The Physician Philosopher Podcast

Here is a rewind episode of one of our favorites.  “Someday when I become a resident, it will be better.  I’ll be making money. “ “One day, as an attending, things will be so much better than they are right now.  No one will be able to tell me what to do!” “When the kids are a little bit older, things will be easier.” I am here to tell you that if you think when you accomplish your next goal life will automatically be better, you are likely suffering from an arrival fallacy.  Here is how to snap out of the matrix, and find the reality you really want today. Love the show? Heck, want to work with me? See how we can here! www.thephysicianphilosopher.com/coaching

Have you ever wanted to lose weight (or get a six-pack) but it always felt too hard to get it done? As a life coach for women physicians, Dr. Ali Novitsky shares her insight and expertise to show us how to achieve optimal health with simple strategies backed by science. Meet health coach for women, Dr. Ali Novitsky Ali Novitsky, MD is the CEO and founder of Life Coaching for Women Physicians. Board certified in Obesity Medicine, Pediatrics, and Neonatology. She is a certified physician coach, nutrition and fitness expert, international speaker, blogger, and host of the podcast “Life Coaching for Women Physicians”.  Ali attended Temple University School of Medicine and completed her Pediatric residency and Neonatal Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson/AI duPont Hospital for Children. She completed her coach training at The Life Coach School and The Mind Firm Method.  Ali offers CME coaching programs designed for women physicians. Her programs are ever evolving and currently include: Jump Start, G.O.A.L.S. Society, and Transform. Ali also has a trademarked nutrition program called Mindful Macros® where she combines an intuitive and gentle nutrition approach to achieve optimal health results through food freedom. Losing weight in a healthy way can be easy Today’s thought is this: To lose weight (and achieve your optimal body composition) you actually need to gain muscle. You’ll Learn: How to identify and create a plan around your own personal health goals Why more activity doesn’t always mean better results The role of protein in your muscle-building pursuits (hint: it’s important) How to make food and activity choices that are sustainable for your life How to work with your emotions instead of against them with food and weight loss  How to honor your authentic body Link: https://www.goals-society.com/g-o-a-l-s-society  

Years ago, I transitioned from physician burnout to entrepreneur burnout in my online business. And it was primarily from not having healthy boundaries with technology. When I first started out in entrepreneurship, I worked 60 hours a week in medicine plus another 20-30 hours a week on my blog and business. Business culture indoctrination often means we find ourselves believing we need to hustle 24/7 to get results, but it doesn’t have to be that way. What’s really important about today’s episode is understanding how we can use technology not to worsen our constant availability – which can lead to burnout – but instead how to use that technology to set boundaries.

One thing we can agree on about today’s topic is this: doctors historically are under-savers.  But when it comes to physician money management, exactly how much doctors should be saving is hotly contested. Lisha and I spent 15 minutes debating our perspectives before we even hit record! So we know you’re going to land with a variety of opinions. Of course, how much and how you save are going to depend on your own financial goals and your current situation - the status of your student loans, whether you’re married or have kids or plan to start a family, when you want to retire, etc. So by the end of this episode, we’ll give you two different options for figuring out how much money you should save - regardless of your situation. https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/ACE

With today’s episode, we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of a podcast, you’re getting a sneak peek of the audiobook version of my latest book, “Determined: How Burned Out Doctors Can Thrive in a Broken Medical System.” Yes, we’re talking burnout – a topic very familiar to you as a medical professional. It’s messy, it’s layered, and it’s part of the problematic state of medicine. Burnout is twice as high in physicians versus the general population. Not only is that statistic alarming, but the potential consequences of burnout on medical professionals are staggering. Higher rates of substance and alcohol use, depression, and suicide are not uncommon problems in medicine. On the systematic front, burnout has been linked with higher physician turnover, worse patient care and outcomes, decreased patient satisfaction, higher healthcare costs, and increased risk for major medical errors. Burnout is costly for physicians and for the patients under our care. But as Albert Einstein once wisely said, “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”  In this week’s episode of The Physician Philosopher podcast, I’m sharing my audio recording of the first chapter of my book.  You’ll Learn: The top 5 reasons physicians feel burned out Why we need greater focus on personal and professional autonomy in medicine How compassion serves as a key factor in burnout recovery and systematic change The role of purpose and how it deepens our professional experience Take a listen on your favorite podcast listening platform and leave a comment.  All the best,  ~Jimmy   

