Dr. Shaiba Ansari-Ali had it all dialed in—her dream job in rheumatology, a clinic she loved, and a life she had carefully crafted to balance medicine and motherhood. Then, at just 42 years old, a basilar artery stroke stopped everything.

In this gripping and inspiring episode, Dr. Ansari-Ali walks us through the moment her world turned upside down—while wide awake and fully aware. She takes us behind the curtain of her own rehab, recovery, and return to clinical life. Along the way, she shares how losing the ability to write, speak clearly, and move with balance didn’t steal her purpose—it reshaped it.

Now a passionate advocate for patient communication, stroke awareness, and health literacy, Dr. Ansari-Ali is using every tool—books, YouTube, humor, and humility—to make medicine more accessible. Her channel Mansplaining Medicine and her book When the Doctor Has a Stroke are proof that sometimes, the most powerful healers are those who’ve sat in the patient’s chair.

This episode is about resilience, reinvention, and remembering why we got into medicine in the first place.

Highlights include:

• Facing a stroke at 42 with no Plan B—and forging a path forward anyway
• Rebuilding clinical skills, one twisty tongue-twister and injection at a time
• The surprising disconnect between doctors and patients—and how to fix it
• Why health literacy is the ultimate form of patient care
• Living (and practicing) with purpose and generosity

Whether you’re in the middle of a setback or simply wondering how to practice with more intention, Dr. Ansari-Ali’s story will stay with you.

Dr. Shaiba Ansari-Ali is a board-certified rheumatologist, stroke survivor, and unshakable patient advocate based in Chicago. After a devastating basilar artery stroke, she returned to medicine not just to see patients—but to transform how doctors teach, explain, and connect.

She is the author of When the Doctor Has a Stroke, a short and compelling guide that offers both physicians and patients a window into recovery and resilience. Through her YouTube channel Mansplaining Medicine, she breaks down complex conditions with clarity, context, and just enough sass.

Her life and work are a masterclass in choosing purpose, listening deeply, and leading with heart.

📘 Get the book: When the Doctor Has a Stroke on Amazon

📺 Watch her YouTube series: Mansplaining Medicine

1. There is no Plan B for purpose. When life changes in an instant, our mission doesn’t disappear—it just asks us to adapt.
   
2. Clarity is a form of care. Health literacy isn’t fluff—it’s survival. The best doctors speak human.
   
3. Healing isn’t always linear. Sometimes the most profound transformation happens after the fall.
   
   

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

This episode features Dr. Bart Rademaker, a world-renowned plastic surgeon whose passion for healing spans both borders and disciplines. From his practice in the U.S. to his selfless humanitarian work throughout Central America, Dr. Rademaker is living proof that medicine can be a tool for both transformation and global impact.

A former Nobel Peace Prize nominee for his international efforts, Dr. Rademaker shares the harsh financial realities facing today’s physicians—especially procedural specialists. Many doctors find themselves in emergency situations, providing life-saving care, only to remain unpaid due to insurance loopholes and out-of-network issues. Shockingly, an estimated $5 billion in medical services go uncompensated each year.

He offers a candid look at why most physicians struggle with financial independence—often not achieving it until their mid-50s—and explains how a mindset shift is essential. “Doctors are great at healing, but bad at managing money,” he says. The solution? Learn to play the financial game to sustain your practice and your mission.

Dr. Rademaker highlights how partnering with a recovery firm like Callagy Recovery is essential to navigate the complexities of the No Surprises Act (2022) and recover payments within the required 30-day window.

If you're a physician who wants to continue making a difference and build a financially sound future, this episode is a must-listen. Because when doctors are empowered, communities thrive.

🌍 Growth. Contribution. Sustainability. It all starts with reclaiming your autonomy.

https://callagyrecovery.com/doctors-making-a-difference/

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Dr. Mary Doherty—an anesthesiologist from Ireland who brings both professional expertise and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD-diagnosed individual. A powerful advocate for neurodiversity, Dr. Doherty challenges the disease-based model of autism and instead embraces a strengths-based, identity-affirming approach.

She shares her mission to normalize autism within healthcare and society, highlighting the often-overlooked presence and contributions of autistic physicians. Dr. Doherty emphasizes the importance of raising children to be confidently autistic, free from shame and pressure to conform to neurotypical norms.

We explore her work supporting autistic healthcare professionals, as well as her co-authorship of "Autistic SPACE"—a groundbreaking framework published in the British Medical Journal that equips clinicians to provide more respectful and effective care to autistic patients.

