The Podcast by KevinMD

"We need to crawl before we walk and walk before we run. The first step is to establish your why. Why do you want the financial freedom to practice medicine because you want to, the way you want to instead of because you have to? Without a why, even achieving financial freedom can be an empty victory. After this, start your financial education. Pick a personal finance book and read 10 pages a day. Read one finance blog post each day. Small efforts will lead to big rewards. After this, you are ready to develop your own written financial plan and start your financial well-being journey!" Jordan Frey is a plastic surgeon and can be reached at The Prudent Plastic Surgeon and on Twitter @jordanfreymd. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Why do physicians fail to focus on their personal finances?" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/why-do-physicians-fail-to-focus-on-their-personal-finances.html)

"My children are embarking on their own lives now. While their paths are not taking them into medicine, I see how medicine has influenced their lives. They are committed to investing in themselves to reach their desired outcomes. They understand the value of dreaming big as they create a life and career they may not envision before. They help others. They enjoy the process through the long hours of study and hard work. From that perspective, it was worth it all." Stephanie Wellington is a physician and can be reached at Nurturing MDs. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Medicine's contribution to my family." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/medicines-contribution-to-my-family.html)

"Decreasing the burden of combustion material, whether from a cigarette, a power plant, or an engine, will not only pay off now in reducing COVID-19 but also in future pandemics and in reaping the health care benefits of decreasing the constant toll of tobacco and air pollution in our communities. As physicians and others in health care who want to do all we can to bring an end to this pandemic and build healthier futures for our patients and loved ones, we should make sure to reach out to our local city council, county, and other elected officials to take fuel away from COVID-19 by advocating for clean air. " Erika Maria Moseson is a practicing, board-certified pulmonary and critical care physician. She is founder, Air Health Our Health, an educational website and podcast on the importance of healthy air and a stable climate, and can be reached on Facebook and Instagram. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "An anniversary: Reflecting on COVID-19 and combustion." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/an-anniversary-reflecting-on-covid-19-and-combustion.html)

"My world tumbled upside down. I was managing taking care of three children from home, helping them navigate the realities of our new world while trying to keep my staff employed and safe. I sadly said goodbye to many team members as they made the difficult choice to stay home. We had to figure out how to deliver health care in this new world, where PPE was not widely available, and so many questions lingered about the virus. I had to put the needs of patients, staff, and my children before my own. That's what we all do as mothers and as physicians. I underestimated how long the sacrifices would last. I watched my schedule increase from three days of patient care to five, along with running the business and managing employees, recording podcasts, and holding educational events. We run a health care business to educate, advocate for, and empower our patients. Yet, in the midst of all this, here I was at the helm, the unhealthiest I had ever been. I had abdominal pain, insomnia, anxiety. I had walked away from working out and was not careful about the food I was choosing to put into my body." Somi Javaid is an obstetrician-gynecologist and founder and CEO, HERmd. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How I lost sight of my own health care while creating a women's health care company." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/02/how-i-lost-sight-of-my-own-health-care-while-creating-a-womens-health-care-company.html)

"We can't escape shame. But don't despair, dear reader, because shame resilience can be cultivated. There are mental-fitness skills that can be learned which are self-perpetuating. I taught myself these skills and, in doing so, healed my own wounds – you can, too. Once you have the skills to recognize and manage shame in a healthy way, you'll no longer be held hostage by the perceived need to betray yourself by pretending to be someone other than who you are. An enormous weight is lifted, and the world feels safer when viewed through a lens of self-trust. There's no better investment you can make in yourself." Tracey O'Connell is a radiologist and physician coach. She can be reached at her self-titled site, Tracey O'Connell, M.D. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Why we deny our imperfections in medicine." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/04/no-one-taught-us-the-skills-to-cope-with-feeling-bad-about-ourselves.html)

"There were many things to be processed about that event. It happened within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its disproportional effects on the African American community, and a few days after the murder of George Floyd, an African American man killed at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer by asphyxiation. His murder was the third in a row of recent and widely publicized, unjust killings around the country. First, Ahmaud Arbery; second, Breonna Taylor; and third, George Floyd — all within a few short months. Their deaths sparked a social zeitgeist that exposed America's divisions and systemic racism at a level we haven't seen in a long time." Toba Bolaji is a surgery resident and can be reached on Twitter @tobabolaji. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The day my patient called me the N-word." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/the-day-my-patient-called-me-the-n-word.html)

"We created a core team of individuals from different levels and functions who met daily. This team's purpose was to receive and synthesize department-wide information and transform it into new ways of working for our doctors, nurses, ancillary, and support staff. We had a compelling vision which was shared with our department. We made it clear to everyone that they were supported and valued and that we would do everything we could to save as many lives as possible. We knew the importance of making sure that our staff felt heard, and we communicated our change while building upon the positive in our department. We used the facts in combination with the sentiment and feedback received from our co-workers prior to making decisions." Josh Schwarzbaum is an emergency physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "How COVID accelerates change: Bridging business principles with emergency medicine." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/how-covid-accelerates-change-bridging-business-principles-with-emergency-medicine.html)

"Where do we go from here? Conventional wisdom suggests that we can only transform ourselves. This is why I propose that we attempt to recognize the Trump that lies within each of us and to heal him. We are plagued not just by the pandemic but by the human condition—and no part of us should be left behind. We often persuade ourselves we have outsmarted the Leviathan by traveling to a far-off land, only to find that the beast followed by sea, swimming clumsily but steadily along in our wake." Beck Ballentine is an internal medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Recognize the Trump that lies within each of us and try to heal him." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/recognize-the-trump-that-lies-within-each-of-us-and-try-to-heal-him.html)

"Social connectedness is the remedy to the COVID fatigue that is running rampant in the United States. We need to stay connected to those we love. At the same time, we must also recognize that life is going on in the age of COVID-19, which means what happened to Mariana is occurring in all of our communities. Vulnerable populations need our help, and in our case, NSRN is working to be there for them through this uncertain time. We encourage all Americans to seek out opportunities to become more socially connected through volunteering. There are opportunities all across the country to provide much-needed support both remotely and in person. Just giving a little of your time can be a game-changing decision for people like Mariana, especially during the upcoming holiday season." Ashten Duncan is a medical student. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Social connectedness, volunteerism, and the remedy for COVID fatigue." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/social-connectedness-volunteerism-and-the-remedy-for-covid-fatigue.html)

"As I leaned against the pristine wall, my vision suddenly dimmed. Everything turned gray. I gulped for air. My arms and legs went numb. I felt that drowning sensation I'd had in third grade when a nun pushed my head between my legs to keep me from fainting in church on a brutally hot June day. Or like the time when I was eight months pregnant, took a hot shower at the university gym, and almost belly-flopped onto the concrete floor. I prayed that I wouldn't pass out on my first day of medical school classes. I didn't want those MDs-to-be, all smarter and younger than I, to know I couldn't handle this, that I didn't belong." Anne McTiernan is an internal medicine physician and epidemiologist. She is the author of Cured: A Doctor's Journey from Panic to Peace. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A panic attack brought on by the stress of medical school." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/02/a-panic-attack-brought-on-by-the-stress-of-medical-school.html)