Surgeon, Interrupted

Hippocratic Collective
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Medicine

A raw, reality-style podcast following Dr. Frances Mei Hardin’s final months as a surgeon and her bold leap into the unknown. Through solo episodes and unfiltered guest convos, it captures the chaos, clarity, and courage of walking away from a “dream career” to choose something better. For high-achievers, burnt-out professionals, and anyone ready to rewrite the rules - this isn’t just a show. It’s a permission slip. Find more info about Surgeon, Interrupted and other shows on the Hippocratic Collective at hippocratic-collective.com

  1. 2 days ago

    Burnout, Creativity & Why I Stopped Letting Email Run My Life

    What if burnout doesn’t look like hating your job, but like losing your creativity? In this solo-style episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei Hardin, MD, is joined by her husband Colin after returning from more than two weeks of solo travel through Denmark and Norway. They talk about how Frances’ relationship with travel has changed since leaving clinical medicine, why stepping away from work often seems to create more opportunity rather than less, and the habits she is trying to unlearn after years of surgical training—including opening email the moment she wakes up. Frances also shares what she learned from filling an entire journal while traveling, why physicians can become overly precious about creative work, and the importance of practicing before the “perfect” opportunity arrives. In this episode: • How burnout can show up as a loss of creativity • Why Frances stopped checking email first thing in the morning • Solo travel after leaving clinical medicine • Journaling and developing your own voice in the age of AI • Why waiting for inspiration can keep you stuck • Practicing before the big opportunity arrives • The surprising relationship between taking time off and getting new work • Moving beyond travel as escapism • Creating a healthier relationship with ambition and productivity • Why your inbox does not deserve to control your day For physicians, creatives, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build a life where work matters without allowing it to consume everything else. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  2. 1 Sept

    You’re Not on the Wrong Train with Dr. Wai-Jia Tam

    What if you didn't get on the wrong train? What if you simply became a different person along the way? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with Dr. Wai-Jia Tam, a Singaporean humanitarian doctor whose career has spanned public health, humanitarian medicine, COVID response, and global health leadership. Dr. Wai-Jia Tam shares an extraordinary story of following a path that looked successful on paper while gradually losing touch with the person she wanted to be. From becoming a physician after growing up dreaming of being a wildlife documentary host, to humanitarian work, moving her family to Tanzania, and now finding her way toward conservation, her story is ultimately about something bigger than career change. It's about reclaiming yourself. The conversation explores: What happens when the career you've built no longer feels like the right destinationWhy physicians can struggle to recognize their own definition of successThe pressure to prove yourself in medicine and high-achieving culturesReconnecting with the dreams you had as a childWhy changing direction doesn't mean your past was a mistakeThe difference between reinventing yourself and reclaiming yourselfHow a major health setback forced Dr. Wai-Jia Tam to reconsider her identityFinding purpose outside of credentials, titles, and professional achievementHow one cold DM led to an unexpected opportunity in wildlife conservationWhy the work you do quietly for years may eventually open an unexpected doorGiving yourself permission to get off the “wrong train” Dr. Wai-Jia Tam also shares the remarkable story of creating a children's book as a teenager to raise money for a home for girls she met in Nepal. Despite being told she couldn't do it—and being told her paintings were terrible—she taught herself to paint, published the book, and ultimately raised $100,000 to build the home. For physicians and other high achievers who have ever wondered “Is this really what I want?”, this is a conversation about permission: permission to change, to pause, to choose differently, and to become more fully yourself. And Dr. Wai-Jia Tam leaves us with a beautiful definition of healing: Healing isn't about returning to who you were before the pain. It's about giving yourself permission to be who you were always meant to be. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Dr. Wai-Jia Tam Connect with Wai Jia: @drwaijiatam Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  3. 25 Aug

