How can storytelling bridge the gap between clinicians and patients in modern medicine?

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma sits down with Dr. Allan Detsky, as he shares his journey from economics and clinical practice to teaching narrative medicine. He discusses the inspiration behind his narrative medicine course, sparked by his JAMA op-eds and stories like “The Hockey Stick,” where he connected with a terminally ill patient by arranging a special hockey experience. Dr. Detsky explains how narrative competence—using techniques like weaving stories or shocking patients with unexpected gestures—enhances patient care and clinician empathy. He also highlights his innovative “music video” teaching method, using songs like Hotel California to sharpen observation skills and foster mindfulness among residents. With insights from his career, including his time as physician-in-chief at Mount Sinai Hospital, this episode is essential for healthcare providers seeking to deepen patient connections through storytelling.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Incorporate Narrative Competence – Use storytelling to build trust with patients. Find shared interests, like Dr. Detsky’s hockey story, to create partnerships in care, and practice weaving personal or cultural narratives to enhance communication.
2. Enhance Observation Skills – Adopt Dr. Detsky’s “music video” technique by using art, like songs or theater clips, to train clinicians in noticing details about patients’ environments and emotions, improving diagnostic and empathetic skills.
3. Foster Vulnerability in Practice – Encourage transparency by sharing appropriate personal stories or vulnerabilities with patients and trainees, creating a safe space for emotional connection, as seen in Dr. Detsky’s narrative medicine course.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest

Dr. Allan Detsky is a professor and clinical investigator at the University of Toronto's Department of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, with cross-appointments in General Internal Medicine. Trained in economics (PhD from Harvard-MIT) and medicine (Harvard Medical School), he served as Physician-in-Chief at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and has published extensively on health policy and economics. A prolific writer for JAMA, he teaches narrative medicine, drawing from personal stories like "The Hockey Stick" and "My Father's Voice." Twice nominated as a Tony Award producer for musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar and Come From Away, Dr. Detsky emphasizes storytelling's role in medicine, humility, and conflict resolution.

Email: Allan.Detsky@sinaihealthsystem.ca

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma interviews Kyle Claussen, to discuss the evolution of Resolve since its founding 15 years ago by a physician addressing gaps in residency training on compensation and contracts. He highlights the unique aspects of medical contracts, the shift toward employment models, and the increasing complexity of language post-COVID. Key topics include aligning contracts with personal priorities, capping call duties, ensuring extra pay for additional work, and leveraging market data for fair reimbursement. Kyle emphasizes negotiating in good faith, overcoming conflict avoidance, and empowering physicians—especially women and minorities—to recognize their value. He advocates for data-driven approaches, understanding financials for private practice, and preparing for renegotiations. This episode equips healthcare professionals with tools to level the playing field and achieve resilient, fulfilling careers.

Three Actionable Takeaways

1. Align Contracts with Priorities – Before negotiating, clarify your non-negotiables like call frequency, locations, and tail coverage. Use market data to ensure the document reflects verbal promises and protects against workforce changes.
2. Leverage Data for Fair Compensation – Access benchmarks like MGMA to negotiate salary, bonuses, and extra pay for additional duties. Recognize your value as a revenue generator and don't hesitate to ask for scribes or support staff to improve work-life balance.

Prepare for Private Practice Options – Explore both employed and independent paths; understand financials like profit/loss statements for ownership tracks. Negotiate with future partners in mind, balancing autonomy with risk tolerance.

About the Show:
Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest

Kyle Claussen is the CEO of Resolve, a company dedicated to empowering physicians through expert contract negotiation and compensation advocacy. With over 15 years of experience, Resolve, under Kyle’s leadership, has become a trusted resource, endorsed by more than 50 state medical societies and recognized nationally. Kyle is a frequent speaker across the U.S., sharing insights on physician contract strategies, salary benchmarks, and navigating employment challenges. As the spouse of a physician, he brings a personal understanding of the medical profession’s demands. Kyle is also a proud owner of a Bernedoodle named Murphy, who holds the title of “star of the house.” His mission is to level the playing field for physicians by providing data-driven tools and transparency to secure fair contracts and work-life balance.

Website: resolve.com

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma welcomes Dr. Gita Pensa, to share her personal journey through a 12-year medical malpractice case, highlighting the profound emotional impact of litigation on physicians. She explores the culture of silence and shame surrounding malpractice, the lack of preparation for navigating the legal system, and the fear-driven dynamics that lead to conflict, such as finger-pointing among colleagues. Dr. Pensa offers actionable tools for managing litigation stress, including understanding malpractice policies, practicing self-compassion, and fostering open communication with patients to prevent escalation. She also advocates for systemic changes, like the Michigan Model, to prioritize transparent resolution over adversarial litigation. This episode is essential for healthcare professionals seeking to navigate malpractice with resilience and restore joy in their practice.

Three Actionable Takeaways

1. Cultivate Self-Compassion – Acknowledge the emotional weight of litigation without judgment. Use resources like Dr. Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion to process fear and shame, helping you stay grounded and resilient.
2. Learn Your Malpractice Policy – Understand your insurance policy and the financial stakes involved to reduce fear-driven decisions. Knowing who bears liability can help you avoid unnecessary conflict with colleagues.
3. Practice Compassionate Accountability – When addressing adverse events, communicate transparently with patients. Offer sincere apologies when appropriate to maintain trust and potentially de-escalate conflicts before they reach litigation.

About the Show:
Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest

Dr. Gita Pensa is an emergency medicine physician based in Rhode Island with over 20 years of experience. As adjunct faculty at Brown University, she specializes in associate internal medicine and emergency medicine. Dr. Pensa is the creator and host of Doctors and Litigation: The L Word podcast, where she explores the emotional and practical challenges of medical malpractice. A seasoned speaker and physician coach, she works with healthcare professionals, attorneys, and insurance companies to navigate litigation stress and foster resilience. Her work, informed by her own 12-year malpractice case, aims to break the silence around litigation and advocate for systemic change in healthcare.

• Website: doctorsandlitigation.com
• Podcast: Doctors and Litigation: The L Word

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma, welcomes Dr. Stephanie Byerly, to share her journey into trauma-informed coaching, inspired by personal and professional experiences, including EMDR therapy that transformed her life. She defines trauma as what happens inside you due to external events, emphasizing its impact on the nervous system and how it shapes conflict and workplace dynamics. Discussing both individual and organizational trauma, she highlights how chronic stress and distrust in healthcare systems exacerbate burnout and moral injury. Dr. Byerly offers practical tools, like fostering psychological safety and self-compassion, to help clinicians and leaders navigate trauma. This episode is a must-listen for healthcare professionals seeking to heal and create change from within.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Practice Self-Compassion – Reflect on personal trauma with kindness, recognizing it shapes your conflict responses, and use resources like What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry to understand its impact.
2. Create Psychological Safety – As a leader or colleague, foster trust by pausing, listening, and offering resources without judgment, helping others feel safe to address their trauma.
3. Start Where You Are – Begin trauma-informed practices individually to shift how you show up, creating a ripple effect of safety and resilience in your team, even if you’re not in leadership.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Stephanie Byerly is a board-certified obstetric anesthesiologist with over 25 years of experience at Baylor Grapevine, part of USAP Anesthesia. A certified trauma-informed coach through Lodestar Consulting’s Trauma Mitigation Masterclass, she integrates trauma-informed principles into women’s empowerment and leadership coaching. Inspired by her own trauma and EMDR therapy, Dr. Byerly helps healthcare professionals navigate burnout and conflict by fostering self-compassion and psychological safety. She works with Lodestar to drive cultural change in healthcare organizations and is passionate about helping clinicians heal from systemic and personal trauma.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniebyerlymd

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/stephaniebyerlymd

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stephaniebyerlymd

Website: https://www.stephaniebyerly.com

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

How can physicians drive meaningful change in a dysfunctional healthcare system? In this episode of Scalpel and Sword, host Dr. Lee Sharma, welcomes Dr. Andrea Austin, to share findings from her qualitative research on 15 physician change makers, exploring how they navigate barriers to transform healthcare. From cultivating emotional resilience and listening to dissent to using storytelling and understanding organizational dynamics, Dr. Austin reveals the internal and systemic strategies that empower physicians to lead change. She emphasizes the power of reflection, or “metacognition,” and compassionate accountability as key tools for personal and professional growth. This episode offers practical advice for healthcare professionals eager to create a better system while managing conflict constructively.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Practice Intentional Reflection – Carve out time daily to reflect on patient and colleague interactions, asking why conflicts arose and what personal or systemic factors influenced your response to foster growth.
2. Embrace Dissent and Conflict – Actively listen to dissenting voices and view conflict as a catalyst for change, using emotional agility to stay calm and productive in challenging situations.
3. Learn the System – Understand your organization’s policies, procedures, and key influencers to navigate change effectively, seeking historical context from past leaders to avoid repeating failed efforts.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Andrea Austin is a board-certified emergency physician, Navy veteran, and simulation educator with over 12 years of experience. She served in Iraq, trained military personnel at a top U.S. trauma center, and holds a Certificate in Health Professions Education from Uniformed Services University. As Simulation Director for Southwest Healthcare and host of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, she advocates for physician well-being. Her book, Revitalized, details her journey through burnout. Dr. Austin chairs the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians and is transitioning to Program Director at Sacred Heart, Pensacola.

