Surgeon, Interrupted

A raw, reality-style podcast following Dr. Frances Mei Hardin’s final months as a surgeon and her bold leap into the unknown. Through solo episodes and unfiltered guest convos, it captures the chaos, clarity, and courage of walking away from a “dream career” to choose something better. For high-achievers, burnt-out professionals, and anyone ready to rewrite the rules - this isn’t just a show. It’s a permission slip. Find more info about Surgeon, Interrupted and other shows on the Hippocratic Collective at hippocratic-collective.com

Surgeon, Interrupted is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 69 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 81. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Surgeon, Interrupted, a business show with 69 episodes published.

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  Episode #70

  How to Actually Build a Consulting Career After Medicine | Part 2

  Aug 18, 202627 minS1

  In this follow-up episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei and Colin continue their conversation about Frances Mei's transition from clinical medicine into consulting, and get much more practical about what happened once she actually made the leap. Frances Mei explains how her first consulting opportunity started as a loose, low-commitment engagement and evolved into a formal role, why physicians should consider “dating before they get married” when evaluating new jobs, and how she learned to create a role around her skills instead of waiting for someone to tell her what to do. From there, she went on to a director-level physician engagement and strategy role, built a network that generated new consulting opportunities, and eventually became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startup . The big lesson? The best opportunities for physicians leaving medicine often aren't posted on LinkedIn. In this episode: How to get your first consulting opportunity after medicine Why small projects can be better than committing to a new career immediately How to create a job that doesn't exist yet The skills physicians can translate into consulting Why clinical expertise alone isn't enough How networking and referrals create a consulting “flywheel” How to prove your value before asking for a bigger role How Frances Mei went from leaving medicine to a director-level role within a year How she ultimately became a chief medical officer at a healthcare tech startup Why physicians need to stop asking, “What jobs can I get as a doctor?” How to figure out what you're actually good at and what you actually want to do For physicians considering leaving clinical medicine, consulting, healthcare startups, marketing, strategy, or other careers outside medicine , this episode offers a candid look at what the transition actually looks like. The conversation also gets into something physicians don't hear enough: you don't necessarily have to follow another prescribed career ladder after leaving medicine. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

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  Episode #69

  The Trauma We Bring to Medicine with Sacha McBain, PhD

  Aug 11, 202632 minS1

  What happens when doctors spend their entire careers learning to suppress their emotions? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei sits down with clinical psychologist Sacha McBain, PhD , a national leader in medical traumatic stress, to unpack what happens when physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers are repeatedly exposed to trauma without being given the tools to process it. Sacha explains how emotional suppression can shrink our “window of tolerance,” leading to hyperarousal, irritability, shutdown, and disconnection, and how those reactions don't just affect clinicians themselves. They can change team dynamics, undermine psychological safety, increase the risk that people won't speak up about potential errors, and ultimately affect patient care. The conversation explores: • What medical trauma actually is and why we don't talk about it enough • Why “just push through it” can make trauma worse • The science behind the window of tolerance • Why some physicians respond to bullying and pressure by working harder while others shut down • How physician culture can perpetuate trauma from one generation to the next • Why psychological safety is also a patient safety issue • How a patient's experience of trauma can shape their relationship with healthcare • Why we can't humanize patients if healthcare workers aren't being humanized themselves • What trauma-informed care can change for both patients and clinicians Sacha also discusses her new patient-facing workbook on medical trauma and how clinicians can better understand what patients and families may be carrying into the hospital. If you've ever been told to toughen up, push through it, or leave your feelings at home, this conversation is worth hearing. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Sacha McBain, PhD Connect with Sacha: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/sacha-mcbain-phd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

