In this episode, I sit down with general surgeon, startup advisor, and all-around “human in many hats,” Dr. Duncan Rozario, to talk about purpose, product–market fit in medicine, and why scheduling nothing might be the most sustainable strategy of all. We dig into happiness “proxies” (status, money, likes) vs. the real drivers of meaning, and a humility practice summed up in four words: Could I be wrong? Duncan shares how expanding teams can shorten waitlists while protecting physician wellbeing, and how diversified creative work keeps us curious, generous, and human.

Connect with Duncan: https://www.duncanrozario.com/

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode of The Other Human in the Room, I meet Dr. Ryan Montoya—family physician, graphic novelist, and luggage design consultant—joining us from his current post in Russia. Ryan shares how life as a U.S. diplomat’s spouse has taken him around the world, and how embracing planned transitions has actually buffered him from burnout. Ryan also lets us into his creative world: including creating his own graphic novel and, yes, the story of how he cold-pitched a bespoke artist’s trunk to Goyard and ended up consulting on halo pieces in Paris. This episode is an invitation to dust off your Grade 3 dream and take one next step toward it, whether that’s inside or outside medicine.

Find Ryan:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ryan_montoya_art

https://bcphr.org/dr-ryan-montoya/

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

When a much-anticipated Nashville trip collided with a looming airline strike, zero sleep, and a nasty URTI, I leaned on a practice that’s changed my life: enjoying my difficulties. In this solo debrief, I walk through two core buckets—changing my relationship to hard things and building my capacity for joy. From buying a backup flight to taking porch-ukulele breaks mid-summit, this is a practical, honest guide to finding delight when plans go sideways.

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Anne Aspler to explore what it really takes to give yourself permission to create, to heal, and to exist as more than just a doctor. We talk about growing up in fundamentalist religion, finding parallels between dogma in faith and medicine, and the courage it takes to step outside of rigid systems. Anne shares her journey of deconversion, her advocacy for survivors of “private violence,” and how creativity—whether singing, writing, or simply giving yourself space—can be a lifeline. This is an episode about reclaiming humanity, breaking free from productivity dogma, and allowing yourself to do what lights you up.

Connect with Anne:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dr.anneaspler

Website: https://www.anneaspler.com/

LAST CHANCE to book a call with me to register for Creating Space before we begin in October: http://joanchanmd.com/space

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode of The Other Human in the Room, I sit down with Dr Karenna'onwe Karen Hill, a Mohawk Turtle Clan family physician from Six Nations of the Grand River. She shares her remarkable journey into medicine, the concept of two-row medicine—rooted in the Haudenosaunee Two Row Wampum—and how Indigenous and Western healing can travel side by side, guided by peace, power, and a good mind. Together we explore what it means to practice true healing, how colonization has impacted us all, and why bringing our full selves into medicine is essential to reclaiming humanity in healthcare.

Book a call with me to register for Creating Space: http://joanchanmd.com/space

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Aditya Nellore, a physician and singer who shares how his hardest “failures” became the very doorway into a more authentic life. From failing out of college to going unmatched in the residency match, Aditya opens up about the stigma he faced—and how those painful moments ultimately reconnected him to music and led him into a specialty that values his whole self. Together we talk about medicine, mental health, creativity, and the power of choosing authenticity over perfection.

Connect with Aditya: https://www.instagram.com/drsingsofficial/

Book a call with me to register for Creating Space: http://joanchanmd.com/space

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this short summer episode, I share why the real power is in choosing the hard that aligns with your values. From charting to patient scheduling to new projects, I offer practical examples and a fresh mindset: pick your challenge on purpose.

Book a call with me to register for Creating Space: http://joanchanmd.com/space

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mitchell Abrams, a radiologist whose personal health crisis and journey through burnout led him on a path of deep transformation—both personally and professionally. We talk about what happens when you start to actually *feel* your emotions, how ancient wisdom intersects with quantum science, and what a healthcare system rooted in coherence and compassion could really look like. Mitch offers both a powerful vision and practical tools for creating more spaciousness—within ourselves and within our systems.

Connect with Mitch:

https://nexgenhealth.solutions/

https://globalheartsync.org/

Book a call with me to register for Creating Space: http://joanchanmd.com/space

Learn more about Hippocratic Collective: https://hippocraticcollective.org/

Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd