Hippocratic Adventures Podcast

Ashwini Bapat
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What if your medical degree could take you anywhere? Welcome to Hippocratic Adventures, the podcast where we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes for U.S.-trained physicians to build a life and career abroad. We’re Dr. Ashwini Bapat and Dr. Emeric Bojarski, two U.S.-trained physicians who left the traditional path, moved to Portugal, and built careers that support the life we actually wanted. Each week, we share real stories from physicians who are: living abroadworking remotelypivoting into non-clinical careersor designing completely unconventional paths in medicineYou’ll hear the behind-the-scenes, not just the highlight reel. The uncertainty. The logistics. The identity shifts. And the creative ways physicians are making it work. Because there’s no one way to do this. But there is a way that works for you. If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be more than this…”,  you’re in the right place.

  1. 1d ago

    13 - 11 Years as an ER Attending. Then She Started Over in Norway

    Dr. Targhee Øverås had been an emergency medicine attending for 11 years when she and her family finally decided to move to Norway. They made the decision in April 2023. By July, they had sold their house in Lake Tahoe, bought one overlooking a fjord, and moved to Norway with their three kids. Moving was the fast part. Getting back into an ER was another story. In this episode, Targhee shares what it actually took to become a physician in Norway, from learning Norwegian and navigating the licensing process to adjusting to a very different healthcare system. We talk about: ✔️ How her family went from talking about Norway for years to moving there in 3 months ✔️ What the Norwegian medical licensing process required as a U.S.-trained physician ✔️ Why learning Norwegian was only the beginning of learning to practice medicine there ✔️ What it felt like to go from an experienced attending to feeling like a beginner again ✔️ How each of her three kids adjusted to the move ✔️ What surprised her about Norwegian culture, schools, and life outside the hospital There are fjords, sailing, skiing, and a different pace of life. There are also licensing delays, unfamiliar hospital systems, dialects, and the very humbling experience of learning how to be a doctor somewhere new. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ ⭐ ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? Leave us a 5-star rating. It helps more physicians find the show.

  2. Aug 17

    12 - How Long Until It Feels Like Home? Six Years in Portugal

    Six years ago, we boarded a one-way flight to Portugal with a three-year-old, a ten-month-old, and most of our life packed into a few bags. We were making the same move. But we experienced it very differently. For Emeric, Portugal felt like home almost immediately. For Ashwini, not  so much.  In this episode, we look back on six years of living abroad and talk about what the transition actually felt like, including the parts we expected, the parts we definitely did not, and how our careers shaped the experience in very different ways.  We talk about: ✔️ What each of us was thinking on that one-way flight in 2020 ✔️ What each of us was actually thinking on that one-way flight in 2020 ✔️ Why a major career change made the transition harder than I expected ✔️ What finally made Portugal feel like home for me and for Emeric ✔️ The things we still miss about life in the U.S., six years later ✔️ Why the same move can feel completely different for two people Six years later, we sat down to ask ourselves: When did Portugal actually start to feel like home? Turns out, we have very different answers. 🎓 TELEPSYCHIATRY FROM ABROAD For psychiatrists interested in building a portable private practice they can take abroad, enrollment for our next CME-accredited Telepsychiatry From Abroad course opens September 22, 2026. Join the waitlist here: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/telepsychiatryfromabroad/ 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  3. Jul 27

    11 - 7 Lessons We’ve Learned From Physicians Moving Abroad

    When we started Hippocratic Adventures, we assumed every physician’s move-abroad story would be completely different. Different countries. Different specialties. Different families. Different reasons for leaving. And in many ways, they are. But after six years, more than 14,000 physicians in our community, hundreds of conversations, and our own move to Portugal, the same lessons keep showing up. In this episode, we share seven lessons we’ve learned from physicians who have moved abroad, along with a few lessons we had to learn ourselves. We talk about: ✔️ Why most physicians are not moving abroad because they want to quit medicine ✔️ Why fear of regret is often bigger than regret itself ✔️ Why the hardest part is usually not licensing ✔️ Why choosing the life you want may matter more than choosing the country ✔️ Why community matters more than climate ✔️ Why children often adapt faster than their parents expect ✔️ Why the perfect time to move never seems to arrive We also talk about making a move abroad a calculated risk rather than jumping off a cliff. Research. Visit. Test the waters. Make a plan. And before spending another six months debating Portugal versus Spain or Canada versus New Zealand, ask yourself: What do you want your Tuesdays to feel like? 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  4. Jul 13

