Behind The White Coat - Real Talk For Physician Spouses
Being married to medicine comes with challenges—long hours, relocations, and feeling like you’re navigating it all alone. That’s where this podcast comes in.
I’m sharing the things I wish someone had told me—how to survive medical training, juggle parenting, manage finances, and actually build a life you love. We’ll cover everything from making friends in a new city to understanding insurance, finding childcare, and staying connected as a couple.
Some episodes will be just me, sharing real stories and lessons learned. Other times, I’ll bring on expert guests—financial advisors, physician spouses, and those who’ve been through it all—to offer practical advice.
Most of all, this is a place for community. A space where you can feel understood, supported, and even laugh along the way. Because being married to medicine doesn’t mean doing it alone.
So grab a coffee (or wine!), and let’s talk about the real side of life Behind The White Coat.
Episodes
56 episodes
#56| Realistic Productivity For Busy Physician Spouses
Productivity feels impossible when our day is built around interruptions, mental load, and everyone else’s needs. We share realistic ways to plan, focus, and build simple systems so we feel more in control without waking up earlier or chasing p...
#55| You Can Build A Beautiful Home Without Blowing Your Budget
In this episode with Aditi Pemmaraju, we break down how to create a luxury look at home without overspending, especially when medical life makes you feel rushed and behind. We share a simple tier system for smart splurges, easy design dupes, an...
#54| From High Income To Real Wealth For Physician Couples
We challenge the idea that a high income automatically creates wealth and talk about why autonomy matters more than a number on a paycheck. With Clay Jarrell, CFP, we map practical moves physician couples can take in residency and early attendi...
#53| The Male Physician Spouse Experience: Identity, Support, and Balance
We talk with Sean McIntyre about the male physician spouse experience and the real tension between supporting a partner in medical training while protecting your own identity. Sean shares what helped his family get through medical s...
#52| Are You Rich Or Are You Wealthy
In this episode with Lane R. Gerhardt, we talk about how buying a home with student loans and a short work history can feel impossible until you understand how physician loans and bank portfolio lending actually work. We talk throug...
#51| Building A Dual Physician Life In Nashville
We sit down with Dr. Brendan Frainey and Dr. Allison Weiffenbach for an honest look at what dual physician life really takes, from long-distance training to building careers and raising kids in Nashville. We talk through the moves, the systems ...
#50| On Call Parenting, Real Talk From The Kids
We hand the mic to our sons for an honest look at what it feels like to grow up with a physician parent and an unpredictable on-call schedule. They share what was hard, what was surprisingly normal, and what they admire most about the work ethi...
#49| The Hidden Cost Of Moving Far From Family
We talk through the hardest decision many medical families face: choosing proximity to family or a career opportunity that can change everything. We name the grief and guilt that come with both paths and share a few ways to make peace with a ch...
#48| Self-Care Is A Necessity, Not A Luxury
We slow down together with a breath and get honest about self-care for the messy, tired days when we still have to show up. We redefine self-care as a necessity and share simple, low-cost ways to feel more like ourselves again, especially as ph...
#47| Ask Amanda: Simple Rituals That Keep Your Marriage Strong Through Busy Schedules
In this episode, I share simple, repeatable habits that keep a marriage connected through call schedules, evening shifts, and family chaos. From standing dates to shared journals, I focus on low-cost, high-impact rituals that build closeness, r...
#46| Design The Trip You Need, Not The One The Internet Sells
We unpack why trip planning causes overwhelm and how a travel agent removes stress while saving money. Carly shares budget moves for 2026 travel, hidden costs to avoid, and how to combine points with pro perks for the best value.• decis...
#45| Money Guidance That Matches Medicine: Aligning Advice With Your Life
We sit down with Lauren Oschman of Vestia Advisors to demystify how to choose a financial advisor who truly understands physician life, from RVUs and contracts to maternity leave and disability. We dig into independence, credentials, and fee mo...
#44| A Veteran Dad’s Guide To Surviving Training Years
We sit with Ian Wessels, a Navy veteran and work-from-home dad, to explore the unseen labor, identity shifts, and relocations that define life as the primary parent while a spouse trains in cardiothoracic surgery. The talk blends candor, humor,...
#43| Disability Insurance, Demystified For Doctors
We pull back the curtain on disability insurance for physicians, focusing on true own occupation, smart timing, and how to avoid costly mistakes. Michael Kittner shares a practical roadmap for protecting income, using GSI early, and right-sizin...
#42| How A Simple Weekly Call Became A Lifeline For Physician Partners
Two journeys run side by side: a physician’s career and a partner’s quiet evolution. We explore the unseen weight physician families carry, how a simple weekly call became a global lifeline, and practical steps to move from surviving to mostly ...
#41| Inside Physician Burnout And A Family’s Road Back To Hope
We share Betsy Gall’s journey through profound loss, the hidden pressures driving physician burnout, and the practices and policies that can save lives. The conversation moves from stigma and licensing fears to daily gratitude, boundaries, and ...
#40| From Burnout To Belonging: Tools For Spouses Of Physicians And Service Members
We talk with relationship and sexuality expert Courtney Boyer about burnout as self-abandonment and how military medical spouses can reclaim voice, connection, and community. Simple tools, honest language, and bite-sized steps help us anchor in...
#39| Redefine Work To Protect Sanity And Purpose
We talk candidly about finding work as a physician spouse without burning out, and how to design roles that move with you through call nights, relocations, and shifting seasons. Practical steps, flexible job ideas, and permission to protect fam...
#38| Community First, Keys Second: Rethinking Home In Medical Life
We talk with physician spouse and realtor Aditi Pemmaraju about building a steady support system while moving through training, choosing to rent or buy with clarity, and finding a home that also feels like community. Real stories, practical che...
#37| Why Physician Families Thrive When We Stop Waiting For “Later” And Start Building Now
In this episode, joined by Katie and Kendra, we share why waiting for “later” rarely works, how coaching gives physician spouses real tools, and where community fills the gaps that anonymous advice cannot. AMA resources, culture change, and pra...
#36| How To Keep The Holidays Joyful When Medicine Disrupts The Schedule
We name the hard parts of being married to medicine during the holidays and trade perfection for a plan that fits real life. From Big Three priorities to warm boundary scripts, we share ways to feel less alone, more present, and more connected....
#35| How A Med Spouse Turned Survival Into Support For Families In Training
We talk with Rachel Thibault about turning survival into growth during medical training, from having a baby during MS3 to supporting a new neurosurgery resident while working full-time. She shares practical systems, community-building steps, an...
#34| Beyond The Glamour Of Doctor Spouses
We push past the “must be nice” stereotype of being married to a doctor and share the lived reality: late dinners, missed plans, debt, and deep pride. We reframe glamour as small wins, teamwork, and patience, and offer a weekly challenge to ans...
#33| Ask Amanda: Real Questions About Friendship, Identity, and Medical Life
We launch Ask Amanda with three raw questions about friendships on impossible schedules, resentment in medical marriage, and finding identity beyond labels. We share practical ways to keep connections alive, name hard feelings without guilt, an...
#32| You Can’t Wait To Be Invited—Start Inviting And Watch Your Circle Grow
We get honest about how weird adult friendship can feel and why waiting to be invited no longer works. Practical ideas, simple scripts, and a one-week challenge make building your circle feel doable and less awkward.• why friendship fee...