The WISER Podcast

At the age of six, Dr. Mara Schenker began training in the Korean martial art of taekwondo. She continued studying and competing in taekwondo through college, reaching impressive milestones such as becoming a black belt as well as a world champion in the sport, before being sidelined by orthopedic injuries, ultimately requiring three separate hip […] The post Episode 4: Dr. Mara Schenker, a Black Belt Orthopedic Surgeon first appeared on WISER Podcast.

Dr. Carla Haack finished high school at 15, college at 19, and medical school at 23 years old. At an age when most students are just beginning med school, Dr. Haack moved from her home in Puerto Rico to Atlanta, Georgia to begin general surgery residency at Emory University. “My mom is the one who never […] The post Episode 3: Dr. Haack, Young But Experienced first appeared on WISER Podcast.

The daughter of a general surgeon in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Styblo was no stranger to the world of surgery during childhood. While her father was logging long hours at the hospital, she matched his commitment as an aspiring dancer, practicing classical ballet throughout her youth and young adulthood. However, she turned down […] The post Episode 2: Dr. Styblo, Breast Surgeon and Ballerina first appeared on WISER Podcast.

Dr. Barbara Pettitt was the third woman ever to have been accepted as a surgical intern at LA County General Hospital. The first woman to join the program was a Catholic nun in the 1940s, who eventually dropped out of residency mid-way and returned to her convent. The second woman was a current senior resident […] The post Episode 1: Dr. Pettitt, Beloved Educator first appeared on WISER Podcast.