Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career

• From Fried to Fired Up | How One Doctor Rebuilt His Career

  Making a major career shift is never easy, especially when you've dedicated decades to a profession that has become part of your identity. The decision to leave clinical medicine can be fraught with self-doubt, financial considerations, and the lingering question - what comes next? But at some point, the balance shifts, and the cost of staying outweighs the fear of leaving. In this episode, we explore what it takes to walk away from a stable medical career, redefine success, and craft a life that aligns with evolving priorities. Finally, we dig into strategies for managing stress, investing in personal growth, and finding fulfillment beyond the bedside.💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡Guest bio: Dr. Patrick O’Malley is an emergency physician with nearly two decades of experience in community emergency departments and high-acuity urgent care. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, he has recently expanded into entrepreneurial ventures, including The Laceration Course, in partnership with EB Medicine. He helps moderate the EM Docs Side Hustle Facebook group, a community of over 3,000 emergency physicians exploring side gigs and alternative careers. Dr. O’Malley is dedicated to helping physicians explore new opportunities beyond the walls of the emergency department.We discuss:The Decision to ResignFinancial Readiness and the Role of Family SupportLooking Back on a Career in Emergency MedicineRedefining Work-Life BalanceTransitioning to a New IdentityInvesting in YourselfBurnout, Coaching, and the Road to ChangeFinding Joy in Medicine: Small Moments, Big ImpactLiving Another YesterdayCrafting Your Own Path: Empowering CliniciansNewman and John Marks: Managing Stress and CalmMentioned in this episode:🔥 New Free Resource! 🔥Just dropped: a brand-new video + PDF on how to recalibrate your career based on our sold-out webinar, now re-recorded with the best audience questions and tactical takeaways. You’ll get strategies for micro, macro, and mega career shifts, rules for adding anything to your plate, and real stories of how others made it work. Plus: explore our full collection of free resources for getting unstuck, unburnt, and back in the driver’s seat.Free Resources LinkRecalibrate Your CareerI work with physicians to help them flourish in medical practice. If you're feeling stuck, burned out, or in trouble at work because of communication or conflict, check out our FAQ page for more info. Ready for real change? Book a discovery call. It’s free, low-pressure, and will give you clarity on your next steps.Learn more about 1-on-1 coachingUnBurnable - Our Cohort-Based Burnout Prevention and Cure CourseAs physician coaches, my partner, Scott Weingart, and I have noticed a pattern: some doctors are thoroughly burned out, and some are on the path to burnout. Almost all were shortchanged in their medical training, having been molded into excellent clinicians but given virtually no tools for retaining joy and equanimity throughout their careers. This course will teach you the hidden anti-burnout curriculum.The UnBurnable Course

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• A Guide to Skillful Death Communication with Alex Jabr, PhD

  Delivering the news of death is one of the hardest yet most overlooked skills in emergency medicine. Many learn by watching others or through trial and error rather than structured training (or just make it up as they go). This lack of preparation can lead to discomfort, stress, avoidance, and even systemic failures in how death notifications are handled. In this episode, we explore the critical components of death communication, how to navigate these difficult conversations with clarity and compassion, and why avoiding or mishandling these moments can have lasting consequences for both providers and families. Finally, we discuss the emotional toll of secondhand grief and the importance of proactive mental health care for those on the front lines of healthcare.💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡Guest bio: Alexandra Jabr, PhD, EMT-P, is the founder of Emergency Resilience and a leading voice in the overlooked aspects of first responder training. With nearly 15 years of experience as an EMT, paramedic, cardiac tech, EMS coordinator, and educator, she saw firsthand the emotional toll of the job—especially when it came to death communication. She went on to earn a Master’s in Death, Grief, and Bereavement, followed by a Ph.D. in Depth Psychology, focusing on how first responders can maintain their mental health while supporting grieving families and colleagues. Through her work, she’s redefining continuing education, ensuring first responders get the training they truly need—not just another CPR recert.We discuss: Why On-Scene Death Notifications Are So DifficultChallenges in Death Communication TrainingPractical Steps for Delivering the News of DeathA Structured and Compassionate FrameworkHandling Determination of DeathCommon MistakesSecondhand Grief and Provider Well-beingProactive Mental Health for ProvidersMentioned in this episode:Never Lame. Never Spammy. Always Fresh.If you’d like a few minutes of career-elevating curated kickassery delivered to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Sign up for our NewsletterAwake + Aware | May 5–7, 2025Bend, Oregon | A 3-day, in-person workshop with world-class faculty to challenge your mindset, recharge your purpose, and connect with people who get it. 18 Hours Category 1 CMEAwake + Aware Bend 2025

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• Your First Leadership Role? Start With These 8 Principles

