Surgeons with Purpose

#92 The Rules of Surviving Surgery with Dr. Sonya Sloan

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Interested in our retreat to Norway? Get on my calendar for an interview here.What does it really take to survive and succeed in a system that wasn’...

#91 Mistakes, Complications, and Missed Expectations

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.Learn more about what's inside ESG here.In the perfecti...

#90 Serving the Patient Not the Ego with Dr. Brian Nwannunu

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to stay grounded in your identity and your humanity inside a system that often asks you to override both?In this episode, orthopedic...

#89 The Game Doctors Were Never Taught with Dr. Gita Pensa

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What do physicians actually need when they find themselves on the receiving end of a malpractice lawsuit?In this episode, I have a conversation with e...

#88 Two Complaints to the Board of Registration in Medicine: Lessons Learned

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 2019, two patients complained to the Board of Registration in Medicine about me.At the time, it felt deeply unfair. I felt hate. I felt indignation...

#87 Women are Leaving with Dr. Cornelia Griggs

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeon-writer, Dr. Cornelia Griggs joins me this week.Check out her article with Dr. Andrea Merrill, The Hidden Reason Why Women are Leaving Surgery:...

#86 Magician to Physician to Attorney to Actor with Raymund King, MD, JD

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.Life is more fun when your career path isn’t linear. Dr. Raymund King knows this well. From performing ...

#85 From Gaslighting to Real Care: A Patient's Perspective with Tiphany Kane

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.”It makes you feel crazy as a patient,” Tiphany Kane.As physicians, we have more influence than we re...

#84 From OR to AI with Dr. Ivan Capobianco

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons here. Subscribe to Stitches here.What happens when the skills that make you a great surgeon begin pulling you toward...

#83 Clean vs Dirty Pain in Surgery

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Pain to Power Workshop is the foundation upon which your self-concept is built. You can't step into the next version of yourself until you heal ol...

#82 Becoming a Surgeon on Her Own Terms with Dr. Mandy Rice

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

LIMITED OFFER: The Pain to Power 5-day Coaching Program starts Feb 2nd. Sign up here.In this episode I speak with Dr. Mandy Rice, a dual board–certi...

#81 Putting Purpose Over Path with Dr. Mark Shrime

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt like you were on a moving sidewalk toward retirement, as if you had committed to a life path long ago and now you’re simply being...

Special Episode: Processing Pain to Create Power with Steph Sheldon

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After returning from our inaugural women surgeon's retreat in Cabo, Steph Sheldon and I debrief about the lessons we learned. Please enjoy this specia...

#80 Falling in Love with the Hard with Dr. Lauren Umstattd

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a woman surgeon who wants to retreat with us in Norway in August? Get on my calendar for an interview here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here....

#79 Courage to Climb the Second Mountain with Dr. Kat Hudon

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Kat Hudon shares her journey from enthusiastic learner to an employed physician slowly beaten down by a system designed to keep doctors exhausted,...

#78 A Year in Review - 2025

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

See you all in 2026!Click here to join us in Empowered Surgeons group.Check out my latest TEDx talk, "Seeing Beyond the Red Swans", here.

#77 The Way of Excellence with Author Brad Stulberg

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this conversation, I’m joined by author and human performance expert Brad Stulberg to explore identity diversity, mastery, and what it really mea...

#76 Trauma and OR PTSD

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Trauma is more common than we think, especially in high-stakes professions like surgery. In this episode, I define trauma, PTSD, and post-traumatic gr...

#75 What is Coaching?

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join Empowered Surgeons here.Book a free consult with me here.And if you're here for the free content, amazing! My next masterclass + open coaching is...

#74 You're Just a Regular Human with Dr. Michelle Chestovich

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

⚠️ SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNINGThis episode discusses suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. If this subject is triggering for you, pl...

#73 From Breakdown to Breakthrough with Dr. Courtney McKeown

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

*********SENSITIVE TOPIC WARNING*******************This episode discusses substance abuse and suicide. Please listen carefully.In this powerful and de...

