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The Journey to Better

The Journey to Better

Dr. Bill Lombardi 107 Episodes Sep 25, 2025

Dr. Bill Lombardi, a high-volume complex PCI and CTO operator, shares his journey to improve his skills and methods for safer, more efficient procedures. He discusses technical, mental, and emotional health topics with special guests and live audience questions.

Episodes

Dr. Jasleen Tiwana - Fellowship to Finding Balance Sep 25, 2025 3556 Bill Lombardi welcomes Dr. Jasleen Tiwana, an interventional cardiologist practicing in Alaska who completed her high-risk PCI fellowship at the University of Washington, to discuss her journey from training to building a successful practice while balancing professional excellence and family life.• Dr. Tiwana's drive to become "the best" led her to pursue additional training in comp
Dr. Greg Witkop - The Neuroscience of Resilience Sep 18, 2025 3569 Dr. Greg Witkop shares his journey from Army ophthalmologist to DARPA researcher, developing innovative approaches to mental health by combining neuroscience, psychology, and sleep medicine to heal trauma-affected brains. The conversation explores how trauma changes neural circuits and how we might reverse those changes to build resilience in military personnel, physicians, and first responders.•
Dr. Primero Ng - Wisdom Beyond Procedures Sep 2, 2025 3502 Primero Ng, a recent high-risk PCI graduate who trained with Bill at UW, shares his experience transitioning back to practice in Australia and the challenges of building a complex cardiac program in a different healthcare system. Their conversation explores the differences between healthcare cultures, the importance of patient-centered care, and the personal growth that comes from stepping outside
Dr. Rhian Davies - Mental Courage Jul 31, 2025 3625 Dr. Rhian Davies shares her journey from cardiology fellowship to becoming an interventionist specializing in complex high-risk PCIs and CTOs while balancing her passion for competitive horseback jumping.• Meeting Dr. Lombardi at a fellows course in 2018 despite initial intimidation• Transitioning from fellowship to practice and dealing with being the first female interventionist in her practice•
Dr. Jesse Kane - Courage to Evolve Jul 24, 2025 3334 Dr. Jesse Kane shares his journey from interventional cardiology fellow to attending physician at the University of Vermont, exploring how his diverse training experiences shaped his approach to medicine and patient care.• Moving between different institutions exposes physicians to varying approaches and helps identify best practices• Redefining success means focusing on helping patients and being
Dr. Amy Cheney - Life After Training Jul 17, 2025 3170 After cardiology fellowship, physicians face critical career decisions balancing technical skills, personal fulfillment, and family demands that shape their professional trajectories. Dr. Amy Cheney shares her journey from UW fellowship to community practice, revealing insights about transitioning from academic to private practice settings.• COVID disruptions during fellowship created uncertainty
Dr. Gabe Charbonneau - Medicine Forward Jul 10, 2025 3798 Physicians aren't broken - the healthcare system is. Dr. Gabe Charbonneau joins Bill to discuss physician burnout and the hopeful path forward through solidarity, boundaries, and reclaiming joy in medicine.• Dr. Charbonneau shares his journey from rural Idaho inspiration to experiencing severe burnout in his first post-residency position• Medicine Forward was born from collaboration with Dr.
100th Perspective - Dr. Aaron Grantham and Dr. Jarrod Frizzell Jul 4, 2025 4749 Dr. Bill Lombardi celebrates his 100th podcast episode by reversing roles, allowing his early guests Dr. Aaron Grantham and Dr. Jared Frizzell to interview him about his personal transformation and journey to better.• Discussing the "two steps forward, one step back" reality of personal growth and how to prevent falling all the way back• Recognizing physiological triggers when slipping i
Joe Green - Finding Purpose Beyond Performance Jun 27, 2025 3933 Joe Green, a former Olympic pole vault hopeful, shares how his journey from ambitious athlete to purpose-driven entrepreneur taught him valuable life lessons about failure, faith, and finding peace.• Growing up in a small mountain town, Joe developed an "aggressive curiosity" that fueled his various pursuits• Joe describes how witnessing a customer die from a heart attack at 24 sparked h
Lisa Hunt - Walking Away From Shame Jun 20, 2025 3722 Lisa Hunt shares her transformative journey on the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain that helped her shed lifelong burdens of shame and rediscover her authentic self. Her story illustrates how stepping away from modern life's shallowness and embracing vulnerability can lead to profound spiritual freedom.• Flight attendant Lisa felt called to do something deeper as she app
Dr. Chris Burke - Surgical Collaboration: Breaking Down Siloes May 22, 2025 4107 Two cardiac specialists explore the transformative power of medical collaboration, discussing how cross-specialty partnerships are revolutionizing patient care and creating space for innovation. They examine how breaking down traditional silos between cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and interventional cardiology leads to better outcomes and professional growth.• The evolution of cardiac surgery
Dr. Sarah Samaan - Boundaries May 2, 2025 3694 Sarah Samaan Sarah, MD, FACC, FACP, FASE, a retired cardiologist turned physician coach and art educator, explores how visual thinking strategies and leadership coaching can transform healthcare culture and combat physician burnout.• Completed Harvard's visual thinking strategies program using art to develop communication, collaboration, and comfort with ambiguity in healthcare• Visual thinki

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