Ep 118 Rethinking Residency with Dr. Frances Mei Hardin

Dr. Frances Mei Hardin is on a mission to improve residency training and support the mental health of medical students and residents, but she faces the daunting challenge of changing a deeply ingrained culture.

Tired of hearing these myths about mental health in residency?

• Myth 1: You have to be mentally tough to handle the demands of residency.
• Myth 2: Seeking help for mental health issues will hurt your career.
• Myth 3: Mental health struggles are a sign of weakness.

“Public humiliation was levied against us as residents.” - Dr. Frances Mei Hardin

Key Takeaways

• Discover innovative approaches to rethinking residency programs.
• Uncover the impact of toxic dynamics in medical education.
• Learn effective strategies for breaking the cycle of abuse.
• Explore practical ways to support mental health in residency.
• Build resilience and develop essential coping skills.

About Dr. Hardin

Frances Mei Hardin earned a B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame, graduating at 20 years of age. She went on to earn an MD degree at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and was inducted as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha society.

After completing her ENT residency training in the Midwest, she began her practice as a general ENT in Tennessee. She has extensive academic writing experience with her work featured in astrophysics publications from the age of 16 years old.

She is the founder of Rethinking Residency, which provides supportive resources for resident physicians and promotes skills to increase effectiveness at work.

Find out more here:

• Instagram
  • @francesmei.md
  • @rethinkingresidency
• Websites
  • https://francesmei.com
  • https://rethinkingresidency.com

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:02 - Introducing Dr. Frances Mei Hardin

00:00:49 - The Need for Rethinking Residency

00:03:00 - Identifying a Malignant Residency

00:07:22 - Impact of Stress and Fear on Residents

00:12:58 - Overcoming a Broken System

00:15:39 - The Cycle of Abuse in Medical Residency

00:16:58 - Rethinking Residency Strategies

00:18:07 - Breaking the Cycle of Bullying

00:21:44 - Implementing DBT Skills in Residency

00:29:40 - Healing from Residency Trauma

00:31:49 - Recognizing the Need for Change

00:32:44 - Coping Strategies for Medical Students and Residents

00:34:19 - Rethinking Residency Resources

00:38:21 - Empowerment and Breaking the Cycle

00:42:18 - Accessing Resources