WISER

In this episode, Cameron Blount (M4) and Lara Schwieger (M3) interview Dr. Frances (Francie) Jenkins! This episode focuses on advice for 4th-year medical students navigating application season, including ERAS tips, navigating virtual interviews, and formulating rank lists. Dr. Jenkins reflects on her intern year experiences and shares where she imagines herself and her career in […]

In this episode, we take a step back in time and focus on women throughout history that have gone against the grain and pursued their passions for surgery despite obstacles and opposition. These stories highlight how far we've come, and remind us that there is still more work to be done. Dr. Wang and Patience […]

Dr. Castater followed a unique path to becoming a trauma surgeon. From fine artist, to business school, to an unexpected trauma experience of her own that led her to medical school, Dr. Castater walks us through her journey. This episode offers perspectives on medicine as a second career, family transitions and balance, and how Dr. […]

In this episode, co-hosted with Audible Bleeding, Dr. Rockman, the Program Director of vascular surgery residency and fellowship and a professor of surgical research at NYU, walks us through her impressive research career, touching upon finding ways to fit research into a busy surgical lifestyle, her passion for trying to bridge the gap for underrepresented/marginalized […]

Dr. Caprice Greenberg is a renowned surgeon scientist and a true visionary in the world of health services research. In this episode, we make reference to two powerful talks of hers that made waves in the world of surgery. The first talk, called “Sticky Floors and Glass Ceilings”, was her 2017 Association for Academic Surgery […]

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we are excited to be joined by Dr. Stephanie Drew, an incredible Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon and breast cancer survivor. Dr. Drew shares her cancer journey, the coincidence that led to her diagnosis, insights gained from being a physician-patient, and her experience living as a cancer survivor. We […]

It's that time of year when newly minted graduates of surgical training programs start their first attending jobs! It's an exciting time, but do you really know what to expect? And how do you go from years of pre-scripted training to finding the right first job?  So, for our first episode of season 4, we […]

This mother-daughter special features Dr. Patricia Bortoluzzi, a craniofacial plastic surgeon in Montreal, and her daughter, Alex Speak, who just so happens to be our Producer here at WISER. In this episode, they discuss their roots in surgery, their mother-daughter dynamic, and the struggles in their respective journeys. Dr. Bortoluzzi, a first-generation Canadian of Italian […]

Before COVID times, one of our #beWISER events was on pregnancy and parenthood during surgical residency. Dr. Rima Rindler (Emory neurosurgery resident) and Dr. Emily Barrow (then Emory ENT resident, now faculty), came up with the idea of sharing their experiences and the many things they both wished they knew about having kids during residency. […]

Dr. Shipra Arya is seriously impressive – she graduated from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, one of the most prestigious medical schools in India (think: 60,000 applicants for 35 spots a year!), and at that time, was the only female student pursuing surgery. Early on, she knew that she wanted to come to the […]

Today, we are delighted to be presenting an interview with Dr. Leigh Neumayer. She visited Emory University last year to deliver General Surgery grand rounds, and we caught some of her valuable time to talk to her one-on-one. At this time, she was the University of Arizona College of Medicine, where she became their first female […]

Dr. Velazquez is the Vascular Fellowship Director and a faculty member at Wake Forest Health. She graduated from Universidad de Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, then completed a general surgery residency at Emory University and a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Florida. Throughout her journey to becoming a vascular surgeon, Dr. Velazquez has demonstrated […]

The path to become a practicing surgeon is long and arduous. At the same time, it is also fairly regimented: 4+ years in medical school, 5+ years in residency, and then possibly a couple more in fellowship. Each step comes with a standardized process and timeline that we are used to pressing through. After you […]

In today’s episode, we hear from some Buckeyes! Our WISER co-founder, Vivian Wang (she/her/hers) is joined by JC Chen (they/them/theirs), a PGY2 from The Ohio State University, as they interview Dr. Courtney Collins (she/her/hers). In our conversation, we start to scratch the surface on the topic of LGBTQ+ in surgery. Dr. Collins is originally from […]

For our first episode of Season 3, we are sharing an insightful conversation with a Burns Boss, Dr. Juvonda Hodge. She is currently the Assistant Medical Director at the Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Center. Dr. Hodge sat down with us to discuss her unexpected path to becoming a burn surgeon, the continued need for mentorship […]

For our final episode of Season 2, we are excited to share our conversation with Dr. Maria (Marti) Russell, a surgical oncologist at Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital. She delves into her unique (though often challenging) practice, as she operates both at Emory Midtown Hospital and at Grady Memorial Hospital.  Dr. Russell shares a […]

Jane Hallman is an OR scrub tech who has been working at Emory for over two decades. She was born in Carrolton, GA, and initially became interested in the health field through her grandparents, who started a hospital. She ended up following her mother’s path and became a teacher. Jane taught preschool for many years […]

Dr. Shaneeta Johnson is a leader in all circles that she occupies. She is an Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of the Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery Program, and the Residency Associate Program Director at Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Johnson’s penchant for leadership is both natural and cultivated. In this episode, she talks about […]

Dr. Victoria Teodorescu (Dr. T) grew up in New Jersey, but really claims Nebraska as her home. Her summers as a child in Nebraska were spent chasing after cows, swimming in the irrigation ditches, and finding snakes in the backyard. Dr. T’s road to medicine definitely wasn’t straight. She knew she loved science and math, […]

This is the final episode of our mini-series on Ohio State University’s 4th Annual Women in Surgery Symposium! We hope you have enjoyed this series as much as we have – if so, we encourage you to join in person for their 5th Annual Symposium this fall. Dr. Kevin Pei, Director of Surgical Critical Care […]

