The Balanced Medics' Handover Podcast

We are lucky to have the wise and powerful Dr Stacia Dearmin on the pod to discuss adverse outcomes, medical errors, and litigation. Dr Dearmin is a paediatrician, speaker, coach, and a doctor who had her own experience with an unexpected patient death and malpractice litigation. Dr Dearmin turned this harrowing experience into Thrive, a business aimed at letting physicians know they're not alone and helping doctors learn how to thrive after litigation and poor outcomes. Takeaways Stacia's journey from a traumatic patient outcome to starting Thrive The impact of adverse patient outcomes on a physician's perspective The importance of teamwork and support in the medical profession Coping with adverse events in medicine requires self-care, support, and understanding from colleagues The experience of medical training should emphasise the importance of compassion and humanity in the practice of medicine To reach out to Dr Stacia Dearmin head to Thrive.

Dr. Catherine Kizana is an Emergency Medicine Specialist and Parenting Coach. We're lucky to have her on to share her journey through medicine, parenting, and postnatal depression. Dr Kizana sees her experience being admitted in a mother and baby psychiatric unit for 5 weeks as the hardest thing she's ever been through and the greatest gift. From this difficult time, her company ABC Parenting was founded so that she can help other parents in their own journey. We discuss: Transitioning to a new specialty in medicine Fertility journey and postnatal depression Mandatory reporting The impact of childhood experiences on parenting Fear is a common theme in parenting, and understanding its impact can lead to better responses For parenting coaching with Dr Kizana go to ABC Parenting For more resources go here.

Dr. Phillippa Smith shares her journey from surgical training (SET program) to medical administration training (RACMA), highlighting the possibility of changing career paths at any point. She discusses her background in science and academia, her transition to government work, and her decision to pursue medicine. Dr. Smith also explains her initial interest in surgery, the process of applying to the surgical training program, and the factors that led to a career change to medical administration. Additionally, Dr. Smith discusses her experience juggling medicine and motherhood, as well as the impact of fertility on women in medicine.   Takeaways - It is possible to change career paths at any point in your medical career - Seeking support from mentors, career coaches, and loved ones can help navigate career decisions and personal challenges - Building a strong support network is crucial for success and wellbeing - Reflecting on what’s worth it for you is really important in making career decisions and when considering changing career paths For coaching with Isabella go to balancedmedics.com/coaching Reach out to Dr Phillippa Smith by emailing contact@balancedmedics.com

Dr Adaira Landry is an Emergency Medicine Physician, and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School with almost a decade of experience mentoring students and early-career professionals. She is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and mentor. She co-founded Writing in Color, a nonprofit that teaches the craft of writing.  Dr Resa E. Lewiss is a Professor of Emergency Medicine, TEDMed speaker, designer, entrepreneur, educator, mentor, and point-of-care ultrasound specialist. She also hosts the Visible Voices Podcast, amplifying content in the healthcare, equity, and current trends spaces.  They're on to discuss their upcoming book, 'Micro Skills: Small Actions Big Impact', which is a business self-help book about reaching big goals in small actionable steps. They share their personal journeys in medicine and writing, as well as what drew them to emergency medicine. The book covers various themes, including self-care, communication, reputation building, networking, conflict navigation, and finding new opportunities. The authors emphasise the importance of self-care first, before everything else. We Discuss The importance of self-care and the impact of the workplace environment on professional success Dr Lewiss & Dr Landry's new book, 'MicroSkills: Small Actions Big Impact' Self-care and compassion are essential to prevent burnout and promote well-being The importance of authentic self-expression, doing things you enjoy, and how this helps us show up as better versions of ourselves For coaching with Isabella go to balancedmedics.com/coaching Connect with Dr Adaira Landry here: X/Twitter, LinkedIN, Instagram; www.adairalandryMD.com Dr Resa E. Lewiss here: LinkedIN, Instagram, X/Twitter;  www.resalewissmd.com Buy the book from April 16th 2024 here: Amazon | HarperCollins

Dr. Patrick Johnson, a psychiatrist and the medical director of the Victorian Doctors' Health Program, discusses physician suicide and wellbeing. He shares his journey to becoming a psychiatrist and his interest in doctors’ health. Dr. Johnson emphasises the importance of addressing loneliness, shame, and depression as risk factors for suicide. He highlights the need for leadership and wellbeing in the medical profession and encourages open conversations and connections among colleagues.  We discuss how: - Loneliness, shame, and depression are significant risk factors for physician suicide - Leadership and wellbeing are crucial in addressing mental health issues in the medical profession - Open conversations and connections among colleagues can help prevent physician suicide - Prioritising wellbeing is essential  - Supervision and coaching are valuable resources for doctors to gain wisdom and navigate the challenges of their careers - Balance is a dynamic process that requires actively making time for different aspects of life If you or someone you know needs help please call your local doctors' health service or Lifeline. Doctors' Health Service - Drs4Drs.com | 1300 374 377 Lifeline | 13 11 14

