Nature as Teacher: Finding Presence, Purpose, and Renewal in Medicine

Nature as Teacher: Finding Presence, Purpose, and Renewal in Medicine

Today, we are joined by Dr. James Juarez, an emergency physician, educator, and founder of Oasis Adventures. Dr. James Juarez, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University and founder of Oasis Adventures. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Michigan State University Kalamazoo, then spent 16 years practicing emergency medicine in Southern Oregon before joining faculty and recently relocated to the Pacific Northwest. In this reflective conversation, Dr. Juarez explores how nature, community, and reflective practice have shaped his journey in medicine. Drawing on two decades of annual solo retreats, wilderness medicine teaching, and Oasis Adventures, he describes how nature creates space for honesty, self-awareness, and deep listening. We also cover: * Why emergency medicine: the draw toward immediacy and solvable problems * Nature as grounding and teacher: from childhood camping to wilderness medicine expeditions * The universal tension: balancing excellence in medicine with personal relationships and what matters most * Oasis Adventures: immersive retreats designed to help physicians slow down, reflect, and reconnect with values * Deep listening and beginner's mind: what gets in the way and how the practice opens possibility Learn from Dr. Juarez's integration of emergency medicine, wilderness education, coaching, and depth psychology to understand how nature, intentional retreat, and deep listening restore meaning and flourishing for clinicians. Links: Dr. James Juarez Profile: https://www.ohsu.edu/people/james-juarez-md [https://www.ohsu.edu/people/james-juarez-md] Dr. James Juarez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-juarez-md-dipph-169163a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-juarez-md-dipph-169163a/] Oasis Adventures: https://www.oasisadventures.com/ [https://www.oasisadventures.com/] Oregon Health Sciences University: https://www.ohsu.edu/ [https://www.ohsu.edu/] EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ [https://www.myempro.com/] EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ [https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/] Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ [https://www.physiciansupportline.com/] Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ [https://mickkrasnermd.com/] Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ [https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/] Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:50) Why Medicine: Chosen at Eight (04:00) The Draw to Emergency Medicine (06:25) Nature as Teacher (12:30) Moments of Awe (17:40) Origin of Oasis Adventures (19:30) Coaching and Transformation (25:20) Finding One's Path (27:40) Ingredients of Retreat (29:00) Creating Containers (36:20) Setting vs. Intention (38:00) Beginner's Mind (41:40) What Gets in the Way (44:50) Listen to Understand (47:30) Recently Moved to Pacific Northwest (50:00) Embodied Practices (57:30) Wilderness Practice for All (60:00) Conclusion

Connection, Belonging, and the Soul of Medicine

Today, we are joined by Dr. Craig Rooney, a counseling psychologist and healthcare leader whose career has focused on supporting the wellbeing of physicians, healthcare professionals, and learners. Dr. Craig Rooney is the inaugural Chief Wellbeing Officer at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he leads efforts to improve wellbeing across the health system. Drawing on his background in psychotherapy, integrated behavioral health, and clinician support programs, Dr. Rooney brings a unique perspective to the emotional and relational challenges facing healthcare today. In this conversation, Dr. Rooney explores the hidden emotional life of medicine, including perfectionism, grief, burnout, isolation, and the search for meaning in clinical work. He discusses what truly restores clinicians, why wellbeing requires both personal and organizational responsibility, and how healthcare institutions can create environments where both patients and caregivers can thrive. We also cover: * The culture of perfectionism and self-sacrifice in medicine * Grief, trauma, and emotional labor in clinical practice * Burnout as both an individual and systemic challenge * The importance of connection, vulnerability, and community * Inclusion, belonging, and their relationship to wellbeing * Reconnecting with purpose and creating more humane healthcare systems Learn from Dr. Rooney's years of experience working alongside physicians and healthcare professionals as he shares insights into what drives burnout, and what helps restore hope, meaning, and humanity in modern medicine. Links: Dr. Craig Rooney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-craig-rooney-phd-8649a219/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-craig-rooney-phd-8649a219/] University of Rochester Office of Wellbeing: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/office-of-wellbeing/our-team [https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/office-of-wellbeing/our-team] EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ [https://www.myempro.com/] EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ [https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/] Physician Support Line: +1 (888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ [https://www.physiciansupportline.com/] Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ [https://mickkrasnermd.com/] Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ [https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/] Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (05:00) Identity & Belonging (06:45) Lessons from Working with Physicians (09:00) Grief & Loss (11:10) Burnout & Trauma (12:10) Isolation & Connection (15:15) Becoming a Wellbeing Leader (16:05) Resilience vs. Systems (20:45) Building Community (21:20) Inclusion & Belonging (23:50) The Both/And Approach (29:55) Purpose & Meaning (32:35) Reasons for Hope (35:00) Concerns for Healthcare's Future (36:10) One Thing to Whisper to Medicine (36:40) Conclusion

