Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this special solo episode, Dr. Sarah Smith—family doctor, clinical day advisor, and charting coach—reflects on a major milestone: the five-year anniversary of the Charting Champions program. She shares her personal journey from burnout and paperwork overwhelm to developing sustainable strategies for physicians and clinicians to reclaim time, boost efficiency, and improve quality of life.

You’ll hear the inspiring story behind Charting Champions, how the program was built step-by-step, its expansion to help a diverse range of specialties, and real success stories from members who have transformed their clinical day. Dr. Sarah Smith also highlights the value of peer support, assistant coaches, and expert guest workshops that make this community thrive.

Whether you’re struggling with backlog, searching for better ways to manage your administrative burden, or simply wanting to enjoy more time outside of medicine, this episode is packed with practical advice, encouragement, and a celebration of what’s possible when strategy meets support. Stick around for updates on upcoming masterclasses, backlog events, and ways you can get more involved with a thriving network dedicated to making clinical medicine more sustainable—one chart at a time.

Here are 3 key takeaways for anyone striving for more sustainable and fulfilling clinical work:

1. Sustainable Strategies Work: The Charting Champions approach (now with 1,500+ doctors) has led to a significant reduction in hours spent on charting and paperwork outside of clinical hours—without impacting patient care or volume.
2. Improved Quality of Life: Data from the program shows doctors reported greater focus, more control over their day, increased mental energy, and a marked decrease in burnout and work-related dread.
3. Community & Lifelong Support: Lifetime access, peer support, and live coaching calls offer tailored help for every stage and change in a clinician’s career. Programs like Backlog Buddies provide a judgment-free space to tackle paperwork with others, making tough tasks more doable—and even fun!

Meet The Charting Coach:

Dr. Sarah Smith is a dedicated family doctor, clinical day advisor, and the innovative mind behind the Charting Champions coaching program. As host of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine podcast, Dr. Smith shares inspiring conversations with colleagues and world experts to help physicians find more sustainable ways to navigate their clinical day and carve out time for life outside medicine. In October 2020, she launched Charting Champions, which now celebrates its fifth anniversary, empowering doctors to transform their charting processes and clinical routines. With remarkable passion, Dr. Smith continues to support and guide healthcare professionals, equipping them with strategies to enhance well-being and thrive both in and out of practice.

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith is joined by Dr. Archana Shrestha—an emergency physician, certified coach, author, and founder of the Mama Doc School and Physician Wellness Solutions. Together, they dive deep into the journey of physician burnout, particularly from the perspective of emergency medicine. Dr. Shrestha shares her personal story of navigating the double burden of clinical and parental burnout, and how she transformed her approach to wellness by addressing not just physical exhaustion, but also the crucial mental and emotional components.

Listeners will hear about practical strategies for reclaiming energy, building emotional resilience, and making time for life outside of medicine. Dr. Shrestha opens up about the challenges women in medicine face, the importance of self-stewardship, and why addressing the dread around tasks like charting can have far-reaching impacts on personal health and quality of life. Whether you're looking to overcome burnout, manage stress eating, or simply feel more fulfilled in your medical career, this episode is packed with insightful advice and real-life inspiration for making clinical practice more sustainable.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Burnout has multiple layers: It isn’t just physical exhaustion. Addressing mental and emotional fatigue is just as crucial for true recovery and lasting wellness.
2. Processing emotions is a skill, not a luxury: Dr. Shrestha details a practical method
   (the “H & P” approach) for health professionals to name, rate, and process difficult emotions—crucial in high-stress environments like the ER.
3. Self-stewardship is essential: True self-care goes beyond the occasional treat; it’s about reclaiming basic needs like sleep, movement, healthy food, and time for yourself—so you can give your best at work and at home.

Meet Dr. Archana Shrestha:

Dr. Archana Shrestha is an emergency physician, certified coach, author, and speaker who is passionate about helping physicians create lasting wellness. She is the founder and Chief Wellness Officer of Mama Docs School and Physician Wellness Solutions, where she leads programs designed to reduce burnout and help doctors reclaim their health, energy and joy in medicine. Drawing from both her personal journey and professional expertise, Dr. Shrestha’s mission is to empower physicians not just to survive the demands of medicine—but to truly thrive.

