In this episode, Dawn Baker talks with Asha Padmanabhan. Asha is an anesthesiologist, leader, coach, and speaker who delivers workshops, grand rounds, and keynote presentations for healthcare audiences. With more than 20 years in high-stakes operating rooms and leadership roles at state and national levels, she understands the real pressures physicians face — especially women navigating invisible expectations. Through her speaking and coaching, she provides practical tools to strengthen communication, confidence, and professional sustainability. Her work helps physicians reclaim their voice and thrive — in medicine and beyond.
Asha shares how she became an accidental leader while working full time in a busy private practice. She also talks about her recent journey of separating from some of the identities and roles so she could have a more flexible schedule with locum tenens work, and all the positives and negatives that go along with it.
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