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Dr. Scott Ellner is a trauma surgeon, author, and healthcare leader who has lived on both sides of medical vulnerability — the elation of healing, and the despair that nearly cost him his life.

In this conversation with host Dr. Peter Crane, Scott shares the story of witnessing a lifesaving field intubation that changed his career direction forever. He also opens up about the emotional collapse that came years later: a painful breakup, exhaustion, and a suicidal impulse that only stopped because a friend happened to call at the perfect moment.

Scott discusses the emotional truth behind surgical identity, medical mistakes, patient relationships, resilience, and why empathy — not authority — is the most powerful form of leadership.

He also talks about his career transition into senior leadership, the parallels between surfing and surgery, and his book Wipe Out, Rise Up.

This episode is a raw, powerful reminder that even the strongest physicians are human — and that connection, meaning, and purpose remain medicine’s greatest force.

Episode Highlights

• The trauma event at Zuma Beach that changed his career path
• Surviving suicidal ideation — and the phone call that saved him
• Admitting a surgical mistake and gaining trust instead of fear
• How empathy reshapes leadership, relationships, and outcomes
• Why reference power matters more than positional power
• Balancing identity, career evolution, and life outside medicine
• Using surfing as a metaphor for navigating adversity
• Why physicians must learn health — not just medicine
• Letting go of the OR to lead at scale
• Leaving medicine better than we found it

Top 3 Takeaways

1. Physicians are vulnerable — and that’s not a weakness.
Suicidal ideation is more common in medicine than most people admit. Opening space for honesty saves lives.

2. Leadership without empathy isn’t leadership.
Real influence starts with listening, trust, and connection — not titles, pressure, or intimidation.

3. Identity evolves.
Careers change. Meaning shifts. And sometimes stepping out of the OR is the most courageous form of growth.

About Dr. Scott Ellner

Dr. Scott Ellner is a trauma surgeon, author, and healthcare executive who has dedicated his career to improving quality, safety, and physician well-being. After decades in clinical practice and surgical leadership, Scott now helps healthcare organizations build stronger systems, healthier cultures, and more resilient clinicians.

His book, Wipe Out, Rise Up, blends surfing, medicine, and personal storytelling to explore how people rise after failure, adversity, or emotional darkness — including his own near-fatal turning points.

Today, Scott speaks, writes, and leads with a mission to help people find purpose, reconnect with their identity, and build a more human healthcare system.

Learn more: https://www.wipeoutriseup.com/

About the Host:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

About the Show:

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

LMC Series Note:

Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

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