This one was recorded on a window ledge at the Millcroft Inn, still wrapped in the softest robe, fresh off my second annual Creating Space retreat with eight incredible physician humans.

The theme that kept surfacing all weekend? Being selfish: the word we were all using to explain why we couldn't possibly take up space, rest, or honor what we actually want.

In this episode, I dig into where "selfish" actually comes from (spoiler: 17th-century Scottish Presbyterians, and yes, it's exactly as patriarchal as it sounds) and why every choice we make is technically selfish… even people-pleasing.

So if we're all being selfish anyway, the real question is: which kind do you want to practice?

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

Dr. Risa Adams returns to help me explore something that's been loudly alive for me lately: the fear and vulnerability that comes with stepping into a new leadership role as a medical educator.

We follow the thread from imposter syndrome and performative teaching all the way back to a grade four classroom — where a little part of me learned that being wrong in front of others meant being cast out.

This session gets tender and real, and I hope it reminds you that the parts driving our professional anxiety are almost always just trying to protect something precious.XXX

Connect with Risa: https://www.risaadamsmd.com/

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode, I'm sharing the second part of my journey finding humanity as a medical educator, focusing on three practical workflow challenges I've been navigating. I'm getting real about the "inhuman stories" that have been surfacing - like feeling I need to be my residents' cruise director, believing teaching shouldn't take extra time, and worrying that learners mean worse patient care. Through trial and error, I'm learning that creating space in my schedule isn't laziness, it's essential for sustainable teaching and quality care. If you're in medical education or integrating any new aspect into your work, I hope my messy middle resonates.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this deeply nourishing conversation, I sit down with Dr. Alysha Mackenzie-Feder, a pediatrician from Kelowna, BC, to explore the critical difference between empathy and compassion in healthcare. Alysha shares how her journey through Zen Buddhism and contemplative practices transformed her understanding of physician wellbeing and patient care, revealing why "compassion fatigue" might actually be empathetic distress. We dive into emotions as physiological experiences, the hidden curriculum of medical training, and how creating community might be our path through these challenging times in healthcare. This episode offers both the language and practical tools to move from drowning in our patients' emotions to standing alongside them with an open heart and strong back.

Connect with Alysha:

Website: https://www.adeeperwell.ca/

Substack: https://adeeperwell.substack.com/

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this solo episode, I'm sharing three major "inhuman stories" that have been haunting me as I've stepped deeper into medical education as a preceptor and co-site director. I unpack the beliefs that I need to know everything to teach, that my job is to mold students in my image, and that I'm solely responsible for their outcomes—and how these stories create unnecessary stress and anxiety. Through frameworks like the carpenter versus gardener model and the division of responsibility, I'm finding my way toward more sustainable, humane approaches to teaching. This is very much the messy middle of my journey, and I hope it resonates with anyone navigating the challenges of teaching or mentoring in healthcare.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this conversation, I reconnect with Dr. Caitlin Christie, a fellow family physician and coach practicing in Ontario, to share what we're actually doing on the ground to create sustainable, joyful practices. We dive into the real challenges of primary care - from new funding initiatives to physician capacity pressures - and explore how we've shifted from feeling helpless about external circumstances to focusing on what we can control. Caitlin and I trade practical strategies for protecting our wellbeing, from micro-moments of pleasure during clinic days to redesigning schedules that honor our capacity. This is a boots-on-the-ground conversation about how to thrive in family medicine by orienting toward what truly matters: how we feel at the end of the day.

Connect with Caitlin:

Website: https://caitlinchristie.com/

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

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this follow-up session with my friend and IFS therapist Dr Risa Adams, I explore my complicated relationship with anger—an emotion I've spent most of my life suppressing and fearing. After a conflict with my husband revealed layers of resentment and shame, I discovered that my anger isn't the enemy I thought it was; it's actually a protective part trying to keep me safe and advocate for my authentic voice. This conversation opened my eyes to the possibility that I don't have to choose between being loving and being honest; I can honor all my parts and still show up with integrity.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode, I explore the powerful idea of being replaceable in our work. Drawing from personal experiences, I discuss how accepting this truth can alleviate burnout and foster a healthier work-life balance. Join me as I share insights on how shifting our mindset from perfectionism to collaboration can enhance our professional lives. Let’s embrace the concept of being part of a greater whole.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

It’s my 40th birthday! (Or rather it WAS my birthday at the time of recording this episode) I take the day off clinic, let myself have a truly delicious day, and reflect on what it means to turn 40. I open a time capsule I made as a 13-year-old in the year 2000 and react—tenderly and hilariously—to what she thought success was.

And then I zoom out: lessons from my 30s, hopes for my 40s, and why looking back can be the clearest way to choose what matters next.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

This week’s episode is a little different.

Instead of my usual stream of consciousness conversation that expands on an idea in every direction, I wanted to experiment with something much more concise.

So I present to you the first of hopefully many Healing Human Idea pieces.

The full text can be found on my website & Instagram, to accompany this audio form.

Return back to this one as many times as you need to reset your pace in this over-urgent healthcare system.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd