The Shoulders I Stand on: A Black Female Doctor Reflects on Dr. Blackwell’s Birthday
On February 3rd we honor and recognize women physicians. This date was chosen as National Women Physicians Day because it was the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman physician licensed to practice medicine in the United States back in 1849. As a black woman physician, I also stand on the shoulders of Rebecca […]
Editor’s Corner: We Have a Dream
A Letter from our Co-Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Amber Robins: Dear Readers, As you may know, last week we observed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day. During this time we traditionally think of his words in the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. Usually during this time of year, I too start to think about all that […]
Daring Greatly: Vulnerability, Courage and Shame in Medicine
In health care, we are hardwired to do all we can to minimize error and avoid failure. The journey of training and practicing medicine rests on the premise of perfection. And yet, perfectionism and shame are thought to be the two sides of the same coin. As clinicians, we have the privilege of interacting with […]
7 Tips for Budding Pediatricians
As a young girl, I loved to spend my Saturdays playing “school”. I would line my dolls and stuffed animals up on our back porch, and teach them all lessons using a play chalkboard and school supplies. I could play for hours. My mom was convinced I’d be a teacher when I grew up – […]
I am the Face of Burnout
I am the face of early career female physician burnout. And I fought it so hard Until I realized that in order to overcome this foe, it wasn’t me that was broken. It wasn’t me that need to be fixed. It wasn’t something inherently wrong with me. I was working from a place of exhaustion […]
Editor’s Corner: Why We Created the Women in White Coats Heroes Award
A letter from our Co-Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Archana Shrestha, MD, MS, FACEP. Dear Reader, As we open up voting for the Women in White Coats Hero of the Year Award, I take pause to reflect on why this award is so important. The simple reason we put together this award is because we have been very impressed […]
Pushing Past a Test Yet Feeling Like A Fraud
For 7 years I have been living a life of shame. I have been fearful that I would be discovered and called a fraud. Constantly feeling inadequate and not worthy of my initials M.D. “Why?” you may ask. Because for almost 7 years I had not attained the title of “Board Certified”. I have taken […]
Eight Wellness Favorites For Women Doctors
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Happy New Year, to our fellow Women in White Coats! With the new year comes a chance for a fresh start and many of us set resolutions to make wellness, self-care and fitness a bigger priority in life. With that in mind we have put together a list […]
Don’t Buy Me a Crockpot for Christmas
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] I will say this one time: Don’t buy your female doctor friend/cousin/daughter-in-law a crockpot for Christmas. Because this really is a conversation about the invisible workload of women. We’ve come a long way; it’s true. But we have further to go. Women still do the majority of the […]
Identity Crisis: Physician or Family Member?
Am I a physician first or a sister first? Am I a physician first or a daughter first? The first thought continuously haunted me when my cousin (who was like my younger brother) was diagnosed with leukemia. Similarly, I struggled with the second thought. I struggled when my father was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme. I […]
