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Listen to Episode 24 below:

Episode Notes:

Will Bynum, MD, PhD., is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine in the Duke University School of Medicine. Prior to arriving at Duke in October 2017, he served for seven years on Active Duty in the US Air Force. Will’s military service included four years of faculty duties in the NCC Family Medicine Residency Program, a deployment to East Africa as the senior medical director of a special operations command, and multiple overseas trips providing medical support to traveling congressional delegations. Will currently serves as the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program Director and Faculty Advisor to the Duke School of Medicine Student Wellness Committee. Will’s primary academic interest centers on the role of self-conscious emotions (shame, guilt, and pride) in the medical learning experience. He has conducted some of this research through his PhD work in health professions education at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

In the conversation, Dr. Bynum shares his journey from a service-oriented upbringing to becoming a leader in addressing shame in healthcare, exploring how authentic human connection forms the foundation of his work as both clinician and educator.

 

We also cover:

  • His experiences in military service and the paradoxical psychological safety he found there compared to healthcare environments
  • The personal crisis that led him to study shame in medical education and healthcare
  • How storytelling and narrative serve as powerful tools for addressing shame
  • The concept of “shame competence” and shame-sensitive practices in healthcare
  • His vision for a more connected, authentic healthcare system that integrates humanities and creativity

 

Dr. Bynum concludes by reflecting on finding joy in his life through connecting with his family, building new experiences with his children, and creating work that feels meaningful enough to blur the line between profession and passion.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-bynum-698a1889/

Website – Shame Space Consortium: https://www.theshamespace.com/

 

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:45) Dr. Bynum’s Background

(04:00) Dr. Bynum’s Path to Medicine

(07:15) Service-Oriented Family Influence

(10:30) Military Service Experience

(16:00) Journey into Medical Education

(18:45) Origin Story of Studying Shame in Medicine

(24:15) Storytelling as a Tool for Addressing Shame

(28:30) Comparing Military and Healthcare Environments

(34:30) Shame Competence and Shame-Sensitive Practices

(38:30) Creativity, Arts, and Humanities in Healthcare

(42:00) Imagining a Transformed Healthcare Future

(47:45) Personal Life and Finding Joy

(50:15) Conclusion

 

Resources/References:

The Shame Conversation Film: https://www.theshamespace.com/film

 

Dr. Brene Brown Ted Talks on shame and vulnerability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psN1DORYYV0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o

 

Bynum WE 4th, Sukhera J. Perfectionism, Power, and Process: What We Must Address to Dismantle Mental Health Stigma in Medical Education. Acad Med. 2021;96(5):621-623. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004008

 

Bynum WE 4th, Varpio L, Lagoo J, Teunissen PW. ‘I’m unworthy of being in this space’: The origins of shame in medical students. Med Educ. 2021;55(2):185-197. doi:10.1111/medu.14354

 

Bynum WE 4th, W Teunissen P, Varpio L. In the “Shadow of Shame”: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Nature of Shame Experiences in Medical Students. Acad Med. 2021;96(11S):S23-S30. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004261