Dr Stephen Bergman AKA Samuel Shem, author of famed ‘The House of God’, is on to talk his new book. ‘Our Hospital’ is the final book in Shem’s Healing Quartet, about the COVID-19 pandemic and money-driven bureaucracy in medicine.  It was fun to speak with Shem to hear about his colourful life & provocative books. ‘The House of God’ is a satirical novel, exposing the dark side of medicine training. It’s often said that ‘The House of God’ did for the art of medicine what ‘Catch-22’ did for the art of war. We discuss: - Shem’s reason for going into medicine (Harvard Med OR conscription to the Vietnam War) - Why Shem got into writing (and how he got F for writing in Harvard & didn’t write for 4 years after that) - ‘The House of God’ - His new book ‘Our Hospital’  - Shem’s hope for the future of medicine & healthcare workers - The importance of sticking together and human connection Get Shem's new book here.

This episode we have Sharee Johnson on. Sharee is a registered psychologist and executive coach to leaders, business owners and health professionals. Sharee is the founder of Coaching for Doctors and author of bestselling book The Thriving Doctor. As part of Coaching for Doctors, Sharee also offers Recalibrate, an immersive development program for doctors that is due to start in-person this 8th of March in Melbourne. There is an online version starting in April this year if this suits better. For those listeners who would like to sign up, you can mention that you listened to this podcast episode and take advantage of the early bird prices. For junior docs, there is still 1 scholarship per program available if you’d like to apply.  We discuss: - Why Sharee became a coach for doctors - Stoicism, perfectionism & overachieving  - “Work-life balance” - Unhelpful habits we may have, how to notice them and change them for more helpful ones - Mindfulness (bear with us) - Tips on how to thrive in medicine and take care of ourselves - What the Recalibrate Program offers doctors For coaching with Isabella go here. Sign up to Recalibrate here and say you listened to this episode to take advantage of early bird prices. Find out more or reach out to Sharee here.

This episode we my friend on, Dr Charlotte Cachia, my friend from internship & residency who has a big career change. From critical care to a non-clinical specialty, pathology, Charlotte is on to share her story. I’m so grateful for Charlotte’s vulnerability and honesty in how she healed from burnout and found a career in medicine that helps her live a more fulfilling life.  We discuss: - Charlotte’s journey from young high school graduate to even younger doctor - Charlotte’s experience with burnout, the contributing factors, and the build up to the moment she decided to leave her job as a critical care SRMO - What places us more at risk of burnout (like people-pleasing and overachieving) - The importance of TIME to think over our next steps - How it is OKAY to change directions in our career, at ANY time - Charlotte’s transition from critical care to pathology - Pathology training & tips on what to do if you’re interested in it For coaching with Isabella go to balancedmedics.com/coaching Pathology Training Website. Read Charlotte’s article here.  Reach out to Charlotte via email.

This episode we have Dr Bishan Rajapakse on. He is an Emergency Medicine Specialist, writer, educator, and advocate for wellbeing, culture, and safety. Bishan came on to share his story & wisdom. This episode is great to show us all how there is no rush to the consultant finish line. We all do life at our own pace and that is more than okay. We discuss: - Bishan’s scenic route to specialisation - How he lived his life with what made sense to him (instead of what makes sense to others) - Following your ‘gut’ and your values - How Bishan considered leaving medicine at one point, and then reconnected to his why - Changing specialties - Taking time off during training - The “medical treadmill” (and hopping off it) - Not feeling like you fit the mould of medicine and certain specialties - Failure!!! & medical shame - Valuing who WE ARE, over what we do For coaching with Isabella - balancedmedics.com/coaching Read Bishan’s blog post in Life in the Fast Lane Get in touch with Bishan Insta | YouTube | Blog | LinkedIn

