What happens when you leave a stable, six-figure clinical career… to build something of your own?

In this episode I sit down with returning guest Kate Johnston—former PA turned full-time coach and entrepreneur—to talk about what it actually looks like to walk away from medicine and build a business from the ground up.

And spoiler: it’s not “build it and they will come.”

We dive into the real, unfiltered lessons from Kate’s first years in business—from the identity crisis of no longer being “a PA” to the surprising skills no one tells you you’ll need (hello, marketing and sales).

We also talk about:

• Why changing jobs doesn’t fix burnout (and what actually does)

• The difference between treating symptoms vs solving root problems (in both healthcare and business)

• How niching down transformed her business (and why it feels scary but works)

• The biggest mistake she made when starting—and what she’d do differently

• Why “protecting your revenue” might be the smartest move you make

• The mindset shift that helped her reclaim her self-worth outside of medicine

Plus, Kate shares how she helps women in healthcare break free from emotional eating and build a healthier relationship with food—without relying on willpower or quick fixes.

This episode is for the clinician who’s thinking: “There has to be another way.”

Because there is. But it’s not what Instagram told you.

Want Help Building Your Own Income Stream?

If you’re sitting there thinking:

“Okay… but what would my version of this look like?”

I’ve got you.

Grab Your Copy of the Side Gig Guide: www.tracybingaman.com/gig

SPONSORS:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC: advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi

SERMO https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend

Keywords: clinician entrepreneurship, PA to entrepreneur transition, starting a coaching business healthcare, emotional eating healthcare workers, burnout and career change PA, side business for clinicians, healthcare career pivot stories, building a coaching business from scratch, mindset for entrepreneurs healthcare, leaving clinical medicine

She didn’t have a business plan.She didn’t have a website.She didn’t even know what a virtual assistant was.

But one “yes” turned into a flexible side business bringing in $10–15K/year—while working part-time nights in the ICU and raising a family.

After going part-time, Sarah wanted a small income buffer.She tried a few ideas… and then an opportunity landed in her inbox:

“Want to be my VA?”

She said yes—and figured it out as she went.

Now she:

• Supports entrepreneurs behind the scenes

• Works ~10–15 hours/month per client

• Earns ~$10–15K/year

• Has almost zero overhead

• You don’t need a perfect plan—just a starting point

• Your clinical skills translate more than you think

• Relationships—not sales—build businesses

• Small side income can create massive flexibility

If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be another way…”

This episode shows you one.

• LinkedIn: ⁠Sarah Miller, PA-VA⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-miller-pa-va/⁠

• Website: sjmvirtualsolutions.com

• Email: sjmvirtualsolutions@gmail.com

If you’re sitting there thinking:

“Okay… but what would my version of this look like?”

I’ve got you.

Grab ⁠Your Copy of the Side Gig Guide⁠: ⁠www.tracybingaman.com/gig⁠

SPONSORS:

SPONSORS: ⁠ADVANCED PRACTICE PLANNING, LLC⁠: ⁠advancedpracticeplanning.com/fi⁠⁠SERMO⁠ ⁠https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=39d97a2c-f699-4f8b-b2f9-1eb131e18c75&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend⁠

keywords: virtual assistant business for clinicians, side hustles for physician assistants, PA side income ideas, healthcare side hustle from home, virtual assistant income examples, work from home healthcare jobs, clinician entrepreneurship, part time PA income, burnout alternatives for clinicians, make money outside clinical medicine, virtual assistant services for entrepreneurs, remote admin jobs for healthcare workers, flexible side income for busy moms, online business ideas for clinicians, passive income alternatives healthcare

Once upon a time, there was a gold-star-collecting girl who believed hard work guaranteed fulfillment — so she chose medicine.

In this deeply personal episode, Tracy Bingaman shares the story behind her burnout, her breaking point, and the decision that changed everything: she didn’t quit medicine — she quit martyrdom.

After years of overwork, illness, exhaustion, and people-pleasing inside a system that never loved her back, she chose a different path. One where she practices clinically by choice, not obligation, and built a business that gives her autonomy, flexibility, and impact.

If you’ve ever felt trapped in healthcare, questioned your path, or wondered whether there’s another way to serve without sacrificing yourself…

This episode is your permission slip.

Episode Highlights

• Why high achievers burn out fastest in healthcare

• The hidden cost of people-pleasing in medicine

• The difference between leaving medicine and leaving the system

• Early warning signs your body is burning out

• How entrepreneurship creates freedom and impact for clinicians

Keywords: physician associate burnout, PA burnout recovery, healthcare burnout story, clinician entrepreneurship, entrepreneur for healthcare providers, how to leave corporate medicine, part time physician associate, women in medicine burnout, burnout and autoimmune disease, healthcare boundaries, RVU culture, doctor burnout, PA career transition, medical entrepreneurship, income streams for clinicians

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why high-achieving clinicians are especially vulnerable to burnout, How corporate medicine subtly reinforces people-pleasing behavior, The difference between quitting medicine and quitting martyrdom, The early warning signs of burnout that most providers ignore, How entrepreneurship can create autonomy, flexibility, and financial margin, Why practicing medicine is one way to serve — not your only way, The mindset shift from RVU-based worth to value-based impact, How to start building something outside the confines of corporate healthcare

Core Themes & Topics

Physician Associate burnout, Healthcare burnout recovery, Women in medicine, Clinician entrepreneurship, Physician Associate career transitions, Boundaries in medicine, Income diversification for clinicians, Part-time clinical practice, Corporate healthcare reform, Identity beyond medicine