Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD

McCusker said patients remember how they were made to feel more than the specific treatment they received.

Unlike Shahriari's planner mindset, McCusker embraced spontaneity and instinct when deciding to build her own practice.

McCusker encouraged women physicians to seek advice and support from female colleagues rather than facing career transitions alone.

Meagen McCusker, MD, MS, medical director of Integrated Dermatology of Enfield & Simsbury, discussed the emotional rewards of 

 and the different paths physicians take toward major career changes in a conversation with host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, on the 

McCusker and Shahriari opened by reflecting on why dermatology remains such a fulfilling specialty, noting that visible improvement, such as clearing psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, creates an intimate bond between physician and patient.

Why This Dermatologist Trusted Instinct Over a Backup Plan

McCusker said that patients tend to remember how they were made to feel more than the specific treatment provided, and that this emotional connection, along with loyalty among staff, is central to building a successful practice.

Do Physicians Need a Backup Plan Before Making a Career Change?

The conversation shifted to how physicians approach major transitions, such as leaving academic medicine to start a private practice. Shahriari described herself as a planner who prefers a clear backup strategy before making big decisions.

McCusker said her own approach was more spontaneous, explaining that she committed to building her own practice before working out every detail, trusting instinct over a rigid plan. She said that embracing some uncertainty ultimately motivated her to follow through.

Why Female Physicians Should Lean on Each Other During Career Transitions

Asked for advice for physicians who feel pressure to have everything perfectly prepared before taking a professional leap, McCusker pointed to the value of female mentorship. She said women in medicine are sometimes less likely to seek career advice from one another due to a perceived sense of competition.

McCusker also encouraged listeners to ask trusted female colleagues to review their work or offer guidance. She said women often understand how to build each other's confidence and can offer a different, valuable perspective during moments of uncertainty.

Editor’s note: Neither speaker had any relevant disclosures of note. This episode was summarized with the help of AI tools.

Shahriari M, McCusker M. The Medical Sisterhood: From Employee to Entrepreneur, With Meagen McCusker, MD. HCPLive. July 28, 2026. Accessed August 6, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/medical-sisterhood-employee-entrepreneur-meagen-mccusker-md

Videos

Meagen McCusker, MD, discusses trusting instinct over rigid planning and why female physicians should lean on each other during career transitions.

McCusker left academic medicine after rigid leave policies conflicted with her responsibilities as a parent.

She built her private practice around scheduling autonomy and a culture centered on empowering women.

Shahriari noted that physician autonomy often matters more than salary in driving career satisfaction.

Meagen McCusker, MD, MS, medical director of Integrated Dermatology of Enfield & Simsbury, reflected on her path from academic 

 to private practice entrepreneurship in a conversation with host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, on 

McCusker recalled finishing residency energized by newfound independence and eager to build her career within an academic department she loved.

Why This Dermatologist Traded Academic Medicine for Private Practice

A University of Connecticut graduate, she described the thrill and fear of seeing her first patients without supervision, along with a sense of finally being able to apply years of training. At that stage, she said private practice was far from her mind; she felt secure in the structure and mentorship academic medicine provided.

That comfort shifted as McCusker's responsibilities as a physician and mother began to collide with academia's rigid demands. She pointed to a specific breaking point: missing her son's kindergarten graduation because department policy required six weeks' notice for time off. Balancing two young children with an inflexible schedule, she said, became untenable, and she recognized that meeting the needs of her family required rethinking her career structure entirely.

Rather than reject her training, McCusker said she carried forward what she valued most from academic medicine while reshaping the parts that no longer served her. Building her own practice gave her control over scheduling and let her define the workplace culture she wanted, one she described as rooted in the principle that empowered women empower women.

Shahriari, who also transitioned from academia to private practice, noted that autonomy often outweighs compensation in physician satisfaction, citing research suggesting that when physicians are given greater control over their work, income becomes a secondary concern. Both agreed that flexibility and self-determined culture, rather than salary alone, are often the deciding factors in physician career satisfaction and long-term fulfillment in medicine.

Shahriari M, McCusker M. The Medical Sisterhood: From Employee to Entrepreneur, With Meagen McCusker, MD. HCPLive. July 28, 2026. Accessed August 4, 2026. 

Meagen McCusker, MD, shares why academic medicine's rigid schedule pushed her toward private practice and building an empowering, autonomy-focused culture.

, host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of 

 at Yale School of Medicine and dermatologist at Yale Medicine, welcomed Meagen M. McCusker, MD, MS.

McCusker is known for her role as medical director of Integrated Dermatology of Enfield & Simsbury. She joined the podcast for a candid conversation about leaving academic medicine, embracing entrepreneurship, and building a career aligned with both professional goals and personal priorities.

The Medical Sisterhood: From Employee to Entrepreneur, With Meagen McCusker, MD

From Academic Medicine to Practice Ownership

According to McCusker, career goals evolve, and physicians should allow their professional paths to evolve with them.

Successful practice ownership depends on building a strong team, not mastering every business task alone.

Flexibility and autonomy can be just as valuable as financial compensation.

Mentorship and supporting other women remain essential to long-term career growth.

Reflecting on her early career, McCusker explained that practice ownership was never part of her original plan. Like many physicians, she followed the traditional path from residency into academic medicine, where she found fulfillment in patient care, teaching, and mentorship. Business ownership simply was not something she had considered, largely because physicians receive little formal training in the operational side of medicine.

Over time, however, her priorities evolved. As her family grew, McCusker found that the structure of academic medicine no longer provided the flexibility she needed. She described wanting greater control over her schedule while also creating a workplace culture centered on collaboration, mentorship, and supporting women in medicine. Rather than viewing the decision as leaving something behind, she framed it as an opportunity to build an environment that reflected her own values.

