Surgeon, Interrupted – Details, episodes & analysis

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Surgeon, Interrupted

Hippocratic Collective

Health & Fitness

Business

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 68

A raw, reality-style podcast following Dr. Frances Mei Hardin’s final months as a surgeon and her bold leap into the unknown. Through solo episodes and unfiltered guest convos, it captures the chaos, clarity, and courage of walking away from a “dream career” to choose something better. For high-achievers, burnt-out professionals, and anyone ready to rewrite the rules - this isn’t just a show. It’s a permission slip. Find more info about Surgeon, Interrupted and other shows on the Hippocratic Collective at hippocratic-collective.com

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Data updated on 12/08/2026

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https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCtTst91XiTDDGxevjAfoHCQ
45 shares

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/ryan-montoya-md
2 shares
https://www.mohinidasari.com/
2 shares
https://pearsonravitz.com/
1 share

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Score global : 68%

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[TW: Miscarriage] Fertility, Miscarriage & Residency: A Surgeon’s Story

Season 1 · Episode 54

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 • Duration 37:22

What happens when life doesn’t wait for training to end?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with ENT surgeon Dr. Kelly Schmidt to talk about a reality rarely discussed in medicine: navigating fertility, miscarriage, and pregnancy during residency.

What begins as a straightforward plan to “just have a baby” quickly becomes something else—cycles that don’t work, loss that doesn’t pause training, and the disorienting experience of trying to solve a problem that effort alone can’t fix.

Kelly shares her story openly—from miscarrying while on call to continuing to work through grief, to eventually building a path forward with fertility treatment and advocacy.

This episode covers:

Trying to conceive during residency
Miscarriage while on call—and returning to work
The emotional toll of infertility in high-achievers
What actually helps (and what doesn’t) when supporting someone
Navigating FMLA and time off during training
How to advocate for yourself in a rigid system

If you’ve ever felt like medicine leaves no room for real life—this conversation is for you.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Kelly Schmidt, MD

Connect with Kelly: @kschmidt93

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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

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USMLE Step 1 Failure to U.S. Doctor: IMG Journey No One Talks About | Imane Tarib, MD

Season 1 · Episode 53

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 • Duration 47:32

What if the moment that almost broke you… was the one that made everything possible?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances sits down with cornea specialist Dr. Imane Tarib to unpack a journey that spans continents, identities, and nearly two decades of training.

From medical school in Morocco to starting over in the United States as an IMG, Imane shares what it actually takes to rebuild a career from scratch—learning a new system, navigating isolation, and studying for the USMLE for 18 months… only to fail.

But this isn’t a story about failure.

It’s about what happens after.

They talk about:

The reality of being an IMG and immigrant in U.S. medicine
The psychological impact of failure—and how to reframe it
The hidden cost of “starting over” after already becoming a doctor
Love, long distance, and choosing a life that wasn’t the original plan
Why success often looks effortless—but never is

Imane’s story challenges the myth of the “straight path” in medicine—and replaces it with something more honest: persistence, reinvention, and the courage to keep going when nothing feels certain.

Because sometimes the long way is the only way.

And sometimes, it’s the right one.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Imane Tarib, MD

Connect with Imane:

- Instagram: @imanetarib.md

- TikTok: @imanetarib.md

- LinkedIn: Imane Tarib, MD

- YouTube: @RealImaneTaribMD

Imane Tarib, MD, is a cornea, cataract, and refractive surgeon and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Imane is an International Medical Graduate from Morocco who trained at the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital in Rabat before completing three research fellowships and two advanced Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive Surgery fellowships at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Palm Beach Gardens.

The Line Between Self-Advocacy and Survival in Medicine

Season 1 · Episode 52

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 • Duration 28:52

This week on Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with Dr. Kate Buhrke following their trip to the LMSA West conference—where one theme came up again and again:

How do you protect yourself in a system that doesn’t protect you?

From toxic power dynamics and inappropriate behavior in training, to the blurred line between self-advocacy and self-preservation, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what medical students and residents are still facing today.

