Cut & Tell

"Back In My Day" - Why Today’s Residents Feel Less Prepared Than Ever | Cut & Tell

Attendings often tell stories about residency "back in the day" - more autonomy, more responsibility, more independence. But was training really better, or has the entire system changed? In this episode of Cut & Tell, plastic surgery resident Dr. Liz Malphrus explores why modern residents often report feeling less prepared for independent practice despite performing similar case volumes to previous generations. From duty-hour debates and supervision requirements to RVU-based compensation and the growing pressure for clinical productivity, she examines the structural forces reshaping surgical education. This isn't a conversation about whether residency is easier or harder. It's about understanding how the training environment has changed, and what that means for autonomy, burnout, and the future of medical education. Topics discussed: * Why case numbers don't tell the whole story * Resident autonomy and surgical confidence * The impact of RVU-based compensation on teaching * Academic medicine's productivity pressures * Why more residents pursue fellowship training * The relationship between autonomy and burnout * How surgical education has evolved over the past two decades * What attendings and residents can learn from each other Cut & Tell is a podcast exploring the realities of surgical training, medicine, and life beyond the operating room. Subscribe for new episodes and visit the Hippocratic Collective for more conversations about the culture of medicine.

The 3 Books Every Resident Should Read Before Graduation | Cut & Tell

What if the most important lessons of residency aren't found in a textbook? With graduation just days away, Liz shares the three pieces of writing that most shaped her understanding of medicine, residency, and life beyond training. From the realities of surgical culture and physician burnout to the hidden history of American healthcare and the power of personal agency, these recommendations offer a framework for understanding not just residency, but your place within the system. In this episode, Liz discusses: - Why Surgeon on the Edge by Frances Mei Hardin is the residency memoir she recommends over The House of God - What The Social Transformation of American Medicine reveals about the forces shaping modern healthcare - Why the essay How to Be More Agentic by Kate Hall may be the most important 10-minute read for physicians - How understanding systems can make you a more effective doctor - The mindset shifts Liz wishes she had before starting residency Whether you're a medical student, resident, attending physician, or simply interested in the realities of modern medicine, this episode offers a practical reading list for anyone trying to make sense of the profession, and build a career with intention. 🎧 New episodes of Cut & Tell every Thursday.

What Actually Makes a Great Resident | Cut & Tell

What makes a good resident? And beyond that — what actually makes someone great? In this episode of Cut & Tell, Dr. Liz Malphrus breaks down the unwritten skills of residency that no one formally teaches: anticipation, adaptability, reading the room, emotional resilience, communication, and learning how to survive medicine without becoming robotic in the process. From OR etiquette and closed-loop communication to social anxiety, burnout, and the strange art of staying positive during training, this is an honest conversation about the human side of becoming a doctor. Whether you’re a medical student, intern, resident, or just trying to survive a high-pressure environment, this episode is a candid look at the traits that actually matter — and why all of them can be learned. Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/my-six-stages-of-learning-to-be-a

My Museum of Failures | The Stories Behind Becoming a Surgeon

Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. In this episode, Dr. Liz Malphrus opens up about the failures, regrets, rejections, and detours that never make it onto a CV. From getting a C in biology at Columbia, to losing out on a White House job she thought would define her future, to walking away from a career in music — Liz reflects on the moments she once believed had ruined everything. This is a conversation about perfectionism, identity, career pivots, rejection, and the pressure in medicine to package every setback into a clean success story. Instead of a polished resume, this episode is an anti-resume: a candid look at the messy reality behind becoming a doctor. If you’ve ever felt behind, rejected, uncertain, or like your path hasn’t gone according to plan — this one’s for you. 🎧 New episodes of Cut & Tell every Thursday.

Residents Are Being Exploited (And Everyone Knows It) | Cut & Tell with Dr. Liz Malphrus

Cut & Tell is where medicine gets honest. In this episode, Dr. Liz Malphrus gets real about the hidden economics of residency training, and why so many residents feel trapped, undervalued, and burned out before they ever become attendings. With just weeks left before finishing plastic surgery residency, Liz reflects on what she wishes someone had told her on day one: know your worth. She shares: * Why residency is a job—not “just training” * How the system keeps residents financially powerless * The reality of working 80-hour weeks for low pay * Why residents can’t simply “leave” like other professionals * The emotional and financial cost of medical training * How healthcare depends on resident labor * Why anger about the system may actually be justified * What needs to change for the next generation of physicians From pandemic ICU shifts to the culture of silence in medicine, this is an unfiltered conversation about labor, identity, sacrifice, and the true cost of becoming a doctor. If you’ve ever wondered why residents are burning out, or lived through it yourself, this episode will hit hard. 🎧 New episodes of Cut & Tell every Thursday.