon but also understanding people are humans who will face challenges and need time to take care of themselves - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
35. Dr. Karen Leitner, physician and coach, discusses all your burning questions
05 déc. 2024
00:44:32
"Now in this day and age of electronic everything, people can message you all the time. So if you're not willing to say these are the times I'm willing to be available for work and these are the times I'm not, you could be working 24/7.
There's this paradigm of inbox zero but even when you get to inbox zero you turn off your computer, theres' something that's in there again. So inbox zero really only happens if you leave your job or all your patients die. So it's sort of just growing your tolerance - I'm not going to check things between this time and this time, I'm not going to look on the weekends, I'm not going to check on vacation. It's like, are you allowed to say that? It's like sacrelig, but I think that's an example of setting a boundary around your time - when you will and won't answer pages, when you will or wont take extra shifts, if you're willing to do unpaid work. You just really have to decide."
This episode is with Dr. Karen Leitner, who is a physician coach based in Massachusetts.
In this episode we talk about: - Working full time vs part time - Setting boundaries with the electronic medical record (i.e. how to not always be tending to your inbox) - Taking care of patients in the age of open charts - Mom guilt - Burnout - Mental health concerns - Negotiating for yourself - Transitioning out of clinical medicine
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
34. Dr. Flora Sinha on secondary infertility, coaching, taking a leave of abscence, boundaries, and the koy of having an only child
21 nov. 2024
00:52:57
"I've hit the point of burnout multiple times in my life. Most recently it was after I started my coaching business. So I was working full time as a primary care outaptient physician and I was coaching my clients on my admin half day and weekends. I realized that what was burning me out was medicine post-pandemic. I just couldn't do it anymore and it took me a while to recognize why I was feeling the way I was feeling. So I took some time to self-reflect. Actually a year ago in August I took 4 weeks off of unpaid leave becasue I was just fed up. I needed some space and some time to figure out how I am going to move forward in everything that I love. I love clinical medicine. I love building that relationship with my patients, but then there's all of the other BS. Here in the United States the system is broken - period. We can make small changes here and there but in the end I decided that being a full time physician and full time coach wasn't possible."
This episode is with Dr. Flora Sinha, who is a primary care physician, a physician coach, and a podcast host.
In this episode we talk about: - Her experience with secondary infertility - How/when she decided to stop fertility treatments - Happiness with her current family size - How to respond to invasive/inappropriate questions about your personal life, particularly your family size - Her experience with burnout - Taking 4 weeks of unpaid leave to figure out how she wanted to move forward - Starting her coaching business - Her podcast - The Beyond Podcast - Her decision to share her life publicly on social media and why
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
33. Dr. Lauren Puretz, OBGYN and ultra-runner, on "balance", prioritizing personal goals, negotiating, and starting your own practice
07 nov. 2024
00:44:59
"I wanted to maintain my running and then work was catching up and I think that's when it got kind of crazy in terms of you know I'm trying to do too much. And when you have too many balls in the air waiting until they hit the ground and a lot of problems with mariage, a lot of problems with kids, and a lot of problems at work. That was when I was like 'I need to figure out what to do here because I can't continue like this. It's time to prioritize. I don't want to look back and have my husband hate me, my kids hate me, I hate my life, my job.' That was kind of a big time that I needed to consider what to do."
This episode is with Dr. Lauren Puretz, who is a board certified OBGYN practicing gynecology in Colorado, an elite ultrarunner, a wife, and a mother to 2 children.
In this episode we talk about: - How her relationhsip with exercise evolved in different phases of parenthood and her medical career - Being married to another physician, who is a neurologist - How and why she chose to give up obstetrics and focus on gynecology - Finding the time to train for and race ultra distances while also working as an obgyn, being a wife, and being a mom - Big changes at her prior job that led her to consider either leaving medicine altogether or opening her own practice - The decision to start her own practice, and the logistics and challenges that went into this - Her thoughts on "doing it all" (spoiler alert - you can't)
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
32. Culture change, severe preeclampsia during REI fellowship, and having taboo conversations at work with Dr. Shelley Dolitsky
24 oct. 2024
00:54:18
"My brain was not in OB mode. Like anybody who is an obgyn, when you get admitted that sick at 26 weeks, knows you're really not going to go until 34 weeks but my brain wasn't processing that. So I reached out to both my program director and the chairman of our department in like panicked text messages. I didn't have it in me to call them. I had 1% battery on my phone. I was in triage. I was barely even admitted to the hospital. They had given me oral medication to get my blood pressure down before they even placed an IV and I had just texted my husband I had barely told anyone else and I was texting everyone at work."
