Shay Taylor-Allen, MD – From Janitor to Yale Resident: Breaking Barriers in Medicine

Dr. Shay Taylor-Allen joins Dr. Michael Jerkins for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation about her extraordinary path through medicine—one that began not in a classroom or clinic, but cleaning the halls of Yale New Haven Hospital, the very institution where she was born and would one day match into her dream anesthesia residency.

Dr. Allen opens up about the experiences that drew her to medicine: watching her mother navigate healthcare disparities and gaining a ground-level view of hospital life that most physicians never see. That perspective, she argues, is not a liability but a gift—one that cultivated a depth of empathy and human connection that now defines her approach to patient care.

The episode also takes on the harder questions facing medicine today: How do you stay grounded in your purpose when the financial reality of medical training is overwhelming? Is social media a legitimate tool for mentorship and representation? And what does it really take to build a culture where janitors and attendings see themselves as part of the same team?

Throughout the episode, one truth anchors every chapter of her journey: where you start does not determine where you can go. Resilience, community, and a commitment to genuine human connection are what carry you forward.

Here are four takeaways from the conversation with Dr. Shay Taylor-Allen:

1. Purpose from Personal Experience

Your background is not a barrier — it’s a foundation. Dr. Allen’s journey from witnessing her mother’s healthcare struggles to matching at Yale shows that personal experience with disparity can forge the most compassionate and determined physicians. Medicine needs more doctors who have lived the realities their patients face, and her story is a testament to what becomes possible when perseverance meets purpose.

2. Compassion Has No Job Title

Some of the most meaningful patient interactions never make it into a chart. Dr. Allen’s years as a janitor at Yale taught her that support staff — transporters, environmental services, food workers — are quietly shaping the patient experience every single day. A conversation with someone who has no one else to talk to, a familiar face during a frightening hospital stay — these moments matter more than we give them credit for. Recognizing the humanity in every hospital role isn’t just good culture. It’s good medicine.

3. Power of Social Media Storytelling

Sharing journeys online reduces barriers to mentorship and showcases alternative routes to success. Dr. Taylor-Allen’s social media presence offers real-world accounts of perseverance, influencing future generations while providing a first-hand look at what the road to becoming a doctor truly looks like.

4. Your Support System Matters

The road to becoming a physician is rarely walked alone. Dr. Taylor-Allen credits her mother — the same woman whose healthcare struggles ignited her purpose — as one of her greatest sources of strength throughout training. Her husband’s unwavering support and even her former environmental services colleagues at Yale, who quietly rearranged their own workloads to give her time to study, all played a role in getting her to match day. Medicine is demanding enough on its own. Who you have in your corner can make all the difference.

Transcript

Shay Taylor:

I was actually born at Yale, and I worked there for 10 years as a janitor. During that time, my mom got sick. I saw her deal with healthcare disparities while she was sick, and seeing the CEO at the time help me when my mom was going through those disparities is what pushed me to want to become a doctor and help people like my mom.

Michael Jerkins:

Welcome back to another episode of The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors). Dr. Michael Jerkins, your host today. We have never had a guest like this on before. I don’t think there’s actually another guest like this across the country. This is a very unique story — a medical student about to graduate who matched into an anesthesia residency, but not just any anesthesia residency. It’s actually at the hospital where she previously worked as a janitor.

I’ve always thought medical students who have prior work experience really stand out in residency and training, and she is no exception. It just so happens that she also worked at the same place where she’ll now be training to become an anesthesiologist, which is incredibly unique and very cool.

I’m really excited to hear more about her story and where her career will take her. She’s already been featured on lots of shows and podcasts because her story is so inspirational and unique, and because of how hard she’s worked to get where she is today.

So I’ll stop talking and get to our guest. Today on The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors), we are joined by Dr. Shay Taylor Allen. From hospital janitor to physician, today’s guest is the definition of full circle. Dr. Shay Taylor Allen graduated from Howard University College of Medicine and matched at her first choice: Yale Anesthesiology.

