Listen Now

Throughout medical training, and later in practice, there are events that prompt guilt or shame in the life of the healthcare professional. Recognizing and responding to these emotional events is imperative in protecting and promoting well-being. The guest on this episode is Dr. Will Bynum, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Duke, whose research focuses on shame in medicine.

As medicine has become more complex and demanding, relationships have suffered and burnout rates have skyrocketed. Strong relationships are a pillar of resilience, and the casualty of collegiality has taken its toll. In this episode, Dr. Mark Greenawald, Professor and Vice Chair of Family Medicine and Community Medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, discusses an innovative program of peer support he founded called PeerRxMed.

Viewing every patient encounter as an experience shared by human beings with intrinsic value, worthy of honor and respect, is foundational for enhancing joy in medicine. On this episode, Dr. Edwin Leap, an ER physician and writer, shares how he attends to this shared humanity.

Dr. Dianne McCallister is a physician leader with 20 years’ experience studying physician wellbeing and how organizations can create structures to help support the meaning and purpose that is central to the calling of physicians to practice medicine. She is co-editor of the book, Transforming the Heart of Practice, A Personal and Organizational Approach to Physician Wellbeing.

Medical liability is a looming threat to the well-being of every practitioner, and a medical malpractice suit is one of the most stressful events in the life of a clinician. On this episode, Dr. Paul Warrick, an ENT specialist who chairs the CMDA Medical Malpractice Ministry, offers valuable insights for dealing with this challenge.

Dr. David Larson retired as chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and now serves as a site visitor for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME recognizes the importance of attending to the well-being of residents and fellows, and has authored programmatic requirements to that end. On this episode, Dr. Larson shares his insights into the development of a reflective physician.

General Mark Hertling retired from the US Army in 2013 after 38 years of service. He finished his military career serving as the Commanding General of US Army forces in Europe, and is the recipient of multiple military awards and decorations. General Hertling holds a BS from the U.S. Military Academy, a masters of kinesiology, a masters in military arts and sciences, a masters in international relations and security studies, and a Doctorate in Business Administration. He is now an advisor to the Advent Health Leadership Institute. He designed and teaches a physician leadership development program, and his book Growing Physician Leaders was published in 2016.

Dr. John Umhau received his medical degree from Wake Forest University, completed a residency in Clinical Preventive Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, and is also a certified physician executive. Dr. Umhau served twenty years as a Senior Clinical Investigator on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health, and has authored numerous scientific papers on alcoholism, violence, and nutritional neuroscience, research efforts which were concurrent with an active medical practice.

Dr. Tom Edwards, the founder of Hope Health Center in Fairfield, AL. He is a graduate of the University of Miami medical school, and completed his internal medicine residency in Birmingham, Alabama. Thereafter, Tom and his wife Connie served in a medical church planting ministry for ten years in Ivory Coast, West Africa. In 2000, they returned to Birmingham, where they felt called to minister in the inner city, and in 2003 Tom started Hope Health Center. The vision of Hope Health Center is for the poor, sick, and needy to experience the love and healing of Jesus Christ through whole person care. Tom continues to be involved with medical missions by leading short-term trips to churches in Haiti. Connie, a former math teacher, now serves alongside Tom at Hope Health Center.

Burnout for healthcare professionals can start as early as medical school, and values cultivated during training can ultimately undermine well-being. Dr. Stan Haegert experienced severe burnout as a medical missionary and learned some valuable lessons that he will share with us on this episode.

Dr. Bob Watson is a psychologist who helps cross-cultural missionaries recover from burnout and deal with conflict. He holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Wheaton College and a doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. He is licensed as a clinical psychologist in the state of Michigan. He has worked as a mental health professional in a faith based organization, a professor training Christian psychologists and counselors, and an organizational consultant developing leaders and teams. Bob’s vocational journey prepared him for his current role of clinical director at Alongside, an organization that offers intensive counseling programs for individuals and families that work in ministry cross-culturally and domestically. He considers himself privileged to play a part in healing the noble wounds of those in ministry.

Dr. Malcolm Herring is a retired vascular surgeon and a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a co-founder of the Coalition for Physician Well-being and received the Friend of Medicus Integra award. He consults with hospitals and clinics, and has helped hundreds of physicians find fulfillment and joy in their practices. His book The Physician Champion is full of proven methods to engage your medical staff. Dr. Herring travels widely in response to invitations to speak on physician and spirituality issues.

Dr. Omayra Mansfield co-authored The Trust Transformation, a workshop that helps participants transform and improve the relationships in their lives by building a foundation of trust. Her primary areas of interest are improving the physician and patient experience as it relates to improving provider wellbeing, patient adherence to care, and clinical outcomes, and she has lectured extensively on these topics.

Dr. Andy Sanders is an internal medicine physician in Augusta, GA. He has been an innovator and leader in Christian ministry for most of his career, both at home and abroad. He has led more than 40 medical teams to some of the most underserved regions of the world. Over the last seven years, he has worked collaboratively with the Minister of Health in Macedonia to improve the healthcare system in that country.

Dr. Jenny Brown is a pediatrician, teacher, and writer. A series of challenging life events resulted in somatic symptoms, including exhaustion, decreased compassion and empathy for patients, and a feeling of impotence at work. She was burned out, not knowing what to do, and entertained suicidal thoughts. She connected with a CMDA life coach and made significant changes that helped her recover. With the help of her life coach, she continues on her journey toward well-being.

Ken Sande is the founder of Peacemaker Ministries and Relational Wisdom 360. Trained as an engineer, lawyer, and mediator, Ken has conciliated hundreds of family, business, church, and legal conflicts. As president of RW360, he now focuses on teaching people how to build strong relationships in the family, church, and workplace.

Dr. James Anderson is CEO of Team Care Medicine, helping doctors find greater joy by removing the load of EMR documentation, freeing them to focus on relationships with patients and medical decision-making. The Team Care Medicine Model has been endorsed by the American Medical Association, the American Board of Internal Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic, and Family Practice Management.

Dr. Charles Stone is Lead Pastor at West Park Church in London, Ontario, Canada. His passion is intersecting cognitive neuroscience with Scriptural insight to apply to life and leadership. He has an engineering degree from Georgia Tech, a Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and an executive masters in the neuroscience of leadership from The Neuroleadership Institute. He is the author of five books including, “Brain-Savvy Leaders: The Science of Significant Ministry” (Abingdon, 2015), and Holy Noticing: The Bible, Your Brain, and the Mindful Space Between Moments (2019, Moody Press). He blogs at www.charlesstone.com. He and his wife Sherryl have a heart for pastors and pastors’ wives, and have taught hundreds of pastors and their wives in the United States, Canada, Nicaragua, Colombia, Haiti, Cuba, and Mexico. He has three adult children, three grandchildren, and is an avid Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets fan.

Dr. Phil Brown is a retired physician who is now a life coach. Along with his wife Lynn, also a life coach, they share a passion to see marriages flourish. Dr. Brown holds a DO degree from the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine. He practiced Emergency Medicine for many years, and served as the director of Emergency Services at Central Vermont Medical Center from 1992-2008. He became the chief medical officer at that institution in 2008, serving in that capacity for ten years before retiring in 2018.

Bruce Steffes, MD shares about his personal experience with burnout and the changes he underwent to move his life out of crisis.