This episode is with Dr. Shelley Dolitsky, who is a reproductive endocrinologist in Maryland.
In this episode we talk about: - Developing preeclampsia only a couple of weeks into REI fellowship - Her daughter spending 3 months in the NICU (she's doing great now!) - How she decided when to go back after having her daughter, and then deciding to take more time off down the road - The incredible support of her leadership at every step of the way - Deciding on timing of a second pregnacy (with input from her work colleagues and her thoughts on this) - Having to schedule an amniocentesis for the day she was to give her thesis presentation (spoiler, she didn't give her thesis, but not for the reasons you might think) - Negotiating for her first job - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
31. Anesthesiologist Tiffany Moon on entrepreneurship, motherhood, empowering women, and the LeadHer summit
10 oct. 2024
00:42:41
"I promise we will all do better if you lift up and empower other women, because guess what when the time comes and you need a favor they will then return it to you. We need to stop this you or me mentality and competition. I think women are pitted against each other more than men are and I'm like there is enough to go around, I promise."
This episode is with Dr. Tiffany Moon, an anesthesiologist in Dallas, Texas.
In this episode we talk about: - Having twin girls as an attending - Her decision to go back to work after 6 weeks of leave - Her thoughts on distribution of work and time at home during the little kid years - Starting a wine company with her husband - Starting a candle company during the COVID pandemic, somewhat accidentally - Writing a memoir, which comes out in Spring 2025 - Creating the LeadHer Summit to empower women
LeadHer Summit Nov 8-10, 2024: - Click here to register - Use code "MOM" for $300 off registration
30. Marathon running, dual physician household, leaving academic medicine, and prioritizing all aspects of your identity with Dr. Renee Rodriguez Paro
26 sept. 2024
00:57:31
"I feel like I was able to spend those years of fellowship really asking this question of how do I want this career to fit into my life. Before I never really understood what it was going to feel like to be a mom or to be a wife or what it was going to feel like to just want to be Rene and who I am and the rest of the things. For so long, understandably so, the main focus was how do I become the best doctor and that's what you need to get through medical school and residency to get the best training to be a good doctor but I started to realize that if I was only thinknig about my career and that was it and I wasn't giving ample priority to the rest of the things around it, then I would eventually hate my job for what it was taking away from the other parts."
This episode is with Dr. Renee Rodriguez Paro, a pediatric cardiologist in California.
In this episode we talk about: - The decision to change your name - Being married to a physician - the good and the bad! - Starting a podcast with her husband called "Reconciling Medicine" - Having a baby in pediatric residency and going back to work after 6 weeks - Starting fellowship with a 6 month old baby and questioning if she should leave fellowship - Considering surgery and ultimately deciding she wasn't sure want to be part of a two surgeon family and she loved clinic just as much if not more than the OR - Shifting career priorities pre- and post-kids - Making the decision to leave academic medicine - Her view on part-time work for herself as well as globally for other physicians - Becoming department chair - Running marathons!
Connect with Renee: - Instagram @drreneeparo
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
29. Default parent, job negotiation, camping with babies, and finding a part-time job that allows you to go "off grid" with Dr. Molly Brett
12 sept. 2024
00:43:07
"We both knew that one of us would need to be able to still be a default parent and I actually wanted that role, which I'm sure we'll talk about it's also very hard to be a default parent and a doctor, but that was sort of the thing I didn't want to give up when I went into medicine."
This episode is with Dr. Molly Brett, a primary care physician in Colorado.
We talk about: - Deciding early on that she wanted to be a primary care doctor for multiple reasons - Being in a dual physician family - Being the default parent and wanting this role - Camping with babies - Negotiating a part-time job that allows her to be truly part time so that she can go off grid and go camping with her family - The guilt around hiring a nanny to help her family in the mornings - How she chooses which projects to say yes to and which ones to say no to - Choosing the daycare that works for your lives (i.e. long hours) and not the most "fancy" childcare - How to advise women to choose a specialty/career that works for them
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
28. Dr. Kimberly Buss on having kids while in training, having a child with health challenges, serving her community as a primary care physician, and being a lifelong learner
29 août 2024
00:51:30
This episode is with Dr. Kimberly Buss, a family medicine physician in California. We discuss:
- Having a miscarriage in her second trimester - Having a young child at home while in her residency training - One of her children having health issues and how that affected her as a mom and a physician - Her work as a primary care physician, particularly with patients with diabetes - Being a lifelong learner - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
27. Dr. Grace Farris on "weekend mom", hospital medicine, graphic novel writing, youth soccer coaching, and so much more!
