A podcast for surgeons who feel like they are languishing in a career that didn't turn out to be as fulfilling or as prestigious as they expected. Dr. Mel Thacker, an ENT surgeon and coach, takes you on a journey to help you understand why you are feeling dissatisfied, burnt out, and stuck. With this newfound insight, you'll be able to reframe how you see your experience, rediscover who you are underneath your surgeon identity, and create a life that aligns with your authentic self.
Find more info about Surgeons with Purpose and other shows on the Hippocratic Collective at hippocratic-collective.com
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
#115 Vaibhav's Story Part Two
*************SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*******************
This episode discusses a recent suicide. Please listen carefully, or if this is particularly triggering for you
Sep 14 38 min
#114 Swarm Leadership with Dr. Erik Pearson
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Interested in the Women Surgeons' Cabo retreat Jan 6-10, 2027? Get on my calendar here.
Dr. Erik Pearson grew up the son o
Sep 7 48 min
#113 Becoming a Trauma-Informed Surgeon with Sacha McBain, PhD
Interested in the Cabo retreat? Click here to schedule a 15-min interview.
Learn more about the powerful coaching community & mindset course, Empowered Surgeons Group, h
Aug 31 56 min
#112 The Three Success Tenets in Surgery
Interested in the ESG Cabo Women Surgeons' Retreat in January 2027? Get on my calendar here.
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
In today's episode, you will
Aug 24 23 min
#111 Vaibhav's Story
*************SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*******************
This episode discusses a recent suicide. Please listen carefully, or if this is particularly triggering for you
Aug 17 1 h 07 min
#110 From Hiding to Highly Visible on LinkedIn with Sheikh C. Ali
Sheikh C. Ali dreamed of becoming a private practice surgeon from age seven. Then, when COVID hit between his third and fourth year of medical school, he noticed the land
Aug 10 1 h 02 min
#109 PE Sharks in the Water with Dr. Adrienne Towsen
For 19 years, Dr. Adrienne Towsen practiced in the kind of orthopedic group most surgeons dream of: five partners, employees who'd been there forever, a 30-year reputatio
Aug 3 1 h 00 min
#108 Difficult Conversations with Dr. Anthony Orsini
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Most of us got less than 20 hours of communication training in four years of medical school. Then we were thrown into the r
Jul 27 55 min
#107 Becoming a Great Defendant with Heather Hansen
Take the quiz: What kind of surgeon are you becoming? here.
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons group here.
One of the most surprising truths about medical malpractice is
Jul 20 1 h 08 min
#106 Villains in Surgery
Take the quiz, What Kind of Surgeon Are You Becoming here.
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
We often believe we have to create villains in the world in ord
Jul 13 54 min
#105 Why Women are Leaving with Dr. Cornelia Griggs and Dr. Jose Greenspon
Join us in Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Why are so many talented women surgeons questioning whether they belong in surgery, and what does that reveal about the culture
Jul 6 52 min
#104 Multiple Streams of Income with Dr. Stephen Cohen
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Join Dr. Gita Pensa’s Litigation Education And Preparedness course here.
Dr. Stephen Cohen is a board-certified general an
Jun 29 1 h 00 min
#103 Right Place Right Time with Dr. Racheal Peterson
Take the quiz "What Kind of Surgeon Are You Becoming?" here.
Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Dr. Racheal Peterson joins me to share her journey into neurosurgery, a
Jun 22 58 min
#102 Becoming a Surgeon with Purpose with Dr. Cameron Roth
What kind of surgeon are you becoming? Take the quiz here.
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Check out Behind the Sports Medicine Podcast here and follow th
Jun 15 1 h 06 min
#101 Finding Opportunities in Sham Peer Review with Dr. Tracey O'Connell
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Sham peer review can be one of the most devastating threats facing surgeons today. But it doesn’t have to.
Physician, educ
Jun 8 1 h 12 min
#100 Surgery's Kangaroo Courts with Dr. Christian Bowers
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons here.
Every surgeon enters the profession knowing the clinical risks. Complications happen. Patients are unhappy. Outcomes fall short.
Jun 1 1 h 08 min
#99 Not Getting Greedy with the Last 5% with Dr. Won Kim
Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Dr. Won Kim is a brain and tumor neurosurgeon at UCLA Health, where he trained, completed a fellowship in stereotactic and functional
May 25 58 min
#98 You're Not Stuck with Dr. Red Hoffman
Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Dr. Red Hoffman has spent her career sitting with people at the hardest moments of their lives. As a physician who combines trauma ca
May 18 1 h 01 min
#97 Break Free from the Golden Handcuffs with Dr. Shieva Ghofrany
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
What happens when being a doctor is no longer enough to sustain you?
Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, OB/GYN and founder of A Tribe Ca
May 11 1 h 05 min
#96 F*ck the Stigma: The Truth About Physician Mental Health with Dr. Jake Goodman
Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.
Dr. Jake Goodman is a psychiatrist who works with healthcare professionals and has built a following of over 2 million peop
May 4 1 h 00 min
What listeners say
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Incredibly inspiring and courageous podcast. Valuable information that fills a void that so many in our profession are uncomfortable speaking about. Highly recommend for all surgeons and physicians.
KY West Highland Way · Jul 2025
It’s funny how I initially downloaded the episode and then was resistant to listen… like I wanted to keep this part of me hidden. I know it’s there. What’s the point of belaboring it?
Well, thank you Mel. You reminded me that it’s my minds way of protecting me. That I can embrace my imposter and reason through her.
BraveBadassSurgeonMom · Feb 2025
I recently was turned on to this podcast, and it sounded interesting, but oh my goodness, this is SO important to consider the medical practitioner angle, and what they are saying! These are heartbreaking stories from people who made a vow to care for people, and how the system is failing them, and with that, the patients. Thank you for providing these recounts.
Grounded in Maine · Feb 2025
I want to thank you so much for taking the time to put these snack sized informational gems into an accessible podcast for all us busy surgeons. In the few weeks that I’ve listened, the wisdom that you shared has already helped me to process many professional experiences that I’ve had in my life. Thank you!
Janine from CT · Sep 2024
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
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