Path Of A Doctor

Zeja

Details

The behind the scenes of being and becoming a doctor. I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school.

Recent Episodes

OCT 20, 2026
Handling Floor Calls and Thinking On Your Feet In Medicine
Floor calls are among the most anxiety-provoking parts of every transition in medicine, from clerkship to residency to your first attending job. In this episode, Dr. Z, a practicing hospitalist, walks through a framework for thinking on your feet when the nurse calls and a patient isn't doing well. First, triage by what could kill the patient right now. Next, stabilize before you try to solve the mystery. Then gather information and know when to ask for help. This one is for premeds, medical students heading into clerkships, residents taking call, and new attendings who want a clear mental model for handling acute issues with incomplete information. You'll learn how to rehearse your top five high-yield scenarios, why vitals are vital, how to lean on nurses and consultants, and how to stay calm by controlling what you can control. 0:00 Why Floor Calls Are So Hard 2:13 Learn to Triage: What Kills Them Now 4:56 Preparation Is Prophylaxis 7:02 Rehearse Your Top Five Scenarios 10:24 Vitals Are Vital: Stabilize First 13:30 Detective Mode and Asking for Help 17:51 Control the Controllable Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter: https://www.pathofadoctor.com 🎙YouTube: https://youtu.be/VaYcoo7epNk 🤝 Community - https://www.skool.com/path-of-a-doctor-community-2383/about?ref=5155176e9b914782b3983a512f24b00a 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pathofadoctor 🐦 Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/pathofadoctor 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@pathofadoctor 👔 LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/path-of-a-doctor-725238191 Personal 💌 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thezeja.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🐦 Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Tiktok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJGTFWMNcMxzQsN4Be0Aj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📽️ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIedEQ6vWfjkcvYLeTXSaw 👔 LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ 🤝Community: https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189 About Me I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine, and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via above options.
20 MIN
OCT 13, 2026
Doctor Explains: How to Teach Med Students and Residents
Whether you are a senior medical student, a resident, or an attending, at some point you will have learners working alongside you. In this video, I break down what has actually worked for me when teaching medical students and residents: setting clear expectations from day one, teaching clinical reasoning instead of trivia, making it safe to say "I don't know," giving learners real responsibility, and taking them behind the scenes of life in medicine. This one is for anyone in medicine who supervises, teaches, or mentors someone more junior, and for learners who want to know what a great rotation should look like. Good teaching is how the culture of medicine changes, one rotation at a time. 0:00 Why Teaching Culture Carries Forward 2:47 Set Clear Expectations From Day One 6:14 Teach Clinical Reasoning, Not Trivia 9:37 Make It Okay To Say I Don't Know 11:22 Give Learners Real Responsibility 13:12 Take Them Behind The Scenes 14:56 Final Thoughts Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter: https://www.pathofadoctor.com 🎙YouTube: https://youtu.be/VaYcoo7epNk 🤝 Community - https://www.skool.com/path-of-a-doctor-community-2383/about?ref=5155176e9b914782b3983a512f24b00a 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pathofadoctor 🐦 Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/pathofadoctor 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@pathofadoctor 👔 LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/path-of-a-doctor-725238191 Personal 💌 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thezeja.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🐦 Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Tiktok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJGTFWMNcMxzQsN4Be0Aj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📽️ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIedEQ6vWfjkcvYLeTXSaw 👔 LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ 🤝Community: https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189 About Me I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine, and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via above options.
15 MIN
OCT 6, 2026
Doctor Explains: How to Choose Your Specialty
Choosing a specialty is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in medicine, and most students weigh the wrong things. In this episode, a practicing hospitalist and walk-in clinic physician skips the match rates and salary tables and shares the thinking frameworks he wishes he'd had: why to prepare for the most competitive specialties early, how to think honestly about money and time to income, and why lifestyle is really about control over your time. We also go behind the scenes of what specialties look like in real life, from limited OR time to private practice overhead, and why chasing status and prestige is one of the fastest routes to burnout. This is for premeds, medical students, and anyone still deciding where they fit in medicine. 