{"podcast":{"title":"The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast","slug":"the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373","podcast_index_feed_id":1318373,"rss_url":"https://doctorscrossing.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://doctorscrossing.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/5/2/6/2/5262d34a5f5f8209e5bbc093207a2619/Podcast_cover_art.png","author":"Heather Fork","episode_count":248,"summary":"Are you a physician who's questioning your career path? If you're at the white coat crossroads, for whatever reason, this podcast is for you. We're going to help you find your best path forward, whether it's to be happier in patient care, transition to a nonclinical career, or do something completely different. In the weekly podcasts, we're bringing you all the good stuff: -Actionable tools and resources to help you start making positive changes. -Interviews with physicians who've found new and fulfilling ways to practice as well as those who've transitioned into nonclinical careers. -Concrete advice for applying to jobs, using LinkedIn, interviewing, negotiating, and much more. Your host, Dr. Heather Fork, is a former board-certified dermatologist who transitioned into full-time career coaching for physicians over 10 years ago. She is a master certified coach who has been helping hundreds of physicians find ways to be happier both in medicine and beyond. Come visit us at www.doctorscrossing.com to learn more!","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373"},"episode":{"title":"Episode #223: Who Am I Without The Scalpel? Redefining Identity and Finding a New Way Forward","slug":"episode-223-who-am-i-without-the-scalpel-redefining-identity-and-finding-a-new-way-forward","published_at":"2025-06-25T14:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373/episode-223-who-am-i-without-the-scalpel-redefining-identity-and-finding-a-new-way-forward","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373","url":"https://doctorscrossing.libsyn.com/episode-223-who-am-i-without-the-scapel-redefining-identity-and-finding-a-new-way-forward","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/doctorscrossing/Doctors_Crossing_-_223_EDITED.mp3?dest-id=2324036","summary":"Today's episode is a powerful conversation about identity, loss, and rediscovery. I'm joined by Dr. John Fondran, a colorectal surgeon whose career ultimately came to an end due to severe arthritis in his hands and feet—a condition he had long been managing, but whose impact he struggled to fully accept. Dr. Fondran takes us through the difficult process of stepping away from surgery—not by choice, but by necessity—and how he confronted the emotional weight of no longer being able to do what he loved. We explore the dark period that followed, the impact on his identity, and how he ultimately found healing and purpose in a new role in clinical informatics. You can find the show notes for this episode and more information by clicking here: www.doctorscrossing.com/episode223 In this episode we're talking about: What it's like to lose your surgical career due to physical limitations The emotional toll of walking away from a deeply ingrained identity How Dr. Fondran navigated depression, denial, and a major transition The importance of support systems, therapy, and self-care in recovery What clinical informatics is and how it allowed him to stay in medicine How physicians can still see themselves as \"healers\" after leaving patient care Advice for others facing forced or voluntary career transitions Links for this episode: LinkedIn for Physicians Course - Would you rather clean out your garage or attic than \"put yourself out there\" and network? No worries! My LinkedIn course is geared to make networking doable and fun. I will show you how to connect with people who can be helpful for your career, what to put in your messages, and how to apply strategically for the job you really want. You can learn more about this course and get a sneak peek inside right HERE. Dr. Fondran Li…","meta_description":"Today's episode is a powerful conversation about identity, loss, and rediscovery. I'm joined by Dr. John Fondran, a colorectal surgeon whose career ultima…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2361,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373/episodes/episode-223-who-am-i-without-the-scalpel-redefining-identity-and-finding-a-new-way-forward/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-doctor-s-crossing-carpe-diem-podcast-1318373/episode-223-who-am-i-without-the-scalpel-redefining-identity-and-finding-a-new-way-forward.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}