What happens when you realize your residency isn’t the right fit - after you’ve already started?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Olivia Perez (@drliv.md) shares her bold decision to leave family medicine after intern year and successfully reapply to dermatology. She opens up about the doubts, the guilt, and the logistics of making such a high-stakes switch, and why two “lost” years are nothing compared to decades of fulfillment in the right specialty.

We talk about:

– Recognizing when you’re in the wrong field and finding the courage to pivot

– How Dr. Perez navigated ERAS, planning, and backup options

– The role of mentorship and seeing examples outside medicine

– The psychological fallacies that keep doctors stuck in the wrong path

– Why enjoying the day-to-day matters more than chasing the “shiny object” at the end

Dr. Perez’s story is a powerful reminder that the straight path isn’t the only one, and that sometimes the bravest move is to start over.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Liv Perez

Connect with Liv:

Substack: https://drliv.substack.com/

IG & TikTok: @drliv.md

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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