You're Burning Out Alone and No One Sees It (Here's Your Lifeline)

Networking isn't about climbing ladders; it's about building the armor that keeps you from burning out alone. Learn how to connect without feeling fake. 

There's a moment in every healthcare career that no textbook prepares you for, the crushing realization that you're the one everyone leans on, but you have no one to lean on yourself. 

Most of us have been taught that networking is cold, transactional, and self-serving. But what if that's completely wrong? In this episode, Fred Nazario-Alvarado breaks down why networking isn't about climbing a corporate ladder; it's about building your armor. The kind of armor that protects you when burnout comes knocking and keeps you standing when the weight of this career feels too heavy to carry alone. It's also a force multiplier for your career. 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

• Why traditional networking advice fails healthcare professionals 
• The "Personal Board of Directors" framework, 4 essential people you need in your corner 
• How a vulnerable LinkedIn post led to a powerful professional connection 
• The mindset shift that makes networking feel authentic instead of awkward 
• How to approach mentors and leaders without feeling like a fraud 
• Why being a "friend first" opens more doors than any resume ever will 

In a field that guarantees stress, pressure, and emotional weight, your network isn't just about opportunity, it's about survival. Build your army now, so when the battle comes, you'renever fighting alone. 

My Recommended Stethoscope
I still use my Littmann from 2011 because it lasts. This is the modern version of the one I carry.

