Girl Doc Survival Guide

Girl Doc Survival Guide

Young doctors are increasingly in ‘survival’ mode. Far from flourishing, the relentless pressure of working in medicine means that ‘balance’ is harder than ever to achieve. On the Girl Doc Survival Guide, Yale professor and dermatologist Dr Christine J Ko sits down with doctors, psychologists and mental health experts to dig into the real challenges and rewards of life in medicine. From dealing with daily stressors and burnout to designing a career that doesn’t sacrifice your personal life, this podcast is all about giving you the tools to not just survive... But to be present in the journey.

Episodes

April 23, 2025 30 mins

Thriving as a Savvy Working Mom: Insights from Whitnee Hawthorne

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine welcomes Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel and Hospitality at Snowflake and author of The Savvy Working Mom: A Guide to Prioritization, Delegation, and Making Time for Cocktails. Whitnee shares her personal journey from New York to Georgia, detailing how she and her husband juggle careers, family, and sel...

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The Intersection of Medical Humanities and Physician Wellness with Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain, MD, Faculty Director for UME Medical Humanities and Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses her advocacy for incorporating medical humanities into medical education to teach empathy, perspective taking, and improve communication skills. Dr. Sw...

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Balancing Healing and Doctoring: Insights from Dr. Dympna Weil

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Dympna Weil, a former Ob/Gyn hospitalist, discusses her experiences with vestibular migraine and how these challenges reshaped her approach to physician wellness. Dr. Weil highlights the complexities of navigating the healthcare system as a physician-patient, the emotional toll of health-related identity crises, and the...

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Navigating Intimacy and Connection in High-Stress Professional Lives

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell, a physician turned relationship expert, shares her journey and insights into nurturing passionate and fulfilling relationships for high-achieving professionals, particularly those in medicine. Dr. Stockwell discusses the challenges faced by physician couples, emphasizing the importance of tran...

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Breaking Stereotypes in Orthopedic Surgery: A Conversation with Ms. Deepa Bose

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Ms. Deepa Bose, a consultant in Orthopedic Trauma and Limb Reconstruction at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, UK. With over 13 years of experience, Ms. Bose shares her journey in the traditionally male-dominated field of orthopedics. She discusses her upbringing in Guyana and Ind...

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Emotional Intelligence in Healthcare: Insights from Dr. Robin Stern

In this episode of 'The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine welcomes Dr. Robin Stern, a key authority on emotional intelligence. They discuss the vital role emotional intelligence plays in healthcare, exploring its impact on patient interactions, workplace challenges, and the parallels between parenting and medical practice. Dr. Stern emphasizes the importance o...

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The Power of Emotional Connection in Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Laurie Lyckholm

In this episode of the Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Laurie Lyckholm, a hematologist oncologist, discusses her three-decade journey challenging the notion that doctors should emotionally distance themselves from patients. Despite traditional training advocating emotional detachment as a professional strength, Dr. Lyckholm's experiences and men...

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Overcoming Burnout: Insights from Dr. Kathy Stepien

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Kathy Stepien, founder of the Institute for Physician Wellness, shares her journey from experiencing burnout as a physical therapist to thriving as a pediatrician and coach. She discusses the importance of self-compassion, setting boundaries, and recognizing one's own capacity in order to prevent burnout. Dr. Stepien offers p...

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Navigating Work-Life Balance in ENT Surgery with Dr. Nina Shapiro

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we chat with Dr. Nina Shapiro, MD a seasoned pediatric surgeon from UCLA who has over 25 years of experience and has successfully balanced her demanding career with raising a family. Dr. Shapiro shares her journey, discussing the unrealistic advice on work-life balance she received, the challenges of internalizing societ...

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The Intersection of Dermatopathology and Emotional Intelligence with Dr. Maxwell Fung

In this episode, Christine welcomes Dr. Maxwell Fung, a seasoned dermatologist and dermatopathologist, who shares his insights from over 25 years of experience. Dr. Fung discusses pivotal 'soft skills', such as communication and active listening, that have shaped his career. He also delves into the challenges of error and lifelong learnin...

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Empowering Women Leaders in Medicine: An Interview with Dr. Susan Hingle

In this episode, Dr. Susan Hingle, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, discusses the ongoing gender gap in medical leadership. Dr. Hingle emphasizes the importance of combining data with personal stories to drive change, shares her journey in medicine, and highlights the significance of relationships and ...

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Navigating Healthcare: Mentorship, Wellbeing, and Innovation with Dr. Vineet Arora

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Vineet Arora, Herbert T. Abelson Professor of Medicine and Dean for Medical Education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Arora discusses her career trajectory, emphasizing the importance of preparation, passion, and leadership in medical education. She talks about the significance of men...

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Transforming Physician Well-being: Mindfulness and Awareness with Dr. Jessie Mahoney

In this episode, Dr. Jessie Mahoney, a pediatrician turned physician wellness expert, shares her extensive experience and practical wisdom on how doctors can move from merely surviving to thriving in their practice. Dr. Mahoney discusses common, yet often unrecognized, detrimental mindsets such as self-sacrifice, over-responsibility, toxic independe...

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Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health and Burnout with Dr. Anita Everett

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Anita Everett, a psychiatrist and mental health advocate. They discuss the importance of reducing stigma, improving mental health support systems for healthcare providers, and separating burnout from mental illness. Dr. Everett shares her personal experiences and ...

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Pursuing Passion in Medicine: Dr. Neda Frayha's Journey from Academia to Audio Storytelling

In this episode, Christine hosts Dr. Neda Frayha, who shares her journey from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and her work in academic medicine to a career in audio storytelling. With a deep passion for humanizing medicine through education and storytelling, Neda discusses her transformative experience at an audio storytell...

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Show notes

Revitalizing Healthcare: Coping Strategies and Empathy with Dr. Andrea Austin

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Austin, a distinguished emergency physician and author of the book 'Revitalized,' joins to discuss the challenges and coping mechanisms in healthcare. Dr. Austin shares her unique journey through military and emergency medicine, her experiences with stress and burnout, and how she revitalized her career by ta...

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Exploring Burnout Prevention with Diane Shannon

In this episode, Christine interviews Diane Shannon, a former physician turned coach and writer, who shares her journey from experiencing severe burnout in clinical practice to her current role in addressing systemic healthcare issues. Diane highlights the importance of recognizing burnout, the interplay between individual and systemic factors, and the power of small, intentional chang...

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Authenticity in Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Markus Boos

In this episode, Christine interviews Dr. Markus Boos, a pediatric dermatologist at Seattle Children's Hospital and Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Boos shares his personal journey of coming out at 37 and discusses the importance of authenticity in both personal and professional life. The conversation delves into the challe...

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The Human Side of Dermatopathology: A Conversation with Dr. Victor Prieto

In this episode, Dr. Victor Prieto, a pathologist and dermatopathologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the fallibility of experts, the importance of addressing mistakes in medicine, and the crucial balance of experience and humility in clinical practice. He shares insights into improving patient care by learning from errors, the significance of self-...

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Navigating Perfectionism and Burnout in High-Stress Professions with Dr. Chrissy Cammarata

In this episode, Dr. Chrissy Cammarata, a licensed psychologist specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and related disorders, shares her insights on managing stress, finding balance, and overcoming perfectionism and burnout in high-stress fields like healthcare. Through evidence-based treatments such as CBT and ACT, Dr. Cammar...

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