Rephonic
Artwork for Surgeons with Purpose

Surgeons with Purpose

Hippocratic Collective
Mental Health
Surgery
Burnout
Anxiety
Surgeons
Imposter Syndrome
Coaching
Medical Training
Patient Care
Perfectionism
Healthcare System
Work-Life Balance
Self-Concept
Emotional Intelligence
Moral Injury
Surgeon Burnout
Empowered Surgeons Group
Self-Care
Self-Doubt
Medical Education

A podcast for surgeons who feel like they are languishing in a career that didn't turn out to be as fulfilling or as prestigious as they expected. Dr. Mel Thacker, an ENT surgeon and coach, takes you on a journey to help you understand why you are feeling dissatisfied, burnt out, and stuck. With this newfound insight, you'll be able to reframe how you see your experience, rediscover who you are un... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes108Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MedicineHealth & FitnessMental Health

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Surgeons with Purpose

Latest Episodes

Join us in Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Why are so many talented women surgeons questioning whether they belong in surgery, and what does that reveal about the culture of surgery as a whole?

In this episode of Surgeons with Purpose, I talk to ped... more

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Join Dr. Gita Pensa’s Litigation Education And Preparedness course here.

Dr. Stephen Cohen is a board-certified general and colorectal surgeon, Section Chief of Surgery at the VA, and an experienced med... more

Take the quiz "What Kind of Surgeon Are You Becoming?" here.

Join Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Dr. Racheal Peterson joins me to share her journey into neurosurgery, a path she set her sights on before medical school and ultimately made a reality.... more

What kind of surgeon are you becoming? Take the quiz here.

Join us inside Empowered Surgeons Group here.

Check out Behind the Sports Medicine Podcast here and follow them on instagram here.

Dr. Cameron Roth is a fellowship-trained orthopedic docto... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

White Coat Investor Podcast
White Coat Investor PodcastDr. Jim Dahle of the White Coat Investor
Hidden Brain
Hidden BrainHidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Recent Guests

Stephen Cohen
Board Certified General and Colorectal Surgeon
Academic surgeon at the VA; expert witness with a medical-legal practice
Episode: #104 Multiple Streams of Income with Dr. Stephen Cohen
Dr. Rachel Peterson
Neurosurgeon, Ocala, Florida
Neurosurgery practice in Florida
Episode: #103 Right Place Right Time with Dr. Racheal Peterson
Cameron Roth
Orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon, co-host of Behind the Sports Medicine Podcast
Phoenix, AZ; University affiliations mentioned
Episode: #102 Becoming a Surgeon with Purpose with Dr. Cameron Roth
Tracey O'Connell
Radiologist and mental health coach
Tracey O'Connell MD
Episode: #101 Finding Opportunities in Sham Peer Review with Dr. Tracey O'Connell
Christian Bowers
Neurosurgeon, Georgetown Med School graduate, former program director
Georgetown University / academic medical center
Episode: #100 Surgery's Kangaroo Courts with Dr. Christian Bowers
Won Kim
Neurosurgeon at UCLA, fellow in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Episode: #99 Not Getting Greedy with the Last 5% with Dr. Won Kim
Dr. Red Hoffman
Trauma surgeon and hospice/palliative medicine physician
Trauma surgery and hospice/palliative medicine practitioner
Episode: #98 You're Not Stuck with Dr. Red Hoffman
Shieva Ghofrany
OBGYN, private practice physician, telehealth clinician for perimenopause and menopause
Private practice in private obstetrics/gynecology, telehealth practice
Episode: #97 Break Free from the Golden Handcuffs with Dr. Shieva Ghofrany
Jake Goodman
Psychiatrist and mental health advocate
Goodman Psychiatry
Episode: #96 F*ck the Stigma: The Truth About Physician Mental Health with Dr. Jake Goodman

Host

Mel Thacker
Host of Surgeons with Purpose

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 46 ratings
  • Perfection

    Exactly what this community needs.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kate Buh.
    United States9 months ago
  • Incredibly inspiring

    Incredibly inspiring and courageous podcast. Valuable information that fills a void that so many in our profession are uncomfortable speaking about. Highly recommend for all surgeons and physicians.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KY West Highland Way
    United Statesa year ago
  • Wonderfully Inspiring Podcast

    Love Dr. Mel Thacker. She’s an inspiration and really an important voice and role model for all fields of medicine. I hope she goes on to a broader leadership role in public health and public policy!!!!! A WONDERFUL LEADER!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Doc Lady USA
    United Statesa year ago
  • Thanks for befriending my imposter

    It’s funny how I initially downloaded the episode and then was resistant to listen… like I wanted to keep this part of me hidden. I know it’s there. What’s the point of belaboring it?

