Lessons We Didn't Learn in Med School

Physician heal thyself. We will extend that to ALL caregivers. 

Caregivers include parents, children caring for aging parents and anyone who cares for others in a professional or personal capacity. We are trained to care for others. We KNOW it is important. Why are we so bad at caring for ourselves?

There is something about medical training and societal conditioning that makes putting others first virtuous, but what happens when we neglect ourselves? 

Join us for this episode with my dear friend Dr. Jessie Turnbull M.D., M.A. She is a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Physician and also trained in Clinical Bioethics. She is the founder of Burning Bright MD, life coaching for women physicians.  

Check her out here! 

https://www.burningbrightmd.com/about

Listen as Beth gives us a bit of her story. 

Beth was diagnosed with Lupus at 20 years old, Polyarteritis nodosa at 24 years old and most recently with Systemic sclerosis/ Scleroderma at 44 years old. She is a wife and mother of two. After nearly 20 years in medicine, the diagnosis of Scleroderma in 2023 gave her the permission to jump off the treadmill of medicine and take time away from clinical care to focus on her own health and well-being. 

Her doctor bio:

Dr. Beth Vukin, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and subspecialty board certified in Pediatric Hospital Medicine.   She has been at the University of Utah for nearly 20 years. Her clinical expertise is in the care of hospitalized children, particularly those with complex, multisystem, disease.  Her areas of academic focus are: medical education, simulation and debriefing, communication amongst medical teams and families, wellness and resiliency and women in medicine.

Welcome! In our first episode, we introduce ourselves and talk about why we made this podcast. 

Dr. Beth Vukin, M.D. is a board certified pediatrician who is also subspecialty boarded in Pediatric hospital medicine. She also has been diagnosed with multiple autoimmune disorders. The one she deals with most is Scleroderma or Systemic Sclerosis. 

Dr. Kara Wada , M.D. is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics as well as subspecialty boarded in Allergy and Immunology. She has Sjogren's disease. 

Together, we are bringing together patients and medical providers to learn from each other, building a community for those with chronic illness and healing the medical system from the inside out. 

A new podcast is coming your way in January of 2025! 

Hosts: Dr. Beth Vukin, MD and Dr. Kara Wada, MD

Mission Statement:

"Lessons We Didn't Learn in Medical School" is a collective of female-identifying physicians living with chronic illness who are out to change the landscape of healthcare.  Join us, Dr. Beth Vukin and Dr. Kara Wada, two physicians navigating our own autoimmune journeys, as we connect with fellow patients and colleagues to bridge the gaps in medical education.  Through candid conversations and insightful storytelling, we delve into core concepts that are often overlooked in medical training.  We celebrate scientific evidence, resilience of the human spirit and the power of community. 

"Lessons We Didn't Learn in Medical School" isn't just a podcast; it's a rallying cry for patients and health professionals alike to reclaim their voices and demand a healthcare system that listens and partners with patients.  Together, we seek to end the stigma and loneliness of illness, foster compassion and connection and offer knowledge with practical advice for those living with and caring for people with chronic illness. 

Target Audience:  

• Women
• Mothers, parents, caretakers/caregivers
• Those with chronic illness of any sort including autoimmune disease, cancer, mental illness, those who do not have a diagnosis for their symptoms
• Physicians, allied health professionals and trainees