    10 - Burned Out OB/GYN to Expat Physician: Dr. Carmen Brown's Australia & New Zealand Journey

    What if a one-year locums assignment changed the course of your entire career? For Dr. Carmen Brown, that's exactly what happened. An OB/GYN in the United States, Carmen found herself increasingly burned out by the realities of modern medicine. "I was over the encroaching EMR. I was getting to the office early just to finish notes from the night before and staying two hours late..." A vacation to New Zealand and Australia sparked a different vision for what life could look like. What started as a one-year locums position in New Zealand turned into more than a decade abroad and eventually a permanent move split between New Zealand and Australia. In this episode, we discuss Carmen's journey from physician burnout to building a new life overseas, as well as what physicians should know if they're considering practicing in Australia or New Zealand themselves. You'll learn: ✔️ Why Carmen left the U.S. healthcare system ✔️ How a one-year locums assignment became a long-term international career ✔️ The differences between practicing medicine in the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia ✔️ What physicians should know about licensing and finding jobs abroad ✔️ Common mistakes doctors make when planning an international move ✔️ Her advice for physicians wondering if there's a better way to practice medicine If you've ever looked at your inbox, your charting, or your schedule and wondered how long you can keep doing things the same way, this conversation offers a glimpse into another possibility. Interested in learning more? Check out Carmen's book, Expat MD: Your Guide to Living and Working as a Physician in Australia and New Zealand, available on Amazon. Editor's Note: This episode was originally published on May 11, 2021. Long before physician burnout became a mainstream conversation, Carmen recognized that the path she was on was no longer sustainable. Rather than leaving medicine altogether, she found a different way to practice. Her story remains a powerful reminder that sometimes the solution isn't walking away from medicine—it's finding a place where medicine works differently. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  5. Jul 7

    9 - This Pediatrician Moved to France Without a Full-Time Medical Job

    What if you moved abroad before you had a medical job lined up? That's exactly what Dr. Carrie Reynolds did. A pediatric gastroenterologist by training, Carrie packed up her life and moved with her family to Carcassonne, France, without a full-time clinical position waiting for her on the other side. Instead, she built a life abroad through a creative mix of U.S.-based locums work and as a real estate agent in France.  In this episode, we discuss what it actually took to make the move to France, from finances and immigration to language learning, family logistics, and creating income streams that support a life abroad. You'll learn: ✔️ Why Carrie decided to move to France before having a job lined up ✔️ How she supports her life abroad through locums and non-clinical work ✔️ What it's really like to learn French and navigate the immigration process ✔️ How she approached the conversation with her husband and daughter ✔️ The realities of everyday life in southern France ✔️ Her advice for physicians who think living abroad is financially out of reach This episode is a reminder that there is more than one way to make an international move work. You don't always need a contract in hand. You don't always need every detail figured out. Sometimes you just need a plan, some flexibility, and the willingness to take the first step. If you've ever dreamed about living abroad but assumed it wasn't possible, Carrie's story may change your mind. Editor's Note: Originally published on June 24, 2025. Carrie's story remains one of our favorite examples of a physician creating a life abroad on her own terms. She didn't move overseas because she landed the perfect job. She moved first, then built a portfolio of clinical and non-clinical work that supported the lifestyle she wanted. For physicians wondering whether there's only one way to make an international move work, this episode is worth revisiting. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  6. Jul 6

