Breaking Barriers in Anesthesiology and the Power of Social Media with Dr. Alopi Patel, Part 1

08/12/24 • 19 min

In this empowering episode of Sevo Sistas , the host is joined by Dr. Alopi Patel, a trailblazing anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist. Dr. Patel shares her inspiring journey into medicine, overcoming the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated fields of anesthesiology and pain medicine, and her experience building a strong social media presence to address pelvic pain and women's health issues.

Key Topics Discussed:

Defining Expertise:
- Understanding that expertise is relative term and begins even as a medical student or resident.
- Encouragement for early-career professionals to share their knowledge and be part of the solution.
Dr. Patel’s Journey:
- Inspired by her grandfather and a friend's father, Dr. Patel shares how she became interested in medicine and anesthesiology.
- The unique challenges of being a woman in a field where only a third of anesthesiologists are women, and how that led her to specialize in pain medicine.
Challenges in Pain Medicine:
- The male dominance in pain medicine, with only 18% of pain physicians being women.
- The importance of addressing and treating pelvic pain, which is often misunderstood and stigmatized.
- The unexpected discovery of a significant number of male pelvic pain patients.
Building a Social Media Presence:
- The creation of the "Female Pain Docs" platform on TikTok and Instagram to provide accurate medical information and advocacy.
- Navigating the challenges of maintaining a professional presence on social media while working for an academic institution.
- Practical tips on staying within institutional guidelines and the importance of transparency and caution when using social media as a healthcare professional.
Navigating Social Media as a Physician:
- Understanding the "Green, Yellow, Red" approach to posting content.
- The importance of professionalism, considering the long-term impact of online content

Takeaways:

Medical professionals at any stage of their career can be experts and should feel empowered to share their knowledge and address the issues they observe.
Social media can be a powerful tool for educating the public, addressing misinformation, and advocating for underrepresented areas in medicine, but it must be used thoughtfully and within professional guidelines.

Links & Resources:

Follow Dr. Alopi Patel on Twitter: @alopipatelmd
Learn more about Women Innovators in Pain Management: https://www.wipmsoc.org/
Check out the Female Pain Docs: https://thefemalepaindocs.com/ Podcast: https://thefemalepaindocs.com/podcast-2/ Tiktok and Instagram: thefemalepaindocs

Call to Action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Tune in next time for part two, where we continue our conversation with Dr. Patel, diving deeper into her strategies for managing work-life balance and her future goals in anesthesiology and pain medicine.

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Key Topics Discussed:

Defining Expertise:
- Understanding that expertise is relative term and begins even as a medical student or resident.
- Encouragement for early-career professionals to share their knowledge and be part of the solution.
Dr. Patel’s Journey:
- Inspired by her grandfather and a friend's father, Dr. Patel shares how she became interested in medicine and anesthesiology.
- The unique challenges of being a woman in a field where only a third of anesthesiologists are women, and how that led her to specialize in pain medicine.
Challenges in Pain Medicine:
- The male dominance in pain medicine, with only 18% of pain physicians being women.
- The importance of addressing and treating pelvic pain, which is often misunderstood and stigmatized.
- The unexpected discovery of a significant number of male pelvic pain patients.
Building a Social Media Presence:
- The creation of the "Female Pain Docs" platform on TikTok and Instagram to provide accurate medical information and advocacy.
- Navigating the challenges of maintaining a professional presence on social media while working for an academic institution.
- Practical tips on staying within institutional guidelines and the importance of transparency and caution when using social media as a healthcare professional.
Navigating Social Media as a Physician:
- Understanding the "Green, Yellow, Red" approach to posting content.
- The importance of professionalism, considering the long-term impact of online content

Takeaways:

Medical professionals at any stage of their career can be experts and should feel empowered to share their knowledge and address the issues they observe.
Social media can be a powerful tool for educating the public, addressing misinformation, and advocating for underrepresented areas in medicine, but it must be used thoughtfully and within professional guidelines.

Links & Resources:

Follow Dr. Alopi Patel on Twitter: @alopipatelmd
Learn more about Women Innovators in Pain Management: https://www.wipmsoc.org/
Check out the Female Pain Docs: https://thefemalepaindocs.com/ Podcast: https://thefemalepaindocs.com/podcast-2/ Tiktok and Instagram: thefemalepaindocs

Call to Action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Previous Episode

Lost as to how to Match in Anesthesiology? Strategies for Matching as a DO with Dr. Alanna Gordon

Welcome back to Sevo Sistas, the podcast where we demystify and diversify the field of anesthesiology, all within the duration of an anesthesia break. In this week's episode, we conclude our insightful interview with Dr. Alanna Gordon, a Black woman DO who recently matched at the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her anesthesiology residency. Dr. Gordon shares valuable advice that applies not only to DOs but to anyone considering a career in anesthesiology.