Born at Yale and having spent over a decade working there as a janitor, she now returns as a resident doctor, proving that where you start does not define where you finish. Welcome to the podcast.

ST:

Thank you so much for having me. I’m happy to be here.

MJ:

Man, this is great, and congrats on the match, first of all. I know that has to feel so good. I know what my match experience was like, and everyone’s experience is different. What was match day like for you? Walk us through that day.

ST:

The whole week, honestly — from Monday until Friday — is full of nerves and anxiety. Monday, I found out I matched, but at that point I was thinking, “Okay, but where did I match?” It still feels up in the air. Of course, I had my first choice, but I was just so anxious.

I think you could see from that video of me jumping up and down how relieved I felt once I saw Yale. I think I only read “Yale” at first. I didn’t even read the rest of it. I just saw Yale and started jumping because I was so excited. It was an amazing day for me.

MJ:

Amazing. You’re right — the first thing is just finding out whether you matched at all, and that takes away some of the anxiety. Then it’s immediately, “Okay, but where am I going to be?” If you haven’t gone through it, it’s really hard to describe that feeling.

Obviously, we talked a little about your background in the intro, but can you walk us through your journey? I’d also love to hear how that affected your specialty choice and where you wanted to train for residency.

ST:

Yeah. A little bit about my journey — I was born in New Haven, Connecticut. I was actually born at Yale, and I worked there for 10 years. I started working there at 18 years old, fresh out of high school. During undergrad, while getting my master’s degree, and right before starting medical school, I worked there as a janitor.

While I was working there, I cleaned the halls of the CEO and worked on a lot of different floors. During my sophomore year of undergrad, my mom got sick, and I think that really changed the direction of what I wanted to do with my career. I saw her deal with healthcare disparities while she was sick, and seeing the CEO at the time help me while my mom was going through that is what pushed me to want to become a doctor and help people like my mom.

Interestingly enough, I didn’t go into medical school thinking I wanted to do anesthesia, even though my mom dealt with vocal cord dysfunction. I didn’t think I wanted to be anywhere near the airway, honestly. I thought I wanted to do OB-GYN or something similar. It wasn’t until later in medical school that I decided I wanted to pursue anesthesia.

MJ:

So you found your calling, which was obviously very personal, and then discovered anesthesia along the way. I love that. Once you started applying to programs, you had to think about Yale again and the idea of returning to your former employer. What was that process like — applying, interviewing, and ranking programs?

ST:

When I first started medical school, I actually thought I never wanted to go back to Connecticut. Once you leave home, you want to explore different places. But something kept pulling me back to New Haven — my community, everything about it. I just felt like I needed to be back there.

I decided pretty late in medical school, during third year, that I wanted to apply into anesthesia. That’s when I started learning more about what I needed for the application process and looking for mentorship.

I actually did an away rotation at Yale New Haven Hospital around October of last year, and I think that really solidified things for me. I did other away rotations too, but Yale just felt like home. Being back in those halls felt natural to me. It felt right.

MJ:

Amazing. When you went back for your away rotation, did you see any of your former coworkers? What was that reunion like?

ST:

Yes. My sister actually still works there as a janitor, so I got to see her. I also saw one of my old coworkers because a lot of them really helped me during undergrad. They’d let me take longer breaks so I could study if I had an exam coming up.

A lot of them saw me from the very beginning, so they were super excited and proud of me.

MJ:

What’s really interesting is that residents and fellows tend to spend a lot of time with the non-clinical staff in hospitals — honestly, maybe even more than attendings do. At least that’s been my experience.

I’m curious if that feels true from your perspective too. And beyond that, over the next several years, you’re going to be in a position where you can really build bridges and connections that maybe didn’t exist before.

ST:

Absolutely. I’ve actually been talking with a lot of people at Yale, including some of my old managers in EVS, about doing seminars or Zoom calls where I can talk about my journey to becoming a doctor and help people who either want to stay in janitorial work or pursue something different.

In May, I’m actually speaking with the EVS team about my journey and ways I can support them. I definitely want to help build that bridge and improve communication. I want them to know it’s okay to come up to me and say hi — I’m just like them. I’m nobody special.

