Residency is brutal for everyone, but for women in medicine, the challenges go beyond long hours and low pay.

⚠️ Disproportionate rates of harassment & discrimination
💪 Pressure to “prove” competence in male-dominated specialties
🏠 Balancing training with family planning & personal life

💬 Why do female doctors feel like they have to choose between career and family?

We’re diving into the added burdens women face in residency and fellowship—burdens that push many to the brink of burnout or even out of medicine entirely.

💡 Residency should train us, not break us.

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @empowermedlife
🌍 Visit our website: empowermedlife.com
📧 Share your story: empowermedlife@gmail.com

🎵 Intro Music: Lift Off – Wolf Samuels
🎵 Outro Music: Summer – Twin Signals

Medicine was never designed for women—but that hasn’t stopped us from showing up and excelling. Yet, from pre-med to residency, female physicians face unique challenges:

🚧 Gender bias in medical school admissions
📉 Underrepresentation in leadership & specialties
💰 Pay gaps that start before we even earn our first paycheck

💬 Why do female physicians have to work twice as hard to be seen as equal?

In this episode, we explore the systemic barriers women face in the medical field and how they shape the careers—and mental health—of future doctors.

💡 It’s time to level the playing field.

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @empowermedlife
🌍 Visit our website: empowermedlife.com
📧 Share your story: empowermedlife@gmail.com

🎵 Intro Music: Lift Off – Wolf Samuels
🎵 Outro Music: Summer – Twin Signals

References: AAMC, MGMA, Doximity, Medscape

Saka N, Yamamoto et al Comparison of Postoperative Outcomes Among Patients Treated by Male Versus Female Surgeons: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Surg. 2024 Dec 1;280(6):945-953. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006339. Epub 2024 May 10. PMID: 38726676; PMCID: PMC11542977.

What's Broken & What Needs to Change

In this episode of Be Empowered, we’re diving into the harsh realities of our healthcare system—burnout, moral injury, toxic work environments, and the corporate takeover of medicine. From endless administrative burdens to unsafe staffing ratios, we’re breaking down the biggest issues affecting healthcare workers today.

What’s the real cost of a broken system? And more importantly—how do we fix it?

This conversation is raw, unfiltered, and necessary from two women in medicine. If you’ve ever felt unheard, overworked, or disillusioned in medicine, this episode is for you.

It's time to challenge the status quo and take back our profession.

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @empowermedlife
🌍 Visit our website: empowermedlife.com
💼 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Share your story: empowermedlife@gmail.com

🎵 Intro Music: Lift Off – Wolf Samuels
🎵 Outro Music: Summer – Twin Signals

Episode 1: Introductions – Welcome to Be Empowered

Welcome to the very first episode of Be Empowered! We are two female physicians, Santoshi Billakota M.D. and Shahla Moghbel D.O, who have seen firsthand the struggles, burnout, and challenges of working in healthcare. We created this podcast as a space for honest conversations, shared experiences, and real solutions for reclaiming our power in medicine.

In this episode, we’ll introduce ourselves, share our journeys, and talk about what you can expect from Be Empowered. Whether you're a doctor, nurse, therapist, or any healthcare worker looking for support and inspiration, you’re in the right place.

💡 It's time to challenge the status quo and take back our profession.

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @empowermedlife
🌍 Visit our website: empowermedlife.com
💼 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Share your story: empowermedlife@gmail.com

🎵 Intro Music: Lift Off – Wolf Samuels
🎵 Outro Music: Summer – Twin Signals