Create Meaning in Medicine

Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley
  • 5.0 (34)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

Are you a woman in medicine looking to rediscover joy and balance in your career and personal life? Welcome to "Create Meaning in Medicine," the podcast where women physicians come to rewrite the rules and reclaim their fulfillment. Hosted by Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley, this podcast offers a sanctuary for candid discussions on the tough topics no one else is talking about, such as burnout, mental health, and the intricate balance of relationships and professional obligations. Each episode brings insights from expert guests, offering you strategies to overcome the unique challenges faced by women in healthcare. Subscribe to our podcast to navigate the complexities of your career with greater clarity and intention. Join us and explore actionable steps to enhance your well-being and achieve a sustainable, fulfilling lifestyle. Your path to creating meaning in medicine starts here!

  1. 183. Dr. Erin Hurley: The Power of White Space for Women in Medicine

    5d ago

    183. Dr. Erin Hurley: The Power of White Space for Women in Medicine

    When physicians stop treating rest as optional, Dr. Erin Hurley argues that “white space” becomes the key to sustainable medicine. In this episode, she joins Dr. Joanne Sotelo to define white space as truly unstructured, unscheduled time and explains how constantly filling every open slot drives cortisol, burnout, and a shutdown of the brain’s creative default mode network. Drawing on research about physicians’ vacation habits, executives’ 10–15 minute reflection practices, and studies of Nobel Prize–winning scientists, she shows how small, protected breaks can dramatically improve performance and problem‑solving. Dr. Erin also speaks directly to women physicians about planning vacations months in advance, challenging the belief that time off is a luxury, and using delegation, boundaries, and intentional scheduling to create and fiercely protect white space as non‑negotiable for a meaningful, sustainable life in medicine. Key Takeaways To Listen For White space, unscheduled, unstructured time, is a necessary counterbalance to overfilled calendars and constant “on” mode in medicineEven 10–15 minutes of true downtime or reflection can significantly boost performance, creativity, and problem-solvingPlanning vacations well in advance extends their restorative impact by giving you something to look forward to, not just recover fromCreating white space requires deliberate delegation, boundary-setting, and saying no to nonessential tasksWhen physicians protect their breaks like they protect patient appointments, they normalize rest and help shift the culture toward sustainable practice “We want medicine to be sustainable, and with such high burnout rates, we know that it's a struggle, and so can we shift our mindset and get to the point where we see breaks as necessary for our sustainability, not something getting in the way of our productivity.” - Dr. Erin Hurley Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    23 min
  2. 182. Dr. Joanne Sotelo: Stopping Self-Neglect Before You Disappear in Medicine

    May 26

    182. Dr. Joanne Sotelo: Stopping Self-Neglect Before You Disappear in Medicine

    Dr. Erin Hurley and Dr. Joanne Sotelo dive into the often-invisible pattern of self-neglect among women in medicine, tracing how it begins early in training and becomes normalized within a culture that rewards self-sacrifice, over-functioning, and emotional suppression. Joanne explains how slow self-abandonment leads to disconnection, resentment, burnout, and a loss of identity, and why self-compassion is a research-backed antidote that many high-achieving women find foreign and feel “weak.” Together, they explore the unique emotional burdens women physicians carry, the impact of constant “second shifts,” high mental load, and how nervous system dysregulation keeps clinicians stuck in survival mode. Joanne then offers a hopeful, practical framework, awareness, self-compassion, nervous system regulation, reconnection to identity, and community support to help women in medicine stop disappearing inside their roles and begin caring for themselves with the same compassion they offer everyone else. Key Takeaways To Listen For Self-neglect and self-abandonment in women in medicineHow medical training and culture reward self-sacrifice and over-functioningThe role of self-compassion in resilience and burnout preventionNervous system dysregulation, survival mode, and emotional numbingPractical steps for reconnection: awareness, identity, community, and support “You don't have to fall apart before you are allowed to say something out loud and feel like you matter.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    26 min
  3. 181. Dr. Joanne Sotelo: The Second Shift No One Scheduled – Women Physicians, Caregiver Burnout, and What Actually Helps

