Vital Signs: Thriving as a Woman in Medicine

Hosted by Diane Shannon, MD

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May 2026

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About the show

In healthcare, burnout rates are higher in women. In fact, forty percent of women physicians have cut back or left medicine within 6 years of completing training. Why? Is it added responsibilities at home? Gender bias at work? Invisible work at work? Mom guilt? Too much self-sacrifice and inability to say no? Poor boundaries, lack of time management skills, lack of self-care? In this podcast, we’ll explore the reasons why women in medicine are struggling—and more importantly, what to do about it. We can banish burnout and thrive as women in medicine.

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57 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 5824 min

Episode 157: Creating Intentional Community for Physicians with Dr. Dami Babaniji

When you’re really busy or experiencing burnout, it can feel isolating. It’s easy to believe you’re the only one struggling to get through the work day. In this episode, my guest, Dami Babaniji, MD, shares her personal experience with burnout–and the initiatives she’s undertaken at her organization to address burnout and create supportive communities for physicians. Tip: she shares some great ideas you can take back to your leadership! Dr. Dami Babaniji is an academic hospitalist physician and Medical Director of Clinician Wellbeing at a healthcare organization in Dallas, Texas. Her passion is healing healers. Connect with Dr. Babaniji on LinkedIn. Check out my TEDx talk! If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, connect with me here or at www.dianeshannon.com. Like what you heard? Help spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

May 26, 2026Episode 5722 min

Episode 156: Finding influence at work with Dr. Christine Sinsky

Over the past decade, more physicians have moved to employed positions and experienced less autonomy and control over their work than previously. The erosion of influence has adversely affected professional satisfaction. My guest, Christine Sinsky, shares her expert opinion on steps physicians can take to find more agency and enjoy their work again. Dr. Christine Sinsky is a retired internist who practiced for 32 years and past Vice President of Professional Satisfaction at the American Medical Association. Her career is about working to create the conditions where joy, purpose, and meaning in work are possible for physicians and their teams. Check out my TEDx talk! If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, connect with me here or at www.dianeshannon.com. Like what you heard? Help spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

May 5, 2026Episode 5624 min

Episode 155: Saying Yes, Even When…with Dr. Grace Perez-Lirio

Capable women physicians may hesitate to step into leadership roles and other opportunities for a host of reasons. Feeling not quite ready, concern about work overload, discomfort with managing peers. My guest, Grace Perez-Lirio, MD, FACP, shares her not-so-straightforward journey to leadership and an important message for women physicians who have held back. Dr. Grace Perez-Lirio is a primary care physician and Regional Medical Director at Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care Needham. Her passion is helping physicians find solutions to their work challenges. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, the next step is a conversation. More info here about how to do that. Don’t stay stuck; it’s not worth it! Like what you heard? Help spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

April 14, 2026Episode 5523 min

Episode 154: Seeking Sustainable Options for Primary Care Physicians with Dr. Diane London

Primary care physicians are stretched thin these days, and many have found the work simply not sustainable. Patients are feeling the effects, with long wait times for appointments and difficulty finding a new PCP. Join me and my guest, Diane London, MD, as she shares her wisdom gleaned over several decades, on options for “staying in the game” as a primary care physician. Dr. Diane London is a primary care internist and Director for Medical Education at a suburban community hospital outside of Boston. Her passion and expertise is complex patient care. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, the next step is a conversation. More info here about how to do that. Don’t stay stuck; it’s not worth it! Like what you heard? Help spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

December 23, 2025Episode 5425 min

Episode 153: Moving Ahead Despite Imposter Feelings with Dr. Darilyn Moyer

You get a nudge about an opportunity to advance in your career, and you wonder, “Did they mean to nudge me? I’m not qualified!” Sound familiar? Join me and my guest, Darilyn Moyer, MD, as she shares insights on overcoming self-doubt gleaned from her career as an “accidental physician CEO.” Dr. Dariyn Moyer is Executive Vice President and CEO of the American College of Physicians. Her passion is bringing her skills to the next generation of clinicians and medical educators. Connect with Dr. Moyer on LinkedIn. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

