Dr. Corey Fish

I've known Corey Fish since he was a trainee in residency at the University of Texas, and getting to have this conversation with him was a real gift. In this episode, he walks me through a career full of bold moves, from rural pediatrics in Montana to starting his own urgent care clinic in Portland, putting his house up as collateral, working 70-hour weeks alone, and eventually landing in the world of venture-backed start-ups. He doesn't sugar-coat how dark it got, and I so appreciate that. What struck me most was how openly he talked about the shame and isolation that came with struggling, something I think a lot of us in pediatrics know but rarely say out loud. He also shares what finally helped: therapy, hard boundaries, and a surprising encounter with a stranger at a music venue in Austin that he genuinely believes changed his life. Corey is on the other side of all of it now, and his perspective on self-compassion and protecting your energy is something I think every physician ne…