The Intentional Surgeon with Sharon L. Stein, MD

Sharon L. Stein, MD
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to The Intentional Surgeon, where we dive deep into the people, institutions, and ideas reshaping the culture of surgery. Hosted by Dr. Sharon Stein, an internationally recognized colorectal surgeon, professor, and change agent, this podcast explores the challenges and opportunities transforming the surgical world. Each episode features inspiring guests who are pioneering new ways to practice surgery, educate future surgeons, and redefine patient care and the surgical workforce. Join Dr. Stein on this thought-provoking journey to discover how innovation is driving change and improving the future of surgery.

  1. Jul 7

    S03E12: Burnout & Resilience with Dr. Najjia Mahmoud

    Physician burnout is often treated as a personal failure—a symptom of missing a meditation session or a hospital pizza party. But true burnout isn't about how much you suck; it’s about the rigid institutional matrix in which you operate. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stein sits down with Dr. Najjia Mahmoud, Chief of Colon and Rectal Surgery at University of Pennsylvania and past president of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery, to dive into the clinical anatomy of burnout and what the antidote may be: In This Episode: Exploring the three domains of burnout: cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and a low sense of personal accomplishment and how it differs from depression.Why, despite advancement in your career, you may continue to feel a loss of control over your day-to-day.Dr. Mahmoud’s structural pillars of resilience: guarding physical health, cultivating self-awareness, maintaining connection outside of medicine, and practicing radical optimism.Building Blocks of Resilience: Physical Health: Guarding the baseline triage of nutrition, sleep, and exercise.Self-Awareness: Actively tracking internal thoughts, emotional triggers, and daily coping strategies.Flexibility: Intentionally regulating internal expectations to navigate rigid environments.Connection: Staying anchored to values, community, and peer support groups separate from work.Optimism: Holding an active belief that structural, positive change within systems is always possible.Key Takeaway: "One resource in healthcare seems infinite and free: the professionalism of caregivers. Mistakenly, many health systems operate under the framework that burnout is solely the responsibility of the individual. That is junk. True structural resilience requires meaning, mastery, and autonomy." — Dr. Najjia Mahmoud Recommended Reading: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

    S03E12: Burnout & Resilience with Dr. Najjia Mahmoud

  2. Jun 22

    S03E11: Campaign 52: International Humanitarian Relief with Dr. Anna Spivak

    In rural, underserved areas of Kenya, a lack of access to timely cesarean sections leaves young women vulnerable to the trauma of obstructed labor. Beyond the tragic loss of the child, the resulting prolonged pressure on pelvic organs causes severe tissue necrosis and the formation of vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas. Leaking urine and stool continuously, these women are often heavily stigmatized and ostracized by their communities. In this episode, Dr. Sharon L. Stein sits down with Dr. Anna Spivak, Section Chief of Pelvic Floor Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, to discuss Campaign 52—an international medical relief initiative providing free, life-altering surgical care to these vulnerable women. Unlike top-down, Western-driven mission trips, Campaign 52 operates at the explicit request and direction of local Kenyan surgeons. Dr. Spivak shares how this collaborative, local-first framework allows a specialized task force of colorectal, gynecologic, and urologic surgeons to tackle an overwhelming backlog of complex pelvic floor conditions, directly target the exact procedural needs of the community, and systematically build lasting hospital infrastructure. Global Surgery Best Practices: For residents, fellows, and surgeons looking to participate in humanitarian work overseas, Dr. Spivak outlines a foundational rulebook: Do not establish a short-term camp without locked-in, long-term, perpetual aftercare. Campaign 52 ensures close, local, long-term clinical checkups, pelvic floor physical therapy tracking, and remote communication via the Fistula Foundation.Front-load your schedule. Round on 100+ triage patients on day one, and position the highly complex, multi-hour operations early in the week so patients have adequate time to recover safely before the traveling team departs.Do not show up to enforce what you think a population needs. Identify local clinical hubs seeking discrete clinical education or structural backlog reduction.Key Takeaway for Listeners: "In the United States, some equipment would be in the garbage a long time ago. Because they have very little, they truly utilize everything they have. Limitation begets creativity. When Dr. Mabeya fixes these complex fistulas, he is truly saving souls. He's giving these women a chance to be alive, to take care of themselves, and to contribute to their society." — Dr. Anna Spivak Learn More and Get Involved: Read the Research: Dive into the three-part series documenting the logistics and outcomes of Campaign 52 published in Diseases of the Colon & Rectum (DC&R).Follow the Work: Connect with the team via @Campaign_52 on Instagram and Facebook to donate unused clinic supplies or join the surgical task force.Explore Global Relief: Learn more about broader international surgical placements through the American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back initiative.

