Where do physicians lose their sense of choice, and how do we begin to get it back?In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we’re joined by two physicians who are helping doctors think differently about time, boundaries, and agency.🔹 Dr. Karina Arnez is an anesthesiologist and Top Attending Physician of the Year who helps physicians think beyond borders while building a global platform for doctors navigating healthcare systems worldwide.🔹 Dr. Shideh Shafie is an Emergency Medicine Physician and Performance Coach for Executives & Leaders, helping high-achieving professionals reach their goals while maintaining their standards and balancing family life.What happens when physicians begin reclaiming their time? How does that connect to reclaiming agency? And where, along the way, did they lose their sense of choice?Karina and Shideh will bring these perspectives to our inaugural Physician Retreat this October, where they’ll help explore what it means for physicians to reclaim agency in both their professional and personal lives.Because agency begins with recognizing that we have choices.🔗 Connect with our guests:Dr. Karina Arnez🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-arnez-35758aa/Dr. Shideh Shafie🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/drshidehshafieperformancecoach/These conversations don't end with the podcast.Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It’s a unique space for physicians to connect, reflect, explore, and engage in the conversations shaping the future of medicine.Physicians representing 16 specialties, from 19 states, along with colleagues from Australia, Italy and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY🗓 October 9–12, 2026🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/Only 4 spots available.🎓 CME Credits Available• 11 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™• 11 AOA Category 2-A CME CreditsThe CME activity is accredited through the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM).If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:https://standupfordoctors.org/books/We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and creating a stronger future for medicine reflects the heart of today's conversation: helping physicians reclaim agency and have a stronger voice in shaping their lives and the future of medicine.Learn more about Medicine Forward:https://medicineforward.org#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #PhysicianAgency #PhysicianLeadership #MedicalCulture #FutureOfMedicine #CME #Episode175

If you could bring one thing about practicing medicine in your birth country to the United States, and one thing from the U.S. back to your birth country, what would you choose?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we’re joined by two physicians who have practiced across cultures and healthcare systems. Together, they explore what Argentina taught them about being a doctor, what surprised them about practicing in the U.S., and what medicine can learn from both perspectives.

🔹 Dr. Diego Hijano is a pediatric infectious diseases physician and healthcare leader who brings compassion, clarity, and optimism to complex challenges.

🔹 Dr. Jose Mendez is a pulmonary and critical care physician who also specializes in pediatric and adult sleep medicine.

From cultural differences to the pressures shaping physicians today, we ask what needs to change, what we can learn from one another, and what we can do to create a better experience of practicing medicine.

Because sometimes, seeing medicine from another perspective helps us see our own system more clearly.

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Diego Hijano
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-hijano-m-d-5164a347/

Dr. Jose Mendez
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-mendez-md-3a621636/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It’s a unique space for physicians to connect, reflect, explore, and engage in the conversations shaping the future of medicine.

Physicians representing 16 specialties, from 19 states, along with colleagues from Australia, Italy and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY
🗓 October 9–12, 2026
🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/
Only 4 spots available.

🎓 CME Credits Available
• 11 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
• 11 AOA Category 2-A CME Credits

The CME activity is accredited through the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM).

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:
https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and creating a stronger future for medicine reflects the heart of today's conversation: learning from different perspectives and creating a more human future for medicine.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:
https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #GlobalMedicine #MedicalCulture #FutureOfMedicine #PhysicianLife #CME #Episode174

We know all about patient satisfaction metrics. But what about physician satisfaction?

What if we measured the things that actually make physicians want to stay, grow, and find meaning in their work?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be part of our inaugural Physician Retreat this October, bringing perspectives from OB/GYN and rural hospital medicine to a conversation about what makes practicing medicine fulfilling.

🔹 Dr. Claudia Grogean is an OB/GYN in Connecticut with a perspective on the realities and rewards of caring for patients while navigating the demands of modern medicine.

🔹 Dr. Sam Khozin is a rural hospital physician in Ohio, bringing firsthand insight into the unique challenges and opportunities of practicing medicine in rural communities.

We measure patient experience. We measure clinical outcomes. We measure productivity.

But how often do we ask physicians a simple question: Are you satisfied with the life you're building through medicine?

What would physician satisfaction actually look like if we measured it differently? What factors help doctors feel connected to their work, their patients, and their purpose? And what can we learn by listening to physicians themselves?