  Leadership impacts everyone—whether you're steering an entire organization or simply navigating team dynamics. It’s an essential skill, yet it often feels elusive, even for experienced professionals. While every leadership challenge is unique, the core principles remain universal. In this episode, we break down eight critical leadership principles drawn from years of experience, hard lessons, conversations with seasoned experts, research, and coaching leaders at all levels. Plus, we share actionable strategies to help you refine your leadership, whether you're guiding thousands or leading a small team.Want more? Subscribe to our free newsletter, Doctoring Done Well. Every other Saturday, straight to your inbox—strategies to work smarter, lead better, and build a career that lasts.We Discuss:Don’t Worry About Leading, Worry About ListeningThis is Not Your Dumpster FireSlow Your RollYou Will Have to Be a Judge, Even When You Don’t Want to BeModel the ValuesWith Behavioral Issues, Build the Pathway, Not Just the ExpectationYou Don’t Know What You’re Doing—And That’s OKPeople Do Things for Their Reasons, Not YoursMentioned in this episode:UnBurnable - Our Cohort-Based Burnout Prevention and Cure CourseAs physician coaches, my partner, Scott Weingart, and I have noticed a pattern: some doctors are thoroughly burned out, and some are on the path to burnout. Almost all were shortchanged in their medical training, having been molded into excellent clinicians but given virtually no tools for retaining joy and equanimity throughout their careers. This course will teach you the hidden anti-burnout curriculum.The UnBurnable Course

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• Active Shooter:  Run, Hide, or Fight?

  Violence has a cadence, a rhythm that disrupts the normal flow of life. When an act of violence erupts, the first sign is often a sudden, unexplainable shift in the environment—an eerie silence, a heightened energy, or a gut feeling that something is wrong. But when does that uneasy feeling cross the threshold into immediate danger? In this episode, we explore the critical decision points in an active violence situation in the healthcare/hospital setting, the moral and ethical dilemmas of medical providers staying versus escaping, and tactical strategies for survival. Finally, we break down the "run, hide, fight" approach and how to act decisively when every second counts.Guest bio: Mike Shertz, MD is an emergency physician who spent 13 years as a Green Beret and a Special Forces medic. He is the founder and purveyor of Crisis Medicine, which teaches tactical casualty care to medical professionals. Check out this video that we did together in 2019 on how to place and remove a tourniquet and this one on how to pack a gunshot wound with combat gauze. Want more? Subscribe to our free newsletter, Doctoring Done Well. Every other Saturday, straight to your inbox—strategies to work smarter, lead better, and build a career that lasts.We Discuss:Recognizing an Active Violence SituationMoral Dilemmas: Stay or Escape?Perspectives on Risk and ResponseTactical Survival: Run, Hide, FightPost-Shooting Medical Response

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• The Upset Patient Protocol

  Dealing with an angry, upset patient can feel like walking into an emotional storm. The frustration in the room is palpable, and even the most experienced clinicians can feel thrown off balance. While medical training equips us to handle complex diagnoses and emergencies, it often falls short when it comes to managing interpersonal conflict. That’s where the Universal Upset Patient Protocol comes in—a straightforward, highly effective framework designed to de-escalate tense situations, restore trust, and protect your own emotional bandwidth. In this episode, we explore Dr. Dike Drummond’s original protocol, breaking down each step with specific language to use in the heat of the moment. Finally, we’ll add a few practical tweaks to help make these conversations even more natural and effective in real-world practice.💡 Check out our Free Resources specifically designed to address pain points in medical practice💡Guest Bio: Dike Drummond, MD, is a physician coach, burnout prevention expert, and creator of the Universal Upset Patient Protocol—a step-by-step framework for managing challenging interactions with upset patients. A former family physician, he transitioned to coaching to address the emotional toll of healthcare on providers. As founder of TheHappyMD.com, he’s helped thousands of physicians improve communication, manage stress, and build healthier professional relationships.We Discuss:The Universal Upset Patient Protocol: A Framework for Diffusing ConflictKey Principle: Acknowledgment Over FixingStep 1: Acknowledge the Vibe and Name the EmotionStep 2: Open the Door for Them to SpeakStep 3: Apologize and Show CompassionStep 4: Identify Their NeedStep 5: Clarifying Reflection (Rob O Addition)Step 6: Set Boundaries and ExpectationsStep 7: Express GratitudeBeyond the Protocol: The Magic of Conflict FrameworkMentioned in this episode:5 Free Tools To Make Medical Practice EasierScripts for your least favorite conversations. The quick and dirty guide to calling consults. A 10-minute "Driveway Debrief" to switch off from work. My favorite documentation templates. Step-by-step guide for delivering the news of death. Free Resources LinkUnBurnable - Our Cohort-Based Burnout Prevention and Cure CourseAs physician coaches, my partner, Scott Weingart, and I have noticed a pattern: some doctors are thoroughly burned out, and some are on the path to burnout. Almost all were shortchanged in their medical training, having been molded into excellent clinicians but given virtually no tools for retaining joy and equanimity throughout their careers. This course will teach you the hidden anti-burnout curriculum.The UnBurnable CourseDoctoring Done Well | Bite-Sized WinsEvery other week, a few minutes of career-elevating insight delivered straight to your inbox. The Doctoring Done Well Newsletter is never lame, never spammy, and always fresh.Sign up for our Newsletter

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