In this episode of Social Rounds, Tony Chin-Quee, Frances Mei Hardin, and friend-of-the-pod Ryan Montoya dive into one of the wildest stories we’ve ever heard: a month-long artist residency in a French chateau that slowly descended into chaos.

Ryan shares what it was like living with 27 artists from around the world—waking up to croissants and champagne in the French countryside while creating art all day. But what started as a dreamlike creative retreat quickly turned into something closer to a reality TV show, complete with personality clashes, generational conflicts, Instagram arguments, and a dramatic early exit.

The group unpacks what happens when big personalities, creative egos, and a little too much wine collide in a tiny town of 79 people.

Along the way, they explore bigger questions about identity, creativity, and why physicians should never abandon the parts of themselves that exist outside medicine.

Topics include:

• Life at an artist residency in rural France

• When creative retreats become interpersonal drama

• The generational divide between Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X artists

• Why creative identity matters—even for physicians

• The importance of keeping your artistic side alive

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when doctors, artists, and big personalities collide in a castle in the French countryside… this episode delivers.

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Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

In Part 2 of our conversation with Kate Buhrke, DO, we pick up where her story left off — inside the realities of surgical residency.

Kate shares what happened after transferring programs, the culture shock of moving from a county hospital to a private practice environment, and how speaking up about resident conditions quickly labeled her a “problem resident.” What started as advocacy for fairness — from educational funding to work hours — eventually escalated into probation, retaliation, and a system increasingly determined to push her out.

This episode dives into the hidden curriculum of medical training:

1. the politics of residency programs
2. what “not a good fit” often really means
3. how institutions protect themselves
4. and why speaking up can come at a steep personal cost.

Kate reflects on the moment her residency ended, the emotional aftermath, and how she’s now rebuilding her career in medicine in a different way — while helping other trainees navigate similar experiences.

This is a candid conversation about power, culture, and survival in medicine — and why losing your position doesn’t mean losing your purpose.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

In this episode of Social Rounds, Tony and Frances Mei sit down with Dr. Kate Buhrke — rock climber, former ortho gunner, and unapologetic regime-builder.

Kate shares her journey from growing up in suburban Illinois (not Chicago, according to Tony), to climbing hundreds of feet without ropes, to eating, sleeping, and breathing orthopedic surgery… and then not matching.

They talk about:

1. The identity crisis of not matching
2. What surgery demands of you — and what it takes back
3. The paradox of “putting all your eggs in one basket”
4. The culture of ortho
5. Whether ChatGPT in journal club is criminal or minimal
6. And why sometimes you just have to decide you’re not going to fall

This one is about ambition, ego, shame, calling, and what survives when your professional identity doesn’t.

Plus: apple-cracking intimidation tactics.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective