Better Physician Life: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career

By Doctor Podcast Network, Physician Coach, Michael Hersh MDBusiness Medicine Health & Fitness Education Self-Improvement Careers

Better Physician Life: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career episodes

September 28The Illusion of Control: What Doctors Can Control (and What They Can't) | Ep61
What if one of the biggest sources of physician stress isn't a lack of control but a misunderstanding of where control actually exists?
In this insightful solo episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh examines the tension physicians experience between trying to control outcomes that were never fully theirs to guarantee while simultaneously giving away control over the parts of life that actually belong to them.
Using a personal story about a carefully planned family vacation disrupted by illness, Dr. Hersh illustrates how easily physicians fall into an all-or-nothing mindset about control. He explains why medical training reinforces the belief that more effort always produces better outcomes and how that belief begins to break down in real-world medicine.
The conversation moves beyond clinical practice to everyday life, exploring how physicians unknowingly surrender control over their evenings, attention, and family time while fighting battles they can never fully win. Dr. Hersh offers a practical framework for distinguishing between what deserves your effort and what deserves your acceptance, helping physicians reclaim the choices that truly matter.
This episode is a powerful reminder that while you can't control every outcome, you can always choose how you show up for the people and moments that matter most.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Separate Outcomes from Choices: Not every outcome in medicine or life is within your control. Your responsibility lies in the quality of your decisions, not the certainty of results. Focus on making thoughtful, evidence-based choices rather than trying to guarantee perfect outcomes. This shift reduces pressure and helps you stay grounded in reality.

Identify the Decisions That Still Belong to You: Even in a demanding healthcare system, many choices remain yours: when you leave work, how you manage your inbox, whether you reopen Epic at night, and how present you are with loved ones. Recognizing these small but powerful areas of control helps you reclaim agency and restore balance daily.

Replace All-or-Nothing Thinking with Precision: Instead of asking whether you are in control or not, break situations into specific parts. Ask what exactly is yours to influence and what is not. This precise thinking mirrors clinical reasoning and helps reduce overwhelm, allowing you to act intentionally rather than defaulting to frustration or helplessness.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife
If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
17 min
September 21Why Physicians Blame Themselves After Medical Complications | Ep60
Why do physicians remember one complication more vividly than thousands of successful cases?
In this deeply reflective solo episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh examines the hidden emotional burden physicians carry after an unexpected complication or unfavorable patient outcome. While the clinical work may be finished, the internal conversation often continues, replaying every decision, questioning every action, and quietly wondering what the outcome says about who they are as a physician.
Dr. Hersh explores the difference between learning from a case and punishing yourself for it, explaining how physicians often confuse honest self-reflection with self-condemnation. He discusses why complications become identity questions, how perfectionism and medical training reinforce these beliefs, and why compartmentalizing difficult cases without processing them can quietly contribute to burnout over time.
Most importantly, this episode reminds physicians that one complication deserves careful review, not lifelong self-condemnation. Separating the facts of the case from the story we tell ourselves is an essential step toward both professional growth and personal well-being.
Episode Mentioned:
Episode 24: Surgical Complications and Self-Doubt: How Surgeons Recalibrate After Hard Cases with Dr. Amy Vertrees
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Separate the Facts from the Story: Review difficult cases objectively to identify genuine learning opportunities, but avoid turning one outcome into a judgment about your worth or competence as a physician.

Process Difficult Cases Instead of Shelving Them: Compartmentalization helps you care for the next patient, but unresolved emotional weight accumulates over time. Make space to reflect before moving on.

Remember That Risk Is Part of Medicine: Every procedure carries known risks, even in the hands of experienced physicians. A complication does not erase years of excellent care or define your entire career.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
18 min
September 14Why Doctors Can't Stop Trying to Fix Everything | Ep59
Why do the skills that make physicians exceptional in the exam room sometimes make relationships at home more difficult?
In this thought-provoking solo episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh examines one of the most common yet overlooked challenges physicians face: the tendency to solve problems when loved ones simply want to be heard. Drawing from personal experiences with his wife and daughter, as well as conversations with physician clients, he explains how years of medical training condition doctors to identify problems, formulate solutions, and close the loop, even when that's not what's needed.
Dr. Hersh explores the emotional burden physicians often carry, the hidden fear that drives the need to fix everything, and why releasing responsibility for solving everyone else's problems can strengthen relationships rather than weaken them. He also offers practical strategies for becoming more present, listening without an agenda, and replacing the need to fix with the willingness to simply help.
This episode is a powerful reminder that while fixing resolves problems, helping shares burdens, and the people who love us often need our presence more than our solutions.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Ask Whether They Want Help or a Solution: Before offering advice, pause and ask yourself whether your loved one is looking for answers or simply wants someone to listen. Presence often matters more than problem-solving.