December 9, 2025Episode 5322 min

Episode 152: Naming Administrative Harm with Dr. Marisha Burden

If you’re a clinician, you’ve likely experienced or observed administrative harm, even if you’ve never heard the term before. What is it? What causes it? And how can we move to a better way of making and implementing administrative decisions? Listen in and learn from my guest, Marisha Burden, MD, MBA. Dr. Marisha Burden is Division Head of Hospital Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her area of expertise is research and thought leadership on administrative harm and evidence-based work design in healthcare. Connect with Dr. Burden on LinkedIn. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

November 25, 2025Episode 5228 min

Episode 151: Creating a Superior Work Environment with Dr. Gaurava Agarwal

A professional conference this fall, I had a short conversation with a colleague as we went from one breakout to another. Gaurava Agarwal, MD, shared that my social media posts on the challenges that women in medicine face had inspired him to dig into the data at his organization. That was flattering, but what really inspired me was hearing about the steps the organization has taken to help women physicians thrive by addressing the challenges that all clinicians face. Listen in to hear a practical and effective approach that you can take to your workplace. Dr. Gaurava Agarwal is Chief Wellness Executive/Vice President at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. His area of expertise is organizational and occupational psychiatry. Connect with Dr. Agarwal on LinkedIn. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

November 11, 2025Episode 5122 min

Episode 150: Walking Our Way to Wellness with Dr. Rebecca Levine

Work stress can easily spill over to our personal lives, affecting our physical health, mental health, and general outlook on life. Interventions to improve physician wellness can be complex, costly, and challenging to spread. My guest, Dr. Rebecca Levine, created an alternative: a walking program for clinical staff that has reduced burnout and stress. How did she do it? Listen in to find out. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to create a program yourself! Rebecca Levine, MD, is a Family Medicine physician at Oak Street Health in Chicago, where she also leads educational and wellness programs. Her passion is narrative medicine. Connect with Dr. Levine on LinkedIn. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

October 28, 2025Episode 5030 min

Episode 149: Fostering Gender Parity in Healthcare Leadership with Felisa Schneider

“Women are over-mentored and under-sponsored.” What does that mean and why does it matter? Listen in to my conversation with Felisa Schneider to out and learn why improving gender parity in leadership is a win for everyone. Felisa Schneider is the Chief Operating Officer of the Carol Emmott Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender parity in healthcare leadership and governance. Her passion is supporting women in all different industries. Connect with Ms. Schneider at the Carol Emmott Foundation or on LinkedIn. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon

October 16, 2025Episode 4924 min

Episode 148: Building Our Capacity Through Connection and Self-Compassion with Kelly Holder

Feeling like you’re the only one struggling with a recurring challenge, like getting charts closed and messages answered, can be very isolating. Given how time-strapped everyone in healthcare is today, trudging on alone seems like the only option. Listen in as my guest, Kelly Holder, shares her insights about building our capacity through connection and self-compassion. Kelly Holder, PhD, is Director of Oncology Mental Health and Wellness for the Cancer Network of West Michigan. Her passion is well-being. Connect with Ms. Holder on LinkedIn or IG @kellydholerphd. Connect with me at www.dianeshannon.com. If you’d like time to talk about the specific challenges you’re facing, you can book a time to chat with me. More info here about how to do that. Like what you heard? Listen to more episodes with Dr. Diane Shannon on our podcast Vital Signs: Thriving as Women in Medicine Reviews are greatly appreciated. Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC is an internal medicine physician, award-winning writer, and certified coach. She understands the stresses inherent in the practice of medicine and the additional challenges that women face in the profession. Her passion is helping women in medicine create lives where they can thrive. Share your experience and continue the conversation with Diane at www.dianeshannon.com or www.linkedin.com/in/dianewshannon