In this episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane sits down with Dr. Lee Sharma, a practicing OB/GYN in Auburn, Alabama, and host of the Scalpel and Sword podcast. Dr. Sharma opens up about her unique path into medicine, influenced by her physician parents, her early love for women’s health, and the burnout that led her to pursue a master’s degree in conflict resolution. Together, they explore why conflict is a “vital sign” in healthcare, practical techniques for de-escalating tension, the power of curiosity and storytelling, and how addressing conflict proactively preserves relationships and mental energy.

• Double major in music performance and pre-med; choosing OBGYN after falling in love with women’s health
• Growing up with a surgeon father and pathologist mother who exposed her to medicine early
• The shift from conflict avoidance to embracing conflict as transformative after completing a master’s in conflict resolution
• Launching the Scalpel and Sword podcast to help physicians navigate conflict more effectively
• The powerful technique: “Tell me your story” reducing defensiveness with patients and colleagues
• Why repairing relationships (apologizing after difficult interactions) is worth the courage
• The hidden “mental cost” of avoiding conflict vs. investing a few minutes to truly listen
• Building trust by starting with shared values and common ground
• Balancing clinical practice with mediation, consulting, and thought leadership

• Conflict is a vital sign, not an illness. It signals something important that needs attention and, when handled well, can lead to creative solutions and stronger relationships.
• “Tell me your story” is one of the most effective ways to lower defenses and create understanding, far more powerful than asking “Why do you feel that way?”
• Investing a small amount of time to listen and repair relationships saves far more mental energy in the long run and reduces the likelihood of escalation, including patient complaints or lawsuits.

Dr. Lee Sharma is a board-certified OB/GYN practicing in Auburn, Alabama. After completing her residency at Parkland Hospital in Texas, she moved to Auburn in 1997. A former music performance major, she brings creativity and empathy to her work. Facing dissatisfaction in practice, she earned a master’s degree in conflict resolution and now works as a mediator and consultant helping hospitals and healthcare systems manage conflict. She is the host of the Scalpel and Sword podcast.

Website: rleesharma.com

Podcast: Scalpel and Sword

Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com

About the Host:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

About the Show:

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

LMC Series Note:

Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this heartfelt episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane interviews Dr. Arthur Burnett, Professor of Urology at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Burnett discusses his path into urology, key scientific contributions (including work on Viagra and penile transplantation), and his decades-long commitment to global health through missions in the Caribbean and Africa. He offers practical wisdom on avoiding burnout, finding purpose through service, building international collaborations, and staying engaged in medicine over a 40+ year career. This episode is filled with inspiration for physicians at any stage who want to make a broader impact while sustaining their love for the profession.

Episode Highlights

• Dr. Burnett’s early life, ROTC service, and path to becoming a surgeon-scientist at Johns Hopkins
• Groundbreaking contributions to men’s health, including research behind Viagra and leading a penile transplant
• Decades of international mission work in Jamaica, Nigeria, and across Africa and the Caribbean
• Founding UroMissions Works to improve urologic care and training in underserved regions
• Addressing priapism in sickle cell disease and scaling impact through local training and discovery
• Practical advice on time management, stamina, and balancing clinical work, research, teaching, and service
• Reflections on burnout prevention, the “chores” of medicine, and finding joy through purpose and gratitude
• Guidance for early-career physicians choosing specialties and mid-career doctors seeking renewed fulfillment

Top 3 Takeaways

• International service work is deeply bidirectional, you often gain more in perspective, humility, and purpose than you give, helping combat burnout.
• Build impact that outlasts your personal presence by training local physicians and collaborating on discovery work that addresses regionally prevalent conditions.
• Medicine’s challenges (“the chores”) become more manageable when balanced with variety, research, teaching, clinical craft, and meaningful service and a grateful mindset.

About Dr. Arthur Burnett

Dr. Arthur Burnett is a distinguished urologic surgeon, surgeon-scientist, and Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he has served for over 43 years. His clinical and research focus is men’s health, with major contributions to erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer (particularly in minority populations), and complex reconstructive surgery. He has performed pioneering work including early research supporting Viagra and leading a penile transplant. Through his nonprofit UroMissions Works, he provides surgical care, training, and scientific collaboration in underserved areas, especially the Caribbean and Africa.
Connect with Dr Arthur on:

Website: drarthurburnett.com
Linkedin: Dr Arthurburnett

About the Host:

Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.

Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.

About the Show:

Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.

In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.

Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com

LMC Series Note:

Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.