

Stimulus - Learn Tools to Crush It in Your Medical Career
Rob Orman, MD
Do you work in medicine and love patient care but feel like parts of the job don’t measure up? Stimulus equips you with tools, mindset shifts, and strategies they didn’t teach you in training—so you can practice medicine like a boss, flourish in your career, and not let it crush your soul. Emergency physician and executive coach Rob Orman, MD, goes in-depth with thought leaders on how to avoid burnout, improve communication, lead without drama, and stay calm amidst the storm. Don’t just suck it up, think differently.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 31, 2022 • 1h 4min
79. The Sleep Expert | Get to sleep and stay asleep
Sleep expert Mike Stone, MD discusses various strategies for getting a good night's sleep, including the impact of caffeine and alcohol, the effects of artificial light on sleep, and the risks and benefits of melatonin. He also addresses the challenges doctors face with night shifts and offers tips for improving sleep quality.

May 16, 2022 • 17min
78. I Was Unlucky, But You Frankly Suck | The fundamental attribution error
None of us are immune from the Fundamental Attribution Error - chalking up the behavior of others to their character rather than the situation in which they find themselves. In this episode, we tease out the details of this common bias, its negative effects, and several strategies to address and work through it. Awake + Aware | Our 2025 Live Event⭐ Join us at Awake and Aware 2025, a game-changing 3-day workshop from May 5-7 in Bend, Oregon. Learn how to stay cool when the pressure’s on and lock in the mindset you need to flourish. Space is limited.🖱️ Website: Awakeandawarebend.com🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!The Flameproof CourseThe 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 websiteWe Discuss:The core tenant of fundamental attribution error;The fact that nobody sees themselves as the villain of their own story;Marcus Aurelius’ approach;Ways to address and manage fundamental attribution error;Stephen Covey’s simple yet powerful technique: first seek to understand, then be understood;Empathic listening;An exercise to understand the other person’s perspective and sort out if you were truly wronged;“Could malice be misunderstanding?”;Navigating fundamental attribution error during conflict;The Most Respectful Interpretation, JFK, and the Cuban Missile Crisis;How to get 90% of the way with one step;

8 snips
May 2, 2022 • 45min
77. Tiny Habits | Anchors, micro moves, and upward scaling
In this podcast, they discuss the concept of tiny habits and the three-step process of creating them. They share personal examples of how tiny habits have positively impacted their lives. They also explore the benefits of using an airway checklist in high-stress medical situations and discuss their upcoming book club.

9 snips
Apr 18, 2022 • 25min
76. Inner Criticism | How to keep a negative inner voice from taking over
Discover key strategies to manage the inner critic and overcome negative self-talk. Explore the concept of inner criticism, recognizing its tone and impact. Learn techniques to combat the negative inner voice and activate a more positive and motivating inner voice. Overcome negative self-talk and inner criticism through reframing, seeking guidance, and practicing distanced self-talk.

6 snips
Apr 3, 2022 • 38min
75. Hot Debriefing | Processing events while you're still in the arena
Emergency physician Stuart Rose and rescue specialist Ashley Liebig discuss the importance of immediate debriefs in healthcare, exploring different approaches such as INFO and hot offload. They emphasize the significance of processing events and emotions in a safe environment, highlighting the role of charge nurses and the inclusivity of debriefing sessions. The podcast also discusses the significance of the info process, proper training, and the importance of addressing emotions before facts.

Mar 21, 2022 • 37min
74. Flipping the Narrative on Performance Metrics | Why we're bad at self assessment, crafting meaningful metrics, balancing data
Dr. Shawn Dowling, medical director of The Physician Learning Program at the University of Calgary, discusses the reframing of performance metrics to improve provider experience. Topics include: self-assessment challenges, clinician-relevant metrics, presenting metrics to providers, and high-yield metrics that make a difference.

