FOR THOSE BUILDING CHANGE THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS - In our first episode, we talked about how trust is another word for love, so in this episode, join Victoria (she/her) one last time as she talks to Jaz Johnson (he/him), future pediatrician (we graduate in 2 days!), as we discuss exactly that- trust. Whether we're struggling to trust after we've been hurt or struggling to earn back trust after we've been hurtful, we navigate trust because it's the backbone of every single relationship. What does it mean to believe in a friend who's let you down? What does it mean to start repairing historically ..read more

FOR THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NOT BE BELIEVED - This episode is part educational, part political statement - the increasing censorship of justice in this country, either directly through bans or indirectly through threats, is making it harder to learn and be the best healthcare professionals we can be. Still, listen to Victoria (she/her) talk to herself about what it means to let your patient take the lead as well as giving yourself the radical acceptance to exist as you are. Then, if you're able, get out there and stand up for our public libraries, public schools, and our patients' rig ..read more

FOR THOSE CONTRADICTING THEMSELVES, CONTAINING MULTITUDES - Despite being close to the end of this series, we have not yet found a single right answer or path forward to making the world a better place. And honestly, we won't find it in this one either. It turns out that being human means being messy and complicated in our best efforts to navigate our own lives, and in this episode, Victoria (she/her) and Dr. Steven Crossman (he/him) celebrate the complexities of their lived experiences and attempts at change-making. Being able to hold multiple (seemingly contradictory) truths opens our hearts ..read more

FOR FACULTY PAVING PATHS WITH THEIR STUDENTS - Dr. Alan Dow (he/him) is a hospitalist, writer, and educator who makes it a habit to empower his students to explore and achieve whatever they dream up. From connecting people with each other to finding resources for his students to giving advice on navigating professional spaces, Dr. Dow figures out a way to help students pave the paths that might not have existed before. Although this path-making ability may seem rare, Dr. Dow and Victoria (she/her) discuss mindsets, approaches, and tools to help each of us develop into the faculty members we ne ..read more

FOR CHANGEMAKERS LOOKING FOR A PUSH TO KEEP TRYING - After collaborating on a multitude of projects, from coordinating lunch lectures for peers to confronting race based algorithms in the hospital, Sarah (she/her) and Victoria (she/her) reminisce on their four years together and identify how to not only see lengthy projects to their ends, but also to sustain movements across generations of students. Sarah applies the tenets of Care discussed in episode 3 in her numerous roles as a student leader, and it's been a privilege to watch her empower and uplift other students while continuing to show ..read more

FOR THOSE READY TO BE BRAVE - Speaking out for what you believe in can be scary, but in this episode, Victoria (she/her) and Dr. Meera Pahuja (she/her), a palliative care and infectious disease doc and the first faculty member to stick her neck out for us, talk about what it means to be brave. Hear Dr. Pahuja share her story of finding courage in her lived experiences as the two of them piece together how each of us can build the strength to fuel our actions, despite a particularly hostile political climate. Indeed, the norms in medicine work hard to make us feel small and scared, but when we ..read more

FOR THOSE FINDING THEIR VOICE TO BE ALLIES FOR EACH OTHER - Looking for ways to turn "accountability" into concrete actions, Victoria (she/her) and Susie (she/her), an MD-PhD student, discuss tangible ideas we've tested in our attempts to make immediate changes for ourselves and others amidst the chaos of institutional oppression. Although we are always working toward true justice, advocating for the institutionalized token concept of, "diversity, equity, and inclusion" is often still a matter of survival for students of color. We do all that we can to help each other and our patients of color ..read more

FOR THOSE CARVING OUT SAFE SPACES FOR OTHERS GROW - Taking the concept of "love" into more tangible actions, Victoria (she/her) and Judy (she/her), a family medicine faculty member, discuss Judy's path into medical education and how she has learned to nurture environments that allow students to self-actualize into their fullest selves. While Victoria contemplates the ways that education can be liberatory after reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Judy grounds the conversation in specific experiences, values, and tools. Together, they find circumstances that allow people to stretch their imaginat ..read more

FOR THE DAYDREAMER WHO KNOWS WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS MEDICAL-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX - In this episode, Sam (they/them), a family medicine bound fourth year medical student, and Victoria (she/her) explore how to balance a joyful and loving career in medicine with criticism of self and systems, to not only hold us accountable to our values, but also radically expand our imaginations for what we could make possible. Whether you believe our medical system can be reformed (and we don't), we've chosen to become healthcare workers because we know there is no pure way of doing "social justice." After a ..read more

FOR THE WEARY HEART YEARNING TO FEEL FULL AGAIN - Join Victoria Ngo (she/her) and Amy Coffin (they/them), a third year medical student, in discussing the dichotomy of love and rage in social justice work, from the day-to-day of hospital dynamics to larger pushes for institutional change. Working in medicine can break us, but our relationships and community give us something worth healing for.  Music: Joe Chey Cover art: Miguel Alt (@altarcana) You can find me on Instagram and Twitter at @vmdwip [Victoria Ngo and her guests do not represent the official opinion of any institution they may ..read more