I was a third year medical student on a Sunday morning when the reality of what I had chosen as my life career truly hit me square in the gut. At that moment, I realized how intimate the practice of medicine was, and that I would have to bring not only my brain and skills to work every day, but also my heart.
Read MoreIt is much easier for us to accept that someone is more talented, or has a special gift. It makes us deny the fact that perhaps they simply work harder.
Read MoreThere have been many times in my life where I have been criticized for my choices. I am not a conformist. I am not a follower. I speak up.
Read MoreIf you had told me I would be writing someday on women’s issues I would have grabbed a pulse oximeter and placed it on your finger and checked your oxygen levels. As a physician scientist I have spent the majority of my career reading, studying, and writing on clinical medicine. Then something changed.
Read MoreIf there is one thing I have learned, it is to NEVER be ashamed of your story.
Read MoreThere have been many times where I have been judged by others for how direct I am. Not because I am rude, but because I am a woman.
Read MoreThe higher I get up the "ladder", the more I realize how little of my tribe is there. To be completely honest, as a woman who is actively building a career, I would be smart to keep my head down and just keep plowing ahead.
Read MoreWe are human beings and we all have weaknesses. Humility isn't "shyness" or staying quiet. Humility is knowing and admitting your weaknesses: strength is being #braveenough to change them.
Read MoreIt is still dark out when I walk into the busy and bustling preoperative area where patients and their family members crowd into small bays. They hand their personal belongings to the RN and their trust to me. As I walk in, I grab my patient’s hand, smile and say, “Hello. My name is Dr. Shillcutt, I am a Cardiac Anesthesiologist, and I am going to take care of you today.”
Read MoreIt is difficult to blaze a new trail. It is so much easier to listen to doubt and let the fear of failure keep you pinned in to a confortable, easy life.
Read MoreWhen you are turned down for something you had the moxie to try for, it can send a message that can resonate for years. Do not let it; you are more than someone else’s perception of your talents.
Read MoreAs a doctor, I have spent more than a decade learning medicine and nearly another practicing it. I get calls weekly from friends and family members with one complaint or another who want answers. They tell me things they wouldn’t tell their spouse
Read MoreThis week I was going though my email and unsubscribing to all these lists that somehow have ended up clogging my inbox.
Read MoreI've undergone some pretty harsh criticism lately, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard to hear. You are too much. Too flashy. Too intimidating. Too bossy. Too blunt. Arrogant.
Read MoreEarly in my career I made decisions that were different from my colleagues. The decisions were hard…and did not lead to an increase in salary or income.
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