Becoming MD

Caitlin Calland, M2 Medical Student
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Becoming MD is a storytelling podcast that gives medical students and physicians a platform to share their journeys — the highs, lows, and everything in between. Each episode dives into the real experiences that shape the path to becoming a doctor, offering inspiration, insight, and connection for anyone walking the same road. Whether you’re a pre-med dreaming of your white coat or a med student pushing through another rotation, this podcast reminds you that every story in medicine deserves to be heard. Have questions you’d like answered on the show or someone you’d love to hear from? Email me at becomingmd.cc@aol.com - your input helps shape the next episodes!

  1. Sep 7

    Carrying the Human Side of Medicine with Dr. Ferguson, Author of The Only Life You Could Save

    Medicine teaches us how to recognize pain—but not always what to do when we feel it ourselves. In this episode of Becoming MD, I sit down with pediatric emergency medicine physician, medical educator, and author Dr. Cassie Ferguson to talk about the emotional side of medical training: patient stories that hit close to home, grief after difficult cases, compassion fatigue, burnout, and the pressure to remain “professional” when you’re still human. We unpack whether emotional detachment should really be the goal, what to do when a lecture or patient encounter unexpectedly affects you, and how to process heavy moments when medicine expects you to keep moving. Dr. Ferguson’s book The Only Life You Could Save doesn’t tell medical students to toughen up—it gives language to the grief, failure, and emotional contradictions we’re usually expected to navigate quietly. This episode opens the door to that conversation and offers a glimpse into the kind of support Dr. Ferguson believes medical training has been missing. For every medical student, resident, physician, or healthcare professional learning how to care deeply without carrying everything alone—this conversation is for you. Connect with Cassie Ferguson: Linked In: cassie-ferguson-mdConnect with host Caitlin Calland: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com#MedicalEducation #MedStudent #Medicine #BecomingMD #PhysicianLife #MedicalTraining

  2. May 8

    God Didn’t Call Me to Medicine to Lose Myself: Faith, Identity, and the Pressure of Medical School with Naa Dromo Korley

    Medical school has a way of testing more than just your intelligence — it tests your identity, your resilience, and sometimes even your faith. In this episode of Becoming MD, I sit down with fellow medical student and content creator Naa Dromo Korley for an honest conversation about what it means to stay grounded in Christ while navigating the pressure, comparison, and uncertainty that can come with pursuing medicine. We talk about faith in the middle of academic stress, trusting God through setbacks, avoiding the trap of tying your worth to performance, and learning how to pursue excellence without losing yourself in the process. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by pressure, struggled with comparison, or questioned how to balance ambition with a deeper sense of purpose. 🎧 Tune in for a conversation about medicine, faith, identity, and becoming the kind of person you want to be while chasing the career you’ve prayed for. Connect with Naa Dromo Korley: Instagram: @korley_naa00TikTok: @naa_dromosdiaryConnect with host Caitlin Calland: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  3. May 1

    The Athlete Mindset That Doesn’t Turn Off: From D1 Basketball to Medical School with Nehaa Sohail

    What does it actually look like to take the discipline, structure, and mental toughness from Division I athletics and apply it to one of the most demanding paths out there—medical school? In this episode, I sit down with former D1 basketball player Nehaa Sohail, who didn’t just compete at a high level—she challenged cultural expectations and carved her own path in the process. Now a third-year medical student, Nehaa shares how she’s translated the habits that made her successful on the court into success in the classroom, on rotations, and beyond. We talk about identity shifts, parallels between sports and medicine, and what it means to walk into spaces that weren’t necessarily built for you—and still show up with confidence. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to choose between different versions of themselves, or questioned whether their past experiences could carry them into a completely different future. If you’re an athlete considering medicine, a student in the grind, or someone learning how to evolve without losing your edge, this one’s for you. Connect with Nehaa Sohail: Instagram: nehaasohailTikTok: @nehaasohailConnect with host Caitlin Calland: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  4. Mar 6

    How to Keep Your Identity Outside of Medical School with Avery Wooten

    Medical school has a subtle way of shrinking your identity. At some point, many of us stop introducing ourselves as people and start introducing ourselves as students. Your wins become exam scores. Your losses become evaluations. Your sense of worth starts rising and falling with things that were never meant to define you in the first place. And that’s a dangerous place to live. I sat down with fourth-year medical student Avery Wooten to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough in medicine: How to build a life outside of medical school — while still pursuing excellence inside of it. We talk about:  • What it actually looks like to lose yourself in the grind  • How hobbies, friendships, and life outside of medicine can protect your identity  • Why waiting for “the next phase” to be happy is a trap many of us fall into  • And how redefining success can make the journey far more fulfilling If you’re a medical student who feels like your entire identity lives inside your academic performance… this episode is for you. Because becoming a doctor shouldn’t require losing who you are. Connect with Avery Wooten: Instagram: aves.the.ms4TikTok: @aves.the.ms4Connect with Caitlin: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  5. Feb 27