You can find Dr. Archana Shrestha on:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightymommd/
• https://www.mamadocsschool.com/
• https://physicianwellnesssolutions.com/

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In today’s episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Laura Suttin, a family physician from Texas who has transitioned from full-time clinical practice to a dynamic career in consulting, coaching, and leadership within healthcare organizations. Dr. Suttin shares her journey from frontline family medicine into administrative roles, highlighting the unique challenges faced in both spheres — from adapting to EMRs and managing work-life balance, to navigating the delicate balance between administrative demands and patient care.

Together, Dr. Suttin and Dr. Smith explore strategies for creating more sustainable clinical days, reducing administrative burdens, fostering effective team communication, and building supportive leadership structures that empower clinicians. Whether you’re a clinician yearning for more time and less burnout, or a healthcare leader aiming to build thriving teams, this conversation offers valuable insights and actionable ideas for making clinical practice more sustainable for everyone.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Effective Leadership Matters: Suttin emphasized how team well-being starts with leadership—respect, transparency, and clear communication are foundational to a clinic’s success.
2. Boundaries Create Balance: She shared actionable strategies for clinicians to set boundaries between administrative duties and patient care, like physical/electronic separation and explicit policies for inbox coverage. These systems help prevent overwhelm and improve workflow.
3. Team-Based Support Reduces Burden: Morning team huddles, warm handovers, and a buddy system for inbox management are just a few processes that can bring teams together, streamline care, and foster continuity for patients.

Meet Dr. Laura Suttin:

Dr. Laura Suttin is a physician, former healthcare executive, certified coach, speaker, organizational consultant, and author of The Purposeful MD-Creating the Life You Love Without Guilt. With decades of leadership experience, Laura partners with healthcare organizations to realign leadership and culture around her proprietary Compass Framework: Purpose, Connection, Empowerment, and Joy. Her work addresses burnout at its root—by transforming misaligned, fragmented cultures into high-performing environments where people thrive, outcomes rise, and the business bottom line improves. Laura’s clients stop chasing short-term burnout fixes and instead build resilient, sustainable healthcare systems—where engagement grows and both people and performance flourish.

You can find Dr. Laura Suttin on:

• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-suttin-md/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauraksuttin
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurasuttinmdcoach
• Ticktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepurposefulmd
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@thepurposefulMD

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this inspiring episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. David Park—a family physician, medical educator, executive coach, and true leadership enthusiast. Dr. Park shares his incredible journey, from immigrating to the U.S. from South Korea, to his early days as core faculty in New York, through pioneering roles as a founding dean in new medical schools across Nevada, Utah, and Montana.

Together, they dive into the realities of building a meaningful, sustainable medical career while juggling clinical practice, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Dr. Park opens up about the personal lessons he’s learned—including the importance of taking care of your own well-being, strategies for time management, and why effective delegation can empower both you and your team. He also discusses the value of faculty development, executive coaching, and how reconnecting with your purpose can fuel longevity and joy in medicine.

If you’re a clinician looking to craft a career path that honors your ambition while making room for balance, this episode is packed with wisdom you can put into action. Let’s dive in!

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Prioritize Self-Care Alongside Career Growth: No role is sustainable if it comes at the expense of your mental, physical, or spiritual health. Carve out time for rest, exercise, and reflection—even in the busiest phases of your career.
2. Delegation and Teamwork Drive Sustainability: Great leaders delegate effectively, leaning on the strengths and passions of their teams. Not only does this elevate others, but it keeps your own workload manageable and fosters a culture of shared success.
3. Invest in Lifelong Growth and Development: Never stop learning. Whether through executive coaching, public speaking courses, or leadership workshops, continued personal and professional development empowers you and those you mentor.

Meet Dr. David Park:

Dr. David Park is a dual board-certified family physician, medical educator, and nationally recognized leader in medicine. He has served in numerous leadership roles including medical school dean, residency program director, and president of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. Dr. Park has served on boards of various medical organizations at the local, state, and nation levels. He is passionate about leadership development, health and wellness, and developing the next generation of physician leaders. He is also an executive coach and his mission is to cultivate leaders by inspiring purpose, building confidence, and developing action-oriented leadership skills with the ultimate goal of creating a legacy of leadership.

You can find Dr. Daavid Park on:

• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjparkdo/

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Welcome to another episode of the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Pam Pappas, a seasoned psychiatrist based in Scottsdale, Arizona, whose passion for supporting physicians through burnout has shaped a unique and impactful career. Drawing on her extensive background in psychiatry, integrative medicine, homeopathy, and spiritual wellness, Dr. Pappas shares her personal journey through multiple cycles of burnout and the hard-won wisdom that emerged from those experiences.

