The Forensic Healer

Dr. Barinder Singh

Medicine wasn’t built for women—but we are changing the narrative. Welcome to The Forensic Healer, the podcast dedicated to questioning the status quo, breaking down systemic barriers, and rewriting the rules for women in medicine. Hosted by Dr. Barinder Singh, this show takes a microscopic look at the unique challenges, untold stories, and institutional hurdles women face across healthcare fields. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Step into the clinic with us—hit the + Follow button so you never miss a breakthrough, and join our community on Instagram at @theforensichealer.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 9: The Doctor’s Doctor: Building a "Raft" in a Healthcare System Built Against Us

    Why are women in medicine still battling a system not originally built for them? In this episode of The Forensic Healer, host Dr. Barinder Singh performs a deep-dive autopsy on the cultural and systemic factors causing profound burnout among female physicians. Joining the conversation is internationally renowned psychiatrist, executive coach, and pioneer in physician well-being, Dr. Mamta Gautam. Affectionately known as “The Doctors’ Doctor,” Dr. Gautam has spent 30 years as the witness behind the closed door for thousands of female physicians. Together, Dr. Singh and Dr. Gautam treat burnout not as an individual failure of resilience, but as a symptom of a continuous systemic assault. From exposing the raw realities of the motherhood penalty and the institutional authority gap to dissecting why offering standard hospital wellness webinars behaves more like deliberate evidence tampering than a real solution, this conversation gets straight to the root of institutional inertia. It is an uncompromised masterclass in how to strip away archaic traditions, challenge structural biases, and completely redraw the blueprint of healthcare to save the next generation of women. Core Topics Dissected: The Core Injury: The recurring structural and organizational wounds inflicted upon women by the traditional medical hierarchy.Burnout vs. Systemic Assault: Why burnout is a symptom of an institutional failure rather than a pre-existing condition or lack of personal resilience.The Motherhood Penalty: Examining why the medical system continues to treat biological realities like pregnancy as a logistical failure or a breach of contract.The Authority Gap & Narrative: How the system builds structures to resist female expertise and uses a woman's caregiver status to undermine her authority in the clinic.The Likability Trap: The strategic weaponization of the "abrasive" label to silence assertive female leaders who are actively trying to fix the system.Evidence Tampering & The Resilience Myth: How superficial hospital wellness webinars act to shift blame away from toxic scheduling and back onto individual doctors.The Public Health Fallout: The direct cost and clinical impact on patient safety when the medical industry ignores the emotional safety of its female practitioners.The Tarzan Rule & The Verdict: Actionable strategies for reclaiming power, shifting systemic weight, and the ultimate verdict on modern healthcare leadership. 🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned: Executive Coaching & Leadership: Step into your leadership power and learn more about corporate consulting at ⁠PEAK MD⁠.Find Your Peer Support Network: Don't face the hierarchy alone. Join the accredited, online community built specifically for women physicians at The Raft Community.Leadership Retreats: Explore the upcoming 6-day immersive experiences for women in medicine on the official ⁠Momentum Retreat Page⁠. 🎙️ Connect With the Show: Listen: Subscribe to ⁠The Forensic Healer on Spotify⁠ or follow via ⁠Podfollow⁠.Socials: Follow the community on Instagram @theforensichealer and connect with the host on the ⁠Dr. Barinder Singh LinkedIn Profile⁠. The case file on modern medicine remains open. We cannot heal the patients if we keep breaking the healers. Enjoyed the show? Don't let the conversation stop here. Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode on social media to help us build a better medical future!

