EP155: Carving Out Time: Managing a High-Pressure Career and Family Life

Navigating Work-Life Balance in ENT Surgery with Dr. Nina Shapiro In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, we chat with Dr. Nina Shapiro, MD a seasoned pediatric surgeon from UCLA who has over 25 years of experience and has successfully balanced her demanding career with raising a family. Dr. Shapiro shares her journey, discussing the unrealistic advice on work-life balance she received, the challenges of internalizing societal expectations, and practical strategies for setting boundaries in a high-pressure medical career. She also emphasizes the importance of asking for help, maintaining mental health, and the value of appreciating mutual support in a dual-surgeon household. 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Nina Shapiro 00:22 Unrealistic Work-Life Balance Advice 01:16 Navigating Career and Family Expectations 05:08 Setting Boundaries in a Medical Career 13:40 The Importance of Buffer Zones 14:51 Asking for Help and Managing Stress 16:20 Final Reflections and Advice