They dive into:

The reality of one-on-one power in clinical training
Why “just playing the game” comes at a cost
The myth that abuse creates better doctors
Unionization, organizing, and why change feels so slow
The hidden emotional toll: “death by a thousand cuts”
Why some specialties get away with more than others

And ultimately—what it means to speak up, find community, and remind people:

You’re not crazy. You’re not alone.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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

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Why So Many Doctors Feel Like Outsiders | Neurodivergence in Medicine

Season 1 · Episode 51

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 41:30

What if the traits that made you successful in medicine are also what made it so hard?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Frances Mei sits down with ENT physician Dr. Colleen Plein for a deeply honest conversation about neurodivergence, identity, and what it really means to “fit in” in medicine.

They explore:

ADHD, autism, and giftedness in high-achieving physicians
Why so many doctors feel like outsiders
The hidden cost of residency culture and hierarchy
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) and emotional intensity
Reframing “too much” as a superpower
Finding community in a system that wasn’t built for you

If you’ve ever felt different, overwhelmed, or like you don’t quite belong—this episode is for you.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Colleen Plein, MD

Connect with Colleen: @boogerbossmd

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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

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Janitor to Doctor: Shay Taylor’s Journey to Yale Anesthesia

Season 1 · Episode 50

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 • Duration 36:28

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with Dr. Shay Taylor—newly matched at Yale Anesthesiology, and a story that has gone viral around the world.

But this is not just a “feel-good” story.

This is a conversation about what it actually takes to get there: the years of working full-time while in school, the rejection, the debt, the doubt, and the mindset required to keep going when everything says stop.

Shay shares what it means to build a career without mentorship, to start medicine later than everyone else, and to keep moving forward after being told, directly, that she would never make it.

This episode is about resilience, but not in a polished, curated way.

It’s about crash outs, losses, and choosing to continue anyway.

In this episode, we discuss:

Shay’s journey from janitor to physician
Matching into Yale Anesthesia after a nontraditional path
What it’s like to pursue medicine without guidance or resources
Working full-time while completing undergrad and a master’s
Being told “medical school isn’t for you”—and continuing anyway
The reality of failure (“the L’s”) in medical training
How to handle rejection without quitting
Delayed gratification, debt, and why medicine has to be personal
Social media, professionalism, and the “new generation” of doctors
Why patients may actually want more human—not less—in their physicians

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Shay Taylor

Connect with Shay: @shayy.taylor

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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

The Match Is a Monopoly (And Everyone Knows It Now)

Season 1 · Episode 49

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 30:33

The Match is a monopoly. And now, it’s official.

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei is joined by Colin Royal for an emergency breakdown of a newly released congressional report from the House Judiciary Committee—one that directly calls the NRMP (residency Match) a monopoly with “destructive consequences” for physicians, patients, and the healthcare system at large.

If you’ve been through medical training, none of this is surprising.

But this is the first time it’s being said at this level.

We get into what this actually means—beyond Match Week, beyond the algorithm—and why this moment could mark the beginning of a long-overdue shift in how medical training is structured in the United States.

This is not a conversation about preference signaling or rank lists.

This is a conversation about power.

In this episode, we discuss:

The House Judiciary Committee report on the NRMP and why it matters
How the Match suppresses wages and limits competition
The 2004 antitrust exemption—and how it shaped the current system
Why residents have little to no negotiating power
The concept of “mobility” (and why being trapped is the real issue)
Why some specialties can treat trainees worse—and get away with it
Whether a “transfer portal” for residents could exist
The myth that residents are “just trainees”
How resident labor actually powers academic hospitals
Why this is not a residents vs. NPs/PAs issue—but a system-wide one

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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

Freedom, Fear, and the First Year Out: A.YoungDoctors.Journey on Locums Medicine

Season 1 · Episode 48

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • Duration 36:25

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances sits down with Helena (A.YoungDoctors.Journey), an emergency medicine physician redefining what early attending life can look like.

Fresh out of residency, she chose a path many physicians are warned against: full-time locum tenens work. What follows is an honest, nuanced conversation about autonomy, uncertainty, and what it means to build a career outside the traditional script.

They unpack:

The hidden fear of showing up online as a physician
Why “freedom of time” became non-negotiable
The reality of 1099 vs W-2 (explained simply)
Early attending insecurity—and why it’s universal
The myth that more years = better doctor
Travel, money, and the unexpected perks of locums
And the deeper question: what are you choosing by staying where you are?