    S03E11: Campaign 52: International Humanitarian Relief with Dr. Anna Spivak

  3. Jun 8

    S03E10: The Environmental Impact of Surgery with Dr. Shaneeta Johnson & Dr. Patricia Sylla

    If the global healthcare sector were a country, it would be the fifth-worst greenhouse gas emitter on the planet! Within hospitals, the operating room generates a staggering one-third of that entire carbon footprint. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stein sits down with Dr. Patricia Sylla (System Chief of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System) and Dr. Shaneeta Johnson (Chair of Surgery at Meharry Medical College School of Global Health). Together, they discuss the massive environmental toll of the OR, from volatile anesthetics to single-use plastics, and map out a collaborative blueprint for a more sustainable future. In This Episode, They Discuss: Climate, Access, and Disparities: Dr. Johnson shares her experience providing medical aid in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, illustrating how climate change causes extreme weather which directly disrupts healthcare access, particularly for vulnerable communities.The Surgical Carbon Footprint: Dr. Sylla details why waste is only one small piece of the problem. True environmental impact spans energy expenditure, water usage, and the relentless stream of single-use materials hitting landfills.The Threat of Volatile Anesthetics: Why a transition to a zero-desflurane policy across health systems can dramatically drop carbon emissions overnight.The Supply Chain "Hotspots": Examining Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) data which reveals that up to 60% of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy's environmental footprint stems directly from disposable instrumentation.Top 3 Actions for Surgeons Today: Lean the Instrument Trays: Standardize trays down to tools used in 70% or more of cases. Pack the remaining 30% separately and keep them unopened on the back table until explicitly needed.Stop Automated Openings: Instruct OR staff to stop opening specialized devices automatically. Wait until you are ready to use them to avoid creating unnecessary landfill waste.Appoint a Green Champion: Build an institutional team bridging surgeons, anesthesia, central processing (SPD), and supply chain stakeholders together just like we did when starting enhanced recovery programs!Resources The Carbon Footprint of a Laparoscopic CholecystectomySAGES: Sustainability in Surgical PracticeEnjoying the podcast? Help us shift the culture of medicine. Please like, review, and subscribe on your favorite platform!

    S03E10: The Environmental Impact of Surgery with Dr. Shaneeta Johnson & Dr. Patricia Sylla

  4. May 27

    S03E09: Stop Saying Yes to Everything with Dr. Sharon L. Stein

    As surgeons, we’ve all been told the same lie: The only way to get ahead in your career is to say yes to everything. We are conditioned to believe that if we turn down a single opportunity, committee, or research project, the powers that be will stop asking, and our academic or clinical careers will stall. In this episode on the Intentional Surgeon, Dr. Sharon L. Stein dispels this toxic surgical myth. Drawing from her own unconventional path, including the time her mentors told her she was committing "academic suicide" by dropping to a four-day work week, Sharon shares how learning to say yes selectively actually accelerated her success as a busy clinician, professor, and national society president. In This Episode, I Discuss: Why saying no to the wrong things doesn’t kill your career—it actually makes your time more valuable.A hard truth for perfectionist surgeons: doing a job badly is significantly worse than not doing it at all.The Opportunity Framework: Before accepting any new role, filter it through these five metrics to ensure it aligns with your short- or long-term goals:Skills: Will it teach you a new technical technique or leadership capability?Networking: Who will you be working alongside, and can you learn from them?Goodwill: Is it building social capital with your chief or the hospital CFO?Advancement: Is this a necessary rung on your path to chair or society president?Control: Will this role give you more autonomy over your schedule or resources?Bonus: Fun! Don't discount an invitation simply because it sounds enjoyable or involves travel to a great culture.The "Negotiated Yes": How to protect your plate when your boss forces an assignment on you. Sharon breaks down the four ways to negotiate constraints:Time-limiting: offering a 6-month term instead of a year.Scope-limiting: writing the proposal but passing off the board presentation.Effort-limiting: accepting that some hospital paperwork only needs "B-grade" work, not an A-plus treatise.Additional Assistance: demanding administrative or clinical support to get the job done.The Three Ways to Deliver a Respectful "No": How to turn down an invitation while preserving the relationship, including the power of sponsorship—passing the opportunity to a junior colleague or fellow to help build their CV.Key Takeaway for Listeners: "Saying yes to everything is not the answer to anything. Truly effective and successful surgeons aren't doing it all — they are incredibly focused on what they love and what they are good at, which means they are saying 'no' to a whole lot else." — Dr. Sharon Stein Challenge for the Week: Pull out a sticky note and audit your week. Track how many times you say "yes" to an add-on patient, a meeting, or a schedule change versus how many times you protect your time with a "no." If you are sitting on a committee playing Tetris on your phone just to have a line on your CV, it might be time to take something off your platter. Connect with Sharon: Do you disagree? Has saying "no" ever backfired in your department? Sharon wants to hear your stories. Website: www.intentionalsurgeon.com