    May 19

    181. Dr. Joanne Sotelo: The Second Shift No One Scheduled – Women Physicians, Caregiver Burnout, and What Actually Helps

    Women physicians are often balancing demanding clinical work with caregiving responsibilities at home, creating what many describe as a “second shift.” In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley interviews psychiatrist and coach Dr. Joanne Sotelo about caregiver burnout, why healthcare providers are especially vulnerable to it, and how emotional labor, family expectations, and caregiving for aging parents can overwhelm even the most capable physicians. Drawing from her personal experience caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s, Joanne shares the emotional realities of caregiving, the pressure many women in medicine carry, and the importance of asking for help before reaching a breaking point. Together, they discuss practical ways to reduce overwhelm through boundaries, delegation, support systems, mindfulness, movement, real-time off, and taking at least one thing completely off your plate without guilt. Key Takeaways To Listen For Why caregiver burnout goes beyond physical exhaustion and includes emotional and mental overloadThe “second shift” many women physicians experience after clinical work endsHow caregiving responsibilities compound burnout risk in healthcare providersWhy highly capable physicians often delay asking for helpPractical ways to reduce overwhelm through delegation, support systems, real-time off, and intentional self-care “Caregiver burnout is what happens when love, responsibility, and competence are pushed beyond human capacity.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    21 min
  4. 180. It’s Not You, It’s the Environment – Dr. Erin Hurley on Women Physicians, Neurodiversity, and Burnout

    May 12

    180. It’s Not You, It’s the Environment – Dr. Erin Hurley on Women Physicians, Neurodiversity, and Burnout

    What if the problem isn’t you, but the environment you’re trying to succeed in? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley takes the lead in unpacking why so many women in medicine feel overwhelmed, inefficient, and burned out despite doing everything “right.” She shares powerful insights on cognitive load, constant interruptions, and how workplace design sabotages focus, time, and energy. Dr. Erin also brings attention to neurodiversity, sensory sensitivity, and the hidden ways physicians are set up to struggle, then shows what becomes possible when you shift from self-blame to self-awareness. Press play to rethink your environment, reclaim your time, and create conditions where you can flourish. Key Takeaways To Listen For How misaligned work environments, like noisy bullpens and constant interruptions, steal focus, time, and energy from women physiciansWhy each interruption to cognitively demanding work (like charting) can add 23–25 minutes to refocus, and how that compounds into pajama charting and weekend workHow neurodiversity, noise sensitivity, and past trauma can make standard medical settings even more exhausting, and why awareness and self-compassion are essentialPractical ways to advocate for yourself through accommodations, boundaries, and workflow changes that better match how your brain worksHow coaching, therapy, and supportive communities can help you see your blind spots, break long-standing habits, and reclaim hours each week without leaving medicine “If you never ask for an accommodation to strengthen your strengths and minimize your weaknesses, the answer will always be no.” - Dr. Erin Hurley Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    24 min
  5. 179. Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur on Why the Doctor Is No Longer In and Why Doctors Are Walking Away from Medicine

    May 5

    179. Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur on Why the Doctor Is No Longer In and Why Doctors Are Walking Away from Medicine

    What happens when the physician trained to save lives can no longer survive the system she works in? In this episode, Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur joins Dr. Erin Hurley and Dr. Joanne Sotelo to unpack the deeper forces, from burnout and moral injury to dehumanization, loss of autonomy, and broken trust. She shares the story behind her book, The Doctor Is No Longer In, and the documentary Suck It Up, Buttercup, reminding us that healthcare reform cannot happen without both physicians and patients reclaiming their voices. Press play for a bold, honest conversation about identity, courage, and the systemic change medicine urgently needs. Key Takeaways To Listen For Why physician burnout is not just a personal problem, but a systemic warning signHow loss of autonomy, moral injury, dehumanization, and betrayal are pushing doctors out of patient careWhy patients must be part of the healthcare reform conversation, not treated as an afterthoughtThe emotional weight of leaving medicine when being a physician is tied to identity, worth, and legacyHow financial pressure, “golden handcuffs,” and family expectations can keep physicians feeling trapped  “I love to nerd out about the history of why that happened. There are no villains. It's just what it is. But our system was designed around the dollar, not about the patient.” - Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur About Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur: Dr. Wilbur is an author, public health strategist, and a fierce physician advocate.  Until 2022, she was a practicing Gynecologic Oncologist.  She now works full-time using research and narrative medicine to advocate for change within US Healthcare.  Dr. Wilbur will share her personal journey in academic medicine and how research guided her path.    Connect with Dr. MaryAnn Wilbur:  Book - The Doctor Is No Longer In: https://www.thedoctorisnolongerin.com/  Suck it Up, Buttercup Film - https://siubfilm.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryann-wilbur-md-mph-mhs-5ab008230/  Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Episode 172 - Dr. Todd Otten: Suck It Up, Buttercup and the Fight to Fix Medicine - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/172-dr-todd-otten-suck-it-up-buttercup-and-the-fight/id1752701820?i=1000761689443  Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    49 min
  6. 178. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on Identity Shift, Burnout, and Becoming More Than the White Coat

    Apr 28

    178. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on Identity Shift, Burnout, and Becoming More Than the White Coat