0:00 How Not to Choose Your Specialty 2:13 Prepare for the Most Competitive Specialties 5:07 Money Matters, and That's Okay 9:28 Lifestyle and Control Over Your Time 16:17 The Behind the Scenes of Each Specialty 20:53 Forget Status and Prestige 24:45 Final Thoughts Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter: https://www.pathofadoctor.com 🎙YouTube: https://youtu.be/VaYcoo7epNk 🤝 Community - https://www.skool.com/path-of-a-doctor-community-2383/about?ref=5155176e9b914782b3983a512f24b00a 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pathofadoctor 🐦 Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/pathofadoctor 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@pathofadoctor 👔 LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/path-of-a-doctor-725238191 Personal 💌 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thezeja.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🐦 Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Tiktok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJGTFWMNcMxzQsN4Be0Aj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📽️ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIedEQ6vWfjkcvYLeTXSaw 👔 LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ 🤝Community: https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189 About Me I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine, and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via above options.
25 MIN
SEP 29, 2026
Doctor Explains: Imposter Syndrome in Medicine
Imposter syndrome shows up at every stage of becoming a physician, and just when it gets better, the next stage brings it right back. In this episode, I break down why it hits so hard in medicine, from the social media highlight reel to the very real skill gaps between each level of training, and share the practical approaches that actually turn the volume down. Whether you're a premed looking up at med students, a med student intimidated by residents, a resident watching attendings, or a new attending who feels like they should know everything by now, this one is for you. We cover giving yourself credit, trusting the process, winning the day, building evidence that you belong, and why you're never truly alone in this. 0:00 Why Imposter Syndrome Returns at Every Stage 0:37 The Social Media Comparison Trap 2:16 Real Skill Gaps and Staying in Your Lane 4:56 Giving Yourself Credit 7:31 Trust the Process and Win the Day 10:10 Building Evidence You Belong 11:37 Reps, Resources, and Asking for Help Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter: https://www.pathofadoctor.com 🎙YouTube: https://youtu.be/VaYcoo7epNk 🤝 Community - https://www.skool.com/path-of-a-doctor-community-2383/about?ref=5155176e9b914782b3983a512f24b00a 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pathofadoctor 🐦 Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/pathofadoctor 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@pathofadoctor 👔 LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/path-of-a-doctor-725238191 Personal 💌 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thezeja.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🐦 Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Tiktok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJGTFWMNcMxzQsN4Be0Aj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📽️ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIedEQ6vWfjkcvYLeTXSaw 👔 LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ 🤝Community: https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189 About Me I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine, and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via above options.
16 MIN
SEP 22, 2026
Doctor Explains: How to Survive Your First Year As A Doctor
Finishing residency doesn't mean your training is over. In this video, I share the advice I wish someone had given me before I became an attending: why your learning really starts once your name is on the chart, why going slow early is a strength, how to make your acute care foundations rock solid, and why resourcefulness, mentors and experienced nurses matter more than anything you memorized. This one is for senior residents getting ready to transition, new attendings and staff physicians finding their footing, and clinical medical students who want a look at what's ahead. We also cover staying humble at the top of the food chain and remembering that life still exists outside the hospital. 0:00 Intro 1:52 Your Training Is Far From Over 3:43 Go Slow and Prepare Early 5:46 Make Your Foundations Rock Solid 8:18 Resourcefulness, Mentors and Nurses 12:52 Never Lose Your Humility 14:57 Life Outside the Hospital Follow Along: 💌 Website/Newsletter: https://www.pathofadoctor.com 🎙YouTube: https://youtu.be/VaYcoo7epNk 🤝 Community - https://www.skool.com/path-of-a-doctor-community-2383/about?ref=5155176e9b914782b3983a512f24b00a 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pathofadoctor 🐦 Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/pathofadoctor 🎵 Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@pathofadoctor 👔 LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/path-of-a-doctor-725238191 Personal 💌 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thezeja.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🐦 Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 Tiktok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / thezeja ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3xJGTFWMNcMxzQsN4Be0Aj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📽️ YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfIedEQ6vWfjkcvYLeTXSaw 👔 LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/ze-ja-672028285/ 🤝Community: https://www.skool.com/the-second-pursuit-6189 About Me I am a physician (M.D.) practicing a mix of hospitalist medicine, and urgent care. I learned a lot in my journey to becoming a physician and about more than just medicine. Follow along as I reflect and teach what I wish I knew, which for the most part, is the stuff you don’t learn in school. Get In Touch:Happy to chat, reach out via above options.
16 MIN