The Podcast by KevinMD

"Definitions ground us in our profession and in our world. Definitions matter because they help us pause, give our body a moment to settle, and our breath time to move in and out. Our racist actions, inactions, and comments are invasive throughout our waking hours, but we can change them if we can define them. Racist. Anti-racist. Microaggression. Institutional racism. Don't let the words keep you tense. Let's move forward together and breathe." Joy Eberhardt De Master is a pediatrician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Racist. Anti-racist. Microaggression. Institutional racism. The power of a definition." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/racist-anti-racist-microaggression-institutional-racism-the-power-of-a-definition.html)

"The good news is that imposter syndrome can be quieted with increased awareness and replacing negative internal messages with positive ones. In our work together, I helped Sheila identify the voices, understand the positive role the voices fill (and there is always a positive or protective role), and find specific mechanisms for turning down the volume. Imposter syndrome may crop up again, but she now has a toolkit to quiet the intrusive thoughts and move ahead with confidence. Not only is Sheila now waking up without dread, she's explored several career paths and settled on one that she's excited about. You don't need to stay imprisoned in the dank dungeon of imposter syndrome. With the right tools, freedom is possible. Think of all you can accomplish, and how much lighter you will feel, when a more positive set of voices fills your head." Here's a questionnaire to assess imposter syndrome. (https://paulineroseclance.com/pdf/IPTestandscoring.pdf) Diane W. Shannon is an internal medicine physician and physician coach and can be reached at her self-titled site, Diane W. Shannon. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Solving imposter syndrome in physicians." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/solving-imposter-syndrome-in-physicians.html)

"In the world of medicine, inordinate stress is instead accepted as just part of the job. If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen- or see a therapist on your own time and dime. I strongly believe that traditional therapy and psychiatry are vital and valuable disciplines- I might not be here without them. But not everyone who needs help living through this crisis (or pre-coronavirus life) is mentally ill or needs a diagnosis in order to qualify for guidance and support. No one should have to go through this pandemic, or life itself, alone. Literally or metaphorically. Not even doctors. As we wait for scientists to develop a vaccine and improve the reliability of testing, it is a good time to confront the obvious: in order to come out intact, healthy and whole on the other side of this pandemic, we are going to have to build our emotional intelligence and learn how to be vulnerable again. The only way to heal is to feel." 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, "Vulnerability is challenging but necessary for health care professionals." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/vulnerability-is-challenging-but-necessary-for-health-care-professionals.html)

"As a young girl, I'd stand on my tiptoes, craning my neck to watch her sweep cerulean eye shadow across lids and smear foundation on sunken cheeks. While my high school friends resorted to secondhand eye shadow instruction from the pages of Teen magazine, I learned by watching my mom transform the face of a corpse with her skilled makeup application. My mother's gentle and methodical lipstick application entranced me. Back and forth. Slowly outlining the cupid's bow of a mouth. Delicately tracing of the arch in a feathery eyebrow. Until, wondrously, the corpse's vacant mask appeared serenely lifelike. With her artistry complete, no one could spot the thin line of super glue keeping the embalmed lips from springing open, or the plastic eye caps that gave the appearance of eyeballs peacefully resting in sockets. As I grew older, I pondered their last moments before this transition. What was the final word they spoke? Who received their last hug? What were they thinking when they realized their mortal roller-coaster ride was coming to a full and complete stop?" Lara Salyer is a family physician and author of Right Brain Rescue: One physician's journey from burnout to bliss reveals the creative muse in all of us. (https://amzn.to/3bw5XiQ) She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "One physician's journey from burnout to bliss reveals the creative muse in all of us." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/one-physicians-journey-from-burnout-to-bliss-reveals-the-creative-muse-in-all-of-us.html)