    You’re Allowed to Change Your Mind | How to Build a Life That Actually Fits You

    What if changing your mind isn't failure, but actually a sign that you're paying attention? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with Rachel Gerber Kule, a communications strategist, entrepreneur, and self-described Renaissance woman who has built a career by repeatedly pivoting toward what fits her better. Rachel shares how she went from wanting to be a news anchor, to realizing that path wasn't right for her, to building a successful career in communications and PR—and eventually launching a new venture supporting people going through IVF and fertility challenges. The conversation goes much deeper than career changes. Frances Mei and Rachel explore what it means to let go of a chapter without feeling ashamed, understand your own values, build confidence, set boundaries, and create a life that actually reflects who you are. They talk about: Why changing direction isn't the same as failingHow to recognize when a path no longer fitsLetting go of shame and unmet expectationsWhy knowing your values makes decision-making easierHow self-confidence gives you the courage to make your own choicesSetting boundaries at work and in relationshipsWhy crying and emotional expression aren't signs of weaknessHow difficult experiences can shape who we becomeLearning to trust yourself when you no longer have someone else to callWhy uncertainty can actually create freedom and possibilityBuilding a life around your own values instead of inherited expectations For physicians especially, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: you don't have to spend your entire life following the path you originally chose. Frances Mei reflects on what it meant to leave clinical surgery and build a portfolio career—and why becoming clear about your values and boundaries is essential to creating a life that feels like your own. Rachel's favorite advice comes from Henry David Thoreau: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” The question is whether you've taken the time to figure out what those dreams actually are. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Rachel Gerber Kule Connect with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkule Founder of Pursuit PR, a C-suite communications advisory firm, and Fertilyfe, a community focused on supporting people navigating IVF and fertility challenges. Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  4. 18 Aug

    How to Actually Build a Consulting Career After Medicine | Part 2

    In this follow-up episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei and Colin continue their conversation about Frances Mei's transition from clinical medicine into consulting, and get much more practical about what happened once she actually made the leap. Frances Mei explains how her first consulting opportunity started as a loose, low-commitment engagement and evolved into a formal role, why physicians should consider “dating before they get married” when evaluating new jobs, and how she learned to create a role around her skills instead of waiting for someone to tell her what to do. From there, she went on to a director-level physician engagement and strategy role, built a network that generated new consulting opportunities, and eventually became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startup. The big lesson? The best opportunities for physicians leaving medicine often aren't posted on LinkedIn. In this episode: How to get your first consulting opportunity after medicineWhy small projects can be better than committing to a new career immediatelyHow to create a job that doesn't exist yetThe skills physicians can translate into consultingWhy clinical expertise alone isn't enoughHow networking and referrals create a consulting “flywheel”How to prove your value before asking for a bigger roleHow Frances Mei went from leaving medicine to a director-level role within a yearHow she ultimately became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startupWhy physicians need to stop asking, “What jobs can I get as a doctor?”How to figure out what you're actually good at and what you actually want to do For physicians considering leaving clinical medicine, consulting, healthcare startups, marketing, strategy, or other careers outside medicine, this episode offers a candid look at what the transition actually looks like. The conversation also gets into something physicians don't hear enough: you don't necessarily have to follow another prescribed career ladder after leaving medicine. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  5. 11 Aug

    The Trauma We Bring to Medicine with Sacha McBain, PhD

    What happens when doctors spend their entire careers learning to suppress their emotions? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei sits down with clinical psychologist Sacha McBain, PhD, a national leader in medical traumatic stress, to unpack what happens when physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers are repeatedly exposed to trauma without being given the tools to process it. Sacha explains how emotional suppression can shrink our “window of tolerance,” leading to hyperarousal, irritability, shutdown, and disconnection, and how those reactions don't just affect clinicians themselves. They can change team dynamics, undermine psychological safety, increase the risk that people won't speak up about potential errors, and ultimately affect patient care. The conversation explores: • What medical trauma actually is and why we don't talk about it enough • Why “just push through it” can make trauma worse • The science behind the window of tolerance • Why some physicians respond to bullying and pressure by working harder while others shut down • How physician culture can perpetuate trauma from one generation to the next • Why psychological safety is also a patient safety issue • How a patient's experience of trauma can shape their relationship with healthcare • Why we can't humanize patients if healthcare workers aren't being humanized themselves • What trauma-informed care can change for both patients and clinicians Sacha also discusses her new patient-facing workbook on medical trauma and how clinicians can better understand what patients and families may be carrying into the hospital. If you've ever been told to toughen up, push through it, or leave your feelings at home, this conversation is worth hearing. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Sacha McBain, PhD Connect with Sacha: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/sacha-mcbain-phd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  6. 4 Aug

