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Association of Women Surgeons

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AWS Knots and Thoughts Episode 12: More Than a Surgeon — A Discussion with Dr. Frances Mei Hardin

May 12, 2026

Welcome to AWS Knots and Thoughts, a podcast designed to help you succeed in your surgery clerkship. This podcast is produced by the Association of Women Surgeons National Medical Student Committee and hosted by Vikita Patel and McKenzie Mayer. Music by Hart Fogel.

In this episode, Vikita and McKenzie sit down with Dr. Frances Mei Hardin, an ENT surgeon who shares her journey from surgical training to stepping away from clinical medicine and redefining success through advocacy and culture change.
 
We discuss burnout, mental health, and the realities women face in surgery, including how to advocate for yourself and navigate identity beyond the operating room. Dr. Hardin also shares what a healthier future for medicine can look like.
 
Whether you are a medical student, resident, or woman in surgery questioning traditional paths, this episode offers insight, perspective, and encouragement to imagine a more sustainable version of success in medicine.