Stand Up (for) Doctors! Physician Retreat
A Weekend to Connect, Empower, Recharge, and Celebrate!
October 9-12, 2026
Edith Macy Conference Center
Briarcliff Manor, NY
Stand Up (for) Doctors!
Build connection and create advocacy for healthy doctors, drive positive change, and showcase the power of the patient-physician relationship in reshaping healthcare transformation.
About Us
Welcome to “Stand Up for Doctors!”
Stand Up (for) Doctors! brings together physicians, other healthcare professionals, and patients for thoughtful conversations about today’s healthcare issues. We amplify the voices of physicians, care teams, and patients as they share experiences, insights, and wins. Our mission is to build connection and advocacy for healthy physicians, inspire positive change, and highlight the power of the relationship between patients and physicians in shaping a better future for healthcare.
Catch Up on Powerful Conversations
Every episode offers real stories, honest insights, and a shared passion for transforming healthcare.
Your questions answered
Get informed now. Answers to your common questions
Frequently asked questions
About “Stand Up for Doctors!” with Kim Downey
What is “Stand Up for Doctors!”?
“Stand Up for Doctors!” is a platform hosted by Kim Downey, focused on amplifying the voices of doctors, healthcare professionals, and patients. It highlights their real experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the medical field.
What topics are discussed on the channel?
We explore a wide range of healthcare issues, including:
Physician burnout and mental health
Patient-doctor relationships
Systemic healthcare challenges
Healthcare reform and advocacy
Triumphs and passion projects in medicine
How can I get involved or share my story?
If you’re a doctor, healthcare worker, or patient with a story to share, reach out to us! We welcome new voices to join the conversation and contribute to the mission.
Is this platform only for doctors?
Not at all! While we focus on the well-being and stories of doctors, we believe in the power of collaboration, so all voices from the healthcare ecosystem are welcome and valued.
Ready to Feel Seen, Heard, and Inspired?
White Coats, Courageous Hearts :
True Stories of Doctors Reclaiming Their Humanity in a System That Challenges It (Stand Up (for) Doctors! Book 1)
White Coats, Courageous Hearts isn’t just a book it’s a movement. Inside, you’ll find the unfiltered stories of doctors who faced burnout, trauma, and impossible systems… and found the courage to reclaim their lives. If you’ve ever felt alone in your struggle, this book will remind you: you’re not. And there is a way forward.
“Essential Reading for Understