Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career

Rob Orman, MD

Do you work in medicine and love patient care but feel like parts of the job don’t measure up? Stimulus equips you with tools, mindset shifts, and strategies they didn’t teach you in training—so you can practice medicine like a boss, flourish in your career, and not let it crush your soul. Emergency physician and executive coach Rob Orman, MD, goes in-depth with thought leaders on how to avoid burnout, improve communication, lead without drama, and stay calm amidst the storm. Don’t just suck it up, think differently.

  1. APR 27

    Congratulations, You’re a Cog | Reclaiming agency inside a hungry system

    Medicine gives you a map. Pre-med, med school, residency, attending. Step by step, no shortcuts. Then one day, the map disappears and you’re there asking, “Now what?” In this episode, Dr. Mizuho Morrison and I dig into what happens after training, when fulfillment, identity, and control are no longer prescribed. We talk about nonlinear careers in medicine, from part-time clinical work and motherhood to podcasting, entrepreneurship, leadership, and walking away from roles that no longer fit. We also get into what happened when Mizuho wore a continuous glucose monitor during emergency department shifts, and what it revealed about stress, cortisol, and the real physiologic cost of the job. This is a conversation about agency, experimentation, and ownership, and how to build a medical career that actually works for your life, not just your training. 💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡 Guest Bio: Dr. Mizuho Morrison is a board-certified emergency physician in Southern California and CEO of EM:RAP. A graduate of the Los Angeles County + USC residency program, she has worked in both academic and community emergency medicine and has been a major voice in EM education for more than a decade. Miz was one of the first female EM podcasters, helped launch multiple EM:RAP programs, served as Editor-in-Chief and Senior Medical Director at Hippo Education, and co-hosted Essentials of Emergency Medicine. She is also an entrepreneur and cofounder of 3MD, Three Mommy Doctors, a medical device company that reimagined first-aid kits for kids. She lives in Orange County with her two children. We Discuss: The Train Track Problem in Medical CareersFulfillment Is Not One Standard Career ShapeSeasons, Experiments, and Knowing When to Move OnStress, Cortisol, and the Cost of Shift WorkBegin Before You Feel ReadyReclaiming Agency in a System That Keeps Asking for More Mentioned in this episode: Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job Rob's book is for anyone doing high-stakes, human-facing work who's ever thought I wasn't trained for this. Built from 20 years in emergency medicine and thousands of hours coaching physicians, Supranormal delivers the tools, mindset shifts, and communication techniques that don't show up on any board exam, but make all the difference in how you perform, connect, and build a career worth keeping. Get Supranormal on Amazon Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter UnBurnable Registration is Now Open We took the highest yield tools from our 1:1 coaching and created a community-based course with docs who get it and get you. The UnBurnable Course

    1h 1m
  2. APR 13

    Why Your Job Needs a Better Scorecard

    It’s not uncommon for hospitals to provide clinicians with scorecards. While they may seem like a judgment of your quality of work, scorecards rarely provide data that will lead to flourishing in your career. But what if you made your own scorecard, filled with things that were important to you and fully within your control? If you nailed one of those each day at work, what would your experience be like? In this episode, we explore what happened when Dr. Erin Broderick, a participant in the Unburnable Course, stopped using the hospital’s scorecard as her main definition of success and created a more personal one instead. Erin talks about how she took a new approach to patient satisfaction surveys, one that has eliminated nearly all the stress and distress associated with them. Finally, we look at how intentional practices during and after a shift made Erin’s work feel joyful and sustainable. 💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡 We Discuss: Measuring success with a personal scorecardA post-shift routine that closes the dayClosing open loopsA novel approach to patient satisfaction surveysLetting go of metrics that don’t serve youScheduling recovery during the shiftExtending intentionality beyond the hospital Mentioned in this episode: Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job Rob's book is for anyone doing high-stakes, human-facing work who's ever thought I wasn't trained for this. Built from 20 years in emergency medicine and thousands of hours coaching physicians, Supranormal delivers the tools, mindset shifts, and communication techniques that don't show up on any board exam, but make all the difference in how you perform, connect, and build a career worth keeping. Get Supranormal on Amazon UnBurnable | Our Cohort-Based Burnout Prevention and Cure Course We took the highest yield tools from our 1:1 coaching and created a community-based course with docs who get it and get you. The UnBurnable Course