    S03E09: Stop Saying Yes to Everything with Dr. Sharon L. Stein

  5. May 11

    S03E08: Organizational Psychology of Surgery with Dr. Katrina Monton

    We often treat surgical culture as an immovable force of nature, something we simply have to survive. But what if the norms we pride ourselves on, the "win-at-all-costs" mentality and the "show no weakness" rule, are actually holding us back from our true potential? In this episode, Dr. Sharon L. Stein welcomes Dr. Katrina Monton, an organizational psychologist and former professional athlete. Katrina bridges the worlds of high-performance sport and medicine to unpack Masculinity Contest Culture and the deep structures that shape how surgeons work, lead, and suffer. We Discuss: High Performance vs. High Stakes: Defining the environments where visibility is high, margins for error are low, and the pressure is constant.The Four Norms of Masculinity Contest Culture: Katrina breaks down the framework that defines many high-stakes workplaces:Show No Weakness: The psychological demand to suppress vulnerability or mental health struggles.Strength and Stamina: Valorizing the 80-hour work week and physical endurance as a measure of worth.Put Work First: The prioritization of the profession over self, family, and personal identity.Dog-Eat-Dog: A culture of constant comparison and hyper-competitiveness.The "Olympic Shelf Life": Why high-pressure cultures work for short-term gains (like a 4-year Olympic cycle) but lead to attrition and burnout in a 30-year surgical career.Invisible Architecture: Why we are still following rules and norms created for a workforce that no longer exists, and how to navigate the "clash" between tradition and a diverse, modern society.Brave Space vs. Safe Space: Why growth requires discomfort. Katrina explains how to lean into "controversy with civility" and the courage to act even when you're scared.Micro-Interactions for Macro-Change: How leadership isn't about grand mandates, but about small, daily choices—like soliciting feedback, using first names, or simply saying hello.The "F-Word" in High Performance: Why the most successful teams in high-stakes environments (like Speed Skating Canada) actually prioritize fun and joy as fuel for excellence.Featured Guest: Katrina Monton, PhD is an organizational psychologist and a former member of the Canadian Women's National Water Polo team. Her research focuses on the impact of culture on physician outcomes and how to build human capacity in high-stakes environments. Key Takeaway: "I’m not in the business of removing challenge. I’m in the business of building up human capacity so that the human being can withstand more. If we can build people up instead of breaking them down, they can achieve more than we ever imagined." — Dr. Katrina Monton Join the Conversation: Do you recognize the "Dog-Eat-Dog" norm in your department? What is one "micro-behavior" you can change today to build a braver space for your team? Connect with Dr. Sharon L. Stein: www.intentionalsurgeon.com

    S03E08: Organizational Psychology of Surgery with Dr. Katrina Monton

  6. Apr 30

    S03E07: The Missing Pillar in Surgical Training with Dr. Sharon L. Stein

    In our surgical training, we are masters of the clinical and the technical. We know the anatomy, the indications, and the surgical techniques. But there is a missing pillar in our education — one that often accounts for 70% of the problems residency directors and surgical chairs face. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stein dives into the "Soft Skills" of surgery: communication, negotiation, emotional intelligence, and team building. Often dismissed or ignored, these skills are actually the bedrock of effective leadership, whether you are leading a committee or simply leading a patient through a life-changing diagnosis in the clinic. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why the term isn't about being "soft" or "weak," but about the non-physical skills that the military has long prioritized as essential for leadership.Why professional development is the third, often ignored, leg of the surgical stool.Leadership in the "Just a Surgeon" Role: Why every surgeon is a leader — from convincing a patient to accept a necessary stoma to managing a team with mismatched priorities in the OR.The "One-and-Done" Course Problem: Why weekend leadership retreats often fail to stick and why we need longitudinal, consistent practice to build these "muscles."A Lesson in Communication Styles: Sharon shares a personal story of a "messy" interaction with a colleague and how understanding the difference between "speaking-to-think" and "thinking-to-speak" changed her team’s dynamic.How to recognize when a conflict isn't about who is right or wrong, but about whose values are at play, and how to find a solution that honors both.Launching the Next Generation: Sharon also discusses her passion for teaching graduating residents and fellows how to negotiate and prioritize early, with the goal of reducing the 50% turnover rate for first surgical jobs.Key Takeaway for Listeners: "We are smart enough to learn how to do complex surgery; we are certainly smart enough to learn leadership. But first, we have to prioritize it. Most of the problems we deal with aren't technical — they’re interpersonal." — Dr. Sharon Stein Connect with Sharon: The Surgeons Launchpad: Coaching for Residents & Fellows: Are you graduating soon? Learn the skills to get your first job and retain those skills for life... Learn more on how to launch your career with intention here.Institutional Workshops: Does your division have recurring conflict? Sharon works with departments to embed these soft skills into the culture through longitudinal programs.Website: www.intentionalsurgeon.com