I can’t tell you how often other physicians ask me, “Hey, I understand the math, but I just don't know: should I be paying off my student loans? Should I be investing and maxing out my 401k, or should I be paying off a car?” There’s advice out there that says you should invest at all costs, that anyone who doesn't put all their money towards investments is crazy. Then, at the other end of the spectrum is the school of thought that says you shouldn’t do anything else until you pay off all your physician debt. As with most nuanced subjects, it’s not black and white.  The right path – for YOU – depends on a lot of different factors. When figuring out whether to pay off debt versus investing, it requires more than just math –  because humans aren't robots.  https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/ACE

Given that this is the 100th episode of this show, I thought it would be pretty cool to share the stories of those who have listened to this podcast and had their lives changed as a result. And today is doubly-special, because The Alpha Coaching Experience (ACE) is finally open again. It’s been six months since we opened the doors last, and we only open the program twice per year. So, instead of me telling you about the impact ACE has had on doctors, I thought I’d let three doctors who have gone through the physician coaching program share their stories. Here’s how they overcame their situations to create the time, financial freedom, and mindset shifts they needed to practice medicine on their terms. HTTPS://thephysicianphilosopher.com/ACE

My good friend, Peter Kim, from Passive Income MD is a serial entrepreneur, physician in anesthesiology, and a great friend and family man. Sharing my enthusiasm for physician finance strategies that prioritize freedom, Peter is also a bit of a side-gig guru. Conversations with Peter are always fun, especially when we get to talk about different approaches to financial freedom. Over the years, Peter has conducted extensive trial and error research and fine-tuned the art of the physician side hustle. I can’t wait for you to absorb the knowledge and wisdom he was willing to share with The Physician Philosopher community. https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/RISE

Dr. Ubell is a master certified life and weight loss coach who struggled with her own weight for decades before finding a permanent solution.  In 2016, she founded a weight loss program that has helped over 1,300 physicians achieve the same peace and freedom surrounding food.  Her podcast, Weight Loss for Busy Physicians, has been downloaded over 6 million times and she is the author of the forthcoming book How to Lose Weight for the Last Time; Brain-Based Solutions for Permanent Weight Loss. In this show, we’re going to dive into her book. So, if you have ever wanted to lose weight and keep it off… this is for you. Click here to register for The Rise of The Self-Determined Physician → https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/SDP

Why are so many intelligent, educated, and hard-working physicians struggling? Why don’t they just take themselves out of their current situation and find something better? The answer is fear.   So, in this episode, I wanted to discuss some of the common fears that I see among our physician clients in ACE and others who reach out to me through email and social media. And what you can do to overcome those fears.

I tell my residents that academics is about depth and private practice is about breadth. In a lot of specialist fields, the private practice opportunities can provide some of that breadth. What you choose really depends on your preferences and how you feel you can work best in a given environment when weighed against all the factors that are important to you. But at the end of the day: when choosing a job, make sure you think through the worst-case scenario before saying “yes”. You’ll Learn: A tool I use with my coaching clients to help you think through any job decision An in-depth perspective about the benefits (and drawbacks) of going into academics as well as joining private practice  Physician-specific finance and career factors you should consider as you’re making your job decisions Want to learn more about money? Join MDFU → https://MDFU.co 

I'm a big fan of delegating tasks and freeing up my time so that I can focus on what I need to focus on in my business. And finding work-life balance (or life-life balance as some people like to call it) is one of the most common things doctors want. But how do we go about finding that? Enter virtual assistants for doctors.  They could be just the solution for many doctors on the road to burnout by assisting with scheduling, pre-authorizations, paperwork, and more. If you're a doctor who doesn’t know what a VA is or how they can help you get back some of your time (or potentially make you more money), this one’s for you.

Everyone has heard of a backdoor Roth IRA, but what’s the big deal with Roth IRA’s anyway? Today, Dr. Lisha Taylor and I are going to be talking about Roth IRA money for physicians. This is an important topic because doctors often need to use any tax-advantaged space they can get their hands on since we normally have a high savings rate. So join us today to learn what a Roth IRA is and why you should seriously consider one as a physician.  Also check out this Step by Step Guide to a Backdoor Roth IRA at Vanguard → https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/guides/first-backdoor-roth-on-vanguard/ Want to learn more about what do to with the money you are making as a physician? Join MDFU → https://MDFU.co

Physicians often reach out to me for advice about whether they should quit being a physician. I have a hard time giving advice on that subject because it seems like there are really only two options. The first option is to tough it out and finish what you started. The second option is to follow your dreams, even if they lead you away from medicine. So how do you know which path to take?  Chelsea Turgeon wrote the book on it - literally. Listen to this week's episode of the Physician Philosopher podcast to learn more about her story and the framework she created for deciding if a career in medicine is right for you long term, or if you should consider pivoting out of the medical field entirely.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-after-medicine/id1578778554 https://www.facebook.com/groups/leavemedicine/