15 août 2024
00:36:30
This episode is with Dr. Grace Farris, a hospitalist in Texas and published author. We discuss:
- The inspiration between her comics, and specifically "weekend mom" - The decision to move her family from Boston, to NYC, and then to Texas - Working as a hospitalist in NYC during the COVID pandemic with two young boys - Working full time - Coaching youth soccer - Her next graphic novel See One, Do One, Teach One, which is a memoir of her time in medical school and residency - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
26. Long distance parenting, maternity leave challenges, and being a hardcore surgeon and amazing mom with Dr. Nichole Shaw
01 août 2024
00:59:44
"I felt totally stripped of everything that I had ever thought of myself because I was not going to work, so I was really kind of just tied to my house for 6 weeks. I was bored! I wanted to be working, I wanted to be doing easy cases. The baby slept so much. I'm like what do I do? And then she never really latched and so I was exclusively pumping straight away. I could have tried breastfeeding for longer but I knew I only had 5 weeks of maternity leave and I wasn't going to fight her every feeding for 4 of those 5 weeks, I was just not about it. So, I think I lost a lot of that bonding with her because I just felt like a milk maid. I couldn't figure out how to pump and hold her and feed all at once. It was just a lot. Alex was doing a lot of the feedings while I was just pumping all the time."
This episode is with Dr. Nichole Shaw, an orthopedic surgeon who is completing her hand fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. We discuss: - The challenges and benefits of having a partner in medicine: ---- Choosing whose career they will prioritize when ---- Navigating the military match (for her husband) with the traditional match ---- Choosing a subspecialty that she loves and that also allows her to be present with her family ---- Their motto as a couple being "M.D. - make due" - Thinking for a long time that she wanted to be single and not have kids and be solely focused on her career and how that changed for her - Struggling on maternity leave and being excited to go back to work - The decision to keep her last name - Her daughter being diagnosed with failure to thrive and all that ensued after that - Doing long distance with her husband throughout multiple stages of their relationship - Her current long distance setup (Nichole in fellowship in Pittsburgh and her husband in Chicago with their daughter) and how they had to make the tough decision of where their daughter would be for this year - And so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
25. Wellness Coach and Ophthalmologist Dr. Shanika Esparaz on her experience with burnout and coaching women in healthcare to live their best lives
18 juil. 2024
00:56:17
"It sounds easy but it's really hard when you've worked this hard to be a physician to say 'oh I'm gonna do a little less'. What I've realized is that myself and I think maybe some listeners out there might resonate with, we often feel like our productivity and our value to society is based on how many procedures we do, patients we see, hours we put in. Usually I would be the first one there and the last one to leave and you know we wear it kind of as a badge of honor, but over time that narrative in our head can really lead to burnout."
This episode is with Dr. Shanika Esparaz, a board certified ophthalmologist and welness coach for women in healthcare.
In the first half of the episode we discuss Shani's personal experiences: - Her experience with burnout and the unexpected ways it showed up for her - The pivotal moment where her daughter was injured in the care of their nanny and how this made her re-evaluate everything - Her experience getting a coah (it was great!) and how this inspired her to become a coach herself - Getting a coach and then became a coach herself
In the second half of the episode (starting at 25:00), Shani puts her coaching hat on and gives some invaluable advice for those of you who may struggle with any of the following: - Recognizing burnout in yourself - Realizing you may be burnt out but being frustrated by the fact that it's your work environment that's the problem and not you - Feeling like taking care of yourself is just one more thing to add to your plate that you don't have time for - The factors to consider when thinking of switching to part time - Getting started journaling (can be so quick but so beneficial!) - Detaching your worth from things outside of yourself like productivity, promotions, etc. - Performing a time audit - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
Connect with Dr. Shanika Esparaz: - Website - Doctorgoals podcast episode on setting up a direct care practice - @shani_esparazmd on instagram
24. Rewind: Internship baby in the 1980s with Deborah Kwolek
04 juil. 2024
00:46:55
"The big bottom line, ok, this is the big bottom line - young moms and women in general we are so self critical and we are so down on ourselves, and I could practically cry just thinking about this because it's so unneeeded. We're as smart as the guys, we're as committed as they are, we probably work harder in certain ways. Women do a lot of unpaid work. And so we have no reason to feel bad about ourselves, but I know when I was a young mom, you're so insecure. What happens though, I think when you get around 35 or 40, you're just like "who cares what people think". You can't even worry about that. As long as you're comfortable, your partner, your conscience, your family, that's what matters."
In this episode Dr. Deborah Gomez Kwolek shares her experience with: - Having a baby during her intern year in 1987 and how she barely survived that year - Having to take time away from residency training when she had her 2 first kids - Sharing a residency spot with another woman who had a baby in residency (she needed to heavily advocate for herself to make this happen) - Going on to have 7 children - Taking several years away from medicine midway through her career, and then coming back - Supporting young moms now that she is more senior
23. Dr. Mona Amin of PedsDocTalk on postpartum complications, breastfeeding, starting her business, and more!
20 juin 2024
00:57:00
"I know how hard it is. I know that parenting is hard. I know that life is hard, but I do believe that we have to look for the glimmers and look for the hope and look for the joy and celebrate those things, at the same time not denying the negative but understanding that those negatives will always exist in our world."
This episode is with Dr. Mona Amin, a board certified pediatrician and IBCLC and host of the pedsdoctalk podcast
in We discuss:
- Her traumatic births with her two children - Having the same rare postpartum complication twice - Her experience feeding her two children and how this inspired her to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (formula for one baby and exclusive pumping for the other) - Her inspiration behind starting her pedsdoctalk instagram account, blog and podcast - and so much more!
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
Connect with Dr. Mona Amin: - Podcast - Website - @pedsdoctalk on instagram
22. Advocacy, COVID pregnancy, identity shift, and career choices with Dr. Alli Letica
06 juin 2024
00:40:45
"Having any sort of mental or physical health problem doing this job makes it almost impossible...it makes you realize you don't know what other people are going through and I think it reminds us to give everyone some grace."
This episode is with Dr. Alli Letica, a general surgery resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. We discuss:
- Being furloughed during the COVID pandemic while she was pregnant - Writing an article advocating for normalizing childbearing during surgical training - Recovering physically from pregnancy and childbirth while getting back to doing surgery - Her identity shift with becoming a mom - How she made changes to her career choices after becoming a mom and how she views that
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
21. Dermatologist and entrepreneur Dr. Fatima Fahs
23 mai 2024
00:52:48
"I came to this point where I am like 6 months post partum at this point. So I've gone back to work, you know was in the swing of things, was working at that point 3 sometimes 4 days per week and I just was not happy in either situation. I wasn't fully happy at home and I wasn't fully happy at work and I told my employer 'I love you guys and I love it here but I just think I need to step away' and they were all like 'What are you gonna do?' And that was the first time in my life where I had no plan and it was terrifying."
This episode is with Dr. Fatima Fahs, a dermatologist in Michigan who also runs a subscription box company called DermyDocBox. We discuss:
- Having kids at all stages of medical training - The motivation behind starting her company and then actually doing it - The idea that if you are capable of getting through medical training you are capable of anything - Her "crash and burn moment" - Deciding to step away from medicine for a time without a plan - What she's up to now
Follow Fatima on social media: @dermy_doctor @dermydocbox
Connect with Moms of Medicine: - Instagram @moms_of_medicine - Momsofmedicine@gmail.com
19. Humanism and Making Time in the Margins with Dr. Laura Vater
25 avr. 2024
00:52:19
This episode is with Dr. Laura Vater, a GI oncologist in Indiana who focuses her non-clinical time on humanism, writing and well-being
We talk about: - Writing her first novel and working on getting it published - Having her daughter in medical school - Breastfeeding her daughter for 2.5 years while being an internal medicine resident - The inspiration and motivation behind creating the life support community to support people in medicine - Her family's decision to have her husband quit his job and be home full time - Her presence on social media and what it means to her - How she creates habits to incorporate wellbeing into her life - Choosing the buckets of what matters to you - Knowing when to say yes, no, or later - Prioritizing time with her family in the summer
18. Forging your own path with Dr. Marci Snodgrass
11 avr. 2024
00:37:34
"I was super present with my kids when I was home. I didn't pull out phones, there weren't cell phones way back then that were so distracting. I would try not to be on the computer and making phone calls and things like that. I remember it that way of just being as present as possible. My kids still remember I was getting up at 6 in the morning and making them pancakes before they had to go to school and I had to go to work. So I really sacrificed sleep a lot because when they went to bed I would get the computer back out and do what needed to be done."
This episode is with Dr. Marci Snodgrass, who did medicine as a second career, worked as a full time family medicine physician in Davis, CA , and now works part-time for an FQHC.