When I was a janitor, I saw the white coats and thought those doctors were untouchable. You didn’t talk to doctors. So I’m hoping I can help break down that wall.

MJ:

Man, I love that. I already want to have this conversation again in a year just to hear about your residency experience.

You’ve been everywhere since the match — interviews, shows, media coverage. What’s that experience been like? Are you getting flooded with messages online?

ST:

Right now it’s mainly been interviews. Some I don’t do because they don’t really align with my story, but overall it’s been overwhelmingly positive. So many people have connected with my story or wanted to interview me. I’ve been on CNN. Last week I was interviewed by a TV show in Brazil, and I’ve also had people from Spain reach out.

It’s honestly amazing that this story is reaching people in other countries. Thankfully, everything in my inbox has been very positive.

MJ:

That’s incredible. Stories like yours can make medicine feel more accessible to so many people.

I’m curious — before medicine, did you ever picture yourself doing something completely different? What other things interested you?

ST:

Honestly, I had no clue what I wanted to do before deciding to become a doctor. When I was younger, I wanted to be an actress, but that felt far-fetched because I didn’t know anything about acting.

After high school, I actually spent two years just working. That’s when I started the janitor role. I felt lost. In my household, the options felt like either work or go to college, and I just didn’t know what I was good at besides school. I didn’t really know what career fit me.

MJ:

I love hearing that because, in my experience, residents and medical students who’ve worked before in any capacity tend to stand out in certain ways. How do you think your prior experiences have shaped the way you care for patients?

ST:

Aside from being sympathetic, I think it’s given me a deeper sense of empathy for patients. I’ve seen the hospital from so many perspectives — as a janitor, as someone with a sick family member dealing with healthcare disparities, and now as a doctor.

I come from the same kinds of backgrounds and households as many of my patients, so I understand them differently. If a patient says they haven’t taken their medication for months, I want to understand why. Is it because they can’t afford it? Do they not have transportation? What barriers are in the way?

I think those experiences give you a deeper understanding of life and of the many obstacles patients face when trying to care for their health.

MJ:

That makes a lot of sense. You know, I just realized I actually interviewed at Yale for Med-Peds residency back in 2013. I’m trying to remember your timeline — you may have been there at the same time.

ST:

I was. I started there in 2011.

MJ:

Okay, so we may have actually been in the same hospital that day. That was my first time ever in Connecticut, actually. And no offense to Connecticut — I just haven’t been back since.

ST:

It’s okay, it’s okay.

MJ:

One thing I wanted to ask you about is this New Haven-style pizza. What is this? Explain it to me.

ST:

I was hoping you’d bring that up.

We have the greatest pizza in the country. I don’t want to hear New York, Chicago, or anywhere else. It is New Haven-style pizza. We have the best pizza ever. A lot of people don’t believe me until they Google it and realize we’re consistently ranked at the top when it comes to pizza. But trust me, if you come here, people will argue with you if you try to say otherwise.

MJ:

I can’t wait. Tell me what makes it different.

ST:

It’s a thin-slice, thin-crust type of pizza. It’s not oily like New York-style pizza, and it’s just so good. The sauce is amazing. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just different. New York pizza is too oily for me, and the slices are way too big. I’m not into that.

MJ:

And Chicago deep dish is basically lasagna or casserole. Which is good in its own way, but still. Very interesting. Now I’m hungry, and if I see New Haven-style pizza on a menu, I’m definitely ordering it.

ST:

I hope you come back and get some pizza. You have to go to Modern Pizza in New Haven, Connecticut. They have the best pizza.

MJ:

Okay, it’s officially on my list. I will absolutely do that.

That’s funny because residents are always ordering pizza late at night. For us it was pizza or Indian food, plus whatever snacks were sitting around in the resident workroom — crackers, peanut butter cups, all of that. I’m guessing you all will have some pretty incredible pizza options at 2 a.m. during overnight shifts.

I already mentioned this earlier, but if you haven’t gone through the Match, it’s hard to understand what that process feels like. And if you haven’t gone through medical training, it’s hard to grasp how demanding it really is. It takes years, it’s exhausting, and there’s a lot of debt involved. We talk about that a lot on the show.

