Couverture de Sustainable Clinical Medicine with The Charting Coach

Sustainable Clinical Medicine with The Charting Coach

Sustainable Clinical Medicine with The Charting Coach

De : Dr. Sarah Smith
Écouter gratuitement

À propos de ce contenu audio

 On the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast we are capturing the stories of physicians who have made clinical medicine sustainable in their own lives, including their before and after stories. I will also interview coaches who are helping Physicians create sustainable clinical medicine for themselves.© 2026 2024 Economie Hygiène et vie saine Maladie et pathologies physiques Psychologie Psychologie et psychiatrie Réussite personnelle
Les membres Amazon Prime bénéficient automatiquement de 2 livres audio offerts chez Audible.

Vous êtes membre Amazon Prime ?

Bénéficiez automatiquement de 2 livres audio offerts.
Bonne écoute !
    Épisodes
    • Burnout in healthcare isn't just about being tired. It's feeling numb, checked out, and ready to walk away from the career you worked years to build. Dr. Nikia Smith Ep 159

      Burnout in healthcare isn't just about being tired. It's feeling numb, checked out, and ready to walk away from the career you worked years to build. Dr. Nikia Smith Ep 159
      Feb 16 2026
      Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast! In this interview, Dr. Nakia Smith, a board-certified anesthesiologist, wellness coach, and retreat curator, shares how she experienced burnout twice during her attending career and nearly left medicine. She describes early warning signs (persistent fatigue despite rest, increasing irritability, and eventual emotional numbness and autopilot), and links her initial burnout to chronic understaffing after colleagues left and a lack of administrative support, including being told the team was “handling it so well” that additional hires were unnecessary. After a near-20-hour call shift, she set boundaries by refusing further call, began educating herself on burnout, compassion fatigue, and self-compassion (including reading Kristin Neff), and rebuilt recovery through small, joy-based habits, movement (starting with Pilates), and reconnecting with community. She ultimately left a job that would not put agreed terms into a contract, moved to a no-call role to regain nights and weekends, and later negotiated for a part-time contract; she now works in Las Vegas under a contract requiring eight days per month, aligned with her goal of working 10 days or less. Dr. Smith explains how her personal retreat became an annual four-day wellness retreat for physicians (expanding to other clinicians) that includes CME and group learning on moral injury, perfectionism, invisible labor/“third shift,” and practical strategies such as boundary-setting, negotiating schedules, and mutual support (including helping participants craft emails). She advises clinicians to talk to others to learn what’s possible, keep asking for what they need (e.g., administrative time for committee work), and recognize that burnout recovery is not a quick fix but a process of re-engaging with self and community. Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode: Burnout Recovery Takes Time and Intentional Action: Burnout develops gradually over years, and recovery requires more than just rest. Dr. Smith emphasizes reconnecting with activities that bring joy and energy (like movement, hobbies, and community), even when exhausted. Small, consistent steps—like 5-minute walks or puzzles—can help rebuild your capacity to recharge. Advocate for Your Non-Negotiables: Healthcare systems often claim certain accommodations are "impossible" until you're ready to leave. Dr. Smith successfully negotiated no-call schedules and eventually part-time work (8-10 days/month) by persistently asking and being willing to walk away. She encourages clinicians to keep asking for what they need and get terms in writing. Systemic Issues Require Personal Boundaries: While healthcare systems prioritize profits over provider wellbeing, waiting for institutional change isn't sustainable. Dr. Smith learned to set firm boundaries—like refusing additional committee work without administrative time, and leaving jobs that wouldn't honor her needs. The solution involves both advocating for systemic change and taking personal responsibility for protecting your wellbeing. Meet Dr. Nikia Smith: Dr. Nikia Smith is a practicing board-certified anesthesiologist, wellness coach, and retreat facilitator. She’s also the founder of She Is Fire Forged, a transformative wellness brand that helps high-achieving women of color reclaim their peace, power, and purpose. With over a decade (and counting!) of experience in the high-stress world of medicine, Nikia brings a deeply informed lens to conversations around burnout, boundaries, and emotional restoration. Nikia specializes in guiding women—especially Black women in leadership and healthcare—through the exhaustion that comes from constantly being everything for everyone. She equips her clients with the tools to say no without guilt, build lives rooted in their own definitions of success, and live in softness over survival mode. Through retreats, coaching, and community care, Nikia curates spaces where women are invited to pause, reset, and reimagine what thriving truly looks like. Her work blends evidence-based wellness tools with embodied spiritual practice, creating a holistic path forward rooted in softness, sustainability, and self-trust. She’s also been featured as a guest on the Docs Get Money and Free to Be Mindful podcasts. Outside of her work, Nikia prioritizes rest, joy, and connection. You’ll find her reading, recharging with loved ones, and spending time with her niece, modeling what’s truly possible for a strong and powerful woman in this world. Connect with Dr. Nikia Smith: 🌐 Website https://sheisfireforged.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nikiasmithmd/ -------------- Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here **** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to ...
      Afficher plus Afficher moins
      33 min
    • Achieving Work-Life Balance: A Doctor's Journey Through Locum Tenens with Dr. Andrew Wilner - Episode 158

      Achieving Work-Life Balance: A Doctor's Journey Through Locum Tenens with Dr. Andrew Wilner - Episode 158
      Feb 9 2026

      Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

      In this episode, our host welcomes Dr. Andrew Wilner to discuss his extensive career in medicine, detailing his certifications in internal medicine, neurology, and epilepsy. Dr. Wilner shares his multifaceted journey, from starting as an ER doctor without formal training to becoming a professor of neurology. He delves into the evolution of the internship model and offers advice for medical students in career decision-making.