#72: Leading and Relating Better in Surgery with Dr. Scott Ellner

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Trauma surgeon and healthcare leader Dr. Scott Ellner joins me to talk about the moments that reshaped his life and career, from witnessing a beachsid...

#71 Turning Anxiety into Resilience

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get the pre-or mindset checklist here.Join us in Empowered Surgeons Group here.Anxiety can be transformed into resilience and courage, but only when w...

#70 Knowing Your Value with Colin Royal

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, digital marketer Colin Royal—husband to ENT surgeon and fellow Hippocratic Collective co-founder Dr. Frances Mei Hardin—joins the...

#69 No More Stigma with Dr. Jose Greenspon

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

******SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*********This episode discusses child abuse, religious trauma, depression, moral injury, and pediatric violent trauma. ...

#68 From Imposter to Integrated: Reclaiming Humanity and Authenticity in Surgery

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Click here to join Empowered Surgeons Group.On today's episode, enjoy the replay of the webinar, "From Imposter to Integrated: Reclaiming Humanity and...

#67 Mindset over Strategy with Dr. Chrissy Guidry

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Click here to get on my calendar for a 15 min interview for the Cabo retreat. Women surgeons only.Click here to learn more about Empowered Surgeons Gr...

#66 Solving for Joy and Service with Dr. Chrissie Ott

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Interested in Empowered Surgeons Group? Click here.In today's episode, Dr. Chrissie Ott and I sit down to discuss my journey.In this episode, you’ll...

#65 The One Way We Fail in Surgery

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Follow me on instagram here.Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.In surgery, it's tempting to attach our identity to surgical outcomes. But what result ...

#64 Creating Conscious Wealth with Mel Dorman

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a woman surgeon interested in our Cabo retreat? Click here before we fill our cohort!Today I’m talking with financial activist, author, and ...

#63 Using Intuition as a Guide with Dr. Priya Kothapalli

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Women Surgeons interested in the Self-Concept Weekend in Cabo, click here to schedule a 15 min interview with me.In this episode, my guest, Dr. Priya ...

#62 Turning Tragedy into Meaning with Dr. Brian Hoeflinger and Kevin Hoeflinger

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a tragic car crash in 1983 changed the course of his family forever, Dr. Brian Hoeflinger pursued neurosurgery with a new sense of purpose. Deca...

#61 From "Problem Resident" to Associate Professor: Proving Them Wrong with Dr. Karuna Dewan

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a woman surgeon interested in the Cabo retreat Jan 9-11? Click here to learn more about it. Click here if you're serious and get on my calenda...

#60 A Peak Inside the Brain of a Creative with Comic Book Artist, Dr. Ryan Montoya

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Women Surgeons, click here if interested in the retreat in Cabo.Have you ever considered the creative process of your favorite artist? I, personally, ...

#59 The Impossible Oath with Dr. Frances Mei Hardin

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Women Surgeons, click here if interested in the retreat in Cabo.Master storyteller and fellow disrupter, Dr. Frances Mei Hardin comes on the podcast t...

#58 Self-Concept Shapes Everything

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a woman surgeon ready for a transformative January (1/9/26-1/11/26) retreat in Cabo? Click here to book your call and see if it’s the perfec...

#57 Reinvention of Self with Dr. Stephanie Pearson

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about Pearson Ravitz here.Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.Learn more about Hippocratic Collective here.What happens when the...

#56 Prioritizing Non-negotiables with Dr. Hannah Thompson and Chris Herring

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Medicine often forgets the people who live just beyond the call room: the spouses, the partners, the ones holding it together while the system pulls p...

#55 Supercommunication

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you enjoyed this topic, you're going to want to join Empowered Surgeons. There’s a dedicated classroom to this topic in the “Surgeon Self-Conce...

#54 When ADHD Hides in Plain Sight with Dr. Femi Oyewole

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

*****************SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING******************This episode contains discussion of suicidal thoughts. Please listen carefully or, if this...

