Women physicians are often told two things at once: Be confident. But not intimidating.

Be warm. But not inefficient.

Speak up. But don’t take up too much space.

Over time, many of us learn to edit ourselves before anyone else has the chance.

This Women Physicians Day isn’t about celebrating how resilient women in medicine are. It’s about naming the impossible math they’re asked to perform every day, and acknowledging that being “too much” and “not enough” at the same time is not a personal failure. It’s a system problem. Yes, I said it OUT LOUD.

I left clinical medicine not because I wasn’t resilient enough. It was because I recognized that the individual within the system was no longer valued as they should be. I left it to form my own business, to be my own boss. I meant to build my own practice, but life happened along the way. Little did I know I’d build a media company that would become so meaningful to so many, and that I’d grow to love what I was newly doing, and so much. That I’d grow in a community of healthcare professional “doers” who themselves are aiming to redefine what it means to be autonomous in what we do.

I wrote a piece in SoMeDocs today, to put language to something many women physicians just like me feel, but rarely see reflected back to them. If you read it and it resonates, you’re not alone. Don’t forget to share.

Now, I created the original image for this reel using artwork created by hardworking people, to help promote their talent. I hope you take a moment to visit their accounts, ooo and ahhh at their work, and even purchase a piece to support them.

There’s @kara_hunt_art, whose piece actually sold, but who has other incredible works of art in her profile for purchase- check her out.

The beautiful sun here comes from @chylak.bags, an incredibly stylish Polish collection of bags/photo art, in a vintage white-black-brown color schematic that’s a personal favorite.

Finally, the 👁️ – by yours truly. I created it as header image for a piece in @somedocs mag, written about breast surgery training – how specialization shapes what physician see, and why no single perspective is ever enough.

Happy National Physician Women’s Day.

Read my full published article in the SoMeDocs magazine, right here.