What keeps you going through all of it? Step 1, Step 2, the Match, and now residency ahead with all its own challenges — what keeps you motivated?

ST:

It really is a lot, and I don’t think people fully understand it until they’re actually in the process, especially if you come from a first-generation family of doctors. You don’t realize just how much goes into it.

Even now, preparing to move for residency, I have a GoFundMe because I didn’t realize how expensive and fast the process would be. We basically had one month to move and get everything together.

But what keeps me going is definitely my family and my husband. He reminds me every day of the work I put in to get here. I also made this journey very personal for myself.

I tell students I mentor all the time: really ask yourself why you want to become a doctor. If it’s not something deeply meaningful to you, this journey can be very hard. For me, my purpose was helping people like my mother, and that’s what kept me going. I felt like there was a reason I started this journey.

I always carried that motivation with me — not that I was trying to save the world, but if I could help even one person like my mom, then it would all be worth it.

MJ:

That’s amazing. And I’m sure your husband is someone you lean on during the toughest moments.

ST:

Absolutely. Especially my husband. He’s seen all the tears — Step 1, Step 2, all of it. It’s a lot.

MJ:

For me, it was nice having a spouse outside of medicine because when you come home, you can talk about work if you want to, but you don’t have to.

ST:

Exactly. That was huge for me. He was actually in the military, so he understands structure and demanding schedules. He always says medical training reminds him a little bit of the military. He helped me build schedules and stay organized, so he really understood everything I was going through.

MJ:

The other day I was around a group of attorney friends listening to them discuss a case, and I literally had no idea what they were talking about. And I thought, “This is probably what it feels like when people hear doctors talking to each other.”

ST:

Absolutely.

MJ:

So it’s nice sometimes to go home and not have to stay in that world the entire time.

I’m curious — based on your experiences, how has your background shown you how hospitals really function in ways most medical students never get to see?

ST:

When I started as a janitor, I honestly didn’t realize how important my role was. I thought I was “just” a janitor. It wasn’t until medical school that I understood how critical those jobs are and how much they contribute to keeping hospitals running safely.

Cleaning hallways, maintaining patient rooms, making sure the environment is safe — those things matter tremendously. I don’t think a lot of janitors realize how important their work really is, especially in healthcare settings.

Another thing I gained from that experience was the ability to connect with patients differently. I’d go into rooms as the janitor and just have normal conversations with people. I remember one patient was watching Marvel movies, and I love Marvel too, so we ended up talking about Marvel for a while.

I also remember a patient with cancer who was losing her hair. I was cleaning the bathroom and asked if she wanted me to throw the hair away or leave it there, and we ended up having this deep conversation about how meaningful it was for her to keep it there for the moment.

Those are conversations I don’t always get to have as a doctor because we’re moving so quickly from patient to patient. As a janitor, I got to understand patients on a much deeper level than just their diagnosis or hospital stay.

MJ:

What I hear you saying is that it makes the experience more human for patients. They’re not just a room number, lab values, or medication orders.

ST:

Exactly. And I don’t think doctors see patients that way at all, but I do think patients can sometimes feel that way about us.

MJ:

Yes, exactly.

ST:

We absolutely care about our patients, but sometimes, because of time and workload, it can feel impersonal to them.

MJ:

Right. When you’re trying to see 30 patients in a hospital, it’s really hard to create those human-to-human moments. That’s actually one reason I liked primary care and outpatient medicine — it felt easier to build those relationships, even though that style of medicine isn’t for everyone.

What stood out to me in your story is that you found ways to create those connections regardless. Being in the hospital is one of the worst experiences of many people’s lives. They’re scared, they’re sick, and sometimes they barely get meaningful interaction with anyone because everyone is so busy.

It’s a good reminder of how important those moments of human connection really are.

ST:

Exactly. And some patients come into the hospital completely alone. We forget that too. Sometimes they go days without family visiting, and their only conversations might be with food service workers, patient transport staff, or janitors because those are the people who have a little time to talk with them.