Front Row Seats to Humanity: Awe and the Practice of Medicine with Dr. Erica Miller & Dr. Emily Salib | FIM Podcast #41

Today, we are joined by Dr. Erica Miller and Dr. Emily Salib, educators and physicians from the University of Rochester. Dr. Erica Miller, MD, is a cardiologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester. She serves as Program Director of the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. Dr. Emily Salib, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at UR and a Med-Peds hospitalist who holds multiple faculty development and residency leadership roles. In this rich and deeply human conversation, Drs. Miller and Salib join Mick Krasner to explore awe in medicine and how wonder, moral beauty, connection, and transcendence can sustain clinicians amid the pressures of modern healthcare. We also cover: * What awe is and Dacher Keltner's research * How modern medicine may unintentionally train awe out of trainees and clinicians * How to notice and cultivate awe in daily practice * New research linking awe and sacred moments to lower rates of burnout Learn from these two physician-educators about how awe might be a powerful, accessible, and overlooked resource for sustaining meaning and well-being in medicine. Dr. Erica Miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-miller-md/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-miller-md/] Dr. Erica Miller Profile: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360726-erica-miller [https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360726-erica-miller] Dr. Emily Salib Profile: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360918-emily-salib [https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/112360918-emily-salib] Greater Good Science Center: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ [https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/] Awe by Dacher Keltner: https://www.amazon.com/Awe-Science-Everyday-Wonder-Transform/dp/1984879685 [https://www.amazon.com/Awe-Science-Everyday-Wonder-Transform/dp/1984879685] A Grateful Day (by Brother David Steindl-Rast): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSt7k_q_qRU&t=28s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSt7k_q_qRU&t=28s] Gratefulness.org [http://Gratefulness.org]: https://gratefulness.org/ [https://gratefulness.org/] EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ [https://www.myempro.com/] EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ [https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/] Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ [https://www.physiciansupportline.com/] Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ [https://mickkrasnermd.com/] Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ [https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/] Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (06:35) Why Medicine (11:25) Defining Awe (13:35) Awe During the Pandemic (18:15) Awe & Clinicians (21:25) Cultural Fears (25:20) Awe with Colleagues (28:55) Connecting with Awe (32:00) Awe & Grief (37:00) Sacred Moments (41:00) Conclusion

Why Meaning Matters in Medicine with Dr. Jonathan Ripp | Flourishing In Medicine Podcast #40