Notice the Urge to Fix: When you feel the impulse to jump in with solutions, recognize it as a sign of care, not a command to act. Choosing to listen first creates deeper trust and connection.

Focus on Connection Instead of Resolution:Rather than measuring success by whether the problem is solved, measure it by whether the people you love feel heard, supported, and understood.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife
If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
19 min
September 07Running Toward Something: Side Gigs, Non-Clinical Careers, and the Doctor Identity | Ep58
What happens when the career you once believed would last forever no longer feels like the right fit?
In this insightful solo episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh unpacks the emotional and psychological realities that physicians face when they begin to consider career transitions. Whether it's reducing clinical hours, exploring leadership, pursuing non-clinical opportunities, or simply wondering what comes next, the biggest obstacle often isn't logistics; it's identity.
Dr. Hersh explains why physicians struggle with becoming beginners again after years of expertise, how uncertainty differs from complexity, and why many career changes are driven less by dissatisfaction with medicine itself and more by the systems surrounding it. He also discusses the importance of moving toward a meaningful future instead of simply escaping a difficult present.
This episode offers practical wisdom for physicians who are questioning their current path while reminding listeners that successful transitions are rarely giant leaps; they're built through small experiments, thoughtful reflection, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Focus on What You're Moving Toward: Before making a career change, identify what you're hoping to build, not just what you're trying to leave behind. Purpose-driven decisions create more fulfilling transitions.

Separate Your Identity From Your Job Title: Being a physician is part of who you are, but it doesn't have to define your entire identity. Your skills, values, and impact can extend far beyond clinical practice.

Start With Small Experiments: Career transitions don't require immediate, life-changing decisions. Explore consulting, leadership, teaching, coaching, or other opportunities gradually to discover what truly fits.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife
If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
18 min
August 31Your Patients Get the Best of You. Your Family Gets What's Left | Ep57
What happens when medicine quietly becomes the place where you give your best self, leaving your family, relationships, and personal life with whatever energy remains?
In this solo episode of the Better Physician Life Podcast, Dr. Michael Hersh examines a painful but common pattern among physicians: becoming exceptionally skilled at showing up for patients, colleagues, and healthcare systems while becoming increasingly absent from the moments and people that matter most at home. Through stories from physicians across specialties, Dr. Hersh illustrates how years of training physicians to override exhaustion, uncertainty, emotion, and personal needs can slowly evolve into a life built around endurance rather than presence.
He discusses the concept of betrayal in medicine, the slow realization that hard work and reliability don't always lead to recognition or fulfillment, and how many physicians unknowingly become experts at enduring their own lives. The conversation explores identity fusion, productivity pressures, emotional exhaustion, and the tendency to postpone change until crisis strikes.
Ultimately, this episode offers a compassionate reminder that physicians do not need to wait until they are burned out, ready to quit, or falling apart to seek support. Sometimes, the goal isn't transformation. It's simply creating enough space to experience your own life while you're living it.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Stop Waiting for Catastrophe: Functioning and being okay are not the same thing. You don't need to be in crisis before acknowledging that something important is costing you more than you want to pay.

Notice the Cost of Endurance: The ability to push through exhaustion and stress may have helped you survive training, but over time, it can become a barrier to being fully present in your own life. Begin paying attention to what your endurance is costing you.