    Well, thank you Mel. You reminded me that it’s my minds way of protecting me. That I can embrace my imposter and reason through her.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BraveBadassSurgeonMom
    United Statesa year ago
  • Such an important topic to talk about!

    I recently was turned on to this podcast, and it sounded interesting, but oh my goodness, this is SO important to consider the medical practitioner angle, and what they are saying! These are heartbreaking stories from people who made a vow to care for people, and how the system is failing them, and with that, the patients. Thank you for providing these recounts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amybeth1126
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The coaching framework and empowerment programs are highly valued by listeners.
Guests are diverse and deeply candid about challenges in medicine.
Listeners praise practical guidance for burnout and career pivots.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#101 Finding Opportunities in Sham Peer Review with Dr. Tracey O'Connell
Q: Is there systemic protection, or what reforms are proposed?
There is limited protection; discussions around changing health care law and better safeguarding mechanisms are ongoing, alongside calls to work with leadership to implement the infinite game mindset.
#101 Finding Opportunities in Sham Peer Review with Dr. Tracey O'Connell
Q: What are the practical steps a doctor can take if they suspect they're being targeted?
Seek legal counsel with healthcare lawyers, document by-laws and incidents, build a diversified identity, and consider strategies like whistleblower support and strategic advocacy.
#101 Finding Opportunities in Sham Peer Review with Dr. Tracey O'Connell
Q: What exactly is Sham Peer Review and how did you become aware of it?
Tracey explains it as a targeted, often baseless process used to undermine high-performing physicians, and she shares her awakening and commitment to raising awareness.
#103 Right Place Right Time with Dr. Racheal Peterson
Q: How did you navigate the transition from trainee to attending?
She describes leaning on a trusted network, accepting gradual increases in responsibility, and using reflective practice to maintain confidence while still recognizing areas for growth.
#99 Not Getting Greedy with the Last 5% with Dr. Won Kim
Q: What would you recommend to trainees navigating the culture and demands of surgical training?
Criticism should be viewed as about the task, not the person. When feedback attacks personality, it reflects the provider rather than the trainee. Trainees should focus on actionable improvements, maintain resilience, and recognize that showing up and continuing to grow step by step is progress. Building supportive communities, engaging in coaching, and balancing high performance with self-care are essential to sustain a long, meaningful career without losing humanity.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Surgeons with Purpose

What is Surgeons with Purpose about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on helping surgeons redefine success beyond traditional clinical tracks, with a strong emphasis on resilience, coaching, and career diversification. Across episodes, conversations thread through burnout, work-life balance, and the identity shift away from a sole clinician role into mentoring, coaching, entrepreneurship, and patient-centered care. Notable themes include practical strategies for negotiating worth, building multiple income streams, navigating medical culture, and using storytelling to advocate for oneself and patients. A distinctive element is the integration of coach-style frameworks and peer-support networks (often branded as empowerment programs) to help surgeons craft purposeful, sustainable careers while ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Surgeons with Purpose?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Surgeons with Purpose. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Surgeons with Purpose and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Surgeons with Purpose get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Surgeons with Purpose, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Surgeons with Purpose?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Surgeons with Purpose, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Surgeons with Purpose have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Surgeons with Purpose has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Surgeons with Purpose?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Surgeons with Purpose:

1. White Coat Investor Podcast
2. Hidden Brain
3. Freakonomics Radio
4. Planet Money
5. ReThinking

How many episodes of Surgeons with Purpose are there?

Surgeons with Purpose launched 2 years ago and published 108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Surgeons with Purpose?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Surgeons with Purpose?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Surgeons with Purpose from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Surgeons with Purpose?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Surgeons with Purpose. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Surgeons with Purpose?

Recent guests on Surgeons with Purpose include:

1. Stephen Cohen
2. Dr. Rachel Peterson
3. Cameron Roth
4. Tracey O'Connell
5. Christian Bowers
6. Won Kim
7. Dr. Red Hoffman
8. Shieva Ghofrany

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days