Today, we are joined by Dr. Jonathan Ripp, a nationally recognized leader in physician well-being, serving as Senior Associate Dean for Well-Being and Resilience and Chief Wellness Officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Jonathan Ripp is a professor, researcher, and clinician who has helped shape the national conversation on burnout and resilience through his leadership of initiatives such as CHARM, his work with the ACGME and National Academy of Medicine, and his pioneering research on physician distress and professional fulfillment. At Mount Sinai, he leads system-wide efforts to support the flourishing of students, trainees, and faculty. Dr. Ripp brings both deep clinical experience and organizational perspective to questions about what it takes for healthcare systems to cultivate cultures where clinicians feel supported, connected, and able to thrive. We also cover: * The tension between medicine's ideals and the realities of modern healthcare systems, including burnout, moral distress, and the systemic roots of clinician suffering * The importance of organizational culture, psychological safety, and supportive leadership in creating environments where clinicians can flourish * Practical and hopeful developments, from coaching and peer support networks to AI tools that reduce clerical burden, while emphasizing that meaningful work, human connection, and purpose remain at the heart of sustainable healing professions Dr. Ripp concludes with a hopeful call to preserve purpose, community, and humanity in medicine while continuing to push for systemic change at the organizational and policy levels. Links: More on Dr. Ripp: https://profiles.mountsinai.org/jonathan-a-ripp [https://profiles.mountsinai.org/jonathan-a-ripp] Dr. Ripp’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-ripp-md-mph/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-ripp-md-mph/] Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: https://icahn.mssm.edu/ [https://icahn.mssm.edu/] EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ [https://www.myempro.com/] EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ [https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/] Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ [https://www.physiciansupportline.com/] Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ [https://mickkrasnermd.com/] Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ [https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/] Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:00) Why Medicine (04:00) Mount Sinai and Family Values (05:30) Ideals vs. Reality (08:00) When Burnout Became Real (10:00) Advancing Idealism in Medicine (12:00) Evolution of Physician Well-Being (15:00) System vs. Individual Factors (17:00) Performative vs. Authentic Wellness (20:00) What Healthy Culture Looks Like (23:00) Moral Distress and Leadership (26:00) What Works: System and Individual Level (29:00) Technology and Reducing Burden (32:00) Coaching and Community (35:00) CHARM Initiative (38:00) Conversations We Need to Have (40:00) Sustaining Meaning and Hope (42:00) Role of Ordinary Clinicians (44:00) Conclusion

Beyond the Screen: Presence and Technology in Medicine with Dr. Alice Loveys | FIM Podcast #39

Today, we are joined by Dr. Alice Loveys, a pediatrician and nationally recognized clinical informatics expert working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, digital health, and equity. Dr. Alice Loveys, MD, FAAP, FHIMSS, ABP-CI, is a pediatrician and Chief Medical Information Officer at IT Practice Consulting Group. She has practiced pediatrics in the Rochester region since 1994 and was among the inaugural class of United States physician diplomates in Clinical Informatics. Drawing from decades of experience spanning clinical care, software design, blockchain strategy, HIPAA/privacy initiatives, and healthcare leadership, she has become a nationally recognized voice on the intersection of medicine, technology, and human connection. Known as "Dr. Gadget" for her work testing and implementing new healthcare technologies, Dr. Loveys brings both clinical wisdom and systems-thinking to questions about how digital transformation can either fragment or deepen the healing relationship between clinicians and patients. In the conversation, Dr. Loveys shares how a Life Magazine photograph of a baby in utero sparked her lifelong sense of awe and wonder in medicine, revealing how that sense of the miraculous continues to inform her approach to both patient care and technology implementation. We also cover: * How electronic health records were built for billing rather than storytelling, and what gets lost when documentation systems prioritize transactions over relationships * The promise and ethical tensions of AI in medicine, including questions of bias, transparency, patient empowerment, and the cultural shifts needed to support shared decision-making * Why technology should be the "stone in stone soup" (the catalyst that brings people together) and how thoughtfully designed tools can reduce suffering when they preserve rather than replace human connection Dr. Loveys concludes by reminding us to never underestimate the laying on of hands, emphasizing that the guidance, empowerment, and authentic human encounter at the heart of healing must always come from or with a human being. Links: Dr. Ali Loveys LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ali-loveys/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ali-loveys/] EmPro Website: https://www.myempro.com/ [https://www.myempro.com/] EmPro Peer Support Program: https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/ [https://www.myempro.com/peer-support/] Physician Support Line: +1(888) 409-0141 Physician Support Line Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ [https://www.physiciansupportline.com/] Dr. Krasner's Website: https://mickkrasnermd.com/ [https://mickkrasnermd.com/] Mindful Practice in Medicine Website: https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/ [https://mindfulpracticeinmedicine.com/] Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:50) Dr. Alice Loveys (04:00) Why Medicine (09:00) The Concrete and the Miraculous (11:00) Systems in the Digital Age (16:00) Electronic Health Records (20:00) Technology and Burnout (23:00) Humanity in Informatics (31:00) AI in Medicine (35:00) Patient Empowerment (38:00) Blind Spots in AI (42:00) Sustaining Oneself (44:00) The Laying On of Hands (46:00) Conclusion