Redefine Success at Home: Many physicians strive to excel professionally while unintentionally offering their families the most depleted version of themselves. Small changes that create more presence at home can have a profound impact over time.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
19 min
August 24From Insight to Practice: How Trust, Safety, and Leadership Become Real | Ep56
What happens after we understand trust, uncertainty, and depletion? How do we actually put those ideas into practice when life becomes unpredictable, stressful, and painful?
In this final part of their four-part series, Dr. Michael Hersh welcomes back Dr. Kemia Sarraf to bring together the foundational concepts they've explored over the past several episodes. Together, they discuss why the goal is not to eliminate hardship, uncertainty, or traumatic stress exposure, but to develop the skills, relationships, and resources needed to move through those experiences without causing unnecessary harm to ourselves or others.
Drawing from neurophysiology, leadership science, trauma responsiveness, and deeply personal stories, Dr. Sarraf explains why "story follows state," how nervous system activation shapes the narratives we create, and why connection remains one of the most powerful antidotes to toxic stress. They also discuss grief, moral distress, traumatic exposure, leadership responsibility, and the importance of preparing teams for difficult moments before they happen.
The conversation highlights Lodestar's programs, including Brave Leadership, All of Us, Trauma Mitigation Masterclass, coaching, and restorative coaching, illustrating how leaders and organizations can intentionally build cultures rooted in trust, safety, and sustainable human connection.
Ultimately, this episode reminds us that while exposure to uncertainty, adversity, and suffering may be unavoidable, the harm that often follows does not have to be. With practice, intentionality, and the right support systems, individuals and teams can remain connected, resilient, and deeply human even under pressure.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Remember That Story Follows State: The narratives we create are heavily influenced by the current state of our nervous systems. Learning to recognize activation and regulate before reacting allows us to respond more intentionally and compassionately.

Prepare Teams for the Rapids Before They Arrive: Hard moments are inevitable. High-performing teams build trust, safety, communication skills, and supportive relationships before adversity strikes, rather than trying to create them during a crisis.

Lean Into Connection During Uncertainty: Connection remains one of the most effective disruptors of toxic stress. Cultivating supportive relationships and allowing others to show up for us preserves energy, hope, and resilience.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Guest:
Dr. Kemia Sarraf is a board-certified internal medicine physician, founder, and CEO of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching. With over two decades of experience in medicine, public health, nonprofit leadership, and trauma mitigation, she brings a unique perspective to supporting high-performing professionals. Her trauma-responsive coaching approach, informed by her clinical background and personal commitment to healing, helps physicians and others navigate chronic stress and burnout. Dr. Sarraf completed her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine and her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Sarraf lives on a farm in Central Illinois with her husband, four sons, and numerous animals.
Connect with Dr. Sarraf:
🌐 Website: www.lodestarpc.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia

📸 Instagram: @drkemia

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KemiaS
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
46 min
August 17Running on Fumes: Why Capable People Miss the Warning Signs of Burnout | Ep55
How do highly capable people become deeply depleted without realizing it?
In this episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh welcomes back Dr. Kemia Sarraf for the third installment of their four-part leadership series. Together, they unpack one of Lodestar's most impactful teaching tools: the Reservoir Model.
Using the metaphor of a reservoir, Dr. Sarraf explains how capacity, resilience, energy, rest, and depletion interact in our daily lives. She challenges traditional approaches to resilience that focus solely on doing more and instead encourages listeners to examine what is draining them, what replenishes them, and how they can become more intentional about protecting their energy.
The conversation explores why rest is not a reward but a biological necessity, how spillways silently drain our capacity, the importance of identifying supportive “spotters” in our lives, and why striving for perfect balance often creates more frustration than fulfillment. Through practical examples and leadership insights, Dr. Sarraf offers a compassionate framework for helping physicians and other professionals show up fully for the people and work they care about most.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Audit Your Spillways: Identify the activities, habits, and commitments that continually drain your energy. Rather than eliminating everything, experiment with turning down or closing spillways that no longer serve you.

Treat Rest as a Requirement: Rest is not something to be earned after completing endless tasks. Like the heart's preload phase, rest is essential for restoring capacity and sustaining meaningful work.