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  Episode #68

  How I Became a Physician Consultant Without an MBA | ENT Surgeon to Consulting

  Aug 4, 202637 minS1

  How does a physician actually go from full-time clinical practice to consulting? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei is joined by her husband, Colin, to break down the real, and highly nontraditional, path that took her from practicing as a full-time ENT surgeon to consulting, strategic advising, and serving as a chief medical officer at a healthcare technology company. There was no MBA, formal corporate fellowship, or perfectly mapped-out career plan. Instead, the transition began years earlier with a passion project called Rethinking Residency, where Frances Mei learned how to build a brand, create a website, understand SEO, edit and publish stories, conduct interviews, develop a social media presence, and speak publicly about the culture of medicine. Those skills eventually led to podcasting, a paid media opportunity, her first formal consulting contract, and a series of roles at the intersection of medicine, media, storytelling, marketing, and strategy. Frances Mei and Colin discuss: • What “physician consulting” actually means • Why being a doctor is not, by itself, a consulting pitch • How passion projects can create real professional expertise • The importance of making specific, purposeful asks • Why networking works better when you have something to offer • Going back to being a beginner after becoming an attending • How one podcast rejection led to a paid hosting opportunity • Landing a first consulting contract without an MBA • Learning to work inside corporate and healthcare-adjacent environments • Why likability, humility, confidence, and authenticity matter outside the hospital • How to increase your “surface area for luck” • Building a portfolio career before you know exactly where it will lead This is not a blueprint or a promise that every career pivot will happen the same way. It is an honest look at the years of groundwork, experimentation, unpaid work, rejection, relationship-building, and luck behind what can otherwise look like an overnight transition. For any physician or high-achieving professional wondering whether they are allowed to build something beyond their original career path: why not you? Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

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  Episode #67

  Who Are You Outside Medicine? | Ryan Montoya on Travel, Art & Reinvention

  Jul 28, 202626 minS1

  Medicine teaches us who we're supposed to be. But what happens when we step outside of that identity? In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Dr. Frances Mei sits down with physician, graphic medicine artist, and longtime friend Dr. Ryan Montoya to talk about the unexpected lessons that come from traveling alone, exhibiting artwork around the world, and building a life beyond traditional medicine. Ryan shares his journey from family physician and commercial illustrator to exhibiting graphic medicine in galleries across Tokyo, New York, Athens, and Naples , what it's like entering the fine art world for the first time, and why travel has become one of the greatest tools for personal growth. Together, Frances Mei and Ryan explore: • Why travel changes your identity • Making meaningful friendships as an adult • Leaving medicine without leaving yourself • The difference between commercial art and fine art • Reinvention after a medical career • Why physicians need interests beyond medicine • How new environments help you become the person you want to be If you've ever wondered who you are outside your white coat, or felt like medicine became your entire identity, this conversation is for you. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Ryan Montoya, MD Connect with Ryan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/ryan-montoya-md Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

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  Episode #66

  From Corporate Lawyer to Orthopedic Surgeon: Failure, Bias & Surviving Residency

  Jul 21, 202638 minS1

  What happens when a corporate lawyer leaves law behind to become an orthopedic surgeon? On this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted , Frances Mei Hardin, MD, sits down with Christina “Dr. Chrissy” Greenfield, MD, JD—an orthopedic surgery resident, new mother, and former corporate attorney who applied to medical school four times before finally getting accepted. They discuss failing the bar exam, surviving rejection, gender bias in surgery, motherhood during residency, and why female surgeons are often expected to be both excellent and endlessly accommodating. Dr. Chrissy also shares practical strategies from her legal career for handling conflict in the hospital, negotiating with other services, documenting difficult interactions, and de-escalating tense conversations. In this episode: • Going from corporate law to orthopedic surgery • Applying to medical school four times • Recovering from failure and rejection • Gender bias and double standards in surgery • Pregnancy and motherhood during residency • Women undermining other women in medicine • How to disagree effectively in the hospital • Negotiation and de-escalation strategies for residents • Why persistence matters more than a perfect path Whether you are a medical student, resident, physician, lawyer considering medicine, or anyone navigating a nonlinear career, this conversation is a reminder to keep going—even when the path looks nothing like you planned. Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD Guest: Dr. Chrissy Greenfield, MD, LL.L, JD Connect with Chrissy: @dr.chrissymd Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

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