In this episode, I’m literally getting ready for work and just talking through what’s been on my mind lately. No script, no outline… just real thoughts about what it feels like to be practicing medicine in this current climate.

Because it’s a lot.

There are doctors out here doing amazing, ethical, patient-centered work.

And then there are people doing the absolute most… unnecessary labs, questionable treatments, pushing products, building entire platforms off fear.

And patients don’t always know the difference.

So now we’re in this position where:

we’re trying to build trust while also being grouped into a system people don’t trust while also trying not to burn ourselves out in the process

And then on top of that… you’ve got the system itself.

Insurance. Pharma. Hospital admin.

Everybody pulling from different directions and somehow the doctor is still expected to just… hold it all together.

I also talk a bit about locums in this episode, because even in those spaces, you’re still seeing the same themes. The same expectations. The same quiet pressure to sacrifice more than you probably should.

And I’m really sitting with this question right now:

Are we supposed to fix medicine from the inside?

Or is the real work going to happen outside of it?

If you’re in healthcare, thinking about entering it, or even just trying to understand why things feel the way they do right now… this episode will probably resonate.

Give this video a like and hit the SUBSCRIBE button for strategies that protect your time, money, and energy.

Find Me On Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblkdoctor/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheneka-horne

Subscribe now: @theblkdoctor

#blackwomeninmedicine #podcast #theblkdoctor #blackdoctor #negotiationcoach #careercoach #drsheneka #mdcoach #blackresidents

What happens when you’ve done everything “right”… and still feel burnt out, unfulfilled, or unsure what’s next?

In this episode, I gets real about ambition, burnout, and the uncomfortable space of not having a clear next step.

From stepping away from my medical director role to questioning the constant need for achievement, this is an honest conversation about identity, pressure, and learning how to slow down.

If you’ve ever felt like you should be happy because you’ve checked all the boxes… but something still feels off, this one is for you.

In this episode, I talked about:

• Burnout (and why it can happen more than once)
• The pressure to always be achieving- Identity shifts in medicine and entrepreneurship
• Letting go of timelines and “linear” success- Learning to rest without guilt
• Creating space for creativity and what’s next

Sometimes the most important thing isn’t the next move… it’s giving yourself permission to pause.

Let me know in the comments:

Have you ever felt stuck between wanting more and wanting peace?

Give this video a like and hit the SUBSCRIBE button for strategies that protect your time, money, and energy.

In this episode, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about locums.

From how to get started, to choosing agencies, to understanding how pay and contracts actually work. This is the conversation I’ve had with so many doctors behind the scenes, and I wanted to bring it here.

I also share how locums helped me build the confidence to walk away from a role that no longer served me, because I had evidence that other opportunities exist.

We talk about negotiation, recruiters, red flags, and the real benefits of locums beyond just the paycheck.

If you’ve been curious about locums or feeling stuck in your current role, this episode will give you a clearer picture of what’s possible.

#theblkdoctor #blackdoctors #blackwomeninmedicine #blackphysician #womeninmedicine #drsheneka #blackdoctorcollectivepodcast

In this episode, I shared the story behind a big decision I recently made: resigning from my role as Medical Director.

When I accepted the position earlier this year, I believed I could help improve systems within the clinic and support the staff in meaningful ways. And in many ways, I did exactly that. We implemented new communication tools, created policies, and made operational changes that strengthened the practice.

But the experience also revealed something deeper about the emotional labor of leadership. Particularly when you are navigating spaces where hypervigilance becomes part of your daily experience.

In this episode I talk about the pressure to be perfect, the way mistakes can be magnified while successes go unnoticed, and why relying solely on external validation can slowly erode your confidence.

I also discuss something I emphasize often on this podcast: the importance of internal validation. Learning to create your own metrics for success so that someone else’s criticism doesn’t erase everything you’ve accomplished.

This conversation is honest, reflective, and a reminder that sometimes the healthiest choice is stepping away from environments that no longer support your well-being.

Connect with me on: Instagram: @theblkdoctor

You've got any questions, shoot me an email: [email protected]

#DrShenekaHorne #podcast #blackdoctor #blackdoctors #blackwomeninmedicine #blackwomeninhealthcare #blackresidents #careercoach #negotiationcoach #physiciancoach #theblkdoctor

In this episode of The Black Doctor Podcast, Dr. Sheneka shares the story behind her decision to resign from her role as Medical Director.