Because if we want a healthier future for medicine, we need to care about the experience of the people practicing it.

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Claudia Grogean

📧 [email protected]

Dr. Sam Khozin

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/samkhozinmd/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It's a unique experience designed to give physicians space to connect, reflect, explore, and engage in the conversations shaping the future of medicine.

Physicians representing 16 specialties, from 19 states, along with colleagues from Australia, Italy and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

Only 4 spots available.

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:

https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and creating a stronger future for medicine reflects the importance of today's conversation: listening to physicians and making their experience in medicine part of the conversation about its future.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:

https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #PhysicianSatisfaction #MedicalCulture #FutureOfMedicine #RuralMedicine #Episode173

What if the goal isn't simply getting doctors to keep going?What if it's creating a life and career they actually want to keep showing up for?In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we explore what happens when physicians reclaim the parts of themselves that medicine can crowd out over time.We're joined by two physicians who will be part of our inaugural Physician Retreat this October:🔹 Dr. Shannon Blalock, a rural practice pediatric and fetal cardiologist, innovator, and medical director who challenges traditional ideas about the physician's role and the importance of owning your worth.🔹 Dr. Joe Sherman, a pediatrician, physician coach, retreat and medical team facilitator, keynote speaker, and author whose work includes helping physicians develop self-compassion.Different paths. One important question: How do we build a medical career that leaves room for the whole person?Medicine shouldn't require physicians to disappear inside their profession.🔗 Connect with our guests:Dr. Shannon Blalock🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-blalock-md-06bbab10b/🌐 pediatricheartspecialists.com🌐 pediatricheartspecialists.comDr. Joe Sherman🌐 www.joeshermanmd.com🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeshermanmd/These conversations don't end with the podcast.Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. From abstract art and improv to writing, meditation, a drum circle, and line dancing, the experience is intentionally designed to give physicians space to connect, explore, and recharge.Physicians representing 16 specialties, from 20 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY🗓 October 9–12, 2026🔗 To register: https://standupfordoctors.org/events/Only 4 spots available.🎟️ Save $100 on registration with code VIP100. Offer ends September 7, 2026.If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:https://standupfordoctors.org/books/We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and creating a stronger future for medicine reflects the same belief at the heart of today's conversation: physicians deserve the space and support to build lives and careers that allow them to remain fully human.Learn more about Medicine Forward:https://medicineforward.org#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #SelfCompassion #PhysicianLeadership #HumanityInMedicine #FutureOfMedicine #Episode172

How can we restore agency for physicians, and for the profession of medicine?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who have experienced the challenges of practicing within "the system" and are still committed to the profession they chose. Because we need doctors.

🔹 Dr. Scott Berman is a psychiatrist in Connecticut who has witnessed decades of change in medicine and brings a long-term perspective on what physicians have gained, lost, and continue to navigate.

🔹 Dr. Marco Fernandez is an anesthesiologist in Chicago and President of the Association of Independent Medicine, bringing a perspective focused on physician independence, advocacy, and the future of medical practice.

What happens when physicians feel they have less control over how they practice medicine? What does it take to restore a sense of ownership and agency? And what responsibility do physicians have to advocate for the profession itself?

These are questions we'll continue exploring during our Physician Retreat weekend, where physicians from different specialties, generations, and backgrounds will have space to challenge ideas, share experiences, and imagine what comes next.

The future of medicine needs physicians who are willing to speak up, participate, and help shape the profession they want to practice.

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Marco Fernandez

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-fernandez-md-a875514/

Dr. Scott Berman🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-berman-md-60378814/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It's a unique experience designed to help physicians reconnect with themselves, learn from one another, and engage in the conversations shaping the future of medicine.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

Only 5 spots available.

🎟️ Special retreat offer: Save $100 on registration with code VIP100. Offer ends September 7, 2026.

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and strengthening the future of medicine aligns closely with today's conversation about agency, advocacy, and giving physicians a stronger voice in the profession.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #PhysicianAdvocacy #MedicalLeadership #IndependentMedicine #FutureOfMedicine #Episode171

Many of us have come to think of art, music, and writing as optional, things we get to if there’s time.