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Transcript

Fred: 0:01

There's a moment in every healthcare career that no textbook prepares you for. It's the quiet, crushing realization that you're the one everyone leans on. But you have no one to lean on yourself. So who catches a healthcare professional when they fall? The common answer is your network. But for most of us, that word feels cold. Transactional. And honestly? We've been taught to use it all wrong. We treat networking like a corporate ladder to be climbed. When it's actually a life-saving tool. Using it that way is like trying to jump start a car with a defibrillator. That's a clumsy, ineffective use of something designed to save your life. Today, we're not just recalibrating a misunderstood tool. We're building your armor, your personal force multiplier. The system that protects you from the one thing the job guarantees, burnout. you Welcome back to MAP, Medical Pathways for Success. I'm your host, Fred Nazario Alvarado. And today, I want to start off by talking about a phrase that just gets thrown around a lot. One that probably makes you cringe a little. It's not what you know. It's who you know. Most of us hear that and we immediately think it's about shortcuts, about nepotism, about being the boss's nephew who gets the promotion they didn't deserve. We think networking is a dirty word. A fancy term for begging for a job or collecting contacts as if they were Pokemon cards. If that's how you see it, I get it. I truly do. For a long time, I saw it that way myself. It felt transactional. It felt like the opposite of what we do in healthcare, where our entire purpose is built on genuine human connection. But what if I told you that's all a lie? What if I told you that real networking isn't about employment? It's about acceleration. And even more than that? It's about protection. Today, we're not talking about climbing a corporate ladder. We're talking about building a safety net. We're talking about finding the people who will catch you when you fall and how to become the person who catches them right back. This is the acceleration code. Now, before I share a story about how this all works, I need to be real with you. I know for some of you listening, the idea of putting yourself out there, of sharing your story, sounds like your worst nightmare. I get it, more than you know. I'm an introvert myself. But stick with me. Because this isn't about becoming an extrovert. It's about finding a way to connect that is authentic to you. And I want to start with a story that proves this point. A story about how connection works in the real world. And one that some of you who have been with me on this journey for a while might remember. A while back, I wrote a post on LinkedIn about a new medical assistant with a background in cosmetology. I talked about how her soft skills, making people feel comfortable, building rapport, were a gold mine in healthcare. And that post took off. It reached over 40,000 people. My phone was buzzing. And for a moment, I felt like, wow, this is working. But 40,000 impressions? That's just noise. It's vanity. I call this a viral hit. It feeds the ego, yeah. But it fades fast. It's 4000 strangers scrolling past your face. What you actually want is a value hit. A value hit isn't about numbers. It's about impact. It's when one person stops, reads your story, and says, I need to know this person. That 40,000 view post, that was a viral hit. It got likes, yeah, few comments here and there. But it didn't change my career. The connection that truly mattered, the one that showed me the real power of putting yourself out there, didn't come from a viral post. It came from a different one. It was actually a much quieter one. Now I originally shared the story in the second post back in episode eight. To talk about a painful lesson I learned about patient advocacy and the danger of silence. But what I want to talk about today isn't just the silence. It's what happened AFTER I broke that silence online. It taught me a completely different lesson. lesson about connection. For those of you who are new, or as a reminder for the rest of us, here's the story I shared. It was a moment of failure, and it was a moment I carried with me ever since. I was a Navy veteran. I had deployment experience. But when I became a civilian tech, I still froze. I was new to the civilian side of healthcare. I was helping a nurse on a busy shift. And I was trying to learn my place in the hierarchy. We had a patient with limited mobility who was transitioning and completely dependent on us for her most basic needs. As I was helping the nurse bathe her, the patient asked gently to be referred to her as she. The nurse refused. Instead, she used he and him. She steamrolled the patient's request as if it didn't matter. I stood right there and did nothing. I heard the pain in the patient's voice. I knew it was wrong. But I stayed silent. Even with my military background, the culture of I'm just a tech and she's the nurse silenced me. And what I didn't say in that episode eight that I should have was. In the military. Being a corpsman on Greenside, Doc was Doc. I told off first sergeants. I got into it with the first lieutenant in the army in Afghanistan because he wouldn't give me information on my patient, my Marine. And yet on the civilian side, some reason, I still stayed silent. And I've carried that silence ever since. On that day, the nurse broke the patient's truss, but my silence validated it. And here's the hard truth I learned that day. Silence is a choice, and in healthcare, silence can harm. So the patient lying in the bed, your silence looks exactly like agreement. It tells them I'm not safe with him either. You're either building trust required to heal. Or you're the reason they will never seek care again. Don't let the hierarchy scare you. Be the one who speaks. And I wanna be clear about something. When I hit publish on that episode, I wasn't worried about likes or downloads. I didn't care if it went viral. I published it because I knew that somewhere, right now, there's a text standing in a room, watching a patient get steamrolled. feeling too small to speak up for themselves. I did it because silence is a contagion. And the only way to stop it is to expose it to light. Now going back to that post, I didn't write it for engagements. I wrote it because I knew somewhere someone else needed permission to speak. Someone needed that permission to break their own silence. That post wasn't marketing. It was a signal flare. I sent it up to see who else was out there fighting the same battle. And needed to hear that they had permission to be a voice. Now when I first shared that, the goal was to talk about advocacy. But here's the unexpected outcome. That post was seen by a powerhouse nurse leader named Kimberly Maurer. She's the CEO and