Listen to Your Spotters: Trusted family members, friends, and colleagues often notice depletion before we do. Learning to hear their feedback as helpful data rather than criticism can prevent burnout and preserve well-being.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Guest:
Dr. Kemia Sarraf is a board-certified internal medicine physician, founder, and CEO of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching. With over two decades of experience in medicine, public health, nonprofit leadership, and trauma mitigation, she brings a unique perspective to supporting high-performing professionals. Her trauma-responsive coaching approach, informed by her clinical background and personal commitment to healing, helps physicians and others navigate chronic stress and burnout. Dr. Sarraf completed her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine and her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Sarraf lives on a farm in Central Illinois with her husband, four sons, and numerous animals.
Connect with Dr. Sarraf:
🌐 Website: www.lodestarpc.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia

📸 Instagram: @drkemia

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KemiaS
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
26 min
August 10Leading Through Uncertainty: What Teams Need When Nobody Knows What Comes Next | Ep54
What happens to people and teams when certainty disappears?
In this episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh welcomes back Dr. Kemia Sarraf for the second installment of their four-part leadership series. Together, they examine the profound impact uncertainty has on our nervous systems, our relationships, and our ability to think, lead, and collaborate effectively.
Drawing from neuroscience, trauma responsiveness, leadership science, and neurophysiology, Dr. Sarraf explains why uncertainty is one of the most metabolically expensive experiences humans endure. She explores how prolonged uncertainty heightens threat responses, increases cognitive biases, erodes our ability to recognize cues of safety, and contributes to exhaustion, polarization, and diminished well-being.
The conversation highlights practical ways leaders can become intentional cues of safety, helping teams regulate stress, restore trust, and remain connected even when answers are unavailable. Through examples from healthcare, military leadership, and Lodestar's Brave Leadership program, Dr. Sarraf demonstrates how uncertainty can be navigated skillfully and why hope grows when people feel equipped with actionable tools.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Recognize the Cost of Uncertainty: Uncertainty consumes significant cognitive and emotional resources. Understanding its effects can help leaders approach themselves and others with greater compassion.

Become a Cue of Safety: Leaders can intentionally create environments that reduce threat responses through transparency, consistency, nourishment, physical presence, and predictable structures.

Slow Down During Activation: When people become reactive, their nervous systems require time to regulate before meaningful conversations can happen. Pausing and co-regulating help preserve relationships and improve communication.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Guest:
Dr. Kemia Sarraf is a board-certified internal medicine physician, founder, and CEO of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching. With over two decades of experience in medicine, public health, nonprofit leadership, and trauma mitigation, she brings a unique perspective to supporting high-performing professionals. Her trauma-responsive coaching approach, informed by her clinical background and personal commitment to healing, helps physicians and others navigate chronic stress and burnout. Dr. Sarraf completed her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine and her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Sarraf lives on a farm in Central Illinois with her husband, four sons, and numerous animals.
Connect with Dr. Sarraf:
🌐 Website: www.lodestarpc.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia

📸 Instagram: @drkemia

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KemiaS
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
35 min
August 03Why Soft Skills Are Not Soft: The Hidden Foundation of High-Performing Teams | Ep53
Why do talented teams sometimes struggle despite having highly skilled members?
In this episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh welcomes back Dr. Kemia Sarraf, founder of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching, for the first of a four-part series exploring the hidden drivers beneath burnout, leadership, and team culture. Together, they challenge the notion that trust, safety, and connection are merely "soft skills" and instead present compelling evidence that these elements are foundational to high-performing teams.
Drawing on neurophysiology, leadership research, trauma responsiveness, and experience working with physicians, military personnel, educators, attorneys, and law enforcement professionals, Dr. Sarraf explains why tending to the nervous system is essential to helping teams perform under pressure. They discuss psychological safety, Google's Project Aristotle findings, the four pillars of trust, trust wobbles, repairing ruptures, leadership vulnerability, and why trust can be built much faster than most people realize.
This conversation offers practical insights for leaders seeking to create healthier teams, improve communication, and return to the kind of meaningful work that first inspired them to enter medicine.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Build Trust Intentionally: Trust grows from four pillars: these are authenticity, reliability, compassion, and competence. Identifying your own "trust wobble" helps you strengthen relationships and lead more effectively.

Lead Through Nervous System Awareness: High-performing teams thrive when leaders intentionally create cues of safety that reduce stress and allow team members to think, collaborate, and perform at their best.