But what if brain science tells us the opposite? What if the arts are essential to our well-being?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be sharing their insights at our inaugural Physician Retreat this October, where science, creativity, connection, and personal well-being will be woven together.

🔹 Dr. Kristin O’Dell is an experienced hospitalist, lifestyle medicine advocate, and physician coach.

🔹 Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein is a pediatrician turned author, speaker, and Narrative Medicine facilitator.

After reading Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, recommended by Dr. A.J. Farrow, Kim became fascinated by the research showing how art, music, movement, writing, and nature can transform the brain and support well-being. Some physicians are even prescribing museum visits to patients.

So what does this mean for doctors?

At the upcoming Physician Retreat, meaningful discussions will be paired with experiences including abstract art, improv, writing, a drum circle, meditation, and line dancing. These aren't simply activities added between sessions. They're part of the experience by design.

Medicine is deeply human. Perhaps our well-being requires us to make room for the things that remind us of that.

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Kristin O’Dell
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-o-dell-md-fhm-dipablm-cpe-acc-4097607a

Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-roy-bornstein-8a329636/
🌐 https://www.carolynroybornstein.com/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. From abstract art and improv to writing, meditation, a drum circle, and line dancing, the experience is intentionally designed to give physicians space to connect, explore, and recharge.

Physicians representing 16 specialties, from 20 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY
🗓 October 9–12, 2026
🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/
Only 5 spots available.

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:
https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their support reflects a shared belief that caring for physicians means creating space for connection, creativity, and personal well-being alongside the important work of medicine.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:
https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #NarrativeMedicine #LifestyleMedicine #CreativityInMedicine #HumanConnection #Episode170

Many physicians believe they're exhausted because they're overworked. But what if it's the loss of autonomy, agency, and control?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be sharing their insights at our inaugural Physician Retreat this October. Together, they explore what it means for physicians to reclaim ownership of their careers and lives, without waiting for the healthcare system to change first.

🔹 Dr. Thiban Munnainathan is a Family Physician and Certified Physician Executive with experience in Clinical Informatics. He is also the founder of Primetime Telehealth & Physician UX, focused on improving the physician experience within increasingly complex healthcare systems.

🔹 Dr. Jamie Gross is a practicing anesthesiologist in the U.K. and founder of Medics in Control, helping physicians reclaim control over their time, money, and direction.

Physicians are being asked to navigate increasingly complex systems, solve problems they were never trained to solve, and adapt to demands that can leave little room for agency.

So what can doctors actually control?

You may not be able to control the entire system. But you can start asking a different question: What can I control, and what can I build from there?

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Thiban Munnainathan

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/parthiban-munnainathan-md-cpe-2b3333a3/

Dr. Jamie Gross

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiegross-medicsincontrol/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It's a unique experience designed to help physicians reconnect with themselves, learn from one another, and return home with practical insights they can carry into their lives and practices.

Physicians representing 15 specialties, from 18 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

Only 6 spots available.

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:

https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to helping physicians build stronger communities and create meaningful change aligns closely with today's conversation about agency, connection, and taking an active role in shaping the future of medicine.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:

https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #PhysicianLeadership #AutonomyInMedicine #MedicalCulture #HumanConnection #Episode169

Where do empathy, compassion, and shame overlap in medicine?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be sharing their insights at our inaugural Physician Retreat this October. Together, they explore how these deeply human experiences shape physicians, leadership, and the culture of medicine.

🔹 Dr. Laura Jordhen is the founder of Noble Journey Primary Care, where she is reimagining family medicine through accessible, personalized, and compassionate care.

🔹 Dr. Jess Bunin is an ICU physician, retired Army Colonel, and Co-Founder & Chief Architect of All Levels Leadership, helping leaders build trust and communication in high-stakes environments.

Empathy helps us understand another person's suffering. Compassion moves us to respond. But when physicians feel they've fallen short of impossible expectations, shame can quietly take hold.

How does medical training unintentionally cultivate shame while striving for excellence? And how can empathy, compassion, and thoughtful leadership create healthier cultures for physicians and patients alike?

Excellence and humanity don't compete. They strengthen one another.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/_SoVRNcPJDM

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Laura Jordhen

🌐 https://noblejourneyclinic.com

🔗 https://linkedin.com/in/laura-jordhen-md-7989b919

Dr. Jess Bunin

🌐 www.jessbuninmd.com

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bunin/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It's a unique experience designed to help physicians reconnect with themselves, learn from one another, and return home with practical insights they can carry into their lives and practices.