      Dr. Wilner also elaborates on the locum tenens lifestyle, discussing the challenges and benefits, including the necessary preparation and mindset for success. Additionally, he highlights his experiences in academic roles, private practice, and as a medical journalist. The conversation concludes with insights into Dr. Wilner's book, 'The Locum Life: A Physician's Guide to Locum Tenens,' and his podcast, 'The Art of Medicine,' featuring stories of physicians pursuing unique medical careers.

      Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

      1. Flexibility is Essential for Locums Success: Locums work requires adaptability in every aspect - assignments can be canceled last minute, you'll work in unfamiliar systems, and conditions are often less than ideal. The ability to be flexible and resourceful is more important than clinical skills alone.
      2. Prepare Thoroughly Before Each Assignment: Arrive 2 days early to handle logistics: learn the EMR system (demand paid training), scout parking and accommodations, get credentialing done, and eliminate uncertainties. This preparation reduces stress and lets you focus on patient care when the assignment starts.
      3. Locums Prevents Burnout and Maintains Career Options: Working locums (even part-time) keeps you clinically active, resets credentialing clocks, and provides control over your schedule. Many burned-out physicians rediscover their love of medicine through locums by working on their own terms (7-9 months/year) rather than leaving clinical practice entirely.

      Meet Dr. Andrew Wilner:

      Dr. Wilner has worked locum tenens on and off since 1982 and is the author of "The Locum Life: A Physician's Guide to Locum Tenens." Dr. Wilner is Professor of Neurology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee, and host and producer of the Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner podcast since 2020. Dr. Wilner is a PADI Divemaster and passionate underwater photographer.

      Connect with Dr. Andrew Wilner:

      🌐 Website http://www.andrewwilner.com

      Twitter/X http://www.twitter.com/drwilner

      Instagram http://www.instagram.com/seaphoto2025

      YouTube http://www.youtube.com/c/andrewwilnermdauthor

      YouTube Underwater http://www.youtube.com/c/andrewwilner

      --------------

      Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

      **** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

      Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

      **** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

      **** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

      **** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.
      Afficher plus Afficher moins
      51 min
    • Why The "Arrival Fallacy" Keeps You Waiting for Happiness That Never Comes with Dr. Sunny Smith Episode 157

      Why The "Arrival Fallacy" Keeps You Waiting for Happiness That Never Comes with Dr. Sunny Smith Episode 157
      Feb 2 2026

      Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

      Happy Women Physician Day! In this special episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Sunny Smith, founder of Empowering Women Physicians, to discuss the unique challenges facing women physicians and the coaching tools that are helping hundreds break free from burnout—without quitting medicine.

      If you've ever felt trapped, exhausted, or wondered "when does it get better?"—this conversation is for you.

      Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

      1. The Arrival Fallacy - Happiness Won't Come Later: The belief that you'll be happy "once you become an attending" or "once the kids are in school" is a fallacy. Happiness isn't found at some future milestone—it requires intentional choices now. The system won't change on its own, and no one is coming to save you.
      2. Agency Over Learned Helplessness: Medicine systematically exposes physicians to situations beyond their control, leading to learned helplessness. The antidote is recognizing you have agency and choice—even small 1% changes compound over time. Start with one closed chart, one boundary, one small decision that shows you can impact your outcome.
      3. Connection Breaks Isolation: You can't understand the mental load of being a physician unless you've been one. Being in community with other women physicians who normalize your struggles and model different choices is therapeutic. When you see others advocating for themselves—taking leave, setting boundaries, pursuing passion projects—it gives you permission to do the same.

      Bonus insight: It's not your job's job to make you happy—that's your job. And 77% of physicians entering coaching programs meet burnout criteria, but only 33% do after just 8 weeks, without changing jobs.

      Meet Dr. Sunny Smith:

      Sunny Smith MD is the Founder and CEO of Empowering Women Physicians.

      Dr Smith brings her background as an awarded Medical Educator, and Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health into the coaching space.

      She advocates for physician wellness through her comprehensive and collaborative coaching program, podcast, retreats and Facebook group that seek to change the culture of medicine through normalizing and humanizing the experience of being a physician.

      Connect with Dr. Sunny Smith:

      🌐 Website: https://empoweringwomenphysicians.com/

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringwomenphysicians

      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunnysmithmd/

      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnysmithmd/

      --------------

      Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

      **** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

      Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

      **** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

      **** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

      **** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.
      Afficher plus Afficher moins
      39 min
    Aucun commentaire pour le moment