  2. Oct 20

    Ep 8: The Dark Playbook: Weaponizing "The Rules" Against Women in Medicine

    What happens when women in healthcare dare to challenge the status quo? They encounter "The Playbook." In this episode of the Forensic Healer podcast, we sit down with academic physician-scientist Dr. Andrea Boggild to pull back the curtain on a covert institutional weapon used to silence advocates and maintain systemic inequities in medicine. Dr. Boggild exposes the hidden strategies designed to dismantle the careers of pioneering women, the psychological toll of institutional backlash, and why the current system is fundamentally broken. But this isn't just an exposé—it’s a rallying cry. Together, we unpack how to recognize these toxic patterns, question institutional authority, and build a truly equitable landscape for the future of healthcare. In this episode, we dive into: What is "The Playbook"? Understanding the systematic tools used to maintain power structures and suppress institutional reform.The Status Quo Under Fire: Why the current environment for women in medicine is unsustainable and how to collectively push back.The Anatomy of Institutional Backlash: Recognizing the signs of career disruption and weaponized administrative policies.The Path to True Equity: Actionable steps to drive institutional accountability and psychological safety for medical professionals. Connect with Dr. Andrea Boggild: Website: www.boggildlab.caLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-boggild-bsc-msc-md-dtmh-frcpc-dipablm-4414b31bb/ Connect with Forensic Healer: Instagram: @theforensichealerLinkedIn: The Forensic Healer LinkedIn Page If you found value in this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and review on Spotify to help other healers find our community! Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice.

  3. Oct 6

    Ep. 7: The Currency of Care: Dr. Renee Fernandez on Systemic Blindspots, the Double Standard, and Gen Z’s Medical Reform

    Episode SummaryIn this episode of The Forensic Healer, host Dr. Barinder Singh sits down with Dr. Renee Fernandez to dissect the invisible operational and cultural frameworks holding back female physicians and their patients. Together, they pull back the curtain on the medical gender pay gap and confront the "second shift"—the exhausting compounding of extra professional duties and domestic caregiving that falls disproportionately on women. From exposing the stark leadership double standard facing women in medicine to investigating why modern medical schools leave a massive educational blindspot around menopause care, this conversation gets to the root of institutional inertia. Plus, they explore how Gen Z is completely rewriting the rules of engagement in healthcare, prioritizing boundaries, transparency, and purpose-driven leadership over outdated structures. This is a sober, high-stakes examination of what it truly costs to care—and how we fix a broken system. In This Episode, We Dive Into: The Double Standard in Medicine: Dismantling the cultural biases that praise assertive leadership in male physicians while penalizing the exact same traits in female leaders.The Intersectional Duty Load: Exposing the hidden structural tax of the "double load," where female clinicians navigate heavy emotional and administrative work both in the clinic and at home.Gen Z and the Future of Reform: How the youngest generation of medical professionals is pushing back against rigid industry norms, demanding transparency, and shifting the cultural baseline.The Menopause Care Gap: Confronting the deep institutional omission in medical school curricula that leaves frontline physicians under-trained on midlife women’s health, and how to fix this critical blindspot.The Primary Care Gender Pay Gap: The structural and contractual overhauls required to challenge historical frameworks and secure actual financial parity for comprehensive care. Connect with Our Guest: LinkedIn: Connect with Dr. Renee Fernandez on LinkedIn.Instagram: Follow her updates @drrfernandez. Connect with The Forensic Healer: Listen & Follow: Catch us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Community: Follow our journey on Instagram @theforensichealer.Support the Show: If this conversation resonated with you, please leave a 5-star rating and review to help us amplify these critical deep dives into healthcare equity!

  4. Sep 22

    Ep 6: Speaking Truth to the System: Navigating Bias and Personal Loss in Medicine with Dr. Anna Banerji

    Episode Summary:What does it truly cost to hold onto a global human rights mindset within a rigid medical establishment? In Episode 6 of The Forensic Healer, we host a deeply candid and profoundly moving conversation with Dr. Anna Banerji—an award-winning pediatrician, infectious disease specialist, and human rights advocate who has spent decades navigating the complex gates of modern medicine. From deciding to become a doctor at age 11 after witnessing a man die on a bridge in Calcutta, to fighting for equitable, life-saving RSV care for Inuit babies, Dr. Banerji’s career has been an uphill climb against institutional gatekeeping. In this raw reflection, she opens up about everything she has been through—including the co-opting of women's intellectual labor in academia and the systemic biases embedded in healthcare. Most devastatingly, she shares how the mental health system failed to recognize intergenerational trauma, leading to the tragic loss of her adopted Inuit son, Nathan. This episode is a profound masterclass in maintaining "unshakeable equanimity," surviving the "activism tax," and building a more compassionate, equitable future for the next generation of healers. 🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned Support the Mission: Empower the next generation of healers by contributing to the Nathan Banerji-Kearney Memorial Award for Indigenous Students at the University of Toronto.Advocacy & Impact: Read more about Dr. Banerji’s recognition and systemic battles through the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society.Connect with the Guest: Follow her continued public health advocacy on Dr. Anna Banerji’s X Profile.Connect with the Host: Join the community, share your thoughts on this episode, and access more deep-dives at @theforensichealer Enjoyed the show? Don't let the conversation stop here. Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode on social media to help us build a better medical future!

  5. Sep 8

    Ep 5: Bacteriophages, Boundaries, & a Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit: The Resilience of Dr. Marisa Azad

    What happens when a groundbreaking female clinician-scientist refuses to let a rigid institutional environment minimize her work? In this episode of The Forensic Healer, host Dr. Barinder Singh sits down with the visionary Dr. Marisa Azad. While open legal constraints mean Dr. Azad cannot speak directly on mic about her active $2.3M civil lawsuit against her hospital, her career story speaks volumes about the heavy toll of institutional hostility and what it takes to fight back. Together, Dr. Singh and Dr. Azad dive deep into the micro-dynamics of workplace toxicity in medicine, the isolation women experience when disrupting traditional hierarchy with scientific innovation, and how she managed to protect her sanity, her patients, and her boundaries while standing up to systemic bullying. About the Guest: Dr. Marisa Azad, MD, PhD, is an Infectious Diseases clinician-scientist at The Ottawa Hospital and an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa. A Mayo Clinic alumna, Dr. Azad made national headlines and medical history by successfully delivering Canada's first-ever Health Canada-approved bacteriophage (phage) therapy to cure a life-threatening, drug-resistant prosthetic joint infection. Alongside her leading clinical laboratory work, she is a passionate digital oil painter and founder of The ARTICU Project, a narrative medical humanities initiative designed to help families navigate grief and bereavement in the intensive care unit. Inside the Conversation: The Tax on Innovation: Analyzing the territorial pushback, professional isolation, and gendered biases that highly successful women face when breaking institutional molds.Holding the Line Under Pressure: Navigating toxic workplace structures while preserving your mental well-being, personal values, and patient-first mission.Healing the Healer Through Art: How Dr. Azad utilizes creative expression through The ARTICU Project to process clinical trauma and humanize intensive care settings.Advice to Next-Gen Physicians: Practical strategies for younger female doctors on identifying institutional "playbooks," finding safe professional allies, and maintaining integrity. Resources & Links Mentioned The Forensic Healer: Follow The Forensic Healer Podcast on Instagram and join the clinical community on The Forensic Healer LinkedIn Page.Dr. Azad’s Research: View her clinical breakthroughs and laboratory portfolio via her Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Profile and the ROADMAP Trial Team Page.The ARTICU Project: Explore the digital art gallery and narrative medicine updates at Marisa Azad's Official Website.In the News: To understand the context behind her legal advocacy, read the National Post Feature on Dr. Azad's Lawsuit.Connect with the Guest: Follow her medical and scientific milestones on Dr. Marisa Azad’s X Profile. Listen & SubscribeIf this episode empowered you, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to help amplify the voices of women rewriting the rules of healthcare! Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational, informational, and advocacy purposes only. It does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult qualified professionals regarding specific health or legal matters.

  6. Aug 25

    Ep 4: Anesthetizing Bias: Dr. Saroo Sharda's Blueprint for Medical Equity

    Host: Dr. Barinder Singh Guest: Dr. Saroo Sharda (Anesthesiologist, Writer, and Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion) 📋 Episode Overview Host Dr. Barinder Singh sits down with Dr. Saroo Sharda to dissect the cultural, institutional, and regulatory frameworks governing modern medicine. This episode challenges the toxic myth of physician invulnerability, exposes biases within regulatory bodies, and builds a concrete blueprint for true, compassionate accountability in healthcare. 🧠 Key Discussion Points Part 1: The Anatomy of Identity & The "Iron Doc" Weaponized Professionalism: How the archetype of the invulnerable "Iron Doc" is used to silence struggling physicians, especially women and equity-deserving groups.The Psychological Cost: A trauma-informed look at how enforced stoicism causes moral injury and prevents healthcare workers from seeking justice. Part 2: Dismantling the Neutrality Myth in Regulation The Gatekeeper Paradigm: Evolving traditional regulatory bodies into vehicles for anti-oppression without compromising public safety.Institutional Discomfort: Strategies for navigating organizational friction and systemic defensiveness when challenging entrenched power structures. Part 3: The Blueprint for True Accountability Beyond the Checklist: Moving past performative, surface-level EDI boxes to actively guarantee the psychological safety of medical teams.Redefining Professionalism: What a practical, anti-racist, decolonial, and compassionate framework for medical accountability looks like in action. 🔗 Connect With the Guest LinkedIn: Connect with Dr. Saroo Sharda on LinkedIn.Academic Profile: Read about her initiatives on the McMaster University Faculty Profile. 🎙️ Connect With the Show Listen: Subscribe to The Forensic Healer on Spotify.Socials: Follow the community on Instagram @theforensichealer and the host's LinkedIn.

  7. Aug 11

    Ep 3: Dismantling the Leadership Double Standard in Medicine with Ena Chadha

    In this powerful episode, host Dr. Barinder Singh sits down with renowned human rights lawyer, mediator, and investigator Ena Chadha. Ena dissects the landmark Cybulsky v. Hamilton Health Sciences legal case to explore a pervasive issue: why assertive male leaders are praised while assertive female leaders are penalized. Using her brilliant legal mind, Ena breaks down how the system weaponized leadership styles against women and how this historic Human Rights Tribunal victory sets a monumental precedent for healthcare institutions nationwide. Key Takeaways The "Double Standard" in Action: Understanding how words like "bully," "micromanager," or instructions to be "fluffier" are covertly used to police female leaders.The Historic Legal Precedent: How Dr. Irene Cybulsky’s legal fight fundamentally shifts accountability onto medical institutions to monitor systemic, unconscious gender bias. Dismantling the Medical Status Quo: Practical steps healthcare systems must take right now to allow future generations of women in surgery to lead authentically. Medicine Prides Itself on Evidence-Based Practice: Why it is time our hospital leadership models reflect that same rigorous standard of objective equity. Featured Guest: Ena Chadha, LL.B., LL.M., LSM. Ena Chadha is an experienced Canadian human rights lawyer, educator, and institutional investigator. Throughout her distinguished career, she has dedicated herself to exposing systemic inequities, challenging structural discrimination, and spearheading major conflict resolution initiatives in high-profile legal sectors. Case Spotlight: Cybulsky v. Hamilton Health Sciences Dr. Irene Cybulsky was a true trailblazer—the very first woman to ever head a cardiac surgery division in Canada. When she led her predominantly male team with the same absolute decisiveness and directness expected of any male surgeon, she faced swift organizational pushback, a targeted workplace review, and eventual removal from her position. Rather than walking away, she took on the medical establishment and won a historic victory at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, proving that covert gender stereotyping is illegal discrimination. Connect With Us Listen to More Episodes: Follow us on SpotifyJoin the Community: Connect with us on Instagram at @theforensichealerLearn More About Our Guest: Visit the official Ena Chadha Website: https://www.enachadha.com/

About

Medicine wasn’t built for women—but we are changing the narrative. Welcome to The Forensic Healer, the podcast dedicated to questioning the status quo, breaking down systemic barriers, and rewriting the rules for women in medicine. Hosted by Dr. Barinder Singh, this show takes a microscopic look at the unique challenges, untold stories, and institutional hurdles women face across healthcare fields. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Step into the clinic with us—hit the + Follow button so you never miss a breakthrough, and join our community on Instagram at @theforensichealer.

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