In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei Hardin, MD sits down with Natasha Singareddy, a first-year medical student and Hippocratic Collective intern, to talk about medicine as both an art and an unfinished product. Natasha shares why she chose medicine after experiences in digital health startups, how she leans on gut instinct even when it’s imperfect, and what it means to create guardrails that protect identity and curiosity during training.

They also explore love and relationships in medicine - why “parallel pedigree” expectations are outdated, what it means to have a partner outside of medicine, and how the right relationship can regulate your nervous system instead of draining it.

This conversation is a reminder that being a great physician starts with preserving your own humanity—your values, your creativity, your relationships, and your trust in yourself.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Natasha Singareddy

Connect with Natasha:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-singareddy/

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What does it mean to navigate medicine as the eldest daughter of immigrants, a perfectionist student, and now a chief resident in radiation oncology?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Christina Huang shares her journey from shy, rule-following child to confident physician leader. We talk about the realities of pre-med pressure, navigating med school and board exams, and the pivot from wanting to be a surgeon to finding her place in radiation oncology.

We cover:

– Eldest daughter dynamics and the weight of expectations

– The pressure cooker of pre-med and med school perfectionism

– Burnout, identity crises, and why “pivots” in medicine aren’t failures

– Discovering radiation oncology (and what brachytherapy really is)

– The power of grassroots culture change in residency and beyond

Dr. Huang’s story is a reminder that medicine is never a straight path, and that the real strength comes from looking inward, owning your decisions, and helping to create a healthier culture for those who follow.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Christina Huang, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.

What does it look like to grow up, and grow together, through residency, marriage, and building a life outside of medicine?

In this special anniversary episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Frances Mei and her husband Colin celebrate nine years since their very first date. They reflect on their engagement, early struggles during residency, and the evolution of their relationship through career pivots, personal growth, and life transitions.

They talk about:

– The reality behind their engagement story (and a golden-hour fight before the proposal)

– Why honesty, direct communication, and not taking things personally became cornerstones of their relationship

– How they navigated the chaos of residency and self-discovery as a couple

– The importance of trust, humor, and simply enjoying each other’s company over time

– Why “interesting” might be the most important trait Colin ever looked for in a partner

This is a candid, funny, and deeply personal conversation about partnership, growth, and what it means to choose each other, over and over again, for nearly a decade.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Follow Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

And subscribe to ⁨@HippocraticCollective⁩ on Youtube for all of the other shows the Hippocratic Collective has to offer.