Dr. Joanne Sotelo takes center stage in this episode as she unpacks what happens when medicine stops feeling sustainable, especially when being a physician becomes your core identity rather than just a job. Drawing on her own transition and work with clients, she walks through the stages of identity shift, from the first whispers of doubt to numbing, resentment, and crisis, while highlighting the roles of moral injury, burnout, and financial “golden handcuffs.” Alongside co-host Dr. Erin Hurley, Joanne offers a compassionate roadmap for separating who you are from what you do, auditing your energy instead of only your schedule, reconnecting with why you chose medicine in the first place, and redefining success on your own terms in this season of your life and career.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Why physician burnout feels like an identity crisis, not just a job issue, because medicine is often intertwined with a doctor’s sense of self and worth
• How corporatization, mergers, and acquisitions disrupt wellness efforts, stalling coaching and support programs, and leaving physicians feeling stuck
• What the stages of identity shift and burnout look like, from subtle whispers and numbing to resentment and full-blown crisis
• Why distinguishing burnout from moral injury matters, as systemic barriers to providing good care deepen misalignment and distress
• How financial “golden handcuffs” keep physicians feeling trapped, especially for primary breadwinners carrying significant educational debt

“The question doesn't necessarily need to be should I stay in medicine or leave, but rather ask the question: Who do you want to become in this process again… in this time of your life?… and, How do you want to feel while you're doing it?” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

What happens when women in medicine stop accepting the status quo and start choosing rooms, people, and experiences that truly support them? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley returns to share how saying yes to coaching, leadership conferences, and deeply connected communities transformed her career, relationships, and impact as a “physician disrupter.” From the Suck It Up Buttercup documentary to the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and her own “Notes from the Heart” event, Dr. Erin reveals how both big movements and simple, local acts, like writing gratitude cards, create powerful ripple effects. She explains her “unicorn outcomes” concept, challenges listeners to examine the cost of inaction, and highlights why psychological safety and the right rooms are essential for women physicians seeking sustainable, joyful, and meaningful lives in medicine.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• How Erin defines disruptors as physicians who refuse the toxic status quo and actively create solutions that improve care and clinician well-being
• Why does she use horses, zebras, and unicorns to describe typical burnout outcomes versus rare, joyful, and sustainable medical careers?
• How attending aligned events and conferences expanded Erin’s network, hope, and capacity to lead meaningful change
• How one organization built a robust wellness program with no dedicated funds by leveraging only existing resources
• Why delaying decisions and putting yourself last undermines long-term sustainability in life and work

“There is a cost to not putting yourself first, and I think the biggest cost is lack of sustainability.” - Dr. Erin Hurley

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

Why does a life that looks successful on paper still feel unfulfilling? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley sits down with Dr. Joanne Sotelo to explore what high-achieving women in medicine need now, especially when guilt, shame, and burnout make it hard to hear themselves clearly. Joanne introduces her Harmony Method, a framework built on reconnecting, realigning, and rising, to help women in medicine move out of autopilot and back into a life that reflects their truth. Press play for a powerful conversation on self-connection, alignment, and the small, consistent actions that can help you reclaim a life that finally feels like yours again.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Why many women in medicine can look successful externally while feeling disconnected internally
• How guilt, shame, and “should” programming keep physicians stuck in lives that no longer fit
• What it means to reconnect with yourself and ask better questions in this season of life
• Why awareness without action keeps you stuck, and how alignment creates forward movement
• The three parts of Joanne’s Harmony Method: Reconnect, Realign, and Rise

“We can be very grateful to where we are and honor it, and still ask the right questions that will help us identify where we are in this season of our lives and where we want to go.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

If your New Year’s resolutions have quietly unraveled, it’s not because you failed; it’s because not all goals are created equal. In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley breaks down the critical difference between habit goals and project goals, and why using the wrong strategy leads to frustration and self-blame. Together, Erin and Joanne explore discernment, momentum, accountability, and the neuroscience behind self-compassion. You’ll learn how to stop treating every goal the same, how to match the right energy to the right outcome, and how to get back on track without burning yourself out. Press play to reset your approach and move forward with clarity instead of criticism.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• The “burst” vs. “drip” method and how momentum creates inertia in your favor
• How emotional weight and hidden resistance can derail project goals
• The importance of discernment: matching the right strategy to the right goal
• Internal vs. external accountability — which one works better for you?
• Why paying for help or hiring support can accelerate success

“If you don't give yourself grace, you're going to be sabotaging your next efforts.” - Dr. Erin Hurley

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

What keeps physicians going when medicine feels overwhelming? In this National Doctors Day episode, Dr. Erin Hurley and Dr. Joanne Sotelo explore the deeper meaning behind the profession and why being seen, supported, and appreciated matters more than most people realize. Inspired by the story of Eudora Brown Almond, who started the tradition of honoring physicians with handwritten notes in 1933, they reflect on the ripple effects of gratitude, connection, and remembering why we entered medicine in the first place. Press play for an honest conversation about burnout, rediscovering purpose, and simple ways to refill your cup while continuing to serve patients and the community.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• The surprising origin story behind National Doctors Day and how handwritten gratitude started a national tradition
• Why remembering your “why” in medicine can reconnect you with purpose during difficult seasons
• The role of community, connection, and shared stories in combating physician burnout
• How redefining success and asking better questions can help physicians rediscover fulfillment
• The ripple effect of celebrating what’s good in medicine, even when the system feels challenging

“Here on Create Meaning in Medicine, we don't just want to celebrate what doctors do. We want to talk about what keeps them going, what fills their cup, and why being seen matters.” - Dr. Erin Hurley

“We do not need to suffer in silence, and there's so much that we can do for each other and for ourselves.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820

What if a sticky note, a short text, or a two-minute phone call could help a colleague stay in medicine? In this episode, Dr. Erin Hurley and Dr. Joanne Sotelo explore how small, intentional acts of kindness can create powerful ripple effects in healthcare. Inspired by the “Notes from the Heart” event honoring healthcare providers, they discuss how simple gestures, like handwritten notes, voice memos, or words of appreciation, can combat burnout, strengthen human connection, and remind healthcare professionals why their work matters. Press play to discover how small actions can spark meaningful change for yourself, your colleagues, and your community.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• How simple gestures, like a handwritten note or quick message, can uplift colleagues and restore meaning in medicine
• Why small acts of kindness can have ripple effects that influence entire teams and communities
• The role of gratitude practices in strengthening the connection between healthcare providers and patients
• How accepting help can be just as powerful as offering it
• Easy ways to practice intentional kindness today, from sticky notes to voice messages

“Sometimes, the most beautiful things that happen are not planned.” - Dr. Erin Hurley

Connect With Us

Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-meaning-in-medicine/id1752701820