Staying financially healthy during transitions is hard. Summertime is a time of transition in medicine. How do you stay on the right path financially during these transitions? On this week's episode of The Physician Philosopher podcast, DR.Lisha and I give you five financial tasks that doctors absolutely must take care of in order to be financially secure. So, take a listen on your favorite podcast listening platform as we talk about how doctors can gain financial independence in order to live a fulfilling life that is full of purpose, connection, and identity.  https://MDFU.co   https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/guides/three-kinder-questions/

Finding purpose in life outside of medicine can be challenging for many doctors. In this episode, I interview a good friend of mine, Dr. Jordan Grumet, a hospice and palliative care doctor who discovered financial independence to ward off physician burnout. We talk about some key ideas from his upcoming book, about the things I have been working through personally over the last two years, and a topic that MANY doctors ignore until it is too late. Listen in as we talk about how doctors can gain financial independence in order to live a fulfilling life that is full of purpose, connection, and identity.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you probably know that a lot has changed about student loans in the last year or two. There are a lot of changes happening for a lot of people who are going into fellowship, residency, or becoming an attending, and it is time to dig into your student loans. The Covid Waiver is only available until October 31, 2022, so don’t put this off!  The government is going above and beyond to make the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program work. When you personally see people getting six figures forgiven, it opens your eyes and helps you trust and verify this program.  On this episode of the Physician, Philosopher podcast join DR.Lisha and me as we dive deeper into getting loans forgiven Share this with a friend because you never know, you might save your friend $100,000 in student debt!

This episode is different from our typical episodes on The Physician Philosopher Podcast.  Today, I have something special that I want to share with you, and I want you to share this episode with all of your friends in medicine. My biggest goal is to empower doctors while also fixing our broken medical system. And one of the ways that  I am going to achieve that goal is by sharing tools and strategies with all physicians in a manner that is  easily accessible. This is why I’ve spent hundreds or maybe even a thousand hours creating the idea and then writing, editing, and working on my book.  And it is finally published as of the very day that this episode became live.   In fact, you can buy the book for just 99 CENTS…. But that will only last for the first week after the book is published. In this episode, I am going to read the introduction to the book I’ve been working on for the last year and I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Please tune in and share this episode with your family and friends. I want to say  “thank you” to all of the loyal listeners of The Physician Philosopher Podcast! I appreciate all of your emails.  And I appreciate you showing up each week to listen to the show. So, enjoy watching/ listening to this special episode of the podcast. 👉 Get your copy of Determined: How Burned-Out Doctors Can Thrive in a Broken Medical System - https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/determined

This episode is different from our typical episodes on The Physician Philosopher Podcast.  Today, I have something special that I want to share with you, and I want you to share this episode with all of your friends in medicine. My biggest goal is to empower doctors while also fixing our broken medical system. And one of the ways that  I am going to achieve that goal is by sharing tools and strategies with all physicians in a manner that is  easily accessible. This is why I’ve spent hundreds or maybe even a thousand hours creating the idea and then writing, editing, and working on my book.  And it is finally published as of the very day that this episode became live.   In fact, you can buy the book for just 99 CENTS…. But that will only last for the first week after the book is published. In this episode, I am going to read the introduction to the book I’ve been working on for the last year and I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Please tune in and share this episode with your family and friends. I want to say  “thank you” to all of the loyal listeners of The Physician Philosopher Podcast! I appreciate all of your emails.  And I appreciate you showing up each week to listen to the show. So, enjoy watching/ listening to this special episode of the podcast. 👉 Get your copy of Determined: How Burned-Out Doctors Can Thrive in a Broken Medical System - https://thephysicianphilosopher.com/determined

Did you hear I recently purchased a third car??  All the science says this is the dumbest thing in the world to do…but is it? Join me on this week's Podcast talk about ways people can find happiness using money and what the studies say. I’m excited to announce that my new book, Determined: How Burned Out Doctors Can Thrive in a Broken Medical System, will be launching on JULY 19th. The book lays out an evidence-based framework to help doctors understand why they are so burned out in the first place. By reexamining current narratives, reactions, and paradigms, not only can doctors reclaim their sense of purpose and autonomy, but they can also create a life they love. Even if the medical system doesn’t love them back. Stay tuned for details!