MJ:

I’ll also say this — I can think of several situations where EVS staff or patient transport staff gave us critical information about a patient’s condition that nurses or physicians didn’t even know yet. In some cases, that information genuinely helped save lives because you all were seeing patients more often than we were.

ST:

That’s honestly so amazing to hear because if there’s one thing I want people to take from my story, it’s that every role in a hospital matters. Those jobs are extremely important.

I think if more people understood that, they’d feel more valued and more motivated going into work every day. Everyone in the hospital contributes to patient care.

MJ:

Absolutely, 100%.

One thing that’s probably very different now compared to when I was training is the visibility of medicine on social media. There’s a huge spotlight now on what it’s like to become a doctor. Do you think that helps people pursuing medicine, or do you think it’s harmful because it reveals too much?

ST:

I’m glad you asked that because I know there’s a lot of debate around doctors and medical students being on social media. It’s still pretty new in medicine, and opinions are definitely polarized. Some people think doctors shouldn’t be on social media at all.

I’m on the other side. I think we’re needed there. I wish I had access to this kind of information when I was trying to become a doctor. Back then, I basically just had Google, which obviously worked out, but there was still so much trial and error.

Now there are doctors online breaking down the process step-by-step — how to study, how to apply, what to expect. That kind of access can make the journey feel so much more manageable. It also makes mentorship easier. Students DM me all the time asking for advice or mentorship.

So I’m all for it, as long as people are being responsible and not harming anyone.

MJ:

Your story is actually a perfect example of why it can be helpful. Most people never would have heard your story otherwise, and now it’s inspiring people and showing them there are different paths into medicine. That’s a huge positive.

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about medical school or medical education, what would you change?

ST:

Just one?

MJ:

Just one.

ST:

I would say some of the toxic culture that can exist in medicine. I know that’s something people talk about often, but I really see it in the schedules and workload.

I’ve seen students lose family members and not even be able to attend funerals because they only get one day off per semester or one mental health day. There’s this culture of constant work where mental health protections often don’t feel prioritized.

And residency especially worries me. I’m not there yet, but I hear so many stories about residents being so overworked that they’re driving home exhausted and at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. I think that culture really needs to change.

MJ:

Do you think AI in medical education is making things easier? Is it helping with workload, or do you think it could hurt people’s ability to train properly? How do you see AI fitting into medical education?

ST:

I can’t say for sure whether it’s hurting anything. Hopefully over time we’ll get more research and data on that. But from my personal experience, I think it’s been incredibly helpful.

There are tools now where you can quickly look up diagnoses you don’t fully understand or get explanations in ways that are easier to process. Even with Step 1 and Step 2 studying, AI helped me tremendously. I could make flashcards faster and cut out a lot of the busy work so I could focus more directly on learning.

So for me personally, it definitely made medical education easier, but not in a way that made me feel like I was learning less.

I know some attendings feel like you have to sit down with a textbook to truly learn, but I think this is just our version of opening the book. We’re still learning, and we’re still learning from patients too. So overall, it’s been a positive part of my education.

MJ:

I heard someone say recently that the practice of medicine has always been open-book — we just have more efficient tools now.

ST:

I love that. That’s exactly how I feel. It’s just more efficient and takes away some of the unnecessary workload.

Obviously people succeeded before AI existed, but when it came to Step 1 and Step 2, these tools really helped me focus on what I actually needed to study.

MJ:

At your medical school or during your away rotations, did you ever use the hospital library?

ST:

At my medical school, yes. We studied in the library at Howard all the time. But during away rotations, not really.

MJ:

It’s funny because hospitals used to have libraries specifically for this purpose — you’d go look things up, read about a condition, or find the latest research. But honestly, every time I went into one, people were mostly eating lunch or taking phone calls. Nobody was pulling out a giant textbook from 1994 to read the latest on heart failure.

Now we have tools that can take huge amounts of research and condense it into something useful and accessible. One thing I especially like using AI for is translating complicated medical information for patients. Whether it’s a difficult radiology report or a complex diagnosis, it can help explain things in a more understandable way. That’s something old textbooks or hospital libraries were never really built for.

