LCM 62: Breaking the Burnout Cycle, with Dr. Stuart Slavin
Release Date: 07/14/2025
Beyond Burnout: Reclaiming Meaning, Agency & Yourself in Medicine
Rx for Success Podcast
If you're a physician and you've ever found yourself wondering, "Is it just me, or is something off?"—this conversation is for you. In this deeply reflective episode of Life Changing Moments, host Dr. Dael Waxman is joined by his colleague at MD Coaches, Dr. Carla Rotering—a pulmonologist, intensivist, former medical staff president, writer, poet, and musician with over 20 years of coaching experience. Together, they explore what lies beneath the familiar but often inadequate word "burnout." Carla shares her own powerful journey through depletion—including the moment...
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216. The Founders: Shayan Mashatian & Dr. Desmond Bell
Rx for Success Podcast
Welcome to the very first video episode of Rx for Success! After nine years as an audio-only podcast, host Dr. Randy Cook is thrilled to launch the videocast format with two extraordinary guests: Shayan Mashatian, a serial entrepreneur and technologist, and Dr. Desmond Bell, a podiatrist, limb preservation advocate, and president of WoundScribe AI. Together, they share the fascinating origin story of WoundScribe AI and its patient-facing companion app, Pingoo. Shayan takes us on his remarkable journey from Iran—where he helped establish the first internet node in the country—to Canada, the...
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Life Changing Moments – Why Physicians Seek Coaching (And Why They Don't)
Rx for Success Podcast
Welcome to the evolution of Life Changing Moments! In this debut videocast episode, host Dr. Dael Waxman is joined by his colleague and fellow physician coach at MD Coaches, Dr. Murnal Shah, for a foundational conversation about physician coaching. Together, they explore the nuanced landscape of coaching in medicine—why physicians seek it, what holds them back, and how coaching differs from counseling, advising, or simply "getting help." Drawing on decades of combined experience working with physicians at all career stages, Dale and Murnal unpack the myths,...
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Life Changing Moments 68 - Coaching and Mentoring, with Charles Lowry
Rx for Success Podcast
Residency is one of the most profound life-changing seasons in a physician's journey—a time of rapid growth, deep uncertainty, and one of the biggest decisions of all: what comes next. In this unique collaborative episode, host Dr. Dael Waxman is joined by Charles Lowry, Director of Graduate Medical Education Relations at PracticeLink and host of the Surviving and Thriving in Residency podcast. Rather than a traditional interview, Dr. Waxman and Charlie engage in a shared conversation about the critical inflection points they've witnessed in medical...
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215. The Guide: Charles Lowry
Rx for Success Podcast
What if the key to physician career satisfaction and retention lies not in more training, but in better matching? In this insightful episode, Dr. Randy Cook welcomes Mr. Charles Lowry, Director of Provider Engagement for PracticeLink. Coming from a unique background in rural farming and international student services, Charles now dedicates his work to helping medical students, residents, and fellows navigate one of the most critical transitions of their careers: finding the right first job. We explore his journey from a small West Virginia farm to becoming a trusted advisor in the...
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214. The Pilot: Ronen Elefant, MD, MBA, MSEng
Rx for Success Podcast
What does it take to build a revolutionary business in surgery while living a life of high-altitude adventure? In this electrifying episode, Dr. Randy Cook sits down with Dr. Ronen Elefant, a trauma & acute care surgeon, jet pilot, and innovative entrepreneur. Dr. Elefant shares his remarkable journey from immigrating to the U.S. without speaking English to training at the famed Shock Trauma Center, all while pursuing his passion for aviation. We explore his unique engineering mindset applied to surgery, the genesis of his direct-surgical-care company ACES National Surgical Team, and his...
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213. The Faculty: Rick Kellerman, MD
Rx for Success Podcast
What does it mean to live a life in medicine aligned with your deepest calling? In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Randy Cook sits down with Dr. Rick Kellerman, a pillar of family medicine and Professor Emeritus from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. Dr. Kellerman shares the inspiring story of his lifelong commitment to rural family medicine, tracing his path from being inspired by a small-town doctor as a child to leading one of the nation’s top departments for training rural physicians. We explore the pivotal moments that defined his career, including a...
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Life Changing Moments: Healing Healthcare, with Dr. Jonathan Ripp
Rx for Success Podcast
How do we build a healthcare system where physicians and healthcare professionals can not only survive but truly thrive? In this illuminating episode of Life Changing Moments, host Dr. Dael Waxman sits down with a pioneer in the field, Dr. Jonathan Ripp, Chief Wellness Officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and co-founder of CHARM (the Collaborative for Healing and Renewal in Medicine). Dr. Ripp traces his 25-year journey from studying physician identity formation in residency to leading a national movement focused on structural well-being. He provides a masterclass on the...
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Life Changing Moments: Listening to the voice inside, Dr. Rebecca Evangelista
Rx for Success Podcast
What does a general surgeon know about navigating a career that feels misaligned? Everything. In this profound episode of Life Changing Moments, host Dr. Dael Waxman sits down with Dr. Rebecca Evangelista, a surgeon and academic leader who has masterfully shaped her career through a series of thoughtful and courageous pivots. Dr. Evangelista shares her incredible journey from a gap year working for a surgeon she didn't want to emulate, to a medical student drawn to primary care, and finally to embracing the thriving feeling she found in the operating room. Her story is a...
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212. The Listener: Nadine Semer, MD, MPH
Rx for Success Podcast
What does a plastic and reconstructive surgeon know about end-of-life care? Everything. In this profound episode of Rx for Success, host Dr. Randy Cook sits down with Dr. Nadine Semer, who made the remarkable transition from a successful career in plastic surgery to becoming a palliative medicine physician. Dr. Semer shares her incredible journey and the wisdom that led her to write the essential book, "15 Lessons: Connecting with Patients for More Authentic and Empowering Conversations." This isn't just a book about death and dying; it's a masterclass in the art of communication for every...
info_outlineHost 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 ACGME is pushing structural reforms, from embedding well-being in accreditation standards to providing programs with data-driven tools to diagnose and address environmental stressors.
The discussion also explores the psychological burdens unique to trainees, including imposter syndrome and the "Stanford Duck" effect—the tendency to hide distress beneath a calm exterior. Dr. Slavin advocates for dual solutions: fixing toxic systems (like inefficient workflows and punitive feedback cultures) while equipping individuals with cognitive tools to reframe maladaptive mindsets. He shares promising models, such as Mount Sinai’s Well-Being Champions program, and stresses the need for iterative, trainee-informed change. A rallying cry for educators and leaders, this episode balances stark truths with actionable hope for a healthier future in medicine.
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Music by Ryan Jones.
Find Ryan on Instagram at _ryjones_, Contact Ryan at ryjonesofficial@gmail.com
Production assistance by Clawson Solutions Group, find them on the web at csolgroup.com