This is episode 4 of 5 featuring the Ohio State University’s 4th Annual Women in Surgery Symposium, #HeforShe and #SheforShe: Redefining Surgical Culture. This panel, led by Dr. Anghela Paredes, a PGY2 general surgery resident, addresses obstacles in career transitions, from medical school to residency, to fellowship, and to your first job as junior faculty.  Our […]

This is episode 3 of 5 featuring the Ohio State University’s 4th Annual Women in Surgery Symposium, #HeforShe and #SheforShe: Redefining Surgical Culture. Dr. Andrew Bernard, Chief of Trauma and Acute Surgery at University of Kentucky, speaks about equity, diversity, and inclusion in surgery. Do we still need this? Listen in to hear him give […]

This is episode 2 of 5 in our mini-series on Ohio State University’s 4th Annual Women in Surgery Symposium, #HeforShe and #SheforShe: Redefining Surgical Culture. Led by Dr. Chelsea Horwood, a PGY4 general surgery resident at OSU, this episode features panelists who are surgical leaders in their fields: Dr. Gail Besner, Chief of Pediatric Surgery […]

This episode is part 1 of 5 in a special mini-series featuring the Ohio State University’s 4th Annual Women in Surgery Symposium! Held in the fall of 2019, Dr. Sabrena Noria (OSU), the founder and director of the symposium, chose the theme of “#HeforShe and #SheforShe: Redefining Surgical Culture.” This episode is an overview of […]

Rachel Medbery, MD, and her husband Duane McLain, RN, share their story about flipping gender norms not only in their careers, but also within their marriage. The couple also discusses working relationships between nurses and doctors, and gives insight on how they respond to stereotypes and implicit biases from patients and coworkers. Dr. Medbery is […]

Tune into this episode of the WISER podcast to hear Dr. Amy Chen, otolaryngologist at Emory University, share her journey into medicine and how she juggles being a leader and innovator of the field of ENT while also being a mentor and supporter both inside and outside of the hospital. Residency Match: The 7 most competitive […]

Dr. Gabriele Miotto (IG: @drgabrielemiotto) shares her journey through plastic surgery, including an intercontinental move, a masters in education, and a humbling yet rewarding recertification process. She also shares budget-conscious beauty and skin care tips and products–this is an episode that you won’t want to miss!

Listen in to hear the self-dubbed “Trauma Mama” Dr. Randi Smith discuss the psychiatric impact of retained bullets, how trauma surgeons are at the frontlines of gun violence, and even a love story from Grady’s Trauma Bay One.

For our first episode of Season 2, we are excited to have our first guest from outside of the Emory network, Dr. Rebecca Minter. She is the current Chair of the Dept. of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin and and is renowned in the worlds of HPB surgery and surgical education. We interviewed Dr. Minter when […]

Listen in to hear Dr. Beth Willingham discuss her novel otolaryngology hospitalist service at Emory University Hospital, her transition from private practice back to academics, and a reflection on some of her most memorable patients thus far. Music in this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and is available by Creative Commons licensing.

The gender gap in urology is one of the most staggering in all of medicine: only 8% of practicing urologists are women. On top of this, a 2017 study in the journal Urology showed that women are also disproportionately underrepresented in both educational and administrative leadership positions within urology–only 3% of department chairs, 8% of […]

Dr. Virginia Shaffer is a colorectal surgeon at Emory and the scientific director of the Emory Crohn’s and Colitis Center. Listen in to hear Dr. Shaffer discuss the role of managing expectations when fighting burnout, the importance of self-nomination within academic medicine, and her perspective on the future of IBD research. Select quotes below: “[Regarding […]

In Episode 7, we continue our conversation with Dr. Diane Payne, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and the Director of Hand Trauma at Grady Memorial Hospital, as we discuss gun violence in Atlanta. After completing her surgical training in Hawaii, where she treated one gun shot wound after […]

Dr. Payne first joined the world of medicine as a physical therapist. After practicing for 5 years, with the support of her family and a constant desire for the next challenge, she decided to return to medical school. With a strong background in rehab medicine and orthopedics she attempted to maintain an open mind but […]

Dr. Jahnavi Srinivasan grew up in El Paso, Texas, an arid climate reminiscent of her family’s roots in South India. While her father was an accomplished mathematician, she had no medical influences in her family growing up. She attended Northwestern University for a combined undergraduate/medical degree program, after which she spent two years in as […]

At the age of six, Dr. Mara Schenker began training in the Korean martial art of taekwondo. She continued studying and competing in taekwondo through college, reaching impressive milestones such as becoming a black belt as well as a world champion in the sport, before being sidelined by orthopedic injuries, ultimately requiring three separate hip […]

Dr. Carla Haack finished high school at 15, college at 19, and medical school at 23 years old. At an age when most students are just beginning med school, Dr. Haack moved from her home in Puerto Rico to Atlanta, Georgia to begin general surgery residency at Emory University. “My mom is the one who never […]

The daughter of a general surgeon in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Styblo was no stranger to the world of surgery during childhood. While her father was logging long hours at the hospital, she matched his commitment as an aspiring dancer, practicing classical ballet throughout her youth and young adulthood. However, she turned down […]

Dr. Barbara Pettitt was the third woman ever to have been accepted as a surgical intern at LA County General Hospital. The first woman to join the program was a Catholic nun in the 1940s, who eventually dropped out of residency mid-way and returned to her convent. The second woman was a current senior resident […]