23. Michele Harper on Being a Guardian of the Vulnerable

Explicit content warning

10/05/20 • 52 min

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NY Times bestselling author Michele Harper, MD on setting boundaries, pre-shift routines, guarding the vulnerable, microaggressions, racism in the emergency department, and why inaction is just as much a choice as action.

Guest Bio: Dr. Michele Harper, is an emergency physician and author of The New York Times best selling memoir, The Beauty in Breaking. She's been interviewed on Trevor Noah, Fresh Air, CNN, NBC, amongst many others. Michele is also a widely published essayist, often focusing on race and medicine. Her writing shares her personal journey that started as a child in an abusive household, then to undergrad at Harvard, medical school at Stony Brook, New York, and now her life as an attending physician. And as you'll hear, she's got a personal mission to be a guardian for the vulnerable.

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🖱️ Website: Awakeandawarebend.com

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We discuss:

The importance of setting boundaries, especially when people are able to reach you 24/7 [03:20];
Her essay, “Sovereign Bodies” (The Cut), where Michelle shares a story demonstrating how difficult it can be for patients and providers to get the help they need [07:15];
Michele’s pregame routine before a shift in the ED (which includes probiotic chai tea and Eckhart Tolle) [12:00];
How growing up in an abusive household groomed Michele for a career in emergency medicine [16:45];
Why loving medicine is not enough to keep you in the game [19:15];
Patients who have a special place in Michele’s heart: children and anyone who might be in danger [23:00];
An excerpt from The Beauty in Breaking which explores the notion that we can find our center through chaos and by transcending difficult experiences [30:15];
How meditation and yoga help Michele remain still and steady in moments of chaos [32:15];
Why there’s nothing “micro” about microaggressions [36:00];
How it’s not the job of the victim to plant a seed of understanding for someone who delivers a microaggression [38:10];
Why people who are in a position of power need to try harder to prevent and correct indignities [43:30];
Her article “When This War Is Over, Many of Us Will Leave Medicine” (Elemental) which presents the idea that “healthcare providers are regarded as more disposable than our PPE” [44:30];
Michele’s call to action [50:45];
And more.

Awake + Aware | Our 2025 Live Event

🖱️ Website: Awakeandawarebend.com

🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!

The Flameproof Course

The hidden anti-burnout curriculum we all should have learned in training. Cohort 3 begins Sept 10, 2024. Get the deets

For full show notes of this episode and all sorts of other goodies, visit our podcast website

We discuss:

The importance of setting boundaries, especially when people are able to reach you 24/7 [03:20];
Her essay, “Sovereign Bodies” (The Cut), where Michelle shares a story demonstrating how difficult it can be for patients and providers to get the help they need [07:15];
Michele’s pregame routine before a shift in the ED (which includes probiotic chai tea and Eckhart Tolle) [12:00];
How growing up in an abusive household groomed Michele for a career in emergency medicine [16:45];
Why loving medicine is not enough to keep you in the game [19:15];
Patients who have a special place in Michele’s heart: children and anyone who might be in danger [23:00];
An excerpt from The Beauty in Breaking which explores the notion that we can find our center through chaos and by transcending difficult experiences [30:15];
How meditation and yoga help Michele remain still and steady in moments of chaos [32:15];
Why there’s nothing “micro” about microaggressions [36:00];
How it’s not the job of the victim to plant a seed of understanding for someone who delivers a microaggression [38:10];
Why people who are in a position of power need to try harder to prevent and correct indignities [43:30];
Her article “When This War Is Over, Many of Us Will Leave Medicine” (Elemental) which presents the idea that “healthcare providers are regarded as more disposable than our PPE” [44:30];
Michele’s call to action [50:45];
And more.

Previous Episode

22. Mastering Communication When It Matters Most

Who teaches doctors how to speak to patients (or each other)? It’s usually something that’s picked up as you go. Let’s be honest though, some clinicians are much better at clear and empathetic communication than others. It’s an under taught skill that’s way more important than the attention it gets. In this episode we take a look into the mind and practices of master clinician Loren Rauch. Loren is one of the wisest clinicians we know and intentionally applies humanity to every aspect of his practice. Among the topics addressed are: the ethical imperative of the well-deserved compliment; navigating difficult conversations; communicating with trainees, nurses and new learners; and tips for dealing with patient anxiety.

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Guest Bio: Loren Rauch, MD is a graduate of UCSF Medical School and holds masters degrees in both public health and health sciences from UC Berkeley. He completed his emergency medicine training at Harbor, UCLA and, in addition to decades of clinical experience in the United States, he has spent time as an instructor for first responders in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

Awake + Aware | Our 2025 Live Event

🖱️ Website: Awakeandawarebend.com

🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!

The Flameproof Course

The hidden anti-burnout curriculum we all should have learned in training. Cohort 3 begins Sept 10, 2024. Get the deets

For full show notes of this episode and all sorts of other goodies, visit our podcast website

We discuss:

Why we should thank patients for coming in to the emergency department, regardless of their chief complaint [05:15];
Using humor to reframe something you dread into something that makes you laugh [10:10];
Tips for helping ease the anxiety many patients (especially kids) have when in the ED [11:40];
Pros and cons of wearing a white coat [19:10];
Different approaches to informing patients about what tests you plan to do [22:15];
How to deliver the bad news of a miscarriage [24:55];
Helping family members when their loved one is dying [30:30];
The importance of taking a mindful pause after a patient’s death [36:50];
The heightened responsibility of the team leader in the ED [41:00];
Why doctors need to have sympathy for themselves, and it is a lifetime of practice [42:00];
The value of being conflict-avoidant in clinical practice [46:00];
The resentment that comes from comparing your tasks to someone else’s, and how this can suck the joy out of your work [49:15];
The ethical imperative of the well-deserved compliment [53;30];
Why our job isn’t to be right; our job is to be reasonable [56:20];
And more.

Next Episode

24. The COVID Vaccine with Paul Offit

World-renowned vaccine expert Paul Offit discusses where we stand with the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, challenges ahead, and how clinicians can best focus our efforts in vaccine education and advocacy.

This podcast is produced in partnership with Hippo Education