- Going to medical school while in her 30s and her motivation behind doing so - Being 8 months pregnant while interviewing for medical school - Working as a family physician on call 24/7 for her OB patients - Her current part-time role where she covers inboxes for people who are away, and how this setup allows her to travel along with her daughter's job to help care for her granddaughter - What her one regret is - Her reflections on how she raised two successful kids while being dedicated to her job - Her adult kids' reflections on having a busy mom physician - Words of wisdom for how to be an amazing mom and exceptional physician
17. Fibroids and heme/onc fellowship with Dr. Mwanasha Merrill
28 mars 2024
00:39:00
"After week 17 I think, I was worried about him. I knew that with my fibroids I would have pain. I was like it will be worse than what I had with my periods, but, well I can handle pain. I didn't factor in the emotional aspect of that. Like worrying about losing someone. So that to me was the hardest part."
This episode is with Dr. Mwanasha Merril, a hematology and oncology fellow at Dana Farber Cancer Institute
We talk about: - Having fibroids and how that impacted her pregnancy - The challenge of having significant pain in her pregnancy and how that impacted her personally as well as her fellowship training - Bringing her baby to meet her family in Malawi - What life looks like for her now as she finishes up fellowship with a 13 month old baby
"Just before I turned 34 weeks I was doing my fellows clinic from my hospital room. I had a sign on the door like 'Do Not Disturb, I'm in clinic', and they were like we have to get your vitals at some point during this. So they came and took my blood pressure and it was like 170/100. The resident was pushing IV labetalol while I was precepting with my attending, and finally I was just like 'Ok, I think I'm done with clinic'. I had a few more patients left in the day and I was just like 'I'm done. I can't do this'."
This episode is with Dr. Gila Hoffman, a gastroenterologist in St. Louis who specializes in inflammatory bowel disease.
We talk about: - Finding out she was having twins - Doing telehealth fellows clinic from her hospital bed - Having a miscarriage in residency - Missing out on the beginning of GI fellowship on maternity leave and having to catch up - The differences between having a baby as a fellow vs an attending
15. Late pregnancy loss and long distance parenting with Dr. Liliana Camison
29 févr. 2024
00:54:11
"Within the span of an hour and a half our lives had gone from I'll be back in 90 minutes to go in and do my surgeries and move on, to we're having a girl let's celebrate, and then we're holding hands just with our hearts in our throat"
This episode is with Dr. Liliana Camison, a plastic surgeon and craniofacial surgery fellow at NYU
We talk about: - Late pregnancy loss and deciding on termination - Having her rainbow baby - Fellowhsip interviews with an 8 week old baby and her mom in tow - She and her husband making the decision to do a year apart so that she could do fellowship - Living in NYC with her parents and her baby while her husband lives in Pittsburgh and so much more!
"Studying burnout has showed us that having control over your job, over your work life, is such an important component of being satisified, of not being burned out, that it makes me sad for women like you and women now giving birth and trying to find balance, in particular in primary care. I think there are just more and more barriers to it unfortunately."
This episode is with Dr. Gila Kriegel, a primary care doctor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
We talk about: - Part-time work - The underground mother's club - Having a spouse in medicine - Having twins and so much more!
13. Orthopedic Surgery Residency Baby with Dr. Eileen Colliton
01 févr. 2024
00:52:03
"I think I put that pressure on myself kind of to begin with that I just wanted to prove to everyone that I could be a pregnant resident and still function like a normal non-pregnant resident... I was taking primary call every third day up until 36 weeks so that was definitely challening as time went on. Like doing reductions with a big pregnant belly is not the easiest thing in the world. And everyone in the room is like "you're going to reduce my hip?" And you're like "Yes, I am going to reduce your hip".
This episode is with Dr. Eileen Colliton, an orthopedic surgeon completing her hand fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
We talk about: - Not wanting to have kids and changing her mind - Having a 5 week maternity leave as an OBGYN chief resident - Parenting through the pandemic with a husband who is also a physician - Choosing to go part-time and so much more!
12. Ambivalence about having children, parenting in COVID, and the perks of going part-time with Dr. Huma Farid
28 sept. 2023
00:46:39
"I had a lot of ambivalence around being a mother and I think looking back on why it was all justified, and part of it is that particularly as working women we are expecetd to work as though we don't have children and parent as though we don't have jobs, and I just felt like I don't know if i want to do this. I dont know if i can be the type of mom I want to be but also be the type of physician I want to be and I still have those doubts in my mind"
This episode is with Dr. Huma Farid, an OBGYN at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
We talk about: - Not wanting to have kids and changing her mind - Having a 5 week maternity leave as an OBGYN chief resident - Parenting through the pandemic with a husband who is also a physician - Choosing to go part-time and so much more!