Lit Up Reads ✨

Ah, the art of doctoring and providing the best patient care is so much more than book smarts. Today’s guest optometrist Dr. Shirazian discusses her passion about bringing the art of humanizing healthcare to her students and through her platform. She covers topics such as the art of good patient communication, SPIKES Protocol for delivering bad news, her favorite medical humanities books, and more. Dr. Delaram Shirazian earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Read more…

Sleep deprivation in medicine is part of the deal, but why is it? Dr. Laura Vater (@doclauravater) shares her experiences and the experiences of others that have dealt with the grueling reality of sleep deprivation and working within a culture that rewards sleep deprived residents and trainees. She discusses the dangers she has personally faced, the mental health struggles associated with sleep deprivation, and what it will take to create a healthier system that promotes Read more…

Ever had to suck it up in a tough burnout situation? Sarah Gaines talks about how she walked away from a corrosive, unsupportive environment that denied her the time she needed to grieve after her father passed away and into the ‘unknown’ of travel nursing. Travel nursing flipped Sarah’s life upside down in the best way possible. She shares big misconceptions about the uncertainties of travel nursing, how to negotiate (tips that can be applied Read more…

“After trauma happens, the body holds what the mind cannot.”  Dr. Mariel Buquè is a Columbia University-trained licensed psychologist, holistic mental health expert, and sound bath meditation healer. She talks about the not-so-ouvert signs of trauma that can be passed down from one generation to the other, collective stress, dealing with burnout on top of trauma, and how to access ancestral wisdom. Dr. Buquè also shares holistic modalities that work for her and her patients and Read more…

If you’re on the burnout train, then hop on this solo episode by your host, Erika del Pozo MOT, OTR/L where she shares advice her community shared with her and some of her own suggestions. Erika has gone through burnout early on in her career as an occupational therapist, and in this episode she shares personal antidotes and comforting words from her community that just may light up your burned out path. Listen to the Read more…

Self-care and community-care- are they the same? Is self-care expensive and unattainable? “Regardless of your gender, your race, self-care is for everyone.” Our guest Katrina Leggins is a licensed therapist, self-care educator, writer, and speaker.  Katrina is also the founder and creator of K. Nicole Writing and CEO of the K. Nicole Writing Collection, an apparel line that supports self-care and mental health awareness. K. Nicole Writing is an informational and inspirational platform that helps Read more…

Have you ever experienced burnout just from advocating for your patients? Doesn’t it feel like you’re screaming into a black hole in healthcare sometimes because organizations put profits over patients? Dr. Veronica Velasquez, PT, DPT is an acute care physical therapist, working in a small community hospital in South Los Angeles/Compton, CA. She is fortunate to be able to work, since she is also an undocumented immigrant. Veronica shares her undocumented journey and the misconceptions Read more…

Ever went from feeling like you’re on top of the world and ready to thrive in school or your career, only to find that you are barely surviving? Founder of Latinx En Medicina and 4th year medical student Leslie Gonzalez shares her story about her hiatus from medical school, burnout, mental health, representation in medicine, and more. Listen to the whole episode on: iTunes Spotify (or wherever you listen to podcasts, we’re there!) Burnt Out Read more…

Resilience- if we didn’t have it before 2020, we certainly have it now. This is a special #LitUp2021 throwback episode with Nurse Mo. A personal and professional mindset development specialist and world traveler, she discusses the essence of resilience, making declarations of bringing forth high energy in your life, “the truth is enough,” and more. Listen to the whole episode on: iTunes Spotify (or wherever you listen to podcasts, we’re there!) Burnt Out To Lit Read more…