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The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast

The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast

Heather Fork, MD 249 episodes Nov 4, 2026

This podcast is for physicians questioning their career path, offering actionable tools, resources, and interviews with doctors who have found new fulfilling ways to practice or transitioned to nonclinical careers. Hosted by Dr. Heather Fork, a former dermatologist turned career coach, it provides concrete advice on job applications, LinkedIn, interviewing, and negotiation. The goal is to help physicians find happiness in medicine or beyond.

Episodes

Episode #259: Student Loans Have Changed: What Physicians Need to Know
Episode #259: Student Loans Have Changed: What Physicians Need to Know Nov 4, 2026 36:23 If you have medical school loans or are about to take them on, you may be wondering how the recent changes actually affect you. If you're already working toward public service loan forgiveness, you may also be asking what happens if you change jobs or leave clinical medicine. In this episode, I welcome back Joy Sorensen Navarre, founder and president of Navigate. Joy was a financial advisor when o
Episode #258: Want to Live Abroad? 5 Career Options for Physicians
Episode #258: Want to Live Abroad? 5 Career Options for Physicians Oct 21, 2026 38:13 Have you ever dreamed of living abroad but wondered how you'd make your career work, too? There are more options than you might think. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ashwini Bapat, a palliative care physician and co-founder of Hippocratic Adventures, a community for US-trained physicians exploring life and careers abroad. Dr. Bapat walks us through five different paths physicians are taking to
Episode #257: Onboarding for Success: Your First Year in a Nonclinical Role
Episode #257: Onboarding for Success: Your First Year in a Nonclinical Role Oct 7, 2026 31:06 So much of the nonclinical job search is about getting to yes — the applications, the interviews, the waiting, and finally the offer. But what happens after you say yes? Depending on the role and the company, you may land in a thoughtful onboarding process, or you may feel like you're drinking from a fire hose. In this episode, I welcome back pediatrician Dr. Erik Lamberth, who spent 18 years in
Episode #256: Behind the Scenes of Nonclinical Hiring
Episode #256: Behind the Scenes of Nonclinical Hiring Sep 23, 2026 38:51 If you're applying for a nonclinical job, it can feel like everyone else knows the rules and no one has explained them to you. Do you need an internal referral? How much does that first recruiter call really matter? And what are interviewers actually trying to assess once you reach the formal rounds? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Erik Lamberth, a pediatrician who spent 18 years in clinical p
Episode #255: From Charting to Clinical Decisions: How AI Is Changing Medicine
Episode #255: From Charting to Clinical Decisions: How AI Is Changing Medicine Sep 9, 2026 39:16 AI is already changing how physicians work, and we're still in the early stages. It may be drafting your notes while you stay present with the patient, handling a first pass at the inbox, or simply something your practice has begun to consider. Either way, the questions follow quickly: How reliable are these tools? Where do they fall short? And how do we use them well without creating new problem
Episode #254: Difficult Conversations at the White Coat Crossroads
Episode #254: Difficult Conversations at the White Coat Crossroads Aug 26, 2026 37:15 You know something needs to change in your career, but actually asking for what you need can feel daunting. How do you ask to reduce your hours or take less call without seeming uncommitted? How do you tell your spouse you're thinking about leaving medicine when they're worried about the financial uncertainty? And what do you say when people keep asking "what's next?" and you honestly don't know
Episode #253: Successful but Still Unfulfilled? Discover Your Zone of Genius
Episode #253: Successful but Still Unfulfilled? Discover Your Zone of Genius Aug 12, 2026 43:12 Have you achieved the success you once dreamed of, only to find yourself wondering, "Why doesn't this feel more fulfilling?" If so, you're not alone. In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Gay Hendricks joins me to explore why so many high-achieving physicians find themselves stuck despite doing work they're exceptionally good at. Together, we dive into his powerful concept of the Zone of Gen
Episode #252: The Surgeon's Crossroads: Is This a Hard Season or Time for a Change?
Episode #252: The Surgeon's Crossroads: Is This a Hard Season or Time for a Change? Jul 29, 2026 39:34 Every physician faces difficult seasons. But how do you know when it's time to push through and when it's time to consider a different path? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Melinda Thacker, an ENT surgeon, master coach, TEDx speaker, and host of the Surgeons on Purpose podcast. After experiencing severe anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks in the operating room, Dr. Thacker embarked on a journe
Episode #251: Regulatory Writing: An Overlooked Career Path for Detail-Oriented Physicians
Episode #251: Regulatory Writing: An Overlooked Career Path for Detail-Oriented Physicians Jul 15, 2026 37:29 Curious about a flexible, high-paying nonclinical career that still uses your medical expertise? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Keagen Hadley, an occupational therapist who built a successful career in regulatory medical writing without ever stepping into clinical practice. Dr. Hadley shares how he discovered this little-known field while working in clinical research, the persistence it took t
Episode #250: Two Physicians, One Mission: Building a Nonclinical Career Conference
Episode #250: Two Physicians, One Mission: Building a Nonclinical Career Conference Jul 2, 2026 37:45 What happens when two physicians take their own career crossroads experiences and turn them into a mission to help others? In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Mandy Armitage and Dr. Morgan Leafe share how their individual transitions from clinical medicine led to the creation of the Nonclinical Physicians Network and their first in-person conference for physicians exploring careers beyond traditio
Episode #249: Is Locums Right for You? A Flexible Path You Might Be Overlooking
Episode #249: Is Locums Right for You? A Flexible Path You Might Be Overlooking Jun 17, 2026 41:45 Could locum tenens be the career option that gives you more freedom, flexibility, and renewed purpose in medicine? In this episode, Dr. Trevor Cabrera shares how choosing locums right out of residency opened unexpected doors and helped him rediscover why he became a physician in the first place. In this episode we're talking about: Why Dr. Trevor Cabrera chose locum tenens immediately after resid
Episode #248: The Unexpected Career Path That Started with Moonlighting
Episode #248: The Unexpected Career Path That Started with Moonlighting Jun 3, 2026 34:30 If you've been looking for a way to use your clinical skills, stay patient-facing, and make an impact—without the full weight of traditional practice—this episode may open a door you didn't know existed. Today, I'm joined by Dr. Purvi Mehra, who shares her unexpected path from fellowship into clinical research and ultimately building and selling a thriving research company. We explore what the

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