Repair Ruptures Transparently: When trust is broken, acknowledge the impact, invite feedback, and communicate how you plan to move forward differently. Honest repair strengthens relationships over time.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Guest:
Dr. Kemia Sarraf is a board-certified internal medicine physician, founder, and CEO of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching. With over two decades of experience in medicine, public health, nonprofit leadership, and trauma mitigation, she brings a unique perspective to supporting high-performing professionals. Her trauma-responsive coaching approach, informed by her clinical background and personal commitment to healing, helps physicians and others navigate chronic stress and burnout. Dr. Sarraf completed her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine and her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Sarraf lives on a farm in Central Illinois with her husband, four sons, and numerous animals.
Connect with Dr. Sarraf:
🌐 Website: www.lodestarpc.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkemia

📸 Instagram: @drkemia

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KemiaS
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife
If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
34 min
July 27Staying in Medicine Long Term: What Makes a Medical Career Sustainable with Dr. Peter Crane | Ep52
What happens when a practicing physician suddenly finds themselves on the other side of the chart?
In this powerful episode of Better Physician Life, Dr. Michael Hersh sits down with Dr. Peter Crane, a rural family physician living with metastatic cancer. Dr. Crane shares his deeply personal journey, from discovering a 26-centimeter sarcoma at age 43 to undergoing radiation, major surgery, and ongoing treatment, and how this experience reignited his love for medicine and clarified what makes a medical career truly sustainable.
Together, they discuss why physicians often lose sight of their original calling, the importance of intentional career reassessment, financial preparedness, the power of saying “no,” and the need for physicians to reclaim agency in their professional lives. This conversation is both moving and practical, a reminder of the profound privilege of practicing medicine and how to protect that joy for the long term.
Three Actionable Takeaways:
Reassess Your Career Intentionally: Around years 8–12, take stock of your work. Ask yourself: “If this were my business, is this how I would choose to practice?” This reflection prevents resentment and helps you design a career that fits.

Build Financial and Personal Sustainability: Secure your finances early, maintain disability insurance, and create space for rest, meals, and recovery. True longevity in medicine requires more than just reducing hours; it demands control over your time and energy.

Focus on Gratitude and Impact: When days feel heavy, intentionally remember the unique privilege of being a physician. Highlighting the positive difference you make (rather than only the frustrations) transforms daily experience and supports long-term fulfillment.
About the Show:
Created for physicians who want more than clinical competence, Better Physician Life is a space for honest reflection, reinvention, and reclaiming purpose beyond the pager. Hosted by Dr. Michael Hersh, each episode dives into the questions we didn’t learn to ask in training, offering tools and conversations to help you live and lead with intention.
About the Guest:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified family physician practicing full-spectrum rural medicine in Idaho. After a life-altering diagnosis with a rare sarcoma at age 43, his perspective on medicine was profoundly transformed. He is the creator and host of the Doctors Making a Difference podcast, where he highlights physicians making a meaningful impact through leadership, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and innovative practice models.
Connect with Dr. Peter Crane:
Podcast: Doctors Making a Difference
Website: doctorsmakingadifference.com
YouTube: Doctors Making a Difference
About the Host:
Dr. Michael Hersh is a full-time practicing gastroenterologist, husband, father, podcaster, and physician coach at Better Physician Life Coaching. He helps physicians rediscover joy and balance by setting meaningful goals, managing stress, and feeling more present at home and less annoyed and frustrated at work.
His mission is to help doctors who feel stuck in medicine create a more fulfilling life that they actually enjoy living. Through coaching and conversation, he empowers physicians to reconnect with their purpose and design a career (and life) they love.
Dr. Hersh is also the creator and host of the Better Physician Life podcast: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career—a show for doctors who feel out of sync or stuck, and want to explore what true success can look like beyond the exam room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Hersh:
🌐 Website: www.betterphysicianlife.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-hersh-md
📸 Instagram: @betterphysicianlife
📺 YouTube: @betterphysicianlife
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/betterphysicianlifecoaching
TikTok: @betterphysicianlife

If you find yourself walking through the door still stuck in work mode, check out the 5-Minute Commute Reset for Physicians.
Work doesn’t end on its own. This is a short, structured reset you can use on the drive home to shut down work-mode, clear your head, and show up more present for whatever comes next.
You can download it for free at: https://www.betterphysicianlife.com/commute-reset

The Better Physician Life Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your personal or organizational decisions.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
28 min