Welcome to Surgeons with Purpose, the podcast for surgeons who look around and think, 'This career was supposed to feel different. More fulfilling. More... something.'
If you’ve ever felt stuck, burnt out, or like the prestige just doesn’t match the pressure, you’re in the right place.
I’m Dr. Mel Thacker, an ENT surgeon and coach, and I get it—because I’ve been there. On Surgeons with Purpose, I explore why so many of us end up feeling this way, and more importantly, how to move forward. The podcast will help you unpack the dissatisfaction, rediscover who you are beneath the scrubs, and build a life that’s aligned with your authentic self.
This is not about fixing you—it’s about freeing you (and hopefully fixing Medicine). So, if you’re ready to reimagine what’s possible for your career and your life, stick around. This is Surgeons with Purpose.
Hey Surgeon!
Start here first.
These are the most popular episodes for a reason. They introduce you to the root cause of your suffering– and they also provide the insight to change it.
Binge Season 1
EPISODE 1
The Imposter Within
Imposter syndrome is pervasive in high-achieving women...even surgeons. In this episode, I look at all sides of this very important issue. You'll learn the history, the origins, the impact, and most importantly, how to overcome it.
EPISODE 2
Anxiety in the OR
Surgeons are humans, and humans feel anxiety. Anxiety does not have to derail you in the operating room. If you are a surgeon who struggles with anxiety, nothing is wrong with you. I've struggled my entire life, and I've learned to love the anxious side of me. This episode will normalize this omnipresent emotion and provide you with immediately actionable strategies to implement right away.
EPISODE 3
Overcoming Shame
Shame is an emotion that can either destroy you or humanize you. In this episode, you'll learn what shame is, why it is such a powerful social motivator and de-motivator, who is particularly susceptible to shame, the origins of shame, how to manage shame when we face surgical complications, and how to become unshameable.
EPISODE 4
Martyrdom
Martyrdom is a toxic, one way street to burn out. In this episode, I explore why humans feel the need to add suffering to their lives, from historical and religious examples of martyrs to martyrs in medicine (and the dangerous precedent that sets for the rest of us). The ultimate message here is: you matter. I hope you'll feel inspired to prioritize yourself and give martyrdom the middle finger.
EPISODE 5
Insomnia, Anxiety & Panic- My Story.
Wondering why I went from a seemingly successful surgeon to a surgeon coach and podcaster? In this episode, I give you a peak behind the curtain into my personal life. You'll learn about the drama of my past, my struggles with mental health, how the shock of the pandemic sent me on an unexpected journey of introspection, and the miracle of coaching.
EPISODE 6
The Anatomy of a Surveon
Wait...our bodies aren't just vessels carrying our intelligent brains and skillful hands from the OR to the clinic? In this episode, you'll learn what makes you a whole, complete human and the importance of understanding and honoring your whole, undivided self.
EPISODE 7
Creating Safety for You in the ER
We know how to create safety for patients. The processes and procedures have been shoved down our throats. Sure they are useful to keep patients safe in specific situations. But what about keeping us safe? Little does JHACO know that a surgeon who feels safe creates safety for everyone. So, surgeon, let's make your safety a priority.
EPISODE 8
Swan Theory
Our training has taught us to rely on white swans and fear red swans. In this episode you'll learn why approaching your patients this way creates roadblocks, can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment of the patient, causes you distress, and distracts you from reality. The way to reduce medical errors, build rapport with patients, and increase efficiency is to identify the black swans--the unknown unknowns--and turn them into white swans--known knowns.
EPISODE 9
Three Businesses
According to Byron Katie, there are three businesses: your business, other people's business, and the universe's business. Surgical complications are none of your business. They are the universe's business. What do I mean by this? Find out in the episode.
EPISODE 10
Drama to Empowerment
Humans love drama. But when we indulge in drama, we keep ourselves stuck in our current lived experience. In this episode, you will learn a language you can use to recognize drama in your life and a new lens through which to see the world that will help you exit the drama triangle and become empowered. You can create whatever you want in your life, and in order to do that, you have to redefine the roles of victim, villain and hero.
EPISODE 11
Duality
Life is not all or none. Black or white. This or that. There is overlap between two contradictory sides of ourselves. When we see the world this way, we are able to accept ourselves in whatever realm we tend toward and consciously shift ourselves to the realm that best serves our goals. From the system's perspective, we should be unemotional, selfless martyrs. The truth is: we are complex, feeling, thinking, imperfect creatures.
EPISODE 12
Emotional Wealth, Part 1
The key to creating wealth is learning how to engage with and manage your emotions. Emotions are vibrational frequencies in your body. As a surgeon, you have been taught to ignore your body. That's BS. It's time to reconnect with your body and realize the power of your intuition. In this episode, I discuss how emotions are the key to unlocking your potential, how to engage with emotions as though you were engaging with a child or training an animal, and the boundless places you can go when you allow and digest negative emotions to get to a place where you can intentionally generate emotions that create momentum in your life.
