subcribe to the blog

WELCOME to the BLOG

As a mother and a doctor, I know you are sometimes worried and afraid, overwhelmed and overstretched. But your families depend on you to be their foundation. You're imperfect. And that's okay.
Because you are something better.

You're whole, fierce, and unshakeable.

ALL RECENT POSTS:

Mindset

“make the list of non-negotiables really short”

As a busy mother and professional, you’re used to handling a lot of tasks and roles. Even if things aren’t done efficiently, there are still many tasks on your “to-do-list” pile that you tend to own. Am I right? For most of my life, I’ve been the “responsible child.” When I got married, I naturally […]

Mindset

“the mental load”

In some seasons, being a mom takes precedence. In others, your career goals take priority. Or eldercare. Or a crisis. And when the timing is right (enough), the season may be to focus on yourself–to put your personal growth needs first. I’ll state the obvious–yes, men have it easier. Men have it easier because in […]

Mindset

“navigating career transitions–part II”

This is what I did in my outrageous (as I thought) bid to become a documentary photographer. Step #1: I explored different photography offerings in my city. I found the Raymond Chang School of Continuing Studies. The school offered classes that worked well with my half-line of emergency medicine. Step #2: I decided to learn […]

Mindset

“navigating career transitions–part I”

During my MBA, I had the opportunity to work with a career coach. And it was an amazing experience! One of the questions my coach asked me was this: “If you were invited to do a TED talk, what idea would you want to share with the world?” Wow. And you know what? I didn’t […]

Mindset

medicine +

If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you might be familiar with the idea of medicine + Medicine plus motherhood. Medicine plus photography. Medicine plus writing. Medicine plus coaching. “But Dawn, I don’t have hobbies!” No problem, everyone is different. Medicine can be deeply fulfilling. Motherhood can be deeply rewarding. In both […]

Mindset

a big decision

I decided to take a one-year academic sabbatical to focus on my family while building my career as a coach. It’s one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. For the next year, I will be unemployed from the hospital. I’ve been unemployed before while on my two maternity leaves. But we all know those […]

Mindset

“the value of family learning”

When you were growing up, what did your parents model for you regarding the division of household chores? Was it equal? Was it divided amongst gendered expectations? Or did one parent manage it all? I grew up with an older sister and a younger brother. My parents divided chores based on age appropriate skill levels. […]

Mindset

“when to find a mentor, when to find a coach”

Do you have a mentor or a coach? Do you know the difference? A mentor is someone who is a few steps further than you who can guide you to be where they are one day. In short, your goals are similar. Think about someone who mentors you to be a top notch researcher or […]

Mindset

“how the past can lift you”

Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win, or I learn.” Let that sink in. It’s so powerful. Do you have something in your past that keeps you stuck? A belief? A trauma? A choice? Some random comment someone said about you? It’s easy to believe that the past defines you, that what […]

Mindset

“assume their best intentions”

By default, I think I’m right. And in line with this belief, naturally I try to control how people around me behave and think. If you believe this doesn’t apply to you, ask yourself if you’ve ever done any of these things: Escalated an argument with a trainee consultant by saying “fine–I want to speak […]