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Podcast: The Podcast by KevinMD
Episode: 35 years in the ER and the search for an honest life
Description: Independent emergency physician Kenneth Ro discusses his article, "From survival to sovereignty: What 35 years in the ER taught me about identity, mortality, and redemption." He shares his deeply personal journey, from growing up as a bullied Korean American boy in Texas who used academic achievement as "armor," to a 35-year career on the front lines of the ER. Kenneth explains how the unprocessed trauma from his work—bookended by the AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics—led to a life of compartmentalization and addiction, creating two versions of himself: one who saved lives and one who sabotaged his own. The conversation expl...