    26 min
  3. FEB 23

    How to Switch From Self Flagellation to Context Assessment

    If you have ever lost it mid-shift, frozen when you should have acted, or spent the next two weeks asking yourself what's wrong with me, you already know what character assassination feels like. In this episode, we break down a simple and effective reframe that interrupts the self-flagellation shame spiral without making excuses or lowering standards. You will learn how to move from why did I to, of course, how to give yourself a legitimate and hard-earned break, and why self-compassion is not softness but one of the most underutilized performance tools in medicine. Topics include physician burnout, self-compassion, cognitive reappraisal, shame and self-criticism, communication under stress, and physician coaching. 💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡 We discuss: Why self-criticism after a hard moment often hurts more than the moment itselfThe difference between first-order distress and second-order distressWhat the research on rumination and shame actually showsWhy your brain treats harsh self-evaluation like a physical threatThe biology of performance under load and why grit has a limitThe of 'course' reframe and how to use it in real timeFour steps to move from character assassination to context assessmentWhy suppression makes it worse, and reappraisal changes the signalPre-shift dread and how to take the shame out of itWhy self-compassion is a performance tool, not a soft skillWhat this reframe is not: excuses, lowered standards, or avoiding accountabilityHow to start today with one sentence Mentioned in this episode: Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job Rob's book is for anyone doing high-stakes, human-facing work who's ever thought I wasn't trained for this. Built from 20 years in emergency medicine and thousands of hours coaching physicians, Supranormal delivers the tools, mindset shifts, and communication techniques that don't show up on any board exam, but make all the difference in how you perform, connect, and build a career worth keeping. Get Supranormal on Amazon The Out-On-Time Course Built for emergency clinicians who are tired of chart debt and getting derailed by interruptions and overwhelm. Learn practical, real-time documentation and shift-efficiency strategies to finish your shift and actually leave on time. Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course

    21 min
  4. FEB 2

    How to Handle Interruptions Without Alienating Your Team

    Emergency medicine has an interruption-based workflow. There's no getting around some of that, but recurrent interruptions erode quality of care, accuracy of documentation, concentration, and ultimately the ability to leave work on time. While some interruptions are unavoidable, most are predictable and preventable. Reclaiming control over interruptions is more than a way to improve efficiency; it's about patient safety, reducing medical errors, and safeguarding your mental health. Constant task switching creates cognitive load, contributing to emergency physician burnout and compromising clinical decision-making. In this episode, we explore tactical and mindset shifts that emergency clinicians can use to reduce interruptions, enhance documentation efficiency, and avoid the hidden costs of task switching. We'll cover practical strategies for managing EKG interruptions, skillful ways to manage nursing questions, and setting boundaries all while maintaining team dynamics and patient care quality. Whether you're an emergency physician, PA, NP, or resident, these evidence-based strategies will help you work smarter, reduce stress, and reclaim control of your clinical day. Finishing emergency department shifts with a stack of charts to complete gets old fast. This chart debt also contributes to burnout. We will help you break bad habits and equip you with the skills to walk out the door unencumbered. Out-On-Time is a course for emergency physicians and clinicians that teaches shift efficiency and real-time documentation, enabling you to write fast, focused charts that bill well and are medicolegally sound. Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course We Discuss: The Cost of Interruptions in Emergency MedicineNot All Interruptions Are UrgentThe Cognitive Cost of Task SwitchingBecoming a Non-Interruptible ClinicianDeferring Without Alienating Your TeamProtecting Focus at the End of the ShiftFixing the EKG Interruption ProblemAsynchronous Communication That Actually Works Mentioned in this episode: Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job Rob's book is for anyone doing high-stakes, human-facing work who's ever thought I wasn't trained for this. Built from 20 years in emergency medicine and thousands of hours coaching physicians, Supranormal delivers the tools, mindset shifts, and communication techniques that don't show up on any board exam, but make all the difference in how you perform, connect, and build a career worth keeping. Get Supranormal on Amazon

    43 min
  5. JAN 20

    Why You Might Be Chasing the Wrong Dream

    So many of our choices are shaped less by desire and more by expectation. We chase prestige, status, or recognition, only to arrive and realize we were climbing the wrong ladder. Beneath burnout and the friction, there’s often the truth that we were never pursuing what we truly wanted. In this episode, we explore the concept of mimetic desire, how it misguides our ambitions, and how to reclaim our decisions. Finally, we examine how fear of judgment and shame shape our careers more than we think, and what it takes to break free. Guest bio:  Josh Russell, MD, is double board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Palliative Care. He’s held leadership roles as a Chief Medical Officer in telehealth, artificial intelligence, and urgent care systems. He’s an experienced clinician, writer, educator, and medical editor with a passion for making complex topics accessible.  LinkedIn article that spurred this podcast Josh’s Website We Discuss:Mimetic Desire: Chasing What Others WantThe Trap of “Should”: Internalized ShameThe Concentric Circles of StressorsFinding What You Really WantThe Ladder Against the Wrong WallActionable Reflection Practices Mentioned in this episode: The Out-On-Time Course Built for emergency clinicians who are tired of chart debt and getting derailed by interruptions and overwhelm. Learn practical, real-time documentation and shift-efficiency strategies to finish your shift and actually leave on time. Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter

    27 min
  6. 12/29/2025

    Dan Millman on How to Practice Life

    What if the true test of strength is focusing less on what we feel and more on what we do? In this episode, we explore a practical philosophy of action, presence, and personal agency with Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Finally, we dig into how small mindset shifts can transform both high-stakes moments and the quiet struggles of everyday life. Guest bio: Dan Millman is a world champion athlete turned author, educator, and teacher of practical wisdom. With a background that spans competitive sports, university-level coaching, martial arts, and academic instruction, Dan brings a rare blend of physical discipline and philosophical insight to his work. Following two decades of spiritual exploration, he developed what would become known as the Peaceful Warrior’s Way, an action-based approach to living with purpose. Dan is the author of 18 books, including the international bestseller Way of the Peaceful Warrior, which was adapted into a feature film. His writings have reached millions across 29 languages and continue to influence readers around the world. We Discuss: Peaceful Warrior Philosophy in ActionWhat We Control (And What We Don’t)Action Over EmotionThe Three Rules of Wise LivingThe Power of Present Moment AwarenessMastery Through Deliberate PracticePurpose as a Practical ToolGrowth Without PerfectionWorking Within Broken SystemsPracticing Life Mentioned in this episode: Free Tools To Make Medical Practice Easier No fluff. Just good stuff. Free Resources Link The Out-On-Time Course Built for emergency clinicians who are tired of chart debt and getting derailed by interruptions and overwhelm. Learn practical, real-time documentation and shift-efficiency strategies to finish your shift and actually leave on time. Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course Supranormal: A Field Guide for the Impossible Job Rob's book is for anyone doing high-stakes, human-facing work who's ever thought I wasn't trained for this. Built from 20 years in emergency medicine and thousands of hours coaching physicians, Supranormal delivers the tools, mindset shifts, and communication techniques that don't show up on any board exam, but make all the difference in how you perform, connect, and build a career worth keeping. Get Supranormal on Amazon Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter

    1h 7m
  7. 12/15/2025

    Supranormal

    Your work world is built on endurance, intensity, and mastery. The culture is 'always on,' and you were trained to perform in conditions no one would call normal. The work is supranormal. It sits at the edge of reasonable and regularly exceeds what is sustainable by most standards. High performers like you often find themselves on an above-the-fray pedestal, expected to be tireless and self-sacrificing. Supranormal work can unlock extraordinary performance, but the cost adds up if it goes unchecked. In this episode, we look at where this culture came from, the cortisol spikes that shape your days, the hidden curriculum of self-sacrifice, and the countermeasures that keep you from burning out. It is a straight look at the supranormal experience and what it takes to do this work without losing yourself to it. Awake + Aware | Our 2026 Retreat Join us at Awake and Aware, our 3-day retreat in Scottsdale, AZ. March 1-4, 2026. Space is limited. Learn More Here 🎓 P.S. This is a CME event. We discuss:• Why medical culture expects you to perform inside conditions no one would call normal • What makes supranormal work different from ordinary high-stress work • How the “always on” ethos formed and why it persists • The hidden curriculum of self-sacrifice and the pedestal of being above the fray • Cortisol spikes, sympathetic load, and what chronic activation does to your body • Why self-preservation feels selfish in medicine and why that belief is wrong • The roots of modern training from monastic care to Halsted’s cocaine-fueled stamina • Why emergency medicine is an outlier in burnout, longevity, and physiological strain • The concept of parasympathetic nurturing as a countermeasure • How mindset changes biology and shifts performance • What it takes to last in supranormal work without losing yourself

    20 min
  8. 11/24/2025

    How To Not Overthink Simple Decisions

    What if the best decision is to not decide at all? We waste valuable mental energy overthinking simple choices, especially when the outcomes are nearly identical. That kind of cognitive drain reduces our capacity to think clearly when decisions actually matter. In this episode, we explore how to reduce cognitive load, identify low-risk choices that can be automated or ignored, and recognize when deliberation is just noise. Finally, we break down how framing, values, and the right question can make even complex decisions frictionless. Guest bio:  Dan Dworkis MD, PhD is an emergency physician who is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at USC Keck School of Medicine. He’s also host of the Emergency Mind podcast that focuses on helping individuals and teams perform better under pressure and the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure.  We Discuss: The Three Types of Cognitive LoadHarvesting Free RollsApplying Dominance and Cutting Through Decisional NoiseHow to Stop Fretting Over Equivalent DecisionsNavigating EquipoiseMaking Big Life Decisions Mentioned in this episode: 5 Free Tools To Make Medical Practice Easier Scripts for your least favorite conversations. The quick and dirty guide to calling consults. A 10-minute "Driveway Debrief" to switch off from work. My favorite documentation templates. Step-by-step guide for delivering the news of death. Free Resources Link Doctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized Wins Every other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh. Sign up for our Newsletter The Out-On-Time Course Built for emergency clinicians who are tired of chart debt and getting derailed by interruptions and overwhelm. Learn practical, real-time documentation and shift-efficiency strategies to finish your shift and actually leave on time. Learn More About The Out-On-Time Course

    41 min
4.9
out of 5
114 Ratings

About

Do you work in medicine and love patient care but feel like parts of the job don’t measure up? Stimulus equips you with tools, mindset shifts, and strategies they didn’t teach you in training—so you can practice medicine like a boss, flourish in your career, and not let it crush your soul. Emergency physician and executive coach Rob Orman, MD, goes in-depth with thought leaders on how to avoid burnout, improve communication, lead without drama, and stay calm amidst the storm. Don’t just suck it up, think differently.

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