Physicians representing 15 specialties, from 18 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

⚠️Only 6 spots available.

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices: https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

We're also honored to have Medicine Forward as the Founding Sponsor of our inaugural Physician Retreat. Their commitment to supporting physicians and advancing a healthier future for medicine helps make this unique gathering possible.

Learn more about Medicine Forward:

https://medicineforward.org

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #Leadership #CompassionInMedicine #Empathy #HumanConnection #Episode168

If you could gather physicians in one room, what's the conversation you believe doctors most need to have with one another right now?

That's exactly what we'll be exploring at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat this October, and it's the question at the heart of today's conversation.

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be attending the retreat and who share a deep commitment to strengthening the future of medicine through honest dialogue, collaboration, and community.

🔹 Dr. Frank Cacace, MD FACP is a retired primary care internist with a mission to help ensure primary care physicians don't become an endangered profession.

🔹 Dr. Eric Olson, M.D. is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and founder of Integrative Orthopedics, dedicated to advancing a more thoughtful and comprehensive approach to patient care.

Medicine has never lacked intelligent people. What it has often lacked is the time and space for physicians to come together, listen to one another, and ask the difficult questions that lead to meaningful change.

What conversations have we been avoiding? What wisdom can physicians across specialties and generations learn from one another? And how can those conversations shape a stronger future for the profession?

The future of medicine will be shaped one conversation at a time.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WOhGU0MmXy8

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Frank Cacace

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-cacace-md-facp-578540374/

Dr. Eric Olson

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-olson-m-d-15756650/

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices: https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, proudly supported by our Founding Sponsor, Medicine Forward.

This one-of-a-kind experience combines meaningful conversations with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being, creating the space physicians need to reconnect with themselves, one another, and the future of medicine.

Physicians representing 15 specialties, from 18 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

Only 9 spots available.

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #PrimaryCare #Leadership #MedicalCommunity #FutureOfMedicine #Episode167

Many physicians enter medicine because they care deeply. At what point does that strength become a vulnerability, and what can we do about it?

In this episode of Stand Up (for) Doctors!, we're joined by two physicians who will be part of our inaugural Physician Retreat this October.

Together, they explore how both personal patterns and healthcare culture shape the physician experience and what it will take to create a more sustainable future for medicine.

🔹 Dr. Randie Schacter is an Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Health & Wellness Coach at Silver Spaces, helping physicians better understand the relationship between personal well-being and professional fulfillment.

🔹 Dr. Gigi Abdel-Samed is an emergency physician with more than 30 years of experience who developed a framework to help health systems recognize the early drivers of physician disengagement and create healthier workplace cultures.

Medicine attracts compassionate, dedicated people. Yet the very qualities that make physicians exceptional can also leave them carrying more than anyone should.

How do identity, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-sacrifice intersect with workplace culture, leadership, and organizational expectations? And what changes, both personally and systemically, help physicians build sustainable careers?

Caring for others should never require losing yourself.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/T_I-Tod5qBQ

🔗 Connect with our guests:

Dr. Randie Schacter

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/randie-schacter-do/

🌐 http://www.silverspaces.org/

Dr. Gigi Abdel-Samed

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-gigi-abdel-samed-md/

🌐 https://www.drgigisamed.com/

If today's conversation resonated with you, you'll find more powerful stories like this in our White Coats book series, created to humanize medicine and amplify physician voices:

https://standupfordoctors.org/books/

These conversations don't end with the podcast.

Join us at the Stand Up (for) Doctors! Inaugural Physician Retreat, where meaningful discussions are paired with science-based activities that give equal weight to personal well-being. It's a unique experience designed to help physicians reconnect with themselves and one another.

Physicians from 15 specialties, representing 18 states, along with colleagues from Australia and the U.K., have already registered. We'd love to have you join us.

📍 Windrose on Hudson, Ossining, NY

🗓 October 9–12, 2026

🔗 https://standupfordoctors.org/events/

Only 10 spots available.

📩 To learn more about sponsorship opportunities: [email protected]

#StandUpForDoctors #PhysicianWellBeing #Leadership #CultureInMedicine #HumanConnection #FutureOfMedicine #Episode166