EPISODE 13
Emotional Wealth, Part 2
You don’t have to hunker down in a basement bunker (your "surgeon room"). You actually have the freedom to explore the rest of your beautiful home. Consider your identity a multi-room house, and you’ve merely ignored the other parts/rooms of yourself for so long that you’ve forgotten they exist. Consider detaching from your surgeon identity and reconnecting with other parts of your multifaceted self.
EPISODE 14
Surgeon Self Concept
Short and sweet, I will give you ONE thought that can become the foundation of your surgeon self concept. Adopt this belief and you’ll remember why you became a surgeon in the first place. With a solid self concept, you can grow confidence, curiosity, creativity, and connection.
EPISODE 15
Sexual Assault in Training
**This episode discusses sensitive topics including sexual assault**
Today's episode features Dr. Francis Mei Hardin, an otolaryngologist, host of "Promising Young Surgeon", and a pioneer of culture change. She interviewed me about being sexually assaulted when I was a 4th year resident. We talk about power dynamics in training, the importance of compassion and support for trainees, and how my program cared for me in my wounded state after the assault. If you have ever experienced assault or violence, please take good care of yourself, seek support, and listen with caution.
EPISODE 16
Reputation and Malpractice Insurance
The best way to insulate ourselves against patient retaliation is to cultivate "know, like, and trust". But how do we do that? I'll teach you a simple 5 step process that will allow you to connect with anyone and everyone. No need to people please or let patients walk all over you. The result will be glowing reviews from your patients, less chance for retaliation, and, hey, maybe you'll even look forward to clinic.
EPISODE 17
Emotional Adulthood in Surgery
Becoming an emotional adult as a surgeon is essential, but it's not easy. You are working in a high-stress, high-stakes industry, and it's so much easier to act out and throw tantrums like a toddler. Perhaps that's been modeled for you in training. Perhaps you think you have to throw a fit to take good care of your patients. Well, you don't. You'll learn why a lot of adults—including surgeons—live their lives as emotional children, what it means to be an emotional adult, and how to take ownership of your life.
EPISODE 18
Two Lessons on Anxiety from the TedX Stage
If you get the pre-OR jitters or you deal with anxiety on a daily basis, these two lessons on anxiety will be exceptionally useful for you. As someone who has dealt with anxiety my entire life, standing on the TEDx stage was a pinnacle moment for me where my self concept evolved from someone who is terrified of public speaking to someone who can deliver a powerful speech for an audience of humans. I used two concepts to ground me in my purpose before standing on the red dot, and you can use these same concepts to ground you before you operate.
EPISODE 19
The Dreaded Post-Op Call
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”-Viktor Frankl.
This episode is all about the space between stimulus and response, circumstance and action, event and reaction. That space is an opportunity. In this podcast, I discuss what happens internally when you get the dreaded postop call, "Doctor, your patient is bleeding (or insert postop problem here)". I explore what happens in your brain when you let yourself react by default vs accepting the invitation to enter the space and consciously meeting the moment.
EPISODE 20
Surgeons as Performance Athletes
Author, speaker, and coach, Brad Stulberg comes on the podcast to talk about what surgeons can learn from performance athletes. He researches and writes about mental health, mastery, meaning, and excellence. He is bestselling author of the books The Practice of Groundedness and Master of Change. He regularly contributes to the New York Times and his work has also been featured in the Atlantic and Wall Street Journal, among other publications. He is a co-founder of the Growth Equation, a newsletter and media platform dedicated to the art, science, and practice of excellence.
EPISODE 21
Planning Your Inevitable Exit
Physician contract lawyer, Michael Johnson, comes on the podcast to talk about protecting your freedom and your value, and getting it in writing. First, you must get clear on what you want. You may think it’s a big paycheck, but your desires often evolve, and you do yourself a service to make room for future changes of heart. Then, make sure you understand your employer's motivations. What do they want from you? Approach the negotiation with a mindset that you are actually hiring them. You’re the highly skilled and knowledgeable asset, and you get to decide how much you want to pay a potential employer to take care of the back-end business stuff.
EPISODE 22
Patient Communication Made Easier
Creating connections with patients can be fun and easy...if you know a few simple hacks. In this episode, otolaryngologist and veteran podcaster, Dr. Brad Block, enlightens us on how to give patients our presence simply and easily. Use these tips and you'll create relationships in which 1. patients feel seen, heard, and cared for, 2. you protect your time, and 3. you get rave reviews and explode your reputation.
EPISODE 23
Surgical Mistakes
Surgeons are humans, and all humans err. In this episode you’ll learn how to become the “architect of your experience” in the face of intraoperative mistakes. You'll also learn how fear and anxiety shrink cognitive capacity, and what you can do instead to expand your brain space. Take these immediately actionable and science-based tools with you to the OR, and you’ll be ready when mistakes are inevitably made.