ST:

Exactly. And a lot of these tools will even give you the research behind the answer too, which makes learning so much faster.

I love the direction medicine is moving in, though I understand why some people prefer the old way of doing things. I just hope we continue learning how to use these tools effectively because I think medicine is only going to keep moving further in this direction.

MJ:

I want to go back to the Match process for a minute. We touched on it earlier, but for people who don’t know how it works, can you explain what it actually means to “match” and why it carries so much emotional weight?

ST:

Yeah. I mean, it’s basically four years of training wrapped into one day. Honestly, even longer than that when you think about everything leading up to medical school.

You spend years doing research, preparing for Step 1, trying to score well on Step 2, networking, building relationships, and putting everything into your ERAS application. Then you apply to a huge number of programs, which can cost thousands of dollars, especially if you apply broadly like I did.

And after all that, there’s still the possibility of not matching, which unfortunately does happen to students every year. That’s what makes it so scary. Imagine going through four years of medical school and still not matching into residency.

So when you finally do match, it’s an enormous relief. And then finding out you matched at your number one program on Friday — it’s just an incredible feeling. But overall, it’s definitely a hard process emotionally.

MJ:

I completely agree. It really does feel like four years wrapped into one day — honestly, probably more than four years because of everything you had to do just to get into medical school in the first place.

At the end of the day, getting into medical school doesn’t mean much if you can’t ultimately match into residency and practice medicine. That’s a tough reality, but it’s true. So there’s an unbelievable amount of pressure attached to it.

ST:

Exactly. It’s really eight to ten years when you include undergrad and everything before medical school. So much gets tied into that one moment.

It’s hard knowing so many students still go unmatched after all that work. I really hope aspects of the process improve over time, but I’m incredibly grateful to have matched.

MJ:

One thing that’s always stood out to me about the pre-med process is that people don’t realize how much unpaid labor is built into it.

To get into medical school, you need great grades and a strong MCAT score, but you also need shadowing, research, letters of recommendation — all these things that often require significant unpaid time. That creates barriers for people who need to work.

So I’m curious how you navigated that while working full-time, going to school, taking care of your mom, and still trying to get all those experiences and recommendations.

ST:

That’s actually something people get really confused about when they hear my story. They ask, “How were you working full-time and doing all of that?” And honestly, I still look back and wonder the same thing sometimes.

I was working, taking care of my mom while she was in the hospital, going to undergrad full-time, doing research — all of it. I truly don’t know how I managed it looking back.

When I studied for the MCAT, I did take about two months off work so I could focus completely on studying. But honestly, the biggest thing for me was having very structured schedules.

I’m huge on scheduling. If I knew I had research, studying, work, or family responsibilities, I mapped everything out tightly and tried to stay disciplined with it. It sounds simple, but that structure is what kept me organized.

I also think having a bigger purpose helped. I knew why I was doing all of this, so I stayed focused on the goal.

And honestly… probably very little sleep too. I look back now and think, “How was I doing all of this at 22 or 23 years old?” Because now one rotation makes me exhausted.

MJ:

Well, maybe it was good preparation for residency sleep schedules. But seriously, that’s incredible.

And the financial side of medicine adds another huge layer to all of this. Like you mentioned earlier, most people aren’t writing in their medical school essays that they’re doing this for the money. Most people genuinely love medicine and find meaning in it.

But regardless of your motivations, the financial burden is real. What do you think most students aren’t prepared for financially when they start medical school?

ST:

I actually recently made a social media post where I openly shared my debt because I wanted to be honest about it. Right now, I’m about $590,000 in debt. That includes undergrad, my master’s degree, and medical school.

Most students graduate with around $200,000 or more, but mine is definitely on the higher end. The debt burden is huge, especially if you don’t come from money or didn’t grow up learning about finances, loans, or repayment strategies.

I’m honestly still learning as I go. I’m trying to figure out what repayment will look like during residency and how to reduce the burden over time because financial literacy wasn’t something I was really taught growing up.

