In honor of Veterans Day, we are rereleasing this powerful episode with Joshua Hartzell MD, a retired Army Colonel and seasoned physician-educator. In this episode, he explores what it truly means to lead with care in healthcare. Drawing from his military and medical experience, Dr. Hartzell shares insights on developing cultures of compassion, fostering professional growth, and the power of followership. He challenges traditional notions of leadership by emphasizing that truly effective leaders are those who invest deeply in their people—professionally and personally. Whether you're a student, educator, or healthcare professional, this episode offers practical takeaways on how to lead from any position, build agency, and transform teams through intentional, caring leadership.

Dr. Hartzell is also the author of the recently released book “⁠A Prescription for Caring in Healthcare Leadership: Building a Culture of Compassion and Excellence⁠”. Tune in for inspiration on how to lead with care, purpose, and impact in healthcare settings.

In this inspiring conversation, Matthew Swanson MD, MBA shares his journey to medical school and business school, reflecting on how loss, resilience, and curiosity shaped his path. Matt discusses lessons from his MBA at NYU Ster —how to take risks, see healthcare through a systems lens, negotiate effectively, and build meaningful networks. He explores how combining compassion with business insight can drive change in medicine and improve care for patients.

What does it take to lead with both head and heart in academic medicine? 

In this candid conversation, Boston-trained Internist and Dean of Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Dr. Lisa Coplit shares the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership philosophy as an authentic, purpose driven leader—from her first crisis as a chief resident to launching a new medical school and mentoring hundreds of faculty and students. 

Inside the episode: 

• Pearls to navigate transitions in leadership  

Whether you’re a student, early-career clinician, or seasoned leader, Lisa’s story will inspire you to lead with purpose, serve with integrity, and keep learning—always. 

In this episode, Dr. Andrea “Andi” Cooley, DO, a cardiothoracic surgeon and Assistant Dean at UT Tyler School of Medicine, shares her journey from surgery to innovation and education. Guided by her motto “never say never,” Andi shares how witnessing rural health disparities inspired her to use technology and AI to drive equitable change.

She reframes pitching as co-creating solutions, not selling ideas. Effective pitches, she says, start with a clear “why,” invite collaboration, and balance vision with practical, sustainable steps. Drawing from design thinking and systems leadership, Andi emphasizes empathy, listening, and empowerment—skills she used in a pivotal 2024 AI Symposium talk that led to partnerships with Microsoft.

Her advice: lead with purpose, value others’ perspectives, and be brave enough to advocate for what matters—especially when speaking for those without a voice.

In this episode, Dave Tomczyk, Ph.D.—entrepreneurship professor and founder of Cyber Wizard Games—unpacks the often-overlooked skill of pitching. He explains that pitching isn’t just for entrepreneurs or startups; it’s a vital communication skill for anyone looking to inspire action or spark change. Pitching isn’t merely about selling ideas—it’s about starting meaningful conversations, adding value to others, and leading with authenticity. Listeners will learn how to craft flexible, engaging pitches that connect with any audience and lead with confidence and purpose.

Here is his breakdown of how to formulate a compelling pitch:

1.     Introduction – Who you are and what you represent.

2.     Problem – The issue that needs solving.

3.     Solution – Your proposed idea or approach.

4.     Details – Supporting information relevant to your audience.

5.     Ask – What you want the listener to do next.

In this Leadership Hack, Dave Tomczyk, Ph.D., discusses the importance of embracing failure as a vital leadership tool. He explains that effective leaders own their mistakes—by acknowledging, apologizing, and correcting them—while also creating a culture that allows employees to fail, learn, and grow. This conversation reinforces that leaders should encourage learning through mistakes, model ownership, and focus on maximizing success rather than avoiding failure.

In this conversation, Brooklynn Weber and classmates Grace Jefferies and Dean Raymond from Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine discuss an effective leadership hack, focusing on the metaphor of 'staying on your side of the net' to enhance communication and conflict resolution. They explore its application in both personal and professional settings, particularly in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and constructive feedback. The discussion highlights the significance of maintaining boundaries and fostering open communication to strengthen relationships and teamwork. 

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smithson, physician and co-founder of Relational Leadership Partners, shares insights on the power of storytelling in healthcare and leadership. She reflects on her own journey into primary care and illustrates how stories reveal values more effectively than statements alone. Sarah explains frameworks like “challenge, choice, outcome” and emphasizes authenticity, listening, and reciprocity in storytelling. She highlights how stories can build trust, strengthen teams, and drive change by connecting people to shared values and a collective purpose. The conversation underscores that storytelling isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection, vulnerability, and practice.

Dr. Sarah Smithson, physician-educator and co-founder of Relational Leadership Partners, shares a simple leadership hack: “Noticing.”

When a hard emotion flares—your “hand on the hot stove”—pause, name it, spot the trigger, and choose an intentional next step. A quick, practical way to build agency at work and in life.

Stay tuned for our upcoming episode with Sarah on becoming a better storyteller.

In this episode, Dr. Miklos Fogarasi, hematologist-oncologist and medical educator at Quinnipiac University’s Frank H. Netter School of Medicine, explores the concept of Ikigai—a Japanese philosophy often described as “a reason to get up in the morning.”

Dr. Fogarasi explains that Ikigai is found at the intersection of four elements: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be rewarded for.  Ikigai is not about striving for a single, perfect life purpose, but about cultivating awareness of the meaningful moments—big or small—that sustain us, and learning to recognize, share, and build upon them in both personal and professional life.