This week we're talking to the Surgeon Coach, Mel Thacker, about the impact of overworking, setting well-defined goals, understanding the essential self vs. social self, finding happiness in the second curve of life, the importance of creativity in the second half of life, the pressure of external validation and imposter syndrome, navigating midlife crises, the role of vulnerability and relational competence in medicine, and the impact of fail safes and accountability in medicine.

Oh yeah it's a busy one - and a fun one. Come get some insights!

What does it mean to actually level up in medicine?

In this episode of I’m a Podstar, Not a Doctor, The American Pharaoh and Cuff Daddy sit down with Dr. Nick Pappas to break down #OrthoMaxxing — the art of becoming a better surgeon, building a real presence, and navigating the chaos of modern medicine without losing yourself in the process.

Nick shares how he built a following as a hand surgeon without sacrificing credibility, why most doctors are doing social media wrong, and how to balance education, entertainment, and authenticity in a world driven by algorithms.

We're talking to our old friend Mason - PA announcer for the Detroit Pistons this week! He's celebrating 25 years with the team and we're talking sports, AI, career paths, weird surgery shit, and just having a blast doing it all. The energy and laughs are infectous whenever he's around!