MJ:

Yeah, it’s unfortunately a really difficult reality. Most students are trying to minimize loans as much as possible, but at the same time, basic life expenses still exist — rent, food, gas, everything costs money.

Then suddenly you graduate, start residency, and about six months later those loan bills start showing up. So now you’re trying to survive intern year while also figuring out repayment.

Do you feel like students are getting enough guidance on that now, or is there still a lack of support around the financial side of medicine?

ST:

They do give us a few mandatory seminars before graduation where they teach us about loan repayment, exiting loans, and things like that. But honestly, I still feel like it’s hard to fully understand everything until you’re actually living through it.

I understand the different repayment options in theory, but I think I’ll understand it more once I’m working one-on-one with someone who can explain it based on my individual situation instead of speaking generally to an entire class. Everyone’s financial situation is different. I may have significantly more loans than someone else or completely different circumstances financially.

I really wish there was more individualized coaching around financial planning in medicine because everyone’s experience is different.

MJ:

And it’s constantly changing too, right? The repayment plans change, the laws change, and meanwhile you’re just trying to match and learn how to be a doctor.

ST:

Exactly. There’s still so much I don’t know, honestly. I’m trying to do my own research and learn as much as I can while also dealing with onboarding, orientation, and moving to another state for residency.

It gets overwhelming very quickly, and I think a lot of medical students don’t realize how much there is to figure out outside of medicine itself.

MJ:

When I moved from the University of Tennessee to Ohio for residency, I was married and had one child already. It was incredibly expensive. I didn’t have money saved because my student loans were already maxed out, so I ended up relying on credit cards just to move and secure housing.

And then you don’t even get paid until sometime in July, so you have weeks where you still need gas, food, and basic necessities without any income coming in.

ST:

Exactly. You still have to survive.

I’ve seen a lot of students using GoFundMe campaigns during the transition to residency, and sometimes people in the comments say things like, “Why would a doctor need a GoFundMe? Doctors make so much money.” And I’m like, “No, we really don’t — at least not at this stage.”

MJ:

That’s actually one of the reasons we started Panacea. Ned and I went through that same transition and thought, “Why is nobody trying to solve this problem at scale?”

It’s hard for people outside medicine to understand. There’s often very little sympathy because people hear “doctor” and assume you’re financially secure already. But meanwhile, you’ve got massive debt, no paycheck yet, and you’re moving across the country.

And after investing 10 to 15 years into this path, it’s not like you can just stop and say, “Never mind, I’ll go do something else.” You’ve already sacrificed so much that you just keep going no matter what.

ST:

That’s absolutely true. And that’s another reason why social media can be so important. It gives people a better understanding of what medical students and residents actually go through.

A lot of people just hear “doctor” and assume everything is easy or financially stable, but there’s so much behind the scenes that people never see.

MJ:

That’s a really good point. At the end of the day, everyone is affected by the healthcare system because everyone is either a patient or knows someone who is.

You want a system that produces doctors who are healthy, supported, and able to continue doing the work without burning out. And debt is a huge part of that conversation.

I heard you mention that you mentor a lot of pre-med students. What are those conversations usually like? And if you could send one message to every pre-med student out there, what would you want them to hear?

ST:

The first thing I’d say is mentorship is everything. No matter what background you come from, find mentorship. It doesn’t have to be someone who looks like you specifically — just find someone genuinely willing to guide and support you.

The second thing is what I mentioned earlier: understand why you want to do this. Medicine is a very long and very expensive process. It’s not easy, and it takes a lot out of you mentally and emotionally.

So really know yourself before starting. A lot of things along the way are going to try to break you down, and when that happens, you need to remember why you started in the first place and what personal purpose is driving you. Hopefully, that purpose will carry you through the hard moments.

MJ:

That makes a lot of sense. It’s one of those things people can explain to you all day long, but until you’re actually in it, you don’t fully understand.

ST:

Exactly. People can tell you all day, but it’s different once you’re actually living it.

MJ:

I want to move into what I call the rapid-fire section. It’s usually not very rapid because we end up talking about everything anyway, but I’m going to give you true-or-false statements and you tell me what you think and why.

