What happens when you refuse to be one-dimensional in medicine?

In this episode of Surgeon, Interrupted, Dr. Alyssa Cole (@doctor.cole), a PM&R physician specializing in cancer rehabilitation, shares her journey of weaving multiple identities into her career: physician, MBA, pageant competitor, children’s book author, and content creator.

We talk about:

– Why authenticity, boundaries, and “mosaic careers” matter in medicine

– Navigating social media as a physician without compromising professionalism

– Pageantry, advocacy, and the lessons she brings back into the clinic

– Redefining “influence” in medicine and turning it into inspiration

– How Gen Z doctors are reshaping medicine around well-being and humanity

Dr. Cole’s story is a reminder that being human isn’t a liability in medicine—it’s the point.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Dr. Alyssa Cole

Connect with Alyssa:

IG & TikTok: @doctor.cole

Blog: https://dailydoseofvita.blogspot.com/

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.

Dr. Liz Malphrus, chief resident in plastic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Surgeon, Interrupted to talk about what really matters in medicine today: authenticity, identity, and rewriting the old definitions of success. As a female surgeon in one of the most demanding specialties, Liz opens up about the challenges and triumphs of carving out her own path, reminding us that the journey is both deeply personal and profoundly collective.

She shares how her background as a violinist shapes her practice, why career paths don’t have to follow a rigid script, and how younger physicians, especially Gen Z, are shifting medicine toward well-being, inclusivity, and genuine connection.

From breaking down outdated notions of prestige to embracing the fluidity of self-identity, this conversation is about more than just surgery. It’s about reclaiming your narrative and building a medical culture where authenticity comes first.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Guest: Liz Malphrus, MD

Connect with Liz:

IG: @dr.malphrus

Website: https://www.lizmalphrusmd.com/

Substack: https://cutandtell.substack.com/

Views are Dr. Malphrus's own and do not represent her training program or institution

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.

Today, I’m stepping into something I never thought I’d allow myself: a sabbatical. After years of moving at full speed as a surgeon, I’ve finally built in a month to stop, to breathe, and to see what happens when I’m not buried under the weight of clinical responsibility.

This isn’t just a vacation. It’s a leap of faith I planned more than a year ago - trading call schedules for train tickets, clinic lists for café tables, and using every travel point I’ve hoarded to make it happen. For five weeks, I’ll wander Paris, the south of France, Milan, and Lugano. I’ll be chasing sunlight, quiet mornings, and maybe finally the ending of the book I’ve been writing for years.

In this episode, I share what it takes to actually step away, why most doctors never do, and how I’ve wrestled with giving myself permission to pause. We’ll talk about the logistics of planning a month abroad, the myth that you can’t afford to step off the treadmill, and the truth that you can’t afford not to.

Because sometimes, the bravest thing isn’t grinding harder—it’s daring to walk away, even just for a little while.

Host: Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

Following Frances Mei on Instagram & Tiktok @francesmeimd

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