Life Changing Moments: The Unseen Crisis: Healing the Healers with Dr. Stephanie Simmons
Rx for Success Podcast
If you or a healthcare professional you know is struggling, confidential help is available: Physician Support Line: Call 1-888-409-0141. This is a national, free, and confidential support line staffed by volunteer psychiatrists. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 anytime for immediate support from a trained counselor. In the high-stakes world of medicine, the focus is relentlessly on patient care, often at the expense of the caregivers themselves. Physicians and healthcare workers face some of the highest rates of burnout, depression, and suicide of any...
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210: The Coach: Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC
Rx for Success Podcast
In this profound conversation, Dr. Amna Shabbir who is an internist, geriatrician, and life coach, shares her journey through medicine’s highs and lows, revealing how self-awareness and resilience can transform burnout into purpose. From her early days in Pakistan’s rigorous medical training to navigating health challenges during residency at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Shabbir emphasizes the power of empathetic leadership. She reflects on a pivotal moment when her program director prioritized her well-being over work demands, teaching her that self-care isn’t selfish. It’s essential for...
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209: The Pharmacist: Bella Mehta, Pharm.D., FAPhA
Rx for Success Podcast
During a recent conversation, Dr. Bela Mehta, Chair of the Division of Pharmacy Practice and Science at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, shared her insights on the vital role of community pharmacists. The discussion highlighted the challenges faced during the COVID pandemic, including increased patient care demands and immunization efforts, which contributed to rising levels of burnout among pharmacy practitioners. Dr. Mehta reflected on her personal journey, beginning with her father’s immigration from India to the U.S. in the 1960s, her childhood in India, and her eventual...
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LCM 62: Breaking the Burnout Cycle, with Dr. Stuart Slavin
Rx for Success Podcast
Host Dr. Dael Waxman welcomes Dr. Stuart Slavin, Vice President for Well-Being at the ACGME, for a deep dive into the systemic challenges and solutions surrounding physician well-being in medical training. Dr. Slavin recounts his transformative work at St. Louis University, where interventions like reduced class time and pass-fail grading slashed student depression rates by 80%—without sacrificing academic performance. The conversation exposes the harsh realities residents face: sleep deprivation, productivity pressures, and cultures that stigmatize vulnerability. Dr. Slavin details how the...
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LCM61: Thriving in Residency - Dr. Kelly Schmidt
Rx for Success Podcast
In this episode of Life-Changing Moments, Dr. Kelly Schmidt, a fifth-year otolaryngology resident at the University of Missouri, shares pragmatic insights on resilience and self-care in medical training. Moving beyond conventional wellness advice, she emphasizes sustainable, small-scale habits—such as integrating personal checklists and celebrating incremental progress—to navigate residency’s demands. Crucially, she reframes resilience as a systemic issue, challenging the notion that burnout reflects individual failure. Dr. Schmidt candidly discusses the pressures of rigorous schedules,...
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208. The Dean: Stephanie Wu, DPM, MS, FACFAS
Rx for Success Podcast
This episode of Prescription for Success features Dr. Stephanie Wu, an internationally renowned podiatrist and dean of the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Wu shares her unconventional journey into medicine, beginning with a career in marketing before serendipitously discovering podiatry through an unplanned MCAT exam. Her story highlights the importance of remaining open to unexpected opportunities and embracing career changes. She also reflects on her deeply personal decision to become a U.S. citizen following the events of September 11, emphasizing the...
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207. The Surgeon: Elizabeth Lieberman, MD, FAAOS
Rx for Success Podcast
In this episode of Prescription for Success, host Dr. Randy Cook speaks with Dr. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Lieberman, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult reconstruction and a core faculty member at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Lieberman shares her journey into medicine, reflecting on her unconventional path—initially resistant to following in her father’s (a urologist) footsteps before finding her passion in orthopedics. She discusses the challenges of entering medical school off the waitlist, the exhilaration of surgical rotations, and the pivotal moment she realized...
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Life Changing Moments 60: The Art of Pivoting, Dr. Dennis Mihale
Rx for Success Podcast
Please see for previos Rx For Success Episode. Dr. Dael Waxman sits down with Dr. Dennis Mihale, a physician whose career has spanned clinical medicine, healthcare leadership, and corporate innovation. The conversation explores the universal challenges of professional reinvention, particularly for physicians navigating transitions between clinical and non-clinical roles. Dr. Mihaly reflects on the skills that bridge these worlds—from the interpersonal lessons learned at IBM to the resilience required in medicine—and underscores the importance of purpose, mentorship, and incremental change...
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206. The Surgeon: Ed Foxhall, MD, FACP
Rx for Success Podcast
In this episode of Prescription for Success, host Dr. Randy Cook interviews Dr. Ed Foxall, a surgeon with a unique career journey. Dr. Foxall shares how he overcame early challenges, including attending medical school in Guadalajara after U.S. rejections and persevering through board certification struggles. He emphasizes the "three A's" of success—being available, affable, and able—and highlights the importance of adaptability, lifelong learning, and building meaningful relationships in medicine. Now an associate program director for a general surgery residency, Dr. Foxall reflects...
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Life Changing Moments: Celebrating Doctor's Day 2025
Rx for Success Podcast
The episode features a roundtable discussion among the coaching team at MD Coaches, designed to address the complex and evolving landscape of modern medicine in honor of Physicians Week. We acknowledge the remarkable advancements in medical innovation and evidence-based practices that have significantly transformed patient care. While these innovations offer unprecedented opportunities for physicians to impact their patients positively, they also bring forth new challenges, including legislative hurdles, ethical dilemmas, and systemic pressures that can hinder a physician's ability to practice...
info_outlineDr. Disha Spath, an internist and hospitalist based in upstate New York, shares her inspiring journey from India to the United States, reflecting on how personal hardships and cultural transitions shaped her views on success, financial stability, and the importance of financial literacy among physicians. She discusses the impact of a traumatic childhood loss, the financial challenges of medical education, and her determination to create a secure future for her children—free from the uncertainties of financial instability.
Dr. Spath’s story highlights her family’s deep roots in healthcare and her father’s struggles with mental health, which ultimately led to their relocation to the U.S. She recounts the challenges of adapting to a new culture, navigating language barriers, and overcoming socioeconomic obstacles. Her academic journey took her to the University of Georgia for her undergraduate studies and later to the Medical College of Georgia, where she faced the rigorous demands of medical training alongside the realities of significant student debt.
As an attending physician, Dr. Spath recognized the widespread financial pressures faced by many in the medical profession. This realization led to the creation of her initiative, The Frugal Physician, which empowers fellow physicians to take control of their finances through mindful spending, strategic investing, and a frugal lifestyle. She outlines the key strategies she employed to become debt-free, including reducing unnecessary expenses, downsizing her living situation, and utilizing a debt snowball approach to accelerate loan repayment.
Dr. Spath underscores the importance of maintaining a strong financial foundation by managing the gap between income and expenditures while maximizing financial efficiency. She advocates for early investing, understanding the tax code, and strategically leveraging debt for wealth-building opportunities.
For further insights and resources, Dr. Spath offers financial guidance through her website, The Frugal Physician, and her podcast, Finding Financial Freedom with The Frugal Physician. She continues to foster discussions on financial well-being through her online community and social media platforms, encouraging physicians to take charge of their financial health.
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Music by Ryan Jones.
Find Ryan on Instagram at _ryjones_, Contact Ryan at [email protected]
Production assistance by Clawson Solutions Group, find them on the web at csolgroup.com