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You brace yourself for a casualty. You think you're ready. But nothing prepares you for the moment you walk into a morgue and see the face of someone you know. a brother in arms, someone you trained alongside, now gone.

In healthcare, we are taught to be strong. To put the mission first. But what happens when grief catches up to you, and you have nowhere to put it?

In this deeply personal episode, Fred opens up about his time as a Hospital Corpsman in Afghanistan and the specific day, August 11, 2011, that changed his understanding of loss forever.

We explore the concept of "Cumulative Grief," the danger of the "stay strong" culture, and the practical tools you can use to process the heavy weight of this profession without breaking under it.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The "Debt" of Grief: Why suppressing your emotions works in the short term but costs you everything in the long term.
• Survivor’s Guilt: How to distinguish between "I am responsible for the care" and "I am responsible for the outcome".
• The Power of "The Pause": A simple, 60-second ritual teams can use after a code to honor the life lost and reset before the next patient.
• How to Support a Teammate: Why saying "I'm here" is infinitely better than saying "Let me know if you need anything".

Dedicated in Memory of: HN Riley Gallinger-Long KIA Aug 11, 2011

Your grief is proof that you cared. And caring is what makes you a healer.

Mental Health Resources:

If you or a colleague are struggling, please reach out. You are not alone.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988 (24/7, Free & Confidential)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• HSE Mental Health Services: hse.ie/grief

Additional Reading:

• HSE Mental Health Services: hse.ie/grief
• Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation: ekrfoundation.org

Your grief is proof that you cared. And caring is what makes you a healer.

💙 Love this episode? Follow. and share MAP with someone chasing their healthcare dreams! | 📧 Questions, ideas, or story to share? mappodcast@outlook.com | 📱 Follow @MAPpodcastofficial on Instagram & Facebook | MAP: Medical Pathways for Success Your roadmap to a thriving medical career.

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When plans fail, you adapt. In this off-script episode, Fred reflects on the first 9 episodes and reveals what's ahead; deeper, harder, more human topics.

There's an old military saying: "No plan survives first contact with the enemy." Today, that became reality when the scheduled guest couldn't make it. But in healthcare, we don't stop when plans break, we adapt.

In this raw, unscripted Checkpoint episode, Fred Nazario-Alvarado goes off script for the first time. He reflects on where MAP has been, shares more of his personal journey from Navy corpsman to medical assistant instructor, and reveals the direction the podcast is heading, toward the harder, emotional topics healthcare professionals rarely discuss.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the first 9 episodes were designed as "boot camp" for your healthcare career
• The importance of knowing your "why" (and why Episode 1 remains the most critical)
• Fred's personal story: from military service to civilian struggle to finding his way back to medicine
• Why tactics get you hired, but emotional armor keeps you from burning out
• What's coming next: grief, burnout, resilience, and the conversations healthcare truly needs
• The "Identity Check" challenge to reconnect with who you are beyond the scrubs

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt lost when things didn't go as planned, and needs a reminder that adapting is what we do.

💙 Love this episode? Follow. and share MAP with someone chasing their healthcare dreams! | 📧 Questions, ideas, or story to share? mappodcast@outlook.com | 📱 Follow @MAPpodcastofficial on Instagram & Facebook | MAP: Medical Pathways for Success Your roadmap to a thriving medical career.

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Discover why your support system is like a patient's vital signs, and how to build a circle that carries you through your healthcare journey when it matters most.

In this episode, Fred Nazario-Alvarado shares a deeply personal story from his first days of Navy bootcamp, a moment of complete isolation that taught him the difference between surviving and thriving in healthcare. You'll learn why no one succeeds alone, how to recognize the people who truly elevate your growth, and what sustains you when your support system can't be in the room with you.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your support system functions like a patient's vital signs
• The four qualities to look for in the people closest to you: steady, honest, grounded, and growth-minded
• How to assess your current circle and identify gaps
• Signs a relationship may not be serving your growth
• The powerful role your "WHY" plays when you're standing alone
• How to build and strengthen your support system starting today

Whether you're a nursing student, medical assistant, EMT, or anyone pursuing a healthcare career, this episode will remind you that your journey is too important to walk alone—and that you are worth fighting for.

💙 Love this episode? Follow. and share MAP with someone chasing their healthcare dreams! | 📧 Questions, ideas, or story to share? mappodcast@outlook.com | 📱 Follow @MAPpodcastofficial on Instagram & Facebook | MAP: Medical Pathways for Success Your roadmap to a thriving medical career.