After spending a year trying to implement meaningful change at her clinic, she realized something many physicians experience but rarely say out loud: burnout often comes from working in systems that force you to ignore what you know is right for patients.

This episode explores the tension between leadership, values, and physician burnout, and why sometimes the healthiest choice is stepping away from a role that no longer aligns.

#theblkdoctor #careerdoctor #physiciancoach #podcastforblackdoctors #theblkdoctorcollective #blackwomeninmedicine #blackphysicians #negotiationcoach

I took a much-needed step back over the past couple of months, and in this first episode of the year, I’m sharing honestly about where I’ve been mentally, professionally, and creatively.

While reflecting recently, I found myself thinking about something Michelle Obama has spoken about often, being a “box checker.” Following the path that looks successful on paper. Doing all the right things. Hitting every milestone.

For a long time, that was me.

But at some point, I had to confront a hard truth. The very structure I had been following for years was no longer functional for me… and in some ways, it was actively harming me.

In this episode, I’m talking about:

- How the box-checking mindset can quietly lead to burnout

- Why being constantly busy can keep us disconnected from what we actually need

- The subtle ways we fall back into old coping patterns when life feels overwhelming

- What it looks like to pause, reassess, and begin building a framework that actually supports your life

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, stuck in survival mode, or questioning whether the path you’re on still fits who you’re becoming, this conversation is for you.

As we move into this new year, I’m asking myself one simple question…

What do I need right now?

I invite you to sit with that question too.

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblkdoctor/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheneka-horne

Email: [email protected]

Sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones we have with ourselves.

In this episode of the Black Doctor Collective Podcast, I get real about my negotiation regrets, the lessons I’ve learned from asking (and not asking) for what I want, and why staying too long in places, whether in business, coaching, or medicine, can become a silent regret.

I also share a personal update: after months of quietly stepping back, I’m officially pausing my coaching, closing this chapter of the podcast, and taking a break to focus on the next phase of life and work.

We talk about:

• - Why the biggest regret isn’t hearing “no”—it’s never asking at all
• - How respectability politics and people-pleasing can hold you back
• - The spiral staircase of growth: revisiting challenges at a higher level
• - Learning to advocate for yourself without over-explaining
• - Why ending chapters is an act of courage, not failure.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever hesitated to ask, worried about what people might think, or stayed longer than they should have.

🎧 Listen now and reflect with me as we close 2025 and step into 2026 with intention.

Follow me on Instagram for more career & negotiation insights: https://www.instagram.com/theblkdoctor/

Let’s connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheneka-horne

Got questions or comments? Send them here: [email protected]

#NegotiationLessons #PhysicianWellness #BlackDoctorCollective #blackwomeninmedicine #blackdoctors #theblkdoctor #FinalEpisode #SelfAdvocacy #CareerGrowth #BoundarySetting

Doctors, this episode is for you!

Ever notice a gap in medicine - something patients need, but your training never fully equips you to provide?

That’s exactly what Dr. Obehi saw. She’s a pediatrician, MPH, parent coach, and integrative medicine expert who refused to settle for the status quo.

In this episode, we talk about:

• - How to recognize gaps in patient care that your training doesn’t cover
• - Turning unmet needs into actionable solutions
• - Why leaning into your unique interests and skills can make you a better clinician
• - Practical strategies for creating impact without burning out

This isn’t about parenting advice - it’s about how doctors can innovate, lead, and solve problems that medicine alone can’t.

If you’ve ever thought, “there has to be a better way,” this episode is your blueprint.

About Dr. Obehi Okojie

Obehi Okojie is a pediatrician with a masters in Public Health. Originally a Maryland native, she now works in New Ulm Minnesota where she is a certified Parent Coach and practices integrative medicine. Pursued by her passion to heal the body - in addition to Medical School at Ohio University and Residency in Kansas City - she has travelled the world to learn her craft studying in The Redwood forest, India and Germany among other places. As an Osteopathic Physician trained in Osteopathic manipulative medicine, Acupuncture; Hypnosis; Nutrition and Functional Medicine, her aim is to eliminate disease at the source. When she is not working her favorite thing is go hang out with her 2yo and infant son, dance and learn tricks on aerial silks.Follow her on Instagram on @transformative_pediatricianOn Youtube:  @Transformativepediatrician 

Hit play and hear how one pediatrician transformed a challenge into a solution that changes lives — for patients and doctors alike.