Mar 6, 2022 • 54min
73. The Value and Pitfalls of Signout Culture with Mike Weinstock, MD
Mike Weinstock, MD discusses the value of signout culture in healthcare, including its benefits for patient safety and career longevity. Topics covered include the pitfalls of signouts, the importance of prioritizing patient care and documentation, utilizing checklists, handoffs in emergency medicine, consequences of inefficient systems in the ER, rare cases, and the significance of clear communication and collaboration in signout practices.

21 snips
Feb 21, 2022 • 54min
72. Navigating Uncertainty and Powering Down at the End of the Day with Dan Dworkis MD, PhD
It can be hard enough managing critical tasks in the best of times, but when things start to go awry, you need to focus even more to keep moving in a positive direction. Back by popular demand, Dan Dworkis (our guest on episode 57) walks us through: navigating uncertainty when under situational pressure, powering down at the end of the day, managing the physiologic response to stress, the most thoughtful procedural time out we’ve ever heard, and transparent team communication. Guest Bio: Dan Dworkis MD, PhD is an emergency physician who is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at USC Keck School of Medicine. He’s also host of the Emergency Mind podcast that focuses on helping individuals and teams perform better under pressure and the author of The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure. This episode brought to you by Wild Health! Wild Health provides personalized medicine that takes into account DNA, biometrics, microbiome, and lifestyle factors to come up with your ideal diet, supplements, and lifestyle to optimize health and maximize healthspan. I have been through the Wild Health program and found it a game changer as far as optimizing diet and exercise. Use the code GET30 for 30% off the monthly subscription. Learn more at wildhealth.com. Awake + Aware | Our 2025 Live Event⭐ Join us at Awake and Aware 2025, a game-changing 3-day workshop from May 5-7 in Bend, Oregon. Learn how to stay cool when the pressure’s on and lock in the mindset you need to flourish. Space is limited.🖱️ Website: Awakeandawarebend.com🎓 P.S. Yes, this is a CME event!The Flameproof CourseThe 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 websiteWe discuss:How Dan’s approach to resuscitation or stressful situations has changed since he started The Emergency Mind project [02:30];Applying the core principles of prepare, perform, recover, and evolve to the scenario of a difficult intubation [05:20];Breathing techniques to manage the physiologic response to stress [07:40];Being cognizant of the other people in the systems around you and communicating what you think you might need next [09:00];How to build a high-functioning culture [10:55];Leave no trace emergency medicine and tale of the squeaky door [15:30];The drama triangle: victim, villain, and hero [17:15];Altering the principles of behavioral economics when doing a timeout in the ED [19:15]David Marquet’s fist to five [24:15];Cognitive load theory and how it helps us guide trainees who struggle when it comes to knowledge under pressure [27:40]; Managing task saturation with systems and structure [31:30];Powering down after a shift [32:45];The fact that some days a win is simply not “throwing gas on the fire” [40:12];Algorithmic vs creative thinking and the shape of uncertainty [42:20];Dan’s recommendations for new listeners of his show [50:47]Follow Rob: Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.

4 snips
Feb 7, 2022 • 16min
71. Designing Your Life | How an engineer recommends evaluating your work, health, love, and play
The podcast explores the concept of life balance from an engineering and design perspective. It discusses the importance of evaluating work, health, love, and play in designing one's life intentionally. The hosts address the unique challenges faced by doctors in their clinical work. They emphasize the significance of play as a means of recharging and recommend balancing purpose-driven work with activities done for pure joy. The speakers encourage listeners to self-reflect on their own balance, take specific actions to enhance it, and offer a subscription invitation at the end.

17 snips
Dec 27, 2021 • 44min
70. Real World Applications of Nonviolent Communication
Emergency physician Scott Weingart discusses real-world applications of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) including giving proper compliments, emergency empathy, and the limitations of NVC in the resus bay. They emphasize taking responsibility for our emotions, the flexibility of NVC, and diffusing tense situations through active listening and empathy. The importance of internal frame, last three words, and emergency empathy techniques are highlighted. The significance of effectively expressing feelings and needs, the impact of access on communication, and the connection between NVC, cognitive behavioral therapy, and stoicism are explored.