Listen to this episode
On this episode
Balancing personal life with a busy career in medicine is tough. It can feel almost impossible, even without thinking about having children.But help is out there. We can find mentors and adopt strategies to help us stay centred and effective.
In this special episode in partnership with the Physician Mums UK Facebook Group, Dame Carol Black discusses putting on her metaphorical helmet and Teflon coat for tough days, and presents her take on the often-raised question “Can professional women ‘have it all’?”
Without seeking the right support, we can end up overwhelmed and feel unsupported in our work. This can lead to dissatisfaction both at work and at home. And if leaders aren’t trained, their own mental ill-health can have a dramatic negative effect on teams.
But if you’re looking for support, this episode will help you find a potential mentor and reach out to them. Whether it’s someone in your network or a professional whose work you admire, support for women in medicine is within reach.
Show links
More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
- Smashing the Gender Pay Gap for Women in Medicine – Bonus Episode in Partnership with PMGUK
- How to Be a (Happy) Working Parent – Episode 121 with Corrina Gordon Barnes
- How to Be a Professional Woman – Episode 41 with Dame Jane Dacre
Download the episode’s podsheet. You can use it for reflection and to submit for your appraisal as part of your CPD.
This episode is in partnership with the Physician Mums UK Facebook Group.
About the guests
Dame Carol Black is a rheumatologist by training, who’s worked extensively with the UK government in the health and wellbeing sector.
She has held numerous prestigious positions including President of the Royal College of Physicians and Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. She recently published a report looking into the treatment of, and lack of advocacy for people addicted to drugs, and is Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge.
Reasons to listen
- To understand the challenges and strategies for balancing a demanding medical career with personal life
- To learn effective leadership and communication skills in high-stakes environments
- To discover the importance and impact of mentorship in professional development
Episode highlights
Dealing with the media
“Don’t talk to me about being a woman doctor”
The importance of mentorship
Finding a mentor
How you can have it all
The problem with workplace wellbeing
What to do if you’re not feeling cared for
Dame Carol’s priorities for fixing the workplace
Episode transcript
[00:00:00] Rachel: The question can women really have at all has become a cliche that’s formed the basis of countless articles in the New York times, the Guardian, the BBC, even. And balancing a successful career in medicine with childbirth childcare, a relationship and all the expectations that come with it, it’s a daunting prospect. [00:00:19] That’s why I was delighted when my guests, this week, Dame Carol Black gave me her very own take on this seemingly impossible issue. So for this summer special You Are Not a Frog is once again, teaming up with the PMG UK Facebook…
