The Intersection of Medical Humanities and Physician Wellness with Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain

In this episode of The Girl Doc Survival Guide, Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain, MD, Faculty Director for UME Medical Humanities and Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses her advocacy for incorporating medical humanities into medical education to teach empathy, perspective taking, and improve communication skills. Dr. Swain shares personal anecdotes about her love for reading and the importance of setting personal boundaries. She speaks about her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, discusses balancing work with personal passions, and elaborates on the significance of writing and narrative medicine in understanding oneself and supporting others. The conversation touches on the cultural expectations within academic medicine and the need to be brutally honest with oneself to achieve fulfillment and maintain mental wellness.

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Amanda Finegold Swain

01:03 The Importance of Reading in Medicine

03:13 Setting Boundaries as a Mother and Physician

07:31 Balancing Part-Time Work and Patient Care

10:14 Living with Multiple Sclerosis

13:52 The Role of Writing and Narrative Medicine

19:33 Finding Fulfillment in Medicine

25:30 Final Thoughts on Fulfillment and Self-Care