    How to Pass Step 1 (Even If You Feel Behind) with Jarrod Shuck

    In this episode of Becoming MD, I sit down with a TikTok-famous Emergency Medicine resident Jarrod Shuck to break down what Step 1 really demands — and how to navigate it without losing yourself in the pressure. This conversation isn’t about cramming harder. It’s about becoming process-oriented. It’s about eliminating emotional studying. It’s about trusting UWorld when you’re scoring 30% and feeling behind. It’s about building systems that work — long before dedicated. We break down:  • Why “just passing” is the wrong mindset  • How to map out your timeline strategically  • When and how to start practice questions (hint: earlier than you think)  • How to use multiple resources without drowning in them  • Why thousands of questions = confidence  • And why getting things wrong is exactly the point If you’re in pre-clinical, approaching dedicated, or somewhere in the messy middle of boards prep — this episode will reset how you think about Step 1. Because the goal isn’t to survive the test. The goal is to become the kind of student who can’t be shaken by it. Trust the process. It’s supposed to feel hard. Connect with Jarrod Shuck: Instagram: jarrodshuckTikTok: @jarrodshuckConnect with Caitlin: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  6. Feb 13

    Rewriting the Timeline: Pursuing Medicine After 20+ Years in Military Service with Mark Buford

    What does it look like to start medical school after an entire lifetime of discipline, leadership, and service? In this episode of Becoming MD I am joined by Mark Buford, a first-year medical student at Ross University School of Medicine, whose path to medicine began long after most. After serving more than two decades in the military, Mark made the bold decision to trade one demanding career for another — stepping from structured service into the uncertainty of medical training. Key points of this episode: How military discipline translates to medical school success.How life experience can transform pressure, stress, and failure into perspective rather than panic.What it truly feels like to rebuild your identity when you become “the beginner” again.Whether you’re a non-traditional student, a veteran, or someone quietly questioning if you’ve missed your moment — this episode is for you. Connect with Mark Buford: Instagram: @fitness4fanatics Follow along for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community conversations:  Connect with Caitlin: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  7. Feb 6

    You Were Never Meant to Be Just a Resume with Dr. Katie Metzler

    Most medical students (yes, myself included) are stressed about the wrong things. In this episode of Becoming MD, a first-year family medicine resident Katie Metzler reflects on medical school with the perspective most students don’t have yet — what carried weight, what didn’t, and how confidence, boundaries, and authenticity mattered more than any single score. We talk candidly about preclinical burnout, the pressure to perform, and why becoming protective of your life outside medicine isn’t optional if you want longevity. Three takeaways that stayed with me: -Be intentional about protecting the things that bring you joy — they matter more than you think in this journey. -Build boundaries early, because you can’t sustainably care for others without first caring for yourself. -There is a specific role you are meant to fulfill as a physician, and there is a reason you’re on this path — even when it feels unclear. Listen if you want perspective — not reassurance. Connect with Katie Metzler: Instagram: @heydrkatie Follow along for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community conversations:  Connect with Caitlin: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

  8. Jan 30

    Becoming a Competent Medical Student Without Being Perfect: A Different Conversation About Step 1

    You can do everything “right” in medical school and still feel like you’re failing - let's talk about it. In this episode, I talk with a female emergency medicine resident Daniella Dennis about the parts of training that don’t fit into study schedules or score reports — the fear of starting school again after time away, the pressure to always have the answer, and the realization that longer hours didn’t always translate to better learning. One of the best moments in this episode comes from talking honestly about navigating a major academic setback — not passing Step 1 on the first attempt — and why that moment didn’t derail her path to matching into her dream residency. We talk about:  How setbacks don’t define your ceilingWhy residency actually felt less suffocating than medical schoolWhat it means to trust yourself before the system tells you it’s okayThis conversation isn’t motivational. It’s grounding and for the medical student who needs the reassurance perfection is not mandatory. Connect with Daniella Dennis: Instagram: @daniella_doubledLinkedIn: @daniella-dennis Follow along for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community conversations:  Connect with Caitlin: Instagram: @becomingmd_podcastTikTok: @caitcallandLinkedIn: caitlin-callandEmail: becomingmd.cc@aol.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Becoming MD is a storytelling podcast that gives medical students and physicians a platform to share their journeys — the highs, lows, and everything in between. Each episode dives into the real experiences that shape the path to becoming a doctor, offering inspiration, insight, and connection for anyone walking the same road. Whether you’re a pre-med dreaming of your white coat or a med student pushing through another rotation, this podcast reminds you that every story in medicine deserves to be heard. Have questions you’d like answered on the show or someone you’d love to hear from? Email me at becomingmd.cc@aol.com - your input helps shape the next episodes!

Information

  • Creator
    Caitlin Calland, M2 Medical Student
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Becoming MD
  • Show Website
    Becoming MD