Why do women in medicine still have to be twice as good to get half the credit?

In this episode of Fem MD, Dr. Lauren Umstattd sits down with facial plastic surgeon Dr. Sinehan Bayrak for a raw and real conversation about what it takes to succeed as a woman in medicine—and the unspoken costs of trying to be “perfect” in a system that still rewards mediocrity in men.

They talk candidly about the double standards women face in surgery, the psychological toll of perfectionism, and how implicit bias still shapes who gets promoted, praised, or believed. From patient selection to mentorship to the quiet calculus women make every day just to be taken seriously—this episode goes deep on what it means to strive for excellence in a field that often sets the bar unevenly.

Whether you're a med student, resident, or attending, this one’s for anyone who’s ever felt the pressure to overperform just to be seen.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Dr. Sinehan Bayrak

IG: @dr.bayrak

Website: https://bayrakmd.com/

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

In this episode, I open up about something that’s all too common in medical training but rarely talked about: abuse and mistreatment. I share a personal story from my own training — including a moment where a supervising surgeon crossed a serious line with physical aggression — and reflect on how that experience shaped my decision to walk away from fellowship. We talk about the blurry line between tough coaching and outright abuse, and what it really means to push someone “for their own good.” This one is about drawing your own boundaries, reclaiming your autonomy in a system that often strips it away, and naming the things we’ve all been taught to stay silent about. If you've ever felt gaslit, undermined, or just plain mistreated in medicine, this one’s for you.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren @lauren_umstattd_md

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective

In this raw and thought-provoking episode of Fem MD, trauma surgeon Dr. Brittany Bankhead sits down with Dr. Lauren Umstattd for an honest conversation about the challenges of being a woman in surgery. Dr. Bankhead opens up about her personal journey to embracing her full identity—not only as a surgeon but as a mother, partner, and woman who has navigated professional toxicity, imposter syndrome, and the emotional weight of caring for patients at their most vulnerable. The two dive into the "arrival fallacy"—the idea that happiness will come once you reach the next milestone—and explore the emotional burden of the “patient graveyard,” the haunting memories of lives lost. Dr. Bankhead also shares the practical and emotional tools she and her husband—a fellow physician—use to juggle two demanding careers, raising two kids, and navigating the complexities of divorce and reconciliation.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Dr. Bankhead

IG: @BBankheadMD

IG: @ModernMomLab

Website: https://www.modernmomlab.com/

Presented by: The Hippocratic Collective