#53 Finding Your Inner Wisdom like a Lion Tracker

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.Get Boyd Varty's book, The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life, access his courses, or retreat with him here.W...

#52 Dr. Blair Peters on Advocating and Innovating with Authenticity

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons group here.Plastic surgery isn’t just about appearance—it’s about reinvention. For Dr. Blair Peters, that th...

#51 The Counterintuitive Secret with YA author Dr. Tyler Beauchamp

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tyler Beauchamp is a pediatrician and children’s/YA author from Georgia whose earliest experiences with medicine came not as a student, but as a pat...

#50 Toddlers in Scrubs with Psychologist Barlas Günay

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist and reparenting expert, Barlas Günay, comes on the show to reveal why the majority of us are really just children in white coats. Toddle...

#49 Sky Diving, Surgery, and the Art of Trusting Yourself with Dr. Alexandra Kharazi

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I sit down with cardiac surgeon, Dr. Alexandra Kharazi. Together, we explore what it means to operate—literally and figuratively—...

#48 Mindshifting

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about Empowered Surgeons Group here.In a profession that demands perfection and endurance, it’s easy to default to survival mode. But wha...

#47 From Institution to Autonomy with Dr. Sharon Stein

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Sharon Stein is a colorectal surgeon, professor, coach, and creator of The Intentional Surgeon. In this episode, she shares her unconventional pat...

#46 Don’t Mess with Little Old Ladies with Dr. Colleen Balkam

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this impactful conversation, we dive deep with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Colleen Balkam into the emotional, physical, and cultural terrain of surgical...

#45 Unintentional Harm

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“First Do No Harm” is an impossible oath—a wonderful intention but an unlikely reality. So how do we create safety for ourselves in this profess...

Webinar: Your Best Career Insurance Policy-Know, Like, and Trust

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The best way to protect yourself in the profession of surgery is to build real connection with your patients.People don’t retaliate against physicia...

#44 Sex and Surgery with Master Coach Danielle Savory

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"A pleasured woman is an empowered woman" - Danielle SavoryIn this rich and layered conversation, we explore how sex coaching becomes a powerful *plea...

#43 Finding the Middle Way in Medicine with Dr. Joan Chan

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we dive deep into how the systems around us—medicine, culture, even religion—can deplete our humanity when we’re not payin...

Webinar: The ABCs to Get Back in the Current

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's normal to fall out of the current in the OR. We know we've fallen out when our brain sends us into anxiety, urgency, and self-doubt. Getting back...

#42 Why Your Human Animal Burns Out

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sign up for Empowered Surgeons Group here.It's not the prior auths, unfinished charts, or patient messages that are burning you out. While those circu...

#41 Failure and Surgery

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“...it is unsurprising that we surgeons are reluctant to engage the admission—or even contemplation—of failure with the exuberant rapture descri...

#40 Stewarding Change with Dr. Jon Russell

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.How do we incentivize surgeons to evolve their techniques? Why hasn’t...

#39 Giftedness and Neurodivergence with Dr. Colleen Plein

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Dr. Colleen Plein, an otolaryngologist and coach for gifted adults, joi...

#38 Psychological Challenges and Surgery Culture with Dr. Andrew Brunswick

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Dr. Andrew Brunswick, a neurosurgeon at Kaiser Permanente in LA, joins ...

#37 The Surgeon Essentialist

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Essentialism is the disciplined pursuit of less, and the profession of ...

#36 Too Much with Dr. Cindy Lee Neighbors

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Mental health struggles, self-sabotage, rock bottom, psychiatric admiss...

#35 Trainee to Attending Self-Concept

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Going from trainee to attending requires a death and rebirth. One ident...

#34 Courage to Pivot with Dr. Rashida Vassell

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.From ambitious and intelligent young woman who fast-tracked through col...

#33 Finding Your Attending Identity with Dr. Amina Farooq

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.We don't typically end up living the life we imagined we were going to ...

