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Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Erika Aragona who is a double board-certified family physician in osteopathic and allopathic medicine. She also serves as a faculty member at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Aragona about how to set yourself apart during medical school interviews and what students can do to advocate for women’s health. [00:23] Dr. Aragona’s Medical Journey and Background [02:58] Becoming Human in Patient Interactions [04:40] Cultivate Passions Outside of Medicine [07:26] Letting Your Personality Shine in Interviews [16:41] Dr. Aragona’s Advocacy for Women’s Health [20:25] How Can Students Advocate for Women’s Health? [28:15] Best Advice that Dr. Aragona Has Received Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Ashley Shaw, the founding lawyer of Contract Rx. With 15 years of legal experience, she has helped physicians navigate employment contracts to ensure they receive fair terms. Today Erkeda chats with Ashley about Contract Rx and the importance of having legal counsel. [00:56] Ashley’s Background and Career [03:44] Why Ashley Started Contract Rx [08:05] Contract Rx’s Services and Flat Fee [11:18] Negotiating Physician Employee Contracts [16:48] Physician Non-Compete Clauses [18:43] Common Mistakes by Physicians in First Contracts [22:27] Legalities in the Practice of Medicine [25:16] CANE Beauty [28:28] The Best and Worst Advice Ashley has Received Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Navin Goyal. He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed his anesthesiology residency at The University of Chicago. After 13 years of private practice, Dr. Goyal went into entrepreneurship and venture capital investing. Currently, he is the CEO and co-founder of Loud Capital. [01:57] Why Anesthesiology? [03:54] SmileMD and Early Investments [07:42] Co-founding Loud Capital [14:40] Transferable Skills You Learn in Medicine [21:07] Financial Habits to Build Early On [23:16] How Dr. Goyal Maintains Work-Life Balance [25:44] Dr. Goyal’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Amita Kumar, a primary care physician, Internal Medicine Board-Certified. Her clinical practice focuses on preventive medicine with a special interest in postmenopausal symptom treatments, diabetes, hypertension, and eczema. Dr. Kumar talks about her journey to medicine and the things that should be taught in medical school.  [00:34] Getting to Know Dr. Amita Kumar [04:13] Why Dr. Kumar Settled on Internal Medicine [06:58] The Things Dr. Kumar Believes Should Be Taught in Medical School [09:37] Benefits of Having Passions Outside of Medicine  [10:24] The Big Changes Needed in Our Healthcare Systems [11:55] Best Piece of Advice Dr. Kumar Has Ever Received Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Puja Aggarwal, a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist. In this episode, Dr. Aggarwal shares her journey to doing a combined program in medical school and how life coaching can help medical students. [00:26] Dr. Aggarwal’s Journey to Medicine [03:46] Tips for Doing a Combined Program [06:13] What Inspired Dr. Aggarwal to Enter Neurology and Epilepsy Medicine [08:22] Reshaping Your Career [10:12] How Life Coaching Can Help Medical Students [11:59] Transition Back to In-Person Care During the Pandemic [13:05] How Dr. Aggarwal Practices Work-Life Balance [15:55] Dr. Aggarwal’s Advice for Listeners Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Trina Dorrah, an internal medicine hospitalist and life coach. In this episode, Dr. Trina discusses her journey towards being both a physician and coach and how coaching can help physicians and medical students in their careers. [01:11] What Inspired Dr. Trina to Choose Internal Medicine [02:12] What is a Hospitalist? [03:13] How Quality Improvement Assisted Dr. Trina in her Career [05:06] How Could a Medical Student Benefit from Coaching? [09:37] What Dr. Trina Does to Maintain Work-Life Balance [11:03] Piece of Wisdom Dr. Trina Imparts on Medical Students Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Diana Mercado, a family medicine physician in Texas. At Jackson County Hospital District, she serves as the chief medical officer, clinical medical director, and nursing home medical director. Today Erkeda chats with Dr. Mercado about her medical journey as an adult with ADHD and why it’s important to get diagnosed as soon as possible. [00:39] Dr. Mercado’s Medical Journey and Background [04:24] Managing symptoms of ADHD [10:19] Getting through Medical School with ADHD [17:16] How the ADHD diagnosis changed Dr. Mercado [26:24] ADHD Coaching and How it Helps [37:16] Dr. Mercado’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Mokgohloe "Moks" Tshabalala, a private practice obstetrician and gynecologist from South Africa. They talk about South Africa’s medical education system, her practice as an OB/GYN, and her book chapter in Medicine Women. [00:38] Dr. Tshabalala’s Medical Journey and Background [04:02] South Africa’s Medical Education [07:28] Why Obstetrics and Gynecology? [11:29] A typical day in Dr. Tshabalala’s life [13:52] Medicine Women [22:33] Dr. Tshabalala’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Student Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jason Singh, a board-certified physician in primary care from an accountable care organization in Northern Virginia. In this episode, Dr. Singh imparts his wisdom on new medical practitioners and the importance of men visiting their doctors. [01:42] Dr. Singh’s on Choosing Family Medicine [03:50] What Students Should Focus On Prior to Residency and Practice [07:17] The Importance of Men’s Health [09:31] How to Encourage More Men to Visit the Doctor [12:44] It’s Not Un-Manly to Talk About Mental Health [15:27] What Dr. Singh Would Change in Healthcare and His Pearls of Wisdom Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Blair Nelson, an Emergency Room Physician who has been in the industry for 20 years. In this episode, Erkeda and Dr. Blair discuss why he chose the fast-paced field of Emergency Medicine, what he looks for in a medical school candidate, the nuances of the patients he encounters, and his previous career as a radio DJ. [00:23] Introduction on Dr. Blair Nelson [01:10] Why Dr. Blair Chose Emergency Medicine [05:53] The Type of Student that Makes an Excellent Medical School Candidate [10:46] Social, Psychological, and Cultural Aspect of Practicing Medicine [13:58] Dr. Blair’s Most Memorable Patient Moment [16:50] The Human Aspect of Medicine and the Importance of Self-Care [18:48] From DJ to Doctor [23:00] Dr. Blair’s Advice for Medical Students Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Robyn Tiger, a diagnostic radiologist and a trauma-informed self-care coach. She is also the founder of StressFreeMD, a wellness practice that seeks to educate others about stress management in order to positively impact their well-being. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. Tiger about her own medical journey and how she learned to practice self-care to combat chronic stress. [00:27] Dr. Tiger’s Medical Journey and Discovery of Self-Care [07:21] Why Dr. Tiger Started StressFreeMD [09:49] Why Practice Self-Care? [14:40] The Self-Care Formula [17:36] Rx Inner Peace: A Self-Care CME Accredited Program [22:33] Dr. Tiger’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Elisha Peterson who is triple board-certified in anesthesiology, pediatric anesthesiology, and pain medicine. She practices at a large freestanding children’s hospital. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. Peterson about the field of pain medicine and what it really means to have a “work-life balance”. [01:27] Pain Medicine and its Treatment Methods [05:55] Is “Work-life Balance” Real? [10:30] What Dr. Peterson Wishes She Knew Before Becoming a Doctor [14:51] Different Ways to Practice Medicine [17:23] Dr. Peterson’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen welcomes back Dr. Carolee Estelle, an infectious disease specialist and part of the large Infection Prevention team at Parkland Health & Hospital Systems, Dallas. They continue their conversation on infectious diseases, primarily focusing on COVID-19 vaccines, variants, and skepticism among Americans.  [01:05] Getting to know Dr. Carolee Estelle [02:02] Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicine [04:20] Advantages and Challenges of Approved Vaccines [09:50] Easing Vaccine Concerns and Skepticism [11:50] Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines [18:40] New Virus Variants and Unvaccinated People Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Carolee Estelle, an infectious disease specialist and part of the large Infection Prevention team at Parkland Health & Hospital Systems, Dallas. She also serves as the Associate Chief of Hospital Epidemiology to help reduce healthcare-associated infections. They talk about the benefits of pursuing internal medicine, careers in infectious diseases, and finding your passion in medicine. [00:34] Getting to Know Dr. Carolee Estelle [01:57] Why Dr. Estelle Chose Internal Medicine [04:19] Pursuing a Career in Infectious Diseases [07:45] Tips on Choosing a Medical Subspecialties [09:30] How to Become an Epidemiologist [13:45] What is your Passion in Medicine? Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Chase DiMarco from Med School Coach. His passion for high quality and accessible educational resources led him to create FreeMedEd and co-write Read This Before Medical School. He is also the host of the Medical Mnemonist podcast and the Rounds to Residency podcast. Today, Erkeda chats with Dr. DiMarco about his latest venture: FindARotation. He shares the story behind its inception and the challenges in building the platform. [02:11] FindARotation [08:35] Revolutionizing Medical School Rotations [16:29] Research and App Development for FindARotation [25:00] Di Marco’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Emma Goldberg. Emma is a researcher and writer for the New York Times, focusing on medicine and medical education. She is interested in racial and gender inequities within medicine. She loves reading about the culture of medicine and the perspective of physicians on the issues they face. Emma believes that her work on medicine and the culture of medical education empowers patients to form better relationships with their physicians. Erkeda talks to Emma about her new book Life on the Line: Young Doctors Come of Age in a Pandemic and what the pandemic has exposed about the healthcare system in the US. [00:22] Introducing Emma Goldberg [02:10] Life on the Line: Young Doctors Come of Age in a Pandemic [06:35] The Roots of the Homogeneity of Medicine [09:39] What the Pandemic Has Exposed about Healthcare [13:06] The Change Emma Believes Healthcare Needs [15:45] Get in Touch with Emma Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Jamel Hill, MD. Dr. Hill is a recent graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine. In this episode, Erkeda talks to him about his bumpy road to medicine, his experience as a minority in medical school, and the importance of representation and resources for minorities in medicine.   [00:35] Introducing Dr. Jamel Hill, MD [03:35] Dr. Hill's Journey to Medicine [11:11] Dr. Hill's Cultural Experience of Medical School [17:13] The Disparity in Medicine [22:04] How Allies Can Influence the Experience of Black Doctors [26:36] Dr. Hill's Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students   Full show notes

Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Liz Aguirre, MD, CCDS. Liz is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with ten years of experience in hospital medicine and six years of Clinical Documentation Improvement experience. An educator to physicians, nurses, and students, Liz is passionate about person-centered wellness, focusing on mental and spiritual health. She is an established speaker with a specific passion for speaking about personal wellness to maximize the quality of life and work performance. In this episode, Erkeda talks to Dr. Aguirre about her atypical path to medicine, the social determinants of health, and the importance of positive self-talk. [00:35] Introducing Dr. Liz Aguirre, MD [06:40] Getting into Medicine [10:14] Social Determinants of Health [13:35] Wellness in Healthcare Workers [21:03] Getting Unstuck through Prioritizing Wellness [24:30] Hospitalists and Nocturnists [28:07] Dr. Aguirre’s Advice to Pre-meds and Medical Students Full show notes

Dr. Christina Rosenthal, founder of Determined to be a Doctor Someday (DDS), a non-profit organization that exposes the youth to healthcare professions, talks about her experience in dental school, her work with DDS, and work-life balance. [01:11] Why Dentistry? [04:09] Biggest Challenge in Dental School [05:55] Determined to be a Doctor Someday [09:46] Establishing Relationships with Mentors [14:34] Tips for Work-Life Balance Full show notes

Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones talks about self-care in medicine, why you should consider medicine, and the challenges medical students face in training.  [00:33] Getting to Know Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones [06:18] Challenges Faced by Medical Students During Training [08:38] Self-Care in Medicine [11:05] Is Medicine Really for you? [14:40] Why Dr. Jones Decided to Write his Book [21:32] How to Change the Negative Cultures in Medicine Full show notes