“It wasn’t like overnight I woke up and I was like, I don’t like medicine anymore... It was just like this gradual onslaught and accumulation of events that felt very much like beating my head against a wall, just trying to do my job.” -Sarah Temkin, MD

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sarah Temkin—gynecologic oncologist turned first-time filmmaker—shares her journey from loving clinical medicine to leaving practice in 2020, and how those experiences inspired her documentary “1001 Cuts” about women surgeons.

Dr. Temkin reveals the accumulation of challenges women face in male-dominated fields: from being told she was “too nice” to be a surgeon, to equipment that doesn’t fit female hands, to the exhausting tightrope of being perceived as either too aggressive or not assertive enough.

Yet this episode is ultimately about hope and change. Dr. Temkin’s documentary has sparked conversations across professions, with women in law, journalism, and trades recognizing their own experiences. She calls for a generational shift toward medicine that maintains excellence while accommodating diverse personalities, schedules, and bodies—creating space for all the talent we’re currently losing.

Guest Bio

Dr. Sarah Temkin is a gynecologic oncologist who spent over two decades providing surgical and medical care for women with cancer. She is widely published in medical literature and has contributed to conversations about equity in healthcare throughout her career. After leaving clinical practice in 2020, she became a first-time filmmaker, directing and producing the documentary “1001 Cuts,” which examines the experiences of women surgeons and has become an educational tool for medical institutions nationwide.

Resources

* “1001 Cuts” Documentary - Learn more about the film and opportunities to hold educational screenings in your organization or community.

* Impact Campaign Partnership - The Video Project and American Medical Women’s Association collaboration

A Mind of Her Own explores the intersection of gender, health, and professional life through conversations with remarkable individuals.

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