co-founder of the Unapologetically You Collective. A published author and a fierce advocate for women's health. I didn't tag a CEO, I didn't ask for a job. I just shared a raw, honest moment about my own failure. And because I sent out a signal of integrity, it was picked up by a leader who values integrity. Kimberley Mauer didn't see a networking request. She saw a fellow soldier in the same fight. That's how you build a network. And she reached out. Why? not because it was a viral post. She reached out because her entire life's work is about empowering nurses and healthcare professionals to rise and reclaim their voice. And my post was a story about losing my voice and a call for others to find theirs. Our missions align. Now let me be honest, I was shocked that she reached out because I was just like literally starting out in this role as a podcaster and public mentor of sorts. Think I had been on LinkedIn for just about three weeks. So yeah, very new to everything. But what surprised me even more was her message. It wasn't generic. It wasn't one of those, Hey, great post. Let's connect. It was real. She wrote how glad she was our paths crossed. Tell me more about her work and how it centers around helping nurses, leaders, and change makers find their way back to themselves. She's heard some words. that hit me quite hard. And I quote, no matter our industry or title, most of us show up for similar reasons. We want to make a difference. We want to see and be seen. We want to experience the real heart of humanity. One connection and one conversation at a time. That summed up exactly what I was trying to do. But then, she dropped the hammer. She asked, again, I'm quoting here. So I'd love to learn what drives you. What is your why? What keeps you showing up, especially on the hard days? That question stopped me in my tracks. Not because I didn't have a why, but because a stranger, a CEO no less. cared enough to ask for it. And because I wasn't trying to network, I didn't give her a corporate answer. I gave her the truth. I told her. My why was born the moment I stayed silent. I just didn't realize it yet. For years I carried the weight of that, thinking it was just my own personal failure. But as I moved into education, I realized my students were entering the same system, often without the tools to navigate it. That realization, it became my mission to educate, inspire, and empower the current and next generation. Leaders don't ask for your why for shits and giggles. They ask because it represents who you are and who you can become. And because I answer with my real truth? Connection was born. Now because of that one quiet, vulnerable post. She's going to be a guest on this podcast very soon. Sharing her wisdom with all of you. That is the code. Real, lasting, powerful networking isn't about being popular. It's about being authentic. It's about having the courage to share what you truly believe in. When you do that, the right people will find you. Building these connections isn't just nice to have for career advancement anymore. In a field that's dealing with record burnout, constant change, and overwhelming pressure, your network is no longer just an opportunity. It's about survival. It's the support system that keeps you in the fight. In the military, we have this concept of a force multiplier. It's a tool that dramatically increases the effectiveness of your unit. A single radio, for example, is a force multiplier because it lets one soldier call in the power of an entire airstrike. Your network is your radio. That's your force multiplier. Right now. Especially if you're a student or new in your career. You might feel like you're on the ground. Alone? and just trying to survive. You only know what you've been taught in the classroom. You only see the challenges directly in front of you. But when you build the network, you're not just collecting friends. You're building your own personal board of directors. You're assembling a team of advisors who have your back. Think of it this way. You need four people on your board. First, you need the mentor. This is the person who has already walked the path. They've made mistakes. They've learned the hard lessons. They're full of the wisdom we hoped have one day. This is the season nurse manager who pulls you aside after a rough code and says, you did good. Now let's talk about what we can do better next time. Not because you did anything wrong, but because they wanna make sure you're growing. They're the person who helps you navigate hospital politics and save you five years of struggle with a 15 minute phone call. You can't Google wisdom. You have to get it from a human being. Second, you need the peer. This is their brother or sister in arms. The person who is in the trenches with you right now. That classmate you call at 11 p.m. when you're freaking out about a pharmacology exam. The one you can text at the end of a brutal shift and just say, wow, that was rough. And they get it. No explanation needed. This is the person that keeps you from burning out because they remind you that you're not alone in this fight. Here's an example. Now I can't point to one specific dramatic date on the calendar for this, because it's happened so many times. It's about the look. You know the one, you're in the weeds. Maybe a patient is screaming or the system is crashing. Or the provider is having a meltdown. You feel like you're losing your mind and you feel like the panic is rising in your chest. And then you lock eyes with your peer across the room. I remember doing this with fellow corpsmen or Lieutenant Junior grade nurses back in the day. You don't say a word. You just look at them and they look right back at you. And in that split second, The telepathy kicks in. There I say. I see it too. This is crazy. But we got this. That silent acknowledgement? That's the pressure release valve. If you don't have that person in the room who can ground you with just a look. You're absorbing all that stress alone. And that's how you explode. That is why you need a peer, not just for study tips. but for the sanity check. Third, you need the specialist. This is the person who is a deep, deep expert in one specific area. Maybe they're a wizard at negotiating contracts. Or they know the NHA exam in and out. Or they're the go-to person to dealing with a difficult insurance audit. You don't need to know everything, but you need to know the person who does. And listen to me, this isn't always a doctor or nurse. sometimes your most valuable specialist. is the unit's secretary. Who knows how to bypass the bureaucracy? Or the supply chief, who knows where the good tourniquets are stashed. Rank doesn't matter, competence does. Lastly, you need the connector. This is the person who just seems to know everyone. They're a hub of relationships. They're the one who says, you're