Flourishing Leaders Podcast Episode 42: “Practical Wisdom in Medicine: Appreciative Inquiry, Adversity, and the Relational Heart of Healthcare” with Margaret 'Peggy' Plews-Ogan, MD MS
What if the future of healthcare depends less on doing more — and more on becoming wiser?
In this powerful episode of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with Margaret “Peggy” Plews-Ogan, MD MS — physician, educator, and wisdom researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine — to explore what it means to lead with practical wisdom (phronesis) in a field that is often pressured to “widgetize” what is fundamentally relational.
Peggy shares a deeply human vision of flourishing leadership in medicine — grounded in meaning, growth, and the courage to stay connected to diverse perspectives. Together, we explore how wisdom is formed, how adversity can become growth (not just pain), and why appreciative practices can restore joy and purpose in healthcare teams.
You’ll learn:
- Why wisdom is different from knowledge, competence, and technical expertise — and why it matters in healthcare
- A practical framework for wisdom: compassion (affective), reflection (perspective-taking), and humility (cognitive)
- Why adversity doesn’t automatically produce wisdom — and what support and reflection make the difference
- How the Phronesis Project helps medical learners cultivate lifelong virtues like humility, forgiveness, curiosity, and gratitude
- How Appreciative Inquiry shifts culture by asking “what’s strong?” not only “what’s wrong?”
- Why story, meaning-making, and advocacy are essential for post-traumatic growth
- Peggy’s call to “take back the relationality” of healthcare — for clinicians and patients alike
Peggy also shares the moving story of her husband Jim’s ALS journey and the Hummingbird Fund’s advocacy — including resources that reframe illness through hope, wholeness, and what can still grow.
Whether you’re a clinician, educator, leader, or simply a human navigating complexity — this episode offers wisdom you can practice.
Listen now — and ask yourself: Where do I need more wisdom… not just more knowledge?
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Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.
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