Episode 49: Medicine Across Two Worlds - From Norway to Montana and Starting Over

Episode 49: Medicine Across Two Worlds - From Norway to Montana and Starting Over

Hosted by Dr Kirtee Koushi Conhyedoss Dr Mette Strand trained in Norway, moved to rural Montana and then had to find her way back into medicine in a completely different country. In Part 1 of our conversation, Mette tells me how her love of travel, horses and the mountain lifestyle first brought her to Montana and how meeting her now-husband changed the direction of her life. We talk about the process of getting her Norwegian medical degree recognised in the United States, completing an Internal Medicine residency, and adjusting to a medical system that felt very different from the one she had known in Norway. We also talk about: • The cultural differences between Norway and America • Why Mette chose rural life and primary care • Working 60–80 hours a week during residency • Differences between the Norwegian and American healthcare systems • Starting residency with two very young children • Having another baby during medical training • Missing time with her children and dealing with mum guilt Mette doesn't pretend that balancing motherhood and residency was easy. She talks openly about the choices she had to make, what she had to let go of and why she hopes her children will one day understand what she was working towards. Part 2 continues with the practical support that helped her get through residency, how she looked after herself and what she would tell other doctors who are also mothers. Send your feedback: juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com [juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com] Follow on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/]

Episode 48: The Weight We Carry After A Code - Feeling What We're Taught to Bury (Solo Episode)

What happens after the resuscitation ends? In this deeply personal solo episode, I share my experience of leading an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest for the first time as an Emergency Medicine Registrar and the emotional impact that followed. As healthcare professionals, we're trained to stay calm under pressure, make critical decisions, and keep moving forward. But what happens when the adrenaline fades and the reality of what we've witnessed catches up with us? Drawing on insights from emergency physician Dan Dworkis and his concept of the "emergency brain," I explore why many clinicians can function during a crisis, only to feel the weight of it afterwards. In this episode, I reflect on: • Leading my first cardiac arrest as team leader • The emotional aftermath of calling a time of death • Disenfranchised grief in healthcare • Why feeling deeply does not make us weak • The hidden emotional burden doctors carry • Compassion, vulnerability, and humanity in medicine This conversation is for doctors, nurses, paramedics, healthcare workers, and anyone who has ever carried the weight of caring for others. Because perhaps the strongest people in medicine aren't the ones who don't feel. Perhaps they're the ones who continue to care despite everything they carry. Let us connect: Instagram: @thejuniordoctorseriespodcast Host: Dr Kirtee Koushi Conhyedoss Send your feedback: juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com [juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com]

Episode 47: Burnout, Career Change & Reclaiming Yourself in Healthcare

Burnout doesn't just affect how we feel — it can also reshape how we see our work, our purpose, and ourselves. In this final episode, Vy reflects on how burnout affected her professional life, influenced her career path, and changed the way she approached her work in healthcare. She shares her transition from ICU and emergency nursing into advanced practice and family medicine, as well as the renewed sense of purpose she found along the way. We also explore the impact of the pandemic, the pressure healthcare professionals face to keep giving at the expense of themselves, and the cultural and societal forces that can contribute to burnout. In this episode we discuss: • How burnout can influence career direction • The impact of burnout on professional identity • Working in healthcare during the pandemic • Cultural and societal contributors to burnout • Why boundaries are essential for protecting wellbeing Vy closes the conversation with a powerful reminder: setting boundaries is not selfish — it is one of the most important tools we have for preventing burnout and reconnecting with ourselves. Send your feedback: juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com [juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com] Follow on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/]

Episode 46: Motherhood, Medicine & Making It Work

Balancing motherhood, education, and a career in healthcare is no easy task. In this episode, Vy shares her experience of becoming pregnant during graduate school, breastfeeding while studying and working clinical shifts, and navigating the realities of family life while pursuing a demanding healthcare career. She reflects on the support she received from her husband, colleagues, and workplace, as well as the importance of knowing her rights and advocating for what she and her family needed during that season. In this episode we discuss: • Pregnancy during graduate training • Breastfeeding while studying and working in healthcare • Balancing motherhood, education, and professional life • Workplace support and lactation rights • The importance of advocacy, flexibility, and support systems This episode is an honest and inspiring reflection on motherhood in medicine and what it takes to make it work. Send your feedback: juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com [juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com] Follow on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/]

Episode 45: Coping with Burnout - Support Systems, Mindfulness & Emotional Resilience

Burnout recovery is not just about rest — it is also about support, self-awareness, and learning how to reconnect with yourself. In this episode, Vy shares the coping strategies and support systems that helped her navigate burnout and difficult seasons in her life. We explore the role of counselling, cognitive reframing, brain dumping, mindfulness, and learning how to set healthier boundaries. Vy also reflects on the importance of support systems, including her husband, colleagues, movement, nature, creativity, and making space for joy outside of work. In this episode we discuss: • Coping strategies for burnout • Counselling, emotional awareness, and cognitive distortions • Brain dumping, mindfulness, and boundaries • The role of support systems in healthcare • Why healing often involves both people and places This episode is a thoughtful reflection on what it takes to stay grounded while working in emotionally demanding spaces. Send your feedback: juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com [juniordoctorseriespodcast@gmail.com] Follow on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/thejuniordoctorseriespodcast/]