First one: True or false — your social media presence can make or break a residency application.

Are program directors really looking at people’s social media accounts?

ST:

I definitely think students need to be very careful about what they post because social media is public, and doctors and medical students are increasingly visible online now.

At the end of the day, we still represent our profession, and people look up to us both inside and outside the hospital. So I think it’s important to post responsibly and professionally.

I do think program directors are paying more attention to social media now, and naturally they want to recruit people who represent themselves well publicly.

So my advice is: post positively and be mindful of what you share.

MJ:

I saw a viral story recently about a medical student influencer posting questionable content, and apparently that didn’t end very well.

ST:

Exactly. You just have to be careful. Don’t post patient information or joke about patients. We worked too hard to get here to lose opportunities over social media mistakes.

I understand why some doctors feel like medicine can be restrictive because we always have to think about what we say or do publicly, but that’s part of the responsibility that comes with this profession.

You can still have fun online — just do it in a positive and respectful way.

MJ:

Alright, next one: True or false — burnout is inevitable in medical school.

ST:

True.

MJ:

Why do you think that?

ST:

The schedules are just incredibly demanding. Even if you occasionally get a day to yourself, the overall process is very difficult.

I think almost every medical student experiences burnout at some point because of the sheer amount of work, pressure, and emotional stress involved. It’s hard not to.

MJ:

Alright, next one: True or false — having prior experience as support staff gives you an advantage as a resident.

Absolutely true. Honestly, that may be the easiest true-or-false question ever. We’ve already talked about it a lot, but I genuinely think attendings are going to love having you on service because of that background and perspective.

ST:

Thank you.

MJ:

Alright, next one: True or false — the medical system is fundamentally changing for the better.

There are no rules here, so answer however you want.

Shay Taylor:

Can I say in the middle?

I think some things are changing. I see a lot of people rallying around mental health awareness when it comes to doctors and residents. But I do think there are still things that need to change, of course.

Michael Jerkins:

Yeah, that’s a more lighthearted final one — true or false: The Pitt is the most accurate TV portrayal of what being a doctor actually looks like.

ST:

I don’t watch The Pitt.

MJ:

Me either! I’ve never seen it. Okay!

ST:

I choose not to do anything medicine-related once I leave work, so I also don’t watch anything medical on TV.

MJ:

Same here — I’ve never watched a medical show. Not one.

ST:

So we understand each other.

MJ:

Yeah. People are like, “The Pitt is awesome!” I’m like, “Sounds great… I’m not watching it.”

ST:

When I go home, I don’t want to think about medicine. I want to relax — unless I’m at work.

MJ:

Yeah, I’m good with like Bluey or something like that. That’s more my speed.

ST:

I’m a Housewives person — that helps me unwind.

MJ:

Everyone’s got their thing, and I’m glad you found yours.

I’m curious — I ask this question to every guest as our last one: what is one thing you’ve recently changed your mind about? It can be anything — medical or not.

ST:

Recently?

I think the biggest change is deciding to go into anesthesia. That was a major life shift for me. I didn’t know I wanted to do anesthesia at all until very late — right before we started applying through ERAS.

MJ:

You were OB-GYN before that, right?

ST:

I was OB-GYN at one point. I even considered family medicine. I was kind of all over the place.

Then I went into the OR, met an anesthesiologist who was really kind, talked with him about his career, and I shadowed him — and I just loved it.

MJ:

That’s incredible. One conversation and one shadowing experience changed your entire trajectory. That’s amazing.

This has been fantastic — thank you so much for making time in your busy schedule to join us. Where can listeners follow you and keep up with your journey?

ST:

My TikTok is Shay Taylor Allen, and my Instagram is Shay with two i’s dot Taylor.

MJ:

Dr. Allen, thank you so much for being here, and congratulations on everything. We can’t wait to follow your journey through residency.

ST:

Thank you so much!

MJ:

You can catch The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors) on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and subscribe. Next time you see a doctor, maybe prescribe this podcast. See you next time.

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