This is not a pitch for leaving medicine—or for locums.

It’s a conversation about choice, agency, and expanding what feels possible.

Because the goal isn’t one path.

It’s knowing you have options.

A.YoungDoctors.Journey is an emergency medicine physician and recent residency graduate, and spends far too much of her free time posting about life in medicine on social media.

She completed medical school in Budapest and matched as a US-IMG. Currently, she’s doing locum tenens full-time and is learning how to navigate finances, entrepreneurship and attending life as a 1099 contractor.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: A.YoungDoctors.Journey

Connect with Helena: @a.youngdoctors.journey

From ICU Doctor to Filmmaker: Jessica Zitter on Extremis, Storytelling, and the Future of Medicine

Season 1 · Episode 47

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 • Duration 28:49

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei speaks with physician, writer, and documentary filmmaker Jessica Zitter, MD, whose work explores some of the most difficult, and most human, moments in medicine.

Dr. Zitter first gained international recognition through the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary Extremis, which captured the emotional reality of end-of-life care inside the ICU. Since then, she has continued to use storytelling to challenge the culture of modern medicine.

Together, Frances and Jessica discuss:

• How physicians become powerful storytellers

• Why medical culture often silences trainees

• The toxic hierarchies embedded in healthcare training

• The emotional toll of ICU and end-of-life care

• Why compassion, communication, and palliative care principles should exist in every specialty—not just palliative medicine

Jessica also shares the story behind her newest documentary, The Chaplain and the Doctor, which follows her 15-year collaboration with a hospital chaplain and explores spirituality, bias, and humanity at the bedside.

This conversation explores how storytelling can transform medicine—from the ICU to the operating room—and why speaking honestly about medical culture may be the first step toward changing it.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Jessica Zitter, MD, MPH

Connect with Jessica: @jessicazitter

reelmedicinemedia.org

thechaplainandthedoctor.com

Medicine in the Cheese: Advocacy, Social Media, and the Hidden Curriculum of Training

Season 1 · Episode 46

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 • Duration 42:37

n this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with urology resident and social media creator Maheetha Bharadwaj, MD—often known online as the internet’s favorite “dancing urologist.”

What begins with viral TikToks and Kardashian-style medical skits quickly turns into a deeper conversation about advocacy, physician voice, and the hidden curriculum of medical training. Maheetha explains how humor and creativity can be used to deliver serious health education—what Frances Mei calls “putting the medicine in the cheese.”

Together they explore:

• How doctors can use social media to educate patients

• The power of visibility for women and minorities in surgical specialties

• Why medicine’s hidden curriculum—not anatomy or pathophysiology—is often what breaks trainees

• Advocacy burnout and how physicians stay engaged without losing hope

• Why collaboration—not competition—may be the future of medicine

Maheetha also shares how her work now extends beyond Instagram and TikTok to state and national policy advocacy, speaking directly with legislators about issues affecting patient care.

This conversation is about creativity, courage, and the evolving role of physicians in public life—and why the next generation of doctors may change medicine by speaking out.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Maheetha Bharadwaj, MD

Connect with Maheetha: @dancing_uro_doc

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/maheetha-bharadwaj-md

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

Medicine, McKinsey & Making the Leap: Sarah Rav’s Reinvention Story

Season 1 · Episode 45

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 • Duration 31:33

What happens when the dream you chased your whole life stops feeling like yours?

This week on Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with Sarah Rav — former doctor, former McKinsey consultant, and now a positioning and content strategist helping professionals build powerful personal brands.

Sarah shares her journey from direct-entry medical school in Australia to corporate consulting, and ultimately to walking away from prestige entirely. Together, they unpack:

• The pressure of immigrant expectations and “safe” careers

• Prestige addiction and socially acceptable success

• The sunk cost fallacy in medicine

• Transferable skills doctors underestimate

• Why visibility matters more than hard work outside the hospital

• Dealing with online criticism (and why backlash can mean growth)

• The concept of being “brave scared”

If you’ve ever wondered whether the path you’re on is truly yours — or just the one you were taught to want — this episode will feel like permission.

As Sarah says:

"This is my rebirth. I decide who I am, how I show up, and what I leave behind."

You’re not behind. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Sarah Rav