This episode is a call to action: to celebrate neurodiversity, to rethink how we define “normal,” and to create inclusive spaces—both in medicine and beyond.

https://assets.practice365.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/582/2023/10/Autistic-SPACE-a-novel-framework-for-meeting.pdf

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Hardeep Phull, a dedicated oncologist whose journey to medicine was anything but traditional. Through academic setbacks, unexpected detours, and powerful mentorships, Dr. Phull carved out a path that led not only to a career in oncology—but to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a healer.

He shares how failure shaped his approach to life and medicine, why cancer is a marathon rather than a sprint, and why the future of cancer care may lie not in curing the disease, but in managing it like a chronic illness. Dr. Phull also speaks candidly about the moral injuries built into the medical system, and how physicians can reclaim their power by embracing their full, imperfect stories.

This episode is a reflection on growth, resilience, and the value of staying connected—to mentors, to patients, and to purpose.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this empowering episode, Dr. Laura Suttin, a family physician, author, physician coach, and speaker, shares her transformative journey from burnout to creating a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.

Starting her medical career at a small independent practice, Dr. Suttin later navigated the complexities of a large health system after the practice was acquired. She took on leadership roles but eventually faced a personal crisis that led her to experience burnout. Realizing she needed to heal and lean on her colleagues for support, she made the decision to step back, reassess, and find a way to align her life and career with her core values.

In this episode, Dr. Suttin discusses how she:

-Overcame physician burnout and found a path to healing

-Authored her book, The Purposeful MD: Creating the Life You Love Without Guilt, to help other physicians reclaim their sense of purpose

-Learned how to align her personal values with her career to avoid feeling stuck

-Took empowered action to craft a life and career she truly loves

If you’re a physician struggling with burnout, searching for more meaning in your career, or wanting to make a bigger impact in healthcare, this episode is for you. Dr. Suttin’s journey shows you that it’s possible to say no to what drains you, say yes to what aligns with your values, and ultimately create the life you desire.

Listen now to discover how you can take action today to reclaim your power, create a purposeful career, and leave medicine better than we found it.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we sit down with Dr. John Winkler, an emergency physician who experienced unimaginable loss when his wife passed away from a severe infection just 10 weeks after giving birth. At the time, he had just begun his medical residency—a chapter that was supposed to be the start of his career and family life.

What followed was a journey of deep grief, healing, and rediscovering purpose. Supported by his residency program, his family, and his church community, Dr. Winkler navigated the emotional toll of loss while continuing to serve patients in the ER.

Today, he uses his experience to connect with others going through pain, especially those who are marginalized or struggling in silence. He’s become a quiet force of compassion in the emergency department, and he actively works with first responders to address stress and emotional wellness.

This episode explores:

-The vulnerability of being a physician in need of help

-Why supporting each other through hard times is essential

-How personal grief shaped his approach to medicine and service

-The difference between emotional pain and mental illness

-The healing power of showing up for others

-If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, alone, or like you had to stay strong while falling apart, this story will speak to you.

🎧 Tune in and hear how one doctor turned pain into purpose—and found healing through helping.

Idaho Physician Vitality Program https://idahofamilyphysicians.org/iafp-physician-vitality-program/

Dr. Sara Metz developed a PEER support program https://www.code4counseling.com/our-mission

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this inspiring podcast, I was able to meet with Dr. Leo Damasco, a pediatric emergency physician, devoted family man, and visionary founder of a nationwide telemedicine company. Discover how he transitioned from high-intensity ER shifts to delivering compassionate virtual care to communities across the U.S.

Dr. Damasco shares his journey of building a purpose-driven telehealth practice, finding true work-life balance, and reigniting his passion for medicine. He now coaches fellow physicians ready to embrace telemedicine—helping them reclaim their time, rediscover joy in their profession, and make a powerful impact far beyond hospital walls.

Whether you're a doctor curious about telemedicine, a healthcare professional seeking balance, or simply someone inspired by purpose-driven innovation, this episode will leave you moved and motivated.

Check out Telemedicine Talks at https://www.doctorpodcastnetwork.co/telemedicinetalks

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

In this compelling episode, I was privileged to sit down with Dr. Megan Missanelli, a dedicated OBGYN who brings a multigenerational passion for women’s health to underserved communities. As a mother, a public health advocate, and the daughter of an OBGYN, she’s on a mission to transform maternal and fetal outcomes, especially in rural and underserved settings. Discover how her deep roots in medicine and motherhood inspired her to stay and serve where care is most needed—and how she’s helping bridge critical gaps in obstetrics. We explore her work developing an innovative fetal monitoring tool, and why she believes that access to high-quality obstetric care shouldn’t depend on your zip code. Whether you're passionate about public health, maternal care, rural medicine, or healthcare innovation, this episode sheds light on the importance of resource equity and resilience in modern medicine.

Check out Dr. Missanelli's device development at https://mv1.co

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.