165. Dr. Joanne Sotelo: A Wake-Up Call for Women in Medicine

If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll change when life “calms down,” this episode is your sign that the time is now. Dr. Joanne Sotelo and Dr. Erin Hurley offer a compassionate but honest wake-up call for women in medicine, reminding us that high-functioning does not equal healthy. They explore the real cost of burnout, the importance of reclaiming personal agency, and how identity shifts, especially with the rise of AI, are forcing physicians to rethink fulfillment, purpose, and self-leadership.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• High-functioning is not the same as healthy. Doing all the things doesn’t mean you’re well.

• Radical honesty matters: where are you living on autopilot, and what is it costing you?

• Why reclaiming your agency (“I choose. I decide.”) is essential for preventing burnout and disengagement.

• The rise of AI is reshaping how physicians view relevance, purpose, and identity in medicine.

• A powerful reflection question: If nothing changes in the next five years, how would you feel about your life?

“The first step is that we need to wake up to the truth. We need to have that radical honesty with ourselves and ask good questions.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo

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