"I just started laughing. It was early on Monday morning during our COVID surge. I couldn't help myself. Phones were not on yet, but I already had triage COVID calls. "Put on your roller skates" was all I was thinking. I questioned my laughter. The day and a life of a primary care physician during COVID. Not a fun one by any means. Certainly not one to laugh at. But, if we don't laugh, we would cry. Everyone knows that cliche. Our days never end. We don't leave. The EMR has made sure of that. The nurses and staff are expected to smile and be respectful. They have, in fact, been so amazing during this pandemic. They have shown up every day with smiles on their faces." Kelly Lisciandro is an internal medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Why do I laugh during a pandemic?" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/why-do-i-laugh-during-a-pandemic.html)

"As a professional woman who most identifies as a physician more than any other title, I know that I run the risk of losing myself to this disease. I am not ignorant to the risk. I understand that my identity is supposed to be separate from my achievements and that my babies are supposed to make me value something greater than my career. But my oath runs through me in a way that I can only describe as visceral. And for this reason, the pain is that much worse. Because as much as I miss them. And as much as I miss me. I can't not keep going. Because they deserve the best we have to offer. And those of us who have stood here on the front lines for over 10 months know more than anyone else, that if we don't do it, then who will?" Nicole M. King is an anesthesiologist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "I keep going because I miss them. And I miss me." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/i-keep-going-because-i-miss-them-and-i-miss-me.html)

"Research conducted by the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI), a nonprofit research organization in New York, defines the three pillars of executive presence (EP) as gravitas, communication, and image. Stated differently, EP reflects how you act, how you speak, and how you look. CTI concluded that when people are perceived as capable of becoming leaders, they are more likely to be promoted into leadership roles. This is particularly important for aspiring female leaders who continue to battle both conscious and unconscious gender bias. Studies show that men are more often associated with leadership qualities and women with nurturing qualities. This forces women to confront the need to master an intricate balancing act that simultaneously conveys both softness and strength." Nandita C. Gupta is a cardiologist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Executive presence for women leaders." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/executive-presence-for-women-leaders.html)

"I am grateful that I work in a small rural hospital that is like a family. I am grateful that my organization has done everything in its power to protect us… but I hope we can do better. I hope medical workers have enough left within them to give their all for the coming months. Now we are in November with cases on the rise throughout the country: I hope we are more prepared. As the medical community, we do everything we can to protect our patients, our loved ones, and ourselves. Life in the emergency department during COVID has been some of the most emotionally and physically taxing of my career, but I remain optimistic that there is hope." Andrew Tisser is an emergency physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Life in the emergency department during COVID: a rural physician's perspective." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/life-in-the-emergency-department-during-covid-a-rural-physicians-perspective.html)

"Let's meet in the middle and listen to what's happening in communities. All across U.S. communities, there are pockets of promise and programs focused on family interventions, behavior change, and health disparities, but there are many obstacles to true change. Currently, the work relies on visionary champions within a community, but when the champion leaves the work, the work often goes away. There is a lack of resources on every level, from public health, research, primary care, specialty care, and advocacy, especially to sustain and scale effective efforts. The burden of sustainability must not be placed on one champion's shoulders, but rather viewed as an opportunity for sustainability and must be a shared effort among multiple partners representing multiple sectors." Karla Lester is a pediatrician. She shares her story and discusses the KevinMD article, "When it comes to weight stigma in children and teens, let's meet in the middle." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/when-it-comes-to-weight-stigma-in-children-and-teens-lets-meet-in-the-middle.html)

"When you're applying to medical school, it's remarkable how much four years or more of intense work can come down to one single day. The medical school interview is high stakes: studies have found that interview performance is the most important factor in admissions decisions. While your MCAT score and your GPA can help secure an interview invitation, it's your interview performance that matters most when it comes to acceptance to medical school. I've advised many students who are prepping for their interviews, and what I've found is that overall they're great about avoiding certain common mistakes. They practice their handshake, know what to wear, and already researched the school's interview format. But I've found that many talented and highly accomplished applicants still make several other (very common) mistakes in their interview preparation." Rajani Katta is a dermatologist and author of Conquer the Medical School Interview and The Successful Match. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "5 common and commonly overlooked mistakes in the medical school interview." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/5-common-and-commonly-overlooked-mistakes-in-the-medical-school-interview.html)