This episode we have Dr Matthew Coleshill (BSc (Hons), PhD) from the Black Dog Institute on the pod to discuss physician mental health & The Essential Network (TEN) for health professionals. I feel very privileged to share this episode to help normalise talking about mental health in doctors and to share another resource that is available to all of us. This episode happens to be published after the recent loss of one of our own to mental health. It’s okay to not be okay. There is help out there. Please reach out to your loved ones, colleagues, GP, professionals or one of the resources listed in our bio and show notes.  Having a mental health struggle does not mean you are not fit to practice or not well enough to be a doctor. It is so human and more common than you may think. You are not to blame, things are tough out there. I’m sure we have all struggled in medicine at some point in our lives. I know I have.  I would like to share the memory and impact of Dr Trudy Hong, who left this world too soon. We need change in the health system, not just momentary outrage. My dream is we can be that change. This episode we discuss: - The Essential Network (TEN) for health professionals of the Black Dog Institute - a free mental health resource for health professionals that is confidential and separate to our employers - What is unique about physician mental health - Physician anxiety, PTSD & burnout - Signs and symptoms of common mental health issues we may face as doctors and human beings - Where we can get help if we need it Resources for help now Doctors health - Drs4Drs TEN for Health Professionals AMA find a doctor Hand-n-Hand Peer Support

This episode we are lucky to have Dr Chloe Walters on, a paediatric trainee and mental health advocate. Dr Walters shares her mental health story and is working to fight the stigma of mental illness. Hearing her story shows how powerful vulnerability is, and we hope this episode can help someone feel less alone.  It’s okay to seek help if you need it.  We discuss: - Chloe’s journey through medicine with mental illness - How she was diagnosed with bipolar - Why Chloe decided to share her story - The stigma around mental health  - The importance of sharing stories to break this stigma - Chloe’s hopes for how mental health will be seen in medicine For coaching with Isabella balancedmedics.com/coaching Find out more from Dr Chloe Walters: YouTube | TikTok

This episode our inspiring guest is Dr Ali Tahayori, who holds a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Fine Art. Dr Tahayori currently exhibits his art internationally, while working as a Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist. Dr Tahayori was born and raised in the homophobic climate of 1980s Iran and moved to Australia in 2007. His art reflects on the identity of an outsider, which was assumed from the environment he grew up in as well as dealing with migration. Listen to his unique story to hear how we can bravely follow our interests at any stage and create something beautiful out of our experiences. We discuss: - Dr Tahayori’s journey in art and medicine - How he almost became an architect - Where our interests in life come from, ourselves or external influence - Ali’s drive to create art - Listening to what he really wanted - and deciding to study art - Being an outsider and dealing with our identity - Balancing art and medicine This episode was recorded in June - to keep up to date with Ali’s artworks and exhibitions follow him on Instagram or check out his website. Coaching with Isabella at balancedmedics.com/coaching

In this episode, we sit down with the inspiring Dr. Olivia Ong - a mother, Rehabilitation and Pain Specialist, author, and coach renowned for her expertise in resilience and burnout. After being hit by a car, as a first year registrar in 2008, she was told she would never walk again or practice medicine. Against all odds, Dr Ong learnt to walk again and is still practicing medicine. Beyond this, Dr Ong uses her experience in her motivational speaking, writing, and her business The Heart Centered Doctor aimed at helping doctors around the world lead the life they deserve without burnout. We discuss: - Recovering from paralysis and learning to walk again - The greatest teaching she learnt from her accident - Self-compassion, what it means, how it helps, and how to grow it - How self-compassion changed her life, and can change all our lives - The lack of control we experience in medicine and how we can navigate this - 5 things to help control our internal world - How to get connected with how we’re feeling and ways to handle challenging emotions - Dr Ong’s approach of Heart-Centered Care - living a life by design not by rosters Visit Dr Ong’s website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn For coaching with Isabella go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

In this episode, we're honoured to welcome back Dr. Violet Kieu, a distinguished Fertility Specialist and consultant Gynaecologist. Join us as we dive deep into the world of fertility and family planning, celebrating women's health week with Dr. Kieu's expert insights. We also tackle the big question – to freeze or not freeze our eggs? We discuss:      What fertility medicine and family planning really means How to optimise our fertility with a preventative approach (including men’s health) When we should start family planning Reproductive freedom & choice  How likely we are to fall pregnant in our 20s, 30s & 40s When we should seek fertility advice  Infertility  Family planning options including for: same-sex couples, single women and women over 35 When we should consider freezing our eggs Is it better to freeze eggs or embryos? Process of IVF, and the pros & cons, cost per year for storage Reach out to Dr Violet Kieu here: Insta | Freeze Fertility Newsletter Leave a voicemail for the pod here. For coaching go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