EPISODE 24
Addiction with Brett Cordes
***CONTENT WARNING***
ENT surgeon, friend from residency, and burnout coach in training, Dr. Brett Cordes comes on the podcast to talk about how and why addiction upended his seemingly perfect life. He discusses what led him down that dark path, what it was like to be investigated by the Texas Medical Board (news flash: they treat doctors like crap), and the exciting new path his life is on now.
EPISODE 25
Good Doctors Get Sued– with Dr. Gita Pensa
Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.
Good surgeons get sued. That’s the hard truth. Even if you do everything right. Even if you establish “know, like, and trust”. When the stars align, patients sue. And, as surgeons, the cards are stacked against us.
Dr. Pensa has experienced malpractice first hand and explains what it’s like to go through the misery of being tried TWICE. She embodies what it means to become a creator when circumstances make us want to fall into victimhood. She is a wealth of knowledge and a resource for all of us. Come back to this episode any time litigation anxiety seems too big to hold.
EPISODE 26
The Best of 2024
Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.
Enjoy salient snippets from 2024. I left out episodes #1 and #2, which are foundational and need to be listened to from start to finish. If you haven't checked them out, go back and listen. Have a great New Year and see you all in 2025!
EPISODE 27
Self-Worth has Nothing to do with your CV with Dr. Jillian Rigert
***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING***
This episode discusses eating disorders and suicidal ideation. A person I consider my soul sister, Dr. Jillian Rigert, comes on the podcast to talk about how a life-threatening illness led her to leave surgery and shaped the person she is today. We talk about tying external validation to worthiness, the perils of unresolved toxic shame, anorexia and what it’s like to be stigmatized by the medical community, giving up on life, survival instincts, her path back to her essential self, the beauty of being witnessed in her vulnerable truth to begin her healing journey, and how important it is for all of us to have a community of support and unconditional love.
EPISODE 28
Vulnerability is Strength with Dr. Dan Ward
Facial plastic surgeon, entrepreneur, and life coach, Dr. Dan Ward, comes on the podcast to share his story. He offers his insights on the struggles of parenting, what makes it difficult for surgeons to show up as our best selves, and the power of understanding our human brain and human emotions.
EPISODE 29
Anxiety isn’t Fear
Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.
As a society, we are collectively dealing with an epidemic of anxiety. And no, we can’t just calm down.
In today’s episode you will learn 3 important characteristics of anxiety
1. Anxiety lives in the left hemisphere, which has been strengthened by cultural messages
2. Anxiety is contagious
3. Anxiety must be replaced, not erased
We are all born with a powerful force within us that we can use at any time to melt our anxiety and solve problems: creativity.
EPISODE 30
Your Online Presence Doesn’t Have to Suck- With M.Arch Steph Sheldon
Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.
Nobody in your audience, including your patients, wants your CV shoved down their throat. They don't care. They want to know if and how you can help them. Steph Sheldon is a website designer, former architect, and master at helping people reconnect with their creative side.
Creativity is the emotion we generate to solve problems. We tell ourselves we don't need to be creative, or we say "I'm just not creative", and that works fine when we only encounter problems humans have previously solved. But what about the times we encounter problems that have no tried or true solutions? We are all going to find ourselves in unique and novel situations, and we need to use our creative brain to find the solution, which sometimes leads to incredible innovations.
If your website needs an update or you want to launch a side gig and aren't sure how to market or brand yourself, Steph can help you! Find her at her website and on instagram.
EPISODE 31
Solving for a Broken System with Dr. Wendy Dean and Dr. Matt Ramsey
"I think we need to stay relentlessly curious. And we need to understand what we're working in and recognize there is nobody who comes to work everyday and thinks I'm going to make somebody else miserable." - Dr. Wendy Dean
When service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were not responding to PTSD treatments, it became clear that they were not dealing with the anxiety and experiential avoidance caused by PTSD but instead the shame associated with perceived immoral conduct. This specific form of distress is called moral injury: "perpetuating, bearing witness to, or failing to prevent acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations" (from If I Betray These Words: Moral Injury in Medicine and Why It's So Hard for Clinicians to Put Patients First by Wendy Dean, MD with Simon Talbot, MD).
EPISODE 32
Blake’s Story
****SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*******
****This episode discusses suicide, which can be distressing for some. If this subject is triggering for you, please consider skipping this one. If you are going to listen, make sure to listen carefully and take good care of yourself. If you are feeling hopeless or suicidal, please find support, call the suicide and crisis lifeline 988 or click here****
In this episode, Dr. Blake Palmer's widow, Dr. Andrea Palmer, comes on to talk about Blake's life, his committment to his patients and profession, his struggles, the lack of support from his institution, and the circumstances leading up to his death. Blake's story highlights how the glaring lack of humanity in our systems and institutions leads to desperate measures, particularly for a surgeon who is empathetic and caring, who feels isolated, and who is poorly resourced. His story is unfortunately not unique.