Throughout the discussion, McCusker emphasized that career decisions should reflect the season of life physicians are currently in, rather than expectations formed years earlier. She encouraged listeners to recognize that professional goals naturally evolve over time and cautioned against remaining in situations that no longer foster personal or professional growth.

Although launching a practice came with uncertainty, McCusker explained that her greatest concerns centered less on clinical medicine and more on learning the business aspects of healthcare. Understanding insurance systems, building employee benefits, hiring staff, and leading a team represented entirely new skill sets that residency had not prepared her to manage.

Rather than attempting to master every aspect herself, she advocated surrounding oneself with experienced professionals who complement a physician's expertise. Building a trusted team, she noted, allows physician leaders to focus on delivering excellent patient care while developing a sustainable practice.

Lessons for Women Considering Entrepreneurship

Shahriari and McCusker also discussed the pressures many women place on themselves to feel completely prepared before making major career decisions.

 McCusker acknowledged that her own approach differed from meticulous planning, explaining that she relied heavily on instinct when she recognized it was time to move forward.

She argued that waiting for perfect circumstances can delay meaningful opportunities, encouraging physicians to trust their experience and remain open to change even when uncertainty remains. Growth, she suggested, often requires accepting discomfort rather than avoiding it.

The conversation also highlighted the importance of mentorship throughout a physician's career. Shahriari reflected on McCusker's own influence during residency, while McCusker reinforced the idea that women supporting one another remains one of the profession's greatest strengths. Together, they underscored that leadership extends beyond clinical excellence and includes empowering colleagues, cultivating workplace culture, and helping future generations of physicians succeed.

Closing the discussion, McCusker shared that despite the challenges of entrepreneurship, she continues to find fulfillment in dermatology because of the meaningful relationships built with patients and colleagues alike. For physicians contemplating a similar path, her message was clear: career fulfillment often comes from creating a professional life that aligns with one's values rather than following a predetermined roadmap.

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Torres AJC, Barbosa-Silva L, Ryan MK, et al. The Impact of Motherhood on Women's Career Progression: A Scoping Review of Evidence-Based Interventions. Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Mar 26;14(4):275. doi: 10.3390/bs14040275. PMID: 38667071; PMCID: PMC11047346.


Podcasts

In this episode of The Medical Sisterhood, physician entrepreneurship is explored as Meagen McCusker, MD, shares lessons on private practice, leadership, and career.

The Medical Sisterhood: The Strength Nobody Talks About, with Saakshi Khattri, MD

 podcast, host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of 

 at Yale University and practicing dermatologist in Connecticut, sat down with Saakshi Khattri, MD, a triple board-certified physician in dermatology, rheumatology, and internal medicine, associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and director of Mount Sinai’s Dermatology/Rheumatology service. Together, the 2 physicians explored themes of reinvention, contentment, boundaries, and redefining success for women in medicine.

The conversation centered on the idea that personal and professional growth often requires letting go of earlier definitions of achievement. Reflecting on her career, Khattri noted that her priorities have changed significantly over time. While she once focused heavily on academic accomplishments and professional milestones, she now views contentment, not achievement, as the more meaningful goal. For Khattri, contentment can take many forms, ranging from meaningful work and relationships to simple daily pleasures, emphasizing that fulfillment often evolves throughout different stages of life.

Shahriari and Khattri discussed how expectations placed on women can shape perceptions of success and self-worth. Khattri reflected on how many women are conditioned to seek external validation, whether through career accomplishments, societal expectations, or personal milestones. She argued that fulfillment is more likely to come from defining success internally rather than allowing others to dictate what achievement should look like.

A major theme of the episode involved reinvention. Khattri described how her own life unfolded differently than she once imagined, recalling that as a young medical student she envisioned a future centered around marriage and a large family. Instead, her career, personal experiences, and changing priorities led her down a very different path. She emphasized that evolution is a natural part of life and that individuals should not feel obligated to remain tied to goals or identities formed decades earlier.

The discussion also explored how personal adversity can alter perspective. Khattri shared that a breast cancer diagnosis in her late 30s became a turning point, prompting her to reassess what truly mattered and encouraging a greater focus on joy, purpose, and personal values. She explained that experiences like serious illness can shift attention away from external markers of success and toward a deeper appreciation of life’s priorities.

Another recurring topic was the importance of boundaries. Khattri argued that physicians, particularly women, are often not taught how to establish limits in their professional lives.

 She recounted experiences involving patient expectations and professional obligations that reinforced the necessity of protecting personal time and wellbeing. Both she and Shahriari acknowledged that learning to say “no” can be difficult, but described it as essential for long-term sustainability and happiness.

The pair also addressed vulnerability among high-achieving women. Khattri noted that many women feel pressure to appear strong and composed in professional settings, often suppressing emotions out of concern that vulnerability could be perceived as weakness. While she emphasized the importance of having safe outlets through family, friends, or therapy, she acknowledged that these expectations remain deeply ingrained.

As the episode concluded, Khattri offered advice for the next generation of women physicians: seek validation from within, establish boundaries early, and define success according to personal values rather than societal expectations. Ultimately, both physicians framed reinvention not as failure, but as an ongoing process of growth, self-discovery, and becoming more fully aligned with one’s authentic self.

Neither speaker had any relevant disclosures of note.

Editor’s note: This episode was produced with the help of AI tools.

Wang ML, Narcisse MR, Rodriguez K, McElfish PA. Gender disparities in job flexibility, job security, psychological distress, work absenteeism, and work presenteeism among U.S. adults. SSM Popul Health. 2025 Feb 3;29:101761. 

This June episode of the podcast highlights one clinicians journey and experiences as a woman physician in the dermatology and rheumatology fields.

Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD

Articles