    8 - The Salary Question Every Physician Asks About Moving Abroad

    American physicians are among the highest-paid doctors in the world. So by that logic, nobody should leave. And yet every year, physicians pack up their lives and move to Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the UK, Portugal, and beyond. Often for less money. In this episode, we talk about the salary question almost every physician asks when they start thinking about practicing medicine abroad: “Okay, but what will I make?” We don’t run through a giant country-by-country salary spreadsheet. Instead, we talk about why comparing a U.S. physician salary to a salary abroad is rarely apples to apples. We talk about: ✔️ Why U.S. physician salaries are so high compared to many other countries ✔️ How medical school debt, health insurance, malpractice, pensions, and vacation change the equation ✔️ Why many physicians accept a lower salary in exchange for a different kind of life ✔️ Who should be cautious about taking a pay cut to practice abroad ✔️ What physicians may actually be getting in return One thing that kept coming up throughout this conversation? A spreadsheet is great at comparing salaries. It’s not so great at comparing lives. And if you do want the numbers, here’s the link to physician salaries abroad: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/physician-salaries-abroad-why-physicians-move-even-when-they-earn-less/ Because it’s hard to assign a dollar value to being home for dinner, spending more time with patients, taking real vacation, feeling respected as a physician, or building a life that feels bigger than work. Wondering whether a lower salary abroad could still be worth it? Here’s the conversation. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  7. Jun 30

    7 - Dottoressa: An American Doctor in Rome

    What happens when an American physician trades the East River for the Tiber River? In 1978, Dr. Susan Levenstein left New York City and moved to Rome. More than forty years later, the internist and primary care physician is still there. In this episode, we discuss her memoir, Dottoressa: An American Doctor in Rome, and what it has been like to practice medicine in Italy's universal healthcare system for over four decades. You'll learn: ✔️ Why she decided to leave New York for Rome ✔️ What it's like to practice medicine within Italy's healthcare system ✔️ The strengths and shortcomings of Italian healthcare ✔️ What she has learned after forty years of caring for patients abroad But Dottoressa is also a love letter to Rome. “From Michelangelo to Giotto, Saint Mark’s to the Trevi Fountain, backstreets like movie sets, women with perfect earrings, men with their shirts half unbuttoned…I loved how workmen burst into song, how children ran around in restaurants, and especially how all of a sudden, abracadabra, it was April in Rome, with a non-stop soundtrack of screaming swallows, and there had been no winter.” Dr. Levenstein shares the everyday moments that made her fall in love with the Eternal City, and why she never left. You can grab her book on Amazon.  Editor's Note: This episode was originally published on March 23, 2021, and was the very first video interview we released at Hippocratic Adventures. We thought it was worth revisiting because Dr. Levenstein's story remains one of the most enduring examples of what’s possible when physicians choose a different path. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

  8. Jun 1

    6 - How to Get Licensed to Practice Medicine in Portugal

    When we moved to Portugal in 2020, I knew I wouldn’t be able to practice medicine locally anytime soon. The only Portuguese word I knew was obrigada. And the Duolingo lessons I’d been doing on my commute into Boston? Turns out they were Brazilian Portuguese. I had absolutely no idea European Portuguese was different. In this episode, I share what it actually takes to get licensed to practice medicine in Portugal as a U.S.-trained physician, from learning European Portuguese to navigating the licensure process, oral exams, and medical board registration. We talk about: ✔️ The level of Portuguese fluency you actually need ✔️ The exams I had to take ✔️ How long the process realistically takes One thing that really struck me throughout this process? The Portuguese physicians evaluating me kept asking: “Why would an American doctor move to Portugal?” Which honestly says a lot about how differently people define success, lifestyle, and quality of life around the world. Want all the details on getting licensed in Portugal? Here it is:  🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start Your Adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.

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About

What if your medical degree could take you anywhere? Welcome to Hippocratic Adventures, the podcast where we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes for U.S.-trained physicians to build a life and career abroad. We’re Dr. Ashwini Bapat and Dr. Emeric Bojarski, two U.S.-trained physicians who left the traditional path, moved to Portugal, and built careers that support the life we actually wanted. Each week, we share real stories from physicians who are: living abroadworking remotelypivoting into non-clinical careersor designing completely unconventional paths in medicineYou’ll hear the behind-the-scenes, not just the highlight reel. The uncertainty. The logistics. The identity shifts. And the creative ways physicians are making it work. Because there’s no one way to do this. But there is a way that works for you. If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be more than this…”,  you’re in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashwini Bapat
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ashwini Bapat