This episode we have a fellow podcaster and Melbourne-based doctor Dev Raga speaking about money! He works as a GP and is the host of ‘my millennial money professional’ podcast. Dev kindly shares his wisdom and tips on how we can apply simple money concepts to our own lives to gain greater freedom & choice.   We discuss: - Basic financial principles & tips for all of us to get our money working for us - How Dev got into podcasting about finance  - That money concepts aren’t as complex as the human body! - What financial independence is & how we can achieve it - Why we often don’t speak about money + why we don’t get taught much about it - How our training is often longer as a profession, but a great time to learn how to invest & save - Money may not bring happiness, but it can provide options For more from Dev, check out his podcast. Dev's twitter. For coaching with Isabella go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

This episode we are lucky enough to speak with Julian Meagher, a Sydney based artist who has exhibited extensively across Australia, Asia and America. Including being a finalist in the Archibald Portrait Prize multiple times. Before becoming a professional artist, Meagher went to med school and practiced as a doctor. Meagher is living proof that we can pursue the career that calls to us - even if it’s very different from medicine. We discuss: - His unique path in medicine - Why & how he transitioned from medicine to art  - The uncertainty in the first 5 years as a painter and how the transition was - Importance of friends, community and mentors - The identity of being a doctor and dealing with this when leaving medicine — Meagher is now “thankful rather than fearful” - How the time to study medicine & work as a doctor is never wasted - Letting go of failure - How Meagher never fully let go of medicine - and still works in surgical assisting (but out of choice and enjoyment) Learn more about Julian Meagher here. Connect with Julian on Instagram. For coaching go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

Dr Jemma Hogan is a doctor specialising in both medical administration (RACMA) and paediatric medicine (RACP). She is currently working as the Director of Medical Services and as a Paediatric Advanced Trainee! This episode we shine a light on med admin, a lesser known medical specialty, and speak about dual training. We discuss: - Why she chose to do dual training in Paediatrics and Medical Administration - What working as a Director of Medical Services involves - What Medical Administration is - What the day to day role is like - The hours - What it’s like being a dual trainee - The requirements for RACMA & different pathways  Find out more about RACMA here For coaching go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

This episode we have the lovely Dr Leslie Gan on to speak about a lesser known medical specialty. Dr Leslie Gan is a rehabilitation medicine physician and Co-Director of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics in a public health service in Queensland. We discuss - How she re-evaluated her life while doing BPT and changed paths - Why she chose Rehabilitation Medicine - What the specialty is all about  - The requirements - (BPT not required) - Who would be suited to the job - The exams are separate to BPT exams!  Find out more by reaching out to your nearest friendly rehab physician or reach out to Dr Leslie Gan for more info. leslie.gan@health.qld.gov.au General Rehabilitation Medicine Training For coaching with Isabella, go to balancedmedics.com/coaching

Dr Ben Bravery's journey through medicine isn't the typical one. In 2011, while living in Beijing, China and building his own science communication business, Ben was diagnosed with Stage 3C colorectal cancer. He was 28 years old. He returned to Australia and underwent 18 months of treatment. After this, Ben needed a change. He decided to become a doctor. Ben is now undertaking speciality training in Psychiatry. His memoir ‘The Patient Doctor’, published in 2022, speaks of his journey and mission to change health care for the better.  We discuss - His memoir ‘The Patient Doctor’ - How he went from a zoologist working with giant pandas to medical doctor - The moment he was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 28 years old - How his experience in the hospital as a patient spurred him to become a doctor to change the health system - Medical training & the system  - How we can protect ourselves from moral injury & compassion fatigue - How he held onto and continues to hold onto his humanity during medical training - What’s next for him Check out his book and reach out via benbravery.com or Ben's social media Insta | Twitter | LinkedIn

Our guest Dr Sonia Henry is a GP and published author, passionate about welfare of doctors, improving health equity, especially in remote Australia and First Nations health. Her first book 'Going Under' was an Australian best seller and her memoir 'Put Your Feet In The Dirt, Girl' is going to be released on May 30. Sonia came on to discuss her alternative path in medicine and new book! We discuss: - Her writing journey & how she became a published author - Juggling writing & doctoring - Her amazing debut novel Going Under - Her journey into the Australian desert & new memoir Put Your Feet In The Dirt, Girl - The viral post she wrote ‘there is something rotten inside the medical profession’ - Dealing with the ‘online haters’ - How she came to love being a rural doc - That we can shed our labels and be whoever we want to be For coaching go here balancedmedics.com/coaching Reach out to her and check out her book here.