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

January 21, 2026 17 mins

Overdiagnosis and Medical Decision Making with Dr. Kathleen Kerr

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Kathleen Kerr, a Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Washington, discusses overdiagnosis and medical decision making. Dr. Kerr delves into how patients perceive mammogram results, the difference between overdiagnosis and overcalling, and the challenges pathologists face in diagnosing cancer. She also share...

Mark as Played

The Impact of Gaze and Fatigue on Medical Decision-Making with Dr. Bulat Ibragimov

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Dr. Bulat Ibragimov, an Associate Professor of Machine Learning and Medical Imaging at the University of Copenhagen. Dr. Ibragimov shares personal anecdotes and discusses his research on the role of artificial intelligence and eye tracking in medical decision-making. Key topics inclu...

Mark as Played

Exploring Wellbeing, Motivation, and Lifelong Learning with Dr. Oksana Babenko

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine welcomes Dr. Oksana Babenko, an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, to discuss themes of wellbeing, motivation, and lifelong learning. Dr. Babenko shares her personal journey from the Soviet Union to Canada, her academic inspirations, and how her experiences in sports have shaped her ...

Mark as Played
December 31, 2025 1 min

The Girl Doc Survival Guide: Wellbeing in Medicine

In this New Year's Eve 2026 short, Christine highlights the focus of this podcast on work-life balance, physician wellbeing, burnout, and self-care; as well as compassion, empathy, career development, and emotional experiences in healthcare. Upcoming episodes will feature conversations with Dr. Oksana Babenko on preventing burnout with exercise and mindset, and Dr. Bulat Ibragi...

Mark as Played
December 23, 2025 2 mins

Embrace the Present: Insights from Sadhguru

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine extends holiday greetings and delves into the teachings of Indian guru Sadhguru. Highlighting his Miracle of Mind meditation app, the episode discusses the practice of daily seven-minute meditations aimed at reinforcing the ideas that we are not merely our bodies or minds, but life itself. Christine reflects on the notion that life&...

Mark as Played

Navigating Dermatopathology with Dr. Ronald Barr: An Inspiring Career Journey

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Dr. Ronald Barr, a seasoned pathologist, dermatologist, and dermatopathologist. Dr. Barr shares his intriguing journey from his time in the Navy to his pivotal mentorship with Dr. James Graham. He explores the complexities of diagnostic discordance, the evolution of dermatopathology, and ...

Mark as Played

Questioning Overdiagnosis: A Conversation with Dr. H Gilbert Welch

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine speaks with Dr. H Gilbert Welch, a general internist and senior researcher at the Center for Surgery in Public Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Welch is known for his critical views on the medical profession, particularly around the issue of overdiagnosis in cancer screening. He explains the co...

Mark as Played
December 3, 2025 2 mins

Thanksgiving Reflections and Insights on Perception and Overdiagnosis

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine expresses gratitude for listeners and contributors, especially highlighting recent enlightening discussions. Dr. Claudia Mello-Thoms shared insights on subconscious perception in dermatopathology, while an upcoming episode will feature Dr. H. Gilbert Welch discussing over-diagnosis and the limitations of st...

Mark as Played

Dr. Scott Binder on Life Lessons and Medical Philosophy

Dr. Scott Binder, MD, shares his journey from a dermatopathology residency at UCLA to directing his own practice. He recounts challenges such as his first autopsy during the AIDS crisis and discusses overcoming prejudice, emphasizing the significance of resilience and putting patients first. Dr. Binder highlights the importance of moral integrity in medicine, continuous learnin...

Mark as Played

Understanding Visual Perception in Medical Diagnoses: A Deep Dive with Claudia Mello-Thoms


In this episode, Christine continues the conversation with Claudia Mello-Thoms, an expert in visual perception as it relates to medical diagnosis. The discussion delves into the use of templates by experts to quickly recognize abnormalities in medical images, despite their large size and complexity. Claudia explains how perception operate...

Mark as Played

Visual Expertise and Diagnostic Accuracy with Claudia Mello-Thoms, PhD

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Claudia Mello-Thoms, PhD, an Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Iowa. Claudia discusses her research on visual search, medical image perception, and why errors occur in reading radiological images. Key topics include the use of eye tracking to detect...

Mark as Played

The Sacred Duty of Healthcare: A Conversation with Theresa Brown

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Theresa Brown, PhD, RN, a registered nurse, New York Times bestselling author, and cancer survivor. The discussion delves into Brown's experiences as both a clinician and a patient, highlighting the emotional challenges and the need for compassion in healthcare. Brown shares insights from her boo...

Mark as Played

Career Planning and Wellbeing for Doctors with Dr. Naomi Elton

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Naomi Elton, a systemic therapist and retired consultant psychiatrist, discusses her career journey and the importance of career planning and self-care for doctors. She talks about her new book with co-author Caroline Elton, PhD: 'Career Planning for Doctors: An Evidence-based Guide,' which provides practical ...

Mark as Played

Navigating Autism and End of Life: A Conversation with Dr. Caroline Elton

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, host Christine invites back psychologist Dr. Caroline Elton, who has extensive experience supporting doctors' emotional wellbeing. Dr. Elton discusses her new book, Looking After: A Portrait of My Autistic Brother, and touches on end-of-life care.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:59 Discussing 'Loo...

Mark as Played

Cultivating Joy in Medicine: Dr. Madeline Lagina on PERMA and Positive Psychology

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Madeline Lagina, Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, delves into the importance of joy in education and medicine. Drawing from her paper on the PERMA model—a framework for well-being comprising Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment—Dr. Lagina ...

Mark as Played

Exploring Physician Grief and Burnout with Dr. Annia Raja

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine chats with Dr. Annia Raja, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in therapy for high achievers, including physicians. Dr. Raja shares insights from her own experiences as a physician's spouse and dives deep into the many facets of grief that physicians encounter, including personal losses, changes in ident...

Mark as Played

A Journey with Dr. Luiza Laborne Kalil

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine speaks with Dr. Luiza Laborne Kalil, a dermatologist specializing in hair loss and an Assistant Professor at Yale. Dr. Kalil shares her inspiring journey from Brazil to the US, including her rapid completion of the USMLE tests while balancing work and family life. They discuss the challenges of work-life balance, finding motivation, and ...

Mark as Played

Dr. Hafeez Diwan: The Power of 'Meh', Writing Passions, and Handling Obnoxious People

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Hafeez Diwan, Professor of Pathology, Immunology, and Dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine, shares insights on his diverse writing endeavors, from self-help books to a young adult sci-fi fantasy novel co-authored with his daughter. Highlighting ideas from his books 'The Power o...

Mark as Played

Navigating Grief with Dr. Tony Subtil: Acceptance, Processing, and Adjustment

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine explores the topic of grief with Dr. Tony Subtil, a Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of British Columbia and author of the textbook Diagnosis of Cutaneous Lymphoid Infiltrates: A Visual Approach to Differential Diagnosis and Knowledge Gaps. Dr. Subtil shares his personal e...

Mark as Played

Career and Family: A Conversation with Dr. Jane Grant-Kels

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Christine interviews Dr. Jane Grant-Kels, a prominent dermatologist and Professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Dr. Grant-Kels shares insights from her extensive career in dermatology, including founding the UConn Dermatology residency program and receiving numerous accolades. She offers personal anecdotes abo...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.