#32 Blake's Story with Dr. Andrea Palmer

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.****SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING***********This episode discusses suicide, which can be distressing for s...

#31 Solving for a Broken System with Dr. Wendy Dean and Dr. Matt Ramsey

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here."I think we need to stay relentlessly curious. And we need to understand what we're working in and rec...

#30 Your Online Presence Doesn’t Have to Suck with Steph Sheldon, M.Arch

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

#29 Anxiety isn’t Fear

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 do...

#28 Vulnerability is Strength with Dr. Dan Ward

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Facial plastic surgeon, entrepreneur, and life coach, Dr. Dan Ward, comes on the podcast to share his ...

#27 Self-Worth has Nothing to do with your CV with Dr. Jillian Rigert

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING***This episode discusses eating disorders ...

#26 Best of 2024

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Enjoy salient snippets from 2024. I left out episodes #1 and #2, which ...

#25 Doctors and Litigation with Dr. Gita Pensa

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Good surgeons get sued. That’s the hard truth. Even if you do everyth...

#24 Addiction with Dr. Brett Cordes

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING. This podcast discusses addiction and may ...

#23 Surgical Mistakes

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get on-demand, lifetime, risk-free access to the Empowered Surgeons Group here.Surgeons are humans, and all humans err. In this episode you’ll learn...

#22: Patient Communication Made Easy with Dr. Brad Block

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Creating connections with patients can be fun and easy...if you know a few simple hacks. In this episode, otolaryngologist and veteran podcaster, Dr. ...

#21 Planning your Inevitable Exit with Michael Johnson Jr Esq

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Physician contract lawyer, Michael Johnson, comes on the podcast to talk about protecting your freedom and your value, and getting it in writing. Firs...

#20 Surgeons as Performance Athletes with Author Brad Stulberg

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author, speaker, and coach, Brad Stulberg comes on the podcast to talk about what surgeons can learn from performance athletes. He researches and writ...

#19 The Dreaded Postop Call: Meeting the Moment

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“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”...

#18 Two Lessons on Anxiety from the TEDx Stage

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

#17 Emotional Adulthood in Surgery

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 eas...

#16 Reputation and Malpractice Insurance: Cultivating "Know, Like, and Trust"

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The best way to insulate ourselves against patient retaliation is to cultivate "know, like, and trust". But how do we do that? In this episode, I'll t...

#15: Sexual Assault in Training

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

**This episode discusses sensitive topics including sexual assault**Today's episode features Dr. Francis Mei Hardin, an otolaryngologist, host of "Pro...

#14 Surgeon Self Concept

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

#13 Emotional Wealth Part 2: Rediscovering your Home

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

#12 Emotional Wealth Part 1: Training your Animal

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, y...

#11 Duality

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

#10 Drama to Empowerment

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 y...

#9 Three Businesses

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to Byron Katie, there are three businesses: your business, other people's business, and the universe's business.Surgical complications are n...

#8 Swan Theory

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 road...

#7 Creating Safety for YOU in the OR

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.We know how to create safety for patients. The processes and procedures have been shoved down our thro...

#6 The Anatomy of a Surgeon

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Wait...our bodies aren't just vessels carrying our intelligent brains and skillful hands from the OR t...

#5 Insomnia, Anxiety, and Panic: My Story

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Wondering why I went from a seemingly successful surgeon to a surgeon coach and podcaster? In this epi...

#4 Martyrdom

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Martyrdom is a toxic, one way street to burn out. In this episode, I explore why humans feel the need ...

#3 Overcoming Shame

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Shame is an emotion that can either destroy you or humanize you. In this episode, you'll learn what sh...

#2 Anxiety in the OR

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Surgeons are humans, and humans feel anxiety. Anxiety does not have to derail you in the operating roo...

#1 The Imposter Within: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surgeons, text topics you want me to cover here.Imposter syndrome is pervasive in high-achieving women...even surgeons. In this episode, I look at all...