Together, Dr. Smith and Dr. Pappas explore the realities of working in high-pressure medical environments, the myth that changing jobs will always solve burnout, and the deep cultural expectations in medicine that can make doctors feel isolated and inadequate. Dr. Pappas discusses how coaching—still a novel concept for many in healthcare—became a lifeline for herself and now forms the cornerstone of her work with colleagues seeking more sustainable and fulfilling clinical lives.

Listeners will gain insight into the importance of self-reflection, tapping into one’s inner wisdom, and making authentic choices—whether that means reshaping your current position or making a courageous transition. This conversation offers tangible hope and guidance for clinicians who are craving real change and a more balanced, joyful path in medicine.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Real Healing Goes Beyond the Surface: Burnout isn’t just about toxic environments—it’s also about how we process and integrate our experiences as clinicians. Coaching can help us ask deeper questions, like “What do you truly want?” instead of just “How do you cope?”
2. Mentorship Isn’t the Same as Coaching: Traditional medical mentorship often models unsustainable work habits, while coaching creates space for reflection, self-discovery, and personalized pathways to change—something most doctors have never been asked to do.
3. Your Wisdom Is a Hidden Superpower: Dr. Pappas highlights the importance of tapping into our own innate wisdom—beyond intellect and rote skills—to guide us toward more aligned, joyful, and sustainable careers in medicine.

Meet Dr. Pam Pappas:

Pam Pappas MD, FAPA is a highly experienced psychiatrist and physician coach who helps physicians cultivate clarity, compassion, wisdom, and FUN in their personal lives, medical practices, teams, and organizations. She lives and works from a psychospiritual understanding that takes excess worry and stress off our minds, and revives hope, insight, autonomy, and sense of purpose. This "Wisdom-Informed" orientation allows more natural, fulfilling, and effective action in the world -- transforming burnout into wholehearted living, working, and leading.

You can find Dr. Pam Pappas on:

• Facebook: @TheAHADoctor
• Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pampappasmd/
• Website: https://www.thehappymd.com/physician-coach-pam-pappas
• Website: https://drpampappas.com/

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Welcome to the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smith sits down with Dr. Marcia Kashani, a nurse and experienced healthcare improvement advisor, to explore practical strategies for making your clinical day more efficient, effective, and—most importantly—sustainable. Drawing on years of experience facilitating primary care transformation and team-based initiatives, Dr. Kashani shares stories of real-world success: from leveraging the strengths of every team member, to optimizing clinic workflows, and even reimagining how tasks get delegated to maximize value for both clinicians and patients.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a never-ending list of tasks, long wait times for appointments, or the challenge of figuring out what you can hand off—and to whom—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Dr. Smith and Dr. Kashani offer actionable insights into improving access, reducing unnecessary physician workload, and embracing change as a path to better care and a better work-life balance. Whether you’re part of a large clinic or running a small practice, you’ll find inspiration and hope for positive change right here. Tune in and take one step closer to reclaiming time for your patients—and yourself!

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Empower Your Team: Distinguish between physician, nurse, and administrative tasks. When tasks are thoughtfully delegated—like patient screening calls or form-filling—clinicians can reclaim time for patient care and improve office efficiency.
2. Reduce Unnecessary Visits: Examine return visit rates and consider whether clinical follow-ups always require physician attention. Thoughtful use of nurses, pharmacists, and even patients’ support networks can safely reduce visit volumes and waiting times.
3. Leverage Process Improvement: Document and map out workflows to highlight inefficiencies, duplications, and points of delay (like EMR optimization or referral processing). Even simple changes—like consistently titling scanned documents—deliver significant time savings for clinicians.

Meet Dr. Marcia Kashani:

Marcia has over 40 years of front-line nursing and progressive leadership experience in primary care, community care and acute care. Notable accomplishments include involvement in the business planning and governance of multiple Primary Care Networks in the Edmonton Zone.

In 2005 her focus turned to Quality Improvement and System Redesign where she became the first non-physician AIM faculty, participating in several AIM collaboratives. She completed the Improvement Advisor Program through the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and continued as a facilitator for the program.

Most recently, Marcia has been a project manager with the Edmonton Zone Primary Care Networks team and North Zone Primary Care Business Unit, including work with Transitions of Care, Specialty Access and Referral teams, and assisting Practice Facilitators with improvement initiatives.

You can find Dr. Marcia Kashani on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcia-kashani-44898638/

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click Here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

**** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don’t forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released.

**** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life.

**** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.