struggling with that? You need to talk to my friend Sarah. Let me introduce you. They opened doors you didn't even know existed. This is the person who will speak your name in a room you're not even in. It's the instructor who hears about a competitive externship and says, I have the perfect student for that. They don't just open doors, they hold them open for you. When I made that LinkedIn post, I didn't realize it. But people from each of these categories started to show up in my DMs. mentors offering guidance, peers sharing their own stories, specialists offering their expertise, and connectors offering to introduce me to others. Suddenly, I wasn't just one person with a podcast idea. I was one person backed by an army of experts. That's the power you can build for yourself. Alright, so the big question. How do you actually do this? How do you talk to these important people without feeling like a fraud? Or like you're bothering them? It's simple. You have to change your mindset. Stop putting them on a pedestal and stop thinking of yourself as just a student or just the new MA or just a healthcare professional. Leaders love to talk to future leaders. Experts love to share their passion with people who are eager to learn. When I reached out to people after my post, I didn't say, please. I'm a nobody. Can you help me? I said, Hi, Dr. Susan. Just saw your post about the new training center in Attleboro. Love the mission. As a fellow instructor and podcast host, focused on student success. I'd love to follow your journey. Best of luck with you with the launch. I approached them as a peer on the same mission. You can do this right now. For my students, you are not just a student. You are the future of the profession. You have a perspective that no one else has. The perspective of what it's like to enter the field today. That's valuable. So when you reach out, lead with respect, not with a request. Say hi, whoever. I'm training to join this field and I've been following your work. The way you explain whatever topic has been incredibly helpful for my studies. I just wanna connect and learn from what you're doing. And it's not just for studies. It could be for growing in your profession. Same concept, same ideas. Just tweak it. It isn't begging. That's respect. And respect opens every door. And here is your do not engage order. Never ever ask. Can I pick your brain? That translates to, can I steal an hour of your time for free with no agenda? It's lazy and it's just not gonna get you anywhere. You have to be specific. I have one specific question about X is respectful. Pick your brain is an ambush. I have yet to get any of these messages, though I'm sure they're coming. But I've read of people getting them all the time in my podcasting groups that say, hey, love the show, let's chat. Chat about what? The weather, my favorite color. Why hospital corpsmen are better than army medics? uh Sorry army, not sorry. I'm gonna get those letters now, that's for sure. when you send a vague message. You are giving homework. You are asking to figure out why you matter. Don't give people homework. Give them value. The other key is realizing this is a garden, not a trophy case. You can't just collect connections and let them sit there. You have to water them. If you connect with someone, stay engaged. Comment on their posts, congratulate them on their promotions. Send them an article saying, hey, I saw this and thought of you. If you only call people when you need something, you're a user. If you connect with people when you don't need anything, you're building a relationship. Be a friend first. The opportunities will follow. Now let's bring these ideals into the our map moment. I wish to keep you going, stay focused, keep strong, your pathway to success is on All right, let's put this into action. It's time for your map moment. Your challenge this week is called The Spark. It's inspired by that LinkedIn post. We're not going to ask for a job. We're not even gonna ask for a connection. We are going to give one. This is how you get your first win. Step one, find your spark. I want you to take Ten minutes and think about one unique lesson or perspective you have. Just like my realization about the cosmetologist, what's yours? Maybe it's a study tip that finally made anatomy click. Maybe it's a lesson you learned from a non-medical job that helps you with your patience. Maybe it's a piece of encouragement you wish someone had given you when you started. It doesn't have to be earth shattering. It just has to be yours. This is your spark of value. Step two, share your spark. Go on LinkedIn or even a student Facebook group and share it. Write a short post. Don't try to be perfect. Don't worry about likes. I sure as hell didn't. Your goal is not to go viral. Your goal is to put one piece of positive, helpful energy out into the world. Frame it as, here's something I learned that might help someone else. Step three, the warm handshake. Now watch what happens. Someone will comment. Someone will like it. Find one person who engaged with your post or find someone whose work you genuinely admire. Send them a short, simple message. Not asking for anything, just connecting. Say, Thank you so much for commenting on my post. It means a lot. Or you could say, I saw you liked my comment about your topic. I really admire that work you're doing in whatever their field is. That's it. No ask. No resume. Just a warm handshake. You have just flipped the script. You didn't ask to be let into their world. You invited them into yours by offering value first. Do this once a week, and I promise you, your world, your confidence, and your network will look completely different. Before I sign off, I want you to look at your phone. Look at your contact list. If that list is missing your board of directors, that is a tactical vulnerability. We spent this whole episode talking about networking as armor. But armor is heavy. You can't carry it all by yourself. There's gonna come a day, maybe next week, maybe five years from now, where you hit a wall. patient outcome will be bad. The administration will be cold and you will feel that silence creeping in. In that moment, you don't need a LinkedIn connection. You need a brother. You need a sister. You need someone who knows exactly what the blood smells like and can tell you, you are still good. So here's my final order of the day. Do not wait until you are bleeding to look for a medic. Build your personal board of directors now. Send up your signal flare before this crisis hits. Because in this field, the only thing more dangerous than the job itself is trying to do it alone. You're building the future of healthcare. Make sure you build the team that gets you there. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep following your map, your medical pathway for success. I'll catch you on the next one.