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#BlackDoctors #WomenInMedicine #PediatricInnovation #MedicalLeadership #IntegrativeMedicine #PhysicianLife #DoctorInnovation #PrimaryCare #PhysicianWellness #Doctorpreneurs

Y’all… this episode right here? Whew.Buckle up.Today I’m sitting down with Dr. Natalie Moulton-Levy - a 20-year board-certified dermatologist who looked medical racism dead in the face during COVID… and decided the ONLY way forward was to go back to school and become an attorney.Yes. You heard that right.Doctor. AND freshly barred lawyer.Because if there's one thing Black women are gonna do… it's whatever it takes to protect our people.In this conversation, we get into:- What she witnessed during COVID that shook her to her core- The moment she realized “helping one patient at a time” wasn’t enough- Why she built the Health Justice Initiative (HJI)- The REAL legal barriers that keep Black and low-income patients from receiving equal care- Imposter syndrome, ageism, and what it’s like to go back to school at mid-career- How she balances medicine, law, motherhood, AND community activism- What it truly takes to do purpose-driven, justice-centered work without burning out If you’ve ever wondered:“Is staying in medicine helping… or am I just upholding the system?”Or if you’ve thought about changing careers, expanding your impact, or doing something “unconventional” in your physician journey…THIS is the episode you need.And listen, Dr. Moulton-Levy didn’t go to law school to flex.She went because Black and brown patients are still being denied care, denied coverage, and denied dignity.And somebody had to step up.This is what it looks like to let purpose be louder than fear.About Dr. Moulton-Levy:Dr. Moulton-Levy is a board-certified physician with almost 20 years of experience and a newly-barred attorney. Throughout her practice, Dr. Moulton-Levy has experienced inequities in medicine first hand, and patients seek her out specifically because they have faced discrimination elsewhere. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered at a hospital caring for COVID patients, which shed new light on the realities of medical inequality and medical racism as low-income Black and Brown patients were denied access to ventilators–their lives valued less than others. While her medical practice has allowed her to engage in problems of inequity on an individual-patient basis, she witnessed how medical and legal barriers intertwine to systemically deny care to certain groups of people. In 2021, she reached a point in her career when she decided to go to law school to address these issues on a more systemic scale. Because of the structural dimension of medical inequity, a law degree enables her to take an intersectional approach to addressing the legal aspects of the healthcare system in the United States to better advocate for those whose voices are not being heard. Creating HJI is her way of fighting for the New York she believes in, where everyone’s life holds equal value and everyone receives the physical, mental, and gender-affirming healthcare they deserve. Follow Dr. Moulton-Levy’s work:Instagram: @integrativedermnycWebsite: www.integrativedermnyc.orgI cannot wait for y’all to hear this one.Let it pour into you. Let it challenge you. Let it MOVE you.#BlackDoctors #TheBlkDoctor #MedicalRacism #DoctorToLawyer #PhysicianStories #DoctorPodcast #HealthcareEquity #BlackWomenInMedicine #COVIDStories #CareerPivot #Dermatology #HealthAdvocacy #DoctorCoach #PhysicianCoach

This episode is personal — in the best way.

I’m pulling you behind the scenes and talking about something we don’t discuss enough:
what you actually win when you negotiate well.
And yes, money matters… but the real payoff is so much deeper.

In this episode, I share how negotiation has shaped my actual life this past year — my schedule, my ability to rest, my patient care, my peace, and honestly… my sanity. You’ll hear why I’m calling this season my “sabbatical from busyness,” what it took to get here, and how protecting my time directly translated into one of the most affirming patient moments I’ve had in months.

If you’ve ever wondered:
✨ “Is negotiating even worth it?”
✨ “What does it change besides salary?”
✨ “How do I build a life that lets me breathe?”
— this episode is for you.

Because here’s the truth:
You don’t need confidence to negotiate. You need clarity.
And once you get clear, the wins show up in places you didn’t even know to expect.

Inside the episode, I break down:
• The power of naming your season (hello, sabbatical!)
• What I negotiated that changed how I practice medicine
• Why aligned values at work matter as much as compensation
• How time, space, and boundaries made me a better doctor
• Why serving yourself first is the key to serving others well

If you're tired, burnt out, underpaid, or just feeling off — listen.
This might be the reminder you needed.

👉 Listen now and start imagining what your dream life could look like — without fear.

And if you enjoy the episode, leave a review or share it with another Black doctor who needs the permission to choose themselves today.