Behind the Mask of Shame Part 3 - Internalized Shame and Burnout

A career in surgery has a profound impact on those who practice the craft. High rates of poor mental health are well described but incompletely understood. One potential mechanism for advancing our understanding of surgeon well-being is studying surgeons' emotional experiences. Shame, a self-conscious emotion reflecting how an individual feels about themselves, could be a particularly powerful lens. In this series on shame in surgery, we explore what we know about shame in surgery and what shame can tell us about learning and working as surgeons. In this third episode, we talk with Drs. Sheina Theodore and Tejal Brahmbhatt about their study examining the relationship between internalized shame states and burnout among surgery residents. They make a compelling case that addressing the well-being crisis in surgery requires looking beyond external stressors to the internal experience of shame: the quiet, invisible voice that tells residents they aren't good enough, and ask what role the culture of surgery plays in that internal monologue. Host: Steven Thornton Guests: 1. Sheina Theodore (Assistant Professor of Surgery, Boston University) 2. Tejal Brahmbhatt (Associate Professor of Surgery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center) Publications Discussed: 1. Smith SM, Kobzeva-Herzog A, McGillen P, Castagne-Charlotin M, Davies J, Sanchez SE, Dechert T, Brahmbhatt TS, Theodore S. Internalized Shame Experiences and Burnout in General Surgery Residents. J Surg Educ. 2025 Apr;82(4):103447. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103447. Epub 2025 Feb 6. PMID: 39919584. ***Fellowship Application Link: Please visit to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more. If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: Oral Board Simulator: Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: Download our App: Apple App Store: Android/Google Play:

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Behind the Mask of Shame Part 3 - Internalized Shame and Burnout is an episode from Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast.

This episode is 33:21 long.

This episode was published on Apr 15, 2026.

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