    How I Became a Physician Consultant Without an MBA | ENT Surgeon to Consulting

    How does a physician actually go from full-time clinical practice to consulting? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei is joined by her husband, Colin, to break down the real, and highly nontraditional, path that took her from practicing as a full-time ENT surgeon to consulting, strategic advising, and serving as a chief medical officer at a healthcare technology company. There was no MBA, formal corporate fellowship, or perfectly mapped-out career plan. Instead, the transition began years earlier with a passion project called Rethinking Residency, where Frances Mei learned how to build a brand, create a website, understand SEO, edit and publish stories, conduct interviews, develop a social media presence, and speak publicly about the culture of medicine. Those skills eventually led to podcasting, a paid media opportunity, her first formal consulting contract, and a series of roles at the intersection of medicine, media, storytelling, marketing, and strategy. Frances Mei and Colin discuss: • What “physician consulting” actually means • Why being a doctor is not, by itself, a consulting pitch • How passion projects can create real professional expertise • The importance of making specific, purposeful asks • Why networking works better when you have something to offer • Going back to being a beginner after becoming an attending • How one podcast rejection led to a paid hosting opportunity • Landing a first consulting contract without an MBA • Learning to work inside corporate and healthcare-adjacent environments • Why likability, humility, confidence, and authenticity matter outside the hospital • How to increase your “surface area for luck” • Building a portfolio career before you know exactly where it will lead This is not a blueprint or a promise that every career pivot will happen the same way. It is an honest look at the years of groundwork, experimentation, unpaid work, rejection, relationship-building, and luck behind what can otherwise look like an overnight transition. For any physician or high-achieving professional wondering whether they are allowed to build something beyond their original career path: why not you? Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  7. 28 Jul

    Who Are You Outside Medicine? | Ryan Montoya on Travel, Art & Reinvention

    Medicine teaches us who we're supposed to be. But what happens when we step outside of that identity? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Frances Mei sits down with physician, graphic medicine artist, and longtime friend Dr. Ryan Montoya to talk about the unexpected lessons that come from traveling alone, exhibiting artwork around the world, and building a life beyond traditional medicine. Ryan shares his journey from family physician and commercial illustrator to exhibiting graphic medicine in galleries across Tokyo, New York, Athens, and Naples, what it's like entering the fine art world for the first time, and why travel has become one of the greatest tools for personal growth. Together, Frances Mei and Ryan explore: • Why travel changes your identity • Making meaningful friendships as an adult • Leaving medicine without leaving yourself • The difference between commercial art and fine art • Reinvention after a medical career • Why physicians need interests beyond medicine • How new environments help you become the person you want to be If you've ever wondered who you are outside your white coat, or felt like medicine became your entire identity, this conversation is for you. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Ryan Montoya, MD Connect with Ryan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/ryan-montoya-md Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

  8. 21 Jul

    From Corporate Lawyer to Orthopedic Surgeon: Failure, Bias & Surviving Residency

    What happens when a corporate lawyer leaves law behind to become an orthopedic surgeon? On this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei Hardin, MD, sits down with Christina “Dr. Chrissy” Greenfield, MD, JD—an orthopedic surgery resident, new mother, and former corporate attorney who applied to medical school four times before finally getting accepted. They discuss failing the bar exam, surviving rejection, gender bias in surgery, motherhood during residency, and why female surgeons are often expected to be both excellent and endlessly accommodating. Dr. Chrissy also shares practical strategies from her legal career for handling conflict in the hospital, negotiating with other services, documenting difficult interactions, and de-escalating tense conversations. In this episode: • Going from corporate law to orthopedic surgery • Applying to medical school four times • Recovering from failure and rejection • Gender bias and double standards in surgery • Pregnancy and motherhood during residency • Women undermining other women in medicine • How to disagree effectively in the hospital • Negotiation and de-escalation strategies for residents • Why persistence matters more than a perfect path Whether you are a medical student, resident, physician, lawyer considering medicine, or anyone navigating a nonlinear career, this conversation is a reminder to keep going—even when the path looks nothing like you planned. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Dr. Chrissy Greenfield, MD, LL.L, JD Connect with Chrissy: @dr.chrissymd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

See All (72)

About

A raw, reality-style podcast following Dr. Frances Mei Hardin’s final months as a surgeon and her bold leap into the unknown. Through solo episodes and unfiltered guest convos, it captures the chaos, clarity, and courage of walking away from a “dream career” to choose something better. For high-achievers, burnt-out professionals, and anyone ready to rewrite the rules - this isn’t just a show. It’s a permission slip. Find more info about Surgeon, Interrupted and other shows on the Hippocratic Collective at hippocratic-collective.com

Information

  • Creator
    Hippocratic Collective
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Hippocratic Collective
  • Show Website
    Surgeon, Interrupted
  • Provider

You Might Also Like