Key Topics Discussed:

Choosing Residency Programs:
- Dr. Gordon's strategic approach to selecting anesthesiology residency programs.
- Importance of networking at events like AMEC hosted by UConn.
- Factors such as geographic preference, program diversity, and program culture.
Application Strategy:
- How Dr. Gordon applied to 42 programs, utilizing the new signaling system with 15 signals (5 gold and 10 silver).
- Insights on evaluating program friendliness toward DOs and the significance of diversity.
Signaling in Residency Applications:
- Explanation of the signaling system and its strategic use.
- The impact of signaling on program selection and interview invitations.
- The balance between expressing interest and managing application costs.
Interview Process:
- Dr. Gordon's experience with 11 interview invitations and her approach to preparing for them.
- Special experiences during her UConn interview, including the supportive environment and mentorship.
Navigating the Match Process:
- The importance of ranking programs and the emotional journey of Match Day.
- Dr. Gordon's experience with the SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program) and securing a transitional year at Stony Brook Southampton.
Final Thoughts:
- The importance of asking questions and taking initiative in the residency application process.
- Encouragement for medical students to network, attend open houses, and make personal connections.

Notable Quotes:

"You have to be very strategic in how you're applying, especially now with the signaling that anesthesiology has decided on." – Dr. Alanna Gordon
"Make sure you're at every AMEC and you're networking with everyone, because that's really what's going to get you through the door." – Dr. Alanna Gordon
"You can't be afraid to put yourself out there... The worst thing that can happen is someone can tell you no, and you go on to the next experience." – Dr. Alanna Gordon

Resources Mentioned:

AMEC (Annual Medical Education Conference) hosted by the Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
Visiting Externship for Students Underrepresented in Medicine (VESUM) Program at UConn

Connect with Us:

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: sevo sistas
Twitter: @sevosistas

Support the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform and sharing it with friends and colleagues. Your support helps us continue to bring you valuable insights and stories from the field of anesthesiology.

Next Episode

Overcoming Barriers and Building Your Personal Brand as a Physician with Dr. Alopi Patel

Episode Overview: In this empowering episode of Sevo Sistas, Dr. Elisha Peterson wraps up the series with Dr. Alopi Patel, co-host of the "Hurt by the Female Pain Docs" podcast. Dr. Patel shares her journey in overcoming internal limitations, the importance of building a personal brand as a physician, and actionable steps to create a social media presence.

Key Takeaways:

Overcoming Mental Barriers: Dr. Patel discusses the common mental barriers that physicians face when considering a public presence, such as self-doubt, introversion, and the fear of not being good enough. She emphasizes that if you don’t put your knowledge out there, someone else will, possibly not as effectively or accurately.
Finding Your "Why": Dr. Patel highlights the importance of discovering your passion or "why." For her, the drive to reach more women with pelvic pain through social media became her motivation to step out of her comfort zone.
Starting Simple: No fancy equipment is needed to start. Dr. Patel shares her humble beginnings, from recording podcast episodes in closets with minimal equipment to learning how to edit and produce content on her own.
The Power of Consistency: While content creation can be overwhelming, consistency is key. Dr. Patel advises finding a balance that works for you, whether it's posting once a week or once a month.
Defining Your Brand: For physicians, branding is about finding your niche and confidently becoming an expert in that area. Dr. Patel encourages graduates to carve out a specialty within their field, aligning it with their passion and mission.
Social Media Strategy: Dr. Patel suggests choosing social media platforms based on your target audience. For patient education, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are more effective, whereas LinkedIn or Twitter might be better for reaching fellow physicians.
Empowerment and Representation: Dr. Patel speaks on the importance of representation in medicine and how seeing someone who looks like you in the field can inspire others to follow their path.

Actionable Steps:

Reflect on your "why" and identify what you’re passionate about.
Start simple with the tools you already have and don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
Choose the right platform for your audience and be consistent with your content.
Intentionally cultivate your brand by focusing on a niche you enjoy and excel in.
Empower yourself and others by sharing your knowledge and experiences.

Connect with Dr. Alopi Patel:

Podcast: The Hurt by the Female Pain Docs
Instagram: @FemalePainDocs
Twitter: @FemalePainDocs
TikTok: @FemalePainDocs

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Empowered women, empower women. Together, let’s demystify and diversify the field of anesthesiology.