    S03E07: The Missing Pillar in Surgical Training with Dr. Sharon L. Stein

  7. Mar 30

    S03E06: Lessons in Leadership with Dr. Daniel Eiferman

    In surgery, we are taught the mechanics of saving a life, but rarely the mechanics of managing ourselves. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stein sits with Dr. Daniel Eiferman, a trauma and critical care surgeon at The Ohio State University and author of the new book, Cut Open: A Surgeon's Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Growth. They dive into the "black book" of stories Danny kept for a decade, the lessons he has learned as a surgeon and a leader. In This Episode, We Discuss: Resulting: How deciding to change a process (such as a surgical technique) because of results can end up with worse outcomes. Time as the Ultimate Currency: Time —not money or status—is our most precious resource as a surgeon, and how we choose to spend it defines us. The Power of Curiosity: Why asking "Tell me more about that" is the No 1 trait of a high-performing healthcare provider. Building the "Perfect" Team: Lessons on how to create psychological safety in the OR through two specific behaviors: Ostentatious Listening: Showing the team that their voice is worth your time. Conversational Turn-Taking: Ensuring the scrub tech and the medical student feel safe enough to speak up Featured Guest: Daniel S. Eiferman, MD, MBA is a Professor of Surgery at The Ohio State University, specializing in Trauma and Critical Care. He is a sought-after speaker on surgical leadership and the author of Cut Open. Key Takeaway for Listeners: "Culture is the least acceptable activity that we are willing to accept. When we allow beratement in the OR, that becomes our culture. When we show vulnerability first, we build trust instead." — Dr. Daniel Eiferman Order the Book: Find Cut Open: A Surgeon's Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Growth on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at integritysurgery.org. Connect with Dr. Sharon Stein: Website: www.intentionalsurgeon.com

    S03E06: Lessons in Leadership with Dr. Daniel Eiferman

  8. Mar 16

    S03EP05: Wellness in Surgery with Dr. Mary Brandt

    In a medical culture that often views vulnerability as a deficit and burnout as a personal failure, Dr. Mary Brandt has spent decades advocating for a different path. A retired pediatric surgeon, ordained minister, and professor of medical ethics, Mary was talking about "wellness" long before it became a buzzword in surgical training. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stein and Dr. Brandt explore the injuries sustained in the pursuit of surgical "success" and how a return to compassion, truth-telling, and intentionality can not only save individual careers but transform an entire profession. In This Episode, We Discuss: The Evolution of Suffering: Why 50% or more of surgical residents are burned out and why this as a systemic crisis rather than a personal weakness.Humility vs. Vulnerability: Mary challenges the idea that great surgeons must be infallible. In fact, she argues it is impossible to be a great surgeon without the humility to know (and grow) when you come up short.Practicing GRACE: Mary breaks down a powerful mnemonic for focusing one patient and interaction at a time:Gathering AttentionRecalling IntentionAttuning to Self and OthersConsidering what will serveEngaging and EndingThe "Imposter Syndrome" Reframe: Why Mary believes that what we call "imposter syndrome" is actually just a healthy level of humility medicalized into a deficit.The Three Tasks of the Revolution: Mary invites every listener to join a grassroots effort to change medical culture through three simple (but not easy) tasks:Practice Compassion.Tell the Truth (Saying out loud, "That's not normal").Decide Who You Work For (Hint: It’s not the C-Suite).Featured Guest: Mary L. Brandt, MD, MDiv is a distinguished Professor Emeritus at Baylor College of Medicine and a graduate of the Iliff School of Theology. She is a world-renowned pediatric surgeon and an ordained minister dedicated to healing the healers. Learn more here: wellnessrounds.org Key Takeaway for Listeners: "If you frame this as a medical condition [imposter syndrome] by studying it that way, that’s what it becomes—a deficit. What if we just reframe it as what it actually is: humility?" — Dr. Mary Brandt Connect with Dr. Sharon Stein: Website: www.intentionalsurgeon.com

    S03EP05: Wellness in Surgery with Dr. Mary Brandt
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About

Welcome to The Intentional Surgeon, where we dive deep into the people, institutions, and ideas reshaping the culture of surgery. Hosted by Dr. Sharon Stein, an internationally recognized colorectal surgeon, professor, and change agent, this podcast explores the challenges and opportunities transforming the surgical world. Each episode features inspiring guests who are pioneering new ways to practice surgery, educate future surgeons, and redefine patient care and the surgical workforce. Join Dr. Stein on this thought-provoking journey to discover how innovation is driving change and improving the future of surgery.

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