My First Day as an Attending Plastic Surgeon | Life After Residency

What does the first day as an attending surgeon actually look like?

After years of medical school and plastic surgery residency, Dr. Liz Malphrus officially begins her career as an attending plastic surgeon. But instead of jumping straight into the operating room, the reality is far different—and surprisingly emotional.

In this episode of Cut & Tell, Liz shares what it's really like to leave residency behind, start building a surgical practice from scratch, earn patients' trust, navigate the business side of medicine, and finally experience something many physicians rarely have: control over their own career.

She also reflects on the identity shift from resident to attending, why being called "Doctor" still matters, and how this new chapter has changed the way she thinks about work, purpose, and life outside the hospital.

If you're a medical student, resident, fellow, attending physician, or simply curious about what happens after surgical training ends, this is an honest look at one of the biggest transitions in a doctor's career.

In this episode:

What your first day as an attending is actually likeBuilding a surgical practice from zero patientsThe emotional transition out of residencyMarketing yourself as a new physicianWhy "Dr." still mattersFinding work-life balance after residencyAdvice for residents approaching graduation

Cut & Tell is a candid podcast following Dr. Liz Malphrus as she navigates life after plastic surgery residency—the challenges, career decisions, and realities that medical training rarely prepares you for.

Host: Liz Malphrus, MD

Connect with Liz: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/liz-malphrus-md

IG: @dr.malphrus

Produced By: The Hippocratic Collective