Website: http://www.andreaaustinmd.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaaustinmd

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreaaustinmd

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

How are healthcare workers using strikes to improve patient care and working conditions? In this episode, Dr. Lee Sharma, hosts Professor Johnnie Kallas to share insights from his work tracking union and non-union strikes across the U.S., with a focus on the growing trend of fixed-duration strikes in healthcare. These short-term walkouts, often lasting one to five days, allow nurses and physicians to protest unsafe staffing ratios and working conditions while minimizing patient care disruptions. Drawing from his experience with the Service Employees International Union and California Nurses Association, Kallas discusses the economic and reputational leverage of these strikes, the unique regulatory environment under the National Labor Relations Act, and how post-COVID challenges have fueled labor activism. This episode is a must-listen for healthcare professionals navigating the evolving landscape of unionization and collective action.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Explore Fixed-Duration Strikes – Consider short-term strikes (1-5 days) as a strategic tool to advocate for better staffing, pay, and patient safety, ensuring compliance with the National Labor Relations Act’s 10-day notice requirement to maintain legal protections.
2. Leverage Public Support – Highlight patient care advocacy in strike messaging to counter hospital narratives of “greed” or “patient abandonment,” capitalizing on the public’s trust in nurses and physicians as frontline heroes.
3. Learn from Labor Action Tracker Data – Use the publicly accessible Labor Action Tracker to analyze strike trends, demands, and outcomes in healthcare to inform organizing strategies and negotiations in your workplace.

About the Show:
Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Professor Johnnie Kallas is a labor relations scholar and director of the Labor Action Tracker at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. With a PhD from Cornell University, he has extensive experience as a labor organizer with the Service Employees International Union and California Nurses Association. His research focuses on healthcare strikes, union strategies, and the impact of collective action on patient care and working conditions.

Email: jkallas@illinois.edu

Website: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/faculty-and-research/labor-action-tracker

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Can the familiarity between a surgeon and anesthesiologist impact patient outcomes? In this episode, Dr. Lee Sharma, welcomes Dr. Julie Hallet, to share insights from her recent JAMA Surgery study, which found that increased familiarity between surgeon-anesthesiologist teams leads to reduced 90-day morbidity in high-risk GI, GYN oncology, and spine surgeries. Sparked by her frustrations with inconsistent anesthesiology teams in Ontario’s regionalized system, Dr. Hallet’s research highlights the power of non-technical skills, trust, and shared worldviews in improving OR outcomes. She discusses why there’s no “magic number” for team familiarity, the challenges of scheduling stable teams, and her ongoing work to address anesthesiologists’ concerns and develop cost-neutral care models. This episode offers actionable insights for clinicians, administrators, and policymakers aiming to enhance patient care through team-based approaches.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Prioritize Surgeon-Anesthesiologist Familiarity – Schedule consistent surgeon-anesthesiologist teams for high-risk elective surgeries to reduce 90-day morbidity, leveraging the trust and communication built through repeated collaboration.
2. Advocate for Cost-Neutral Change – Use Dr. Hallet’s data to push for scheduling reforms that stabilize OR teams without requiring additional resources, emphasizing improved patient outcomes to hospital leadership.
3. Address Implementation Challenges – Engage anesthesiologists early to understand concerns about specialization and ensure care models balance familiarity with maintaining broad expertise, especially in smaller hospitals.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Julie Hallet is an associate professor of surgery at the University of Toronto and a hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and GI surgical oncologist at the Odette Cancer Center at Sunnybrook Health Sciences. With a medical degree from Université Laval and fellowships in complex surgical oncology (University of Toronto) and advanced hepatobiliary surgery (Strasbourg, France), she is also an associate scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute. Her research focuses on improving surgical outcomes through team dynamics and system-level changes.

Email: Julie.hallet@sunnybrook.ca  

Twitter: @HalletJulie

Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Can setting boundaries transform your medical practice and personal life? Host Dr. Lee Sharma sits down with Dr. Ruby Powar, to explore her inspiring journey from Vancouver, Canada, to building a private practice alongside her husband. Drawing from her diverse experiences in urgent care, hospice, and outpatient medicine, Dr. Power shares how she prioritized family while navigating the challenges of establishing a practice. She discusses the power of internal and external boundaries to create harmony in both professional and personal spheres, offering practical strategies for conflict resolution and team-building in a small practice. From choosing not to admit patients to preserve work-life balance to learning the business side of medicine, Dr. Powar’s story weaves together themes of curiosity, resilience, and gratitude. This episode provides actionable insights for physicians aiming to align their practice with their personal values and sustain their passion for medicine.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

1. Define Internal Boundaries First – Reflect on your personal priorities and set internal boundaries to guide career decisions, ensuring alignment with your values, such as family or work-life balance.
2. Establish Conflict Resolution Processes – Create structured processes for addressing workplace conflicts, including designated times for discussion and built-in pauses to reduce emotional reactivity.
3. Embrace Curiosity in Career Choices – Explore diverse practice opportunities early in your career to discover what aligns with your strengths and passions, avoiding the trap of comparing yourself to others.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Ruby Powar is a family physician in private practice in Auburn, Alabama, alongside her husband. A graduate of the University of West Indies and a former resident at North Shore-LIJ, she also serves as a physician for the city of Opelika. With a background in urgent care, hospice, and outpatient medicine, Dr. Powar brings a unique perspective on balancing family, professional growth, and practice management. Her journey reflects a commitment to curiosity, resilience, and fostering harmony in both her personal and professional life.

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.