how dr. neda frayha improvised a unique path in medicine

“When I went to medical school, there was no thought that there could be another path,” says Dr. Neda Frayha, who spent years telling herself she needed to quash her interests in things like storytelling and creative writing in order to progress in medicine.

But then, little by little, she began listening to a voice inside of her, one that kept tugging her off the beaten (and linear) path. First, the voice urged her to apply for an audio storytelling training run by the esteemed Transom.org. She figured she didn’t stand a chance — and then she got in. “It changed my life and I knew it in the moment,” she says now of the week-long experience.

Still, since life isn’t a Hollywood movie, Neda didn’t come home from this training, quit her job, and become an overnight podcasting sensation. Instead, she continued to follow the guidance of her inner voice, and began pitching and producing freelance health stories for public radio and other outlets. She did this work on nights and weekends, while continuing to spend her days as a physician and medical educator.

This story is for anyone who finds themselves wanting things they think they aren’t “supposed” to want, given the path they’ve chosen for themselves. It’s certainly for med students and young physicians grappling with the traditional arc of a medical career. And it’s for the slow and steady decision-makers, folks who would never change everything overnight, but who also want something different — something more — than what they currently have.

Click the button below to download an illustrated version of Neda’s story.