    Dr. Joanne Sotelo takes center stage in this episode as she unpacks what happens when medicine stops feeling sustainable, especially when being a physician becomes your core identity rather than just a job. Drawing on her own transition and work with clients, she walks through the stages of identity shift, from the first whispers of doubt to numbing, resentment, and crisis, while highlighting the roles of moral injury, burnout, and financial “golden handcuffs.” Alongside co-host Dr. Erin Hurley, Joanne offers a compassionate roadmap for separating who you are from what you do, auditing your energy instead of only your schedule, reconnecting with why you chose medicine in the first place, and redefining success on your own terms in this season of your life and career. Key Takeaways To Listen For Why physician burnout feels like an identity crisis, not just a job issue, because medicine is often intertwined with a doctor’s sense of self and worthHow corporatization, mergers, and acquisitions disrupt wellness efforts, stalling coaching and support programs, and leaving physicians feeling stuckWhat the stages of identity shift and burnout look like, from subtle whispers and numbing to resentment and full-blown crisisWhy distinguishing burnout from moral injury matters, as systemic barriers to providing good care deepen misalignment and distressHow financial “golden handcuffs” keep physicians feeling trapped, especially for primary breadwinners carrying significant educational debt “The question doesn't necessarily need to be should I stay in medicine or leave, but rather ask the question: Who do you want to become in this process again… in this time of your life?… and, How do you want to feel while you're doing it?” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    31 min
  7. 177. Dr. Erin Hurley on Disrupting Medicine Through Community, Coaching, and Unicorn Outcomes

    Apr 21

    177. Dr. Erin Hurley on Disrupting Medicine Through Community, Coaching, and Unicorn Outcomes

    What happens when women in medicine stop accepting the status quo and start choosing rooms, people, and experiences that truly support them? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley returns to share how saying yes to coaching, leadership conferences, and deeply connected communities transformed her career, relationships, and impact as a “physician disrupter.” From the Suck It Up Buttercup documentary to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and her own “Notes from the Heart” event, Dr. Erin reveals how both big movements and simple, local acts, like writing gratitude cards, create powerful ripple effects. She explains her “unicorn outcomes” concept, challenges listeners to examine the cost of inaction, and highlights why psychological safety and the right rooms are essential for women physicians seeking sustainable, joyful, and meaningful lives in medicine. Key Takeaways To Listen For How Erin defines disruptors as physicians who refuse the toxic status quo and actively create solutions that improve care and clinician well-beingWhy does she use horses, zebras, and unicorns to describe typical burnout outcomes versus rare, joyful, and sustainable medical careers?How attending aligned events and conferences expanded Erin’s network, hope, and capacity to lead meaningful changeHow one organization built a robust wellness program with no dedicated funds by leveraging only existing resourcesWhy delaying decisions and putting yourself last undermines long-term sustainability in life and work “There is a cost to not putting yourself first, and I think the biggest cost is lack of sustainability.” - Dr. Erin Hurley Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    23 min
  8. 176. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on What Women in Medicine Need Now

    Apr 14

    176. Dr. Joanne Sotelo on What Women in Medicine Need Now

    Why does a life that looks successful on paper still feel unfulfilling? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley sits down with Dr. Joanne Sotelo to explore what high-achieving women in medicine need now, especially when guilt, shame, and burnout make it hard to hear themselves clearly. Joanne introduces her Harmony Method, a framework built on reconnecting, realigning, and rising, to help women in medicine move out of autopilot and back into a life that reflects their truth. Press play for a powerful conversation on self-connection, alignment, and the small, consistent actions that can help you reclaim a life that finally feels like yours again. Key Takeaways To Listen For Why many women in medicine can look successful externally while feeling disconnected internallyHow guilt, shame, and “should” programming keep physicians stuck in lives that no longer fitWhat it means to reconnect with yourself and ask better questions in this season of lifeWhy awareness without action keeps you stuck, and how alignment creates forward movementThe three parts of Joanne’s Harmony Method: Reconnect, Realign, and Rise “We can be very grateful to where we are and honor it, and still ask the right questions that will help us identify where we are in this season of our lives and where we want to go.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine 🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

    22 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Are you a woman in medicine looking to rediscover joy and balance in your career and personal life? Welcome to "Create Meaning in Medicine," the podcast where women physicians come to rewrite the rules and reclaim their fulfillment. Hosted by Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley, this podcast offers a sanctuary for candid discussions on the tough topics no one else is talking about, such as burnout, mental health, and the intricate balance of relationships and professional obligations. Each episode brings insights from expert guests, offering you strategies to overcome the unique challenges faced by women in healthcare. Subscribe to our podcast to navigate the complexities of your career with greater clarity and intention. Join us and explore actionable steps to enhance your well-being and achieve a sustainable, fulfilling lifestyle. Your path to creating meaning in medicine starts here!

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    185
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Create Meaning in Medicine