Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. In Episode 130, Molly is joined by Navy officer, board-certified physician in emergency medicine, and entrepreneur Christopher Sidford, who shares his learnings in navigating high stakes with a level head and open heart. Chris grew up with five brothers very close in age. He recounts a highly energetic youth of “go outside and play” and jokes that regular ER visits foreshadowed his future. You may be surprised by his “defining moment” in selecting emergency medicine (hear how in the 70s this discipline emerged as a specialty). No one was more surprised than Chris that he joined the Navy, having staunchly sworn off serving, but it paid for medical school and opened his eyes to travel to unlikely destinations and the realities of “medicine on the road.” He opens up about a challenging military culture, in which medical decisions may be subjugated to rank. Chris talks of vulnerability for doctors starting out and translating great grades in medical school to saving lives. Shifts in Boston City Hospital’s trauma unit, a.k.a “the knife and gun club,” visualizing how to handle cases, and even the TV series MASH contributed to his early steep learning curve. Chris and Molly talk about self-care challenges—working sleep-deprived was a necessary skill—and tips for delivering tough news with compassion. Eventually, he went an entrepreneurial route with his consultancy, Black Bag Emergency Medicine. Chris offers Covid travel tips: * “Fully vaccinated” (3 shots + 4th booster) considered most effective in preventing death