******SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING*********
This episode discusses child abuse, religious trauma, depression, moral injury, and pediatric violent trauma. Please listen carefully.
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Jose Greenspon shares an unflinching account of practicing at one of the busiest trauma centers in the country, shouldering all of the work after his partners resigned, all while his own faith, family, and mental health unraveled. He speaks candidly about stigma in surgery, moral injury, being labeled “disruptive” when asking for help, and the moment a sensory trigger in the OR surfaced a childhood assault by a rabbi. This conversation is about the cost of carrying more than one human can hold, and the courage to put the burden down.
If this episode resonates with you, and you'd like to reach out to Dr. Greenspon, email him at jgreenspon76@gmail.com
In this episode we discuss:
- Dealing with life-and-death without a vent partner: Pediatric penetrating trauma is difficult enough; facing it without support is punishing. Dr. Greenspon recognized the essential need for a trusted peer or space to unburden the experiences surgeons carry.
- Faith in crisis: As an Orthodox Jewish man, he struggled to find God in the chaos—then a flashback to childhood molestation shattered what remained of his religious safety net and contributed to the end of his marriage.
- The breaking point: A child his daughter’s age died from a gunshot wound to the chest. A smell in the OR triggered a panic attack and a vivid flashback. He finished the case, then self-reported to the CMO.
- Stigma and moral injury: Seeking help led to being labeled rather than supported. “You martyr yourself, and it gets weaponized against you.”
- Choosing to leave: Why leaving a toxic job and facing his demons was the best decision, and how outstanding residents became close friends.
- “Parent whisperer”: How he builds trust with families, honors the gravity of every operation, and treats residents with radical humility: “The only difference between me and you is that I happen to come first.”
- Work as a vice: How unprocessed trauma can morph into work addiction, guilt, and a compulsion to protect children—plus what recovery looks like now with a therapist who understands religious abuse.
- System reflections: On toxic competitiveness in pediatric surgery, administrative incentives, and what true appreciation and backup should look like.
Resources & support
RAINN (U.S.) — National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.org
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) — Call or text 988 | 988lifeline.org
Physician Support Line (U.S.) — 1-888-409-0141 | physiciansupportline.com
Connect & continue
- If this conversation resonated, share it with a colleague.
- Subscribe to Surgeons With Purpose and leave a review to help other surgeons find the show.
- For coaching and community: Empowered Surgeons Group—tools, calls, and connection for surgeons navigating moral injury, complications, and career inflection points.
Thank you, Dr. Greenspon, for the honesty and heart you brought to this episode.
