A personal reflection on how unexpected experiences can guide us toward purpose, creativity, and wellbeing in medicine.
Careers rarely unfold exactly as planned. Sometimes the most defining moments come from a pause… a moment that makes you stop and think, “Wait… what just happened?”
In a recent conversation on Voices With Vigor, pediatrician and physician coach Chrissie Ott MD, FAAP, PCC, DABOM shared how one of those moments changed the direction of her life.
Before medicine, her identity was clear… she was a serious ballet dancer training toward a professional career. But like many dancers in highly competitive environments, the culture around body expectations took a toll.
I realized I had to choose between being a ballerina and being a healthy person.
Injuries and disordered eating forced a difficult realization: Continuing down the same path meant sacrificing her health.
So she chose differently.
Our unscripted conversation wove together many compelling topics:
💎 Societal expectations regarding dancers
💎 Redefining what it means to choose to be healthy
💎 When the pediatrician is the parent of an obese child
💎 How GLP-1 medications put the brakes on a dysregulated physiology
💎 The humility of reevaluating physician practice beliefs
💎 Finding joy-centered approaches in health, life, and career
💎 Karaoke (yes, we talked about karaoke!)
💎 Patient advocacy (one of my fav topics)
💎 Physician coaching challenges
➡️ Access the free on-demand video replay of our live, unfiltered, and unscripted conversation now!
In the meantime, here’s a clip about Pediatrician as Parent – Childhood Obesity Journey & Self-Acceptance
Learn more about the next trio of remarkable guests on our Voices With Vigor Home Page.
Missed a live show? Watch the on-demand video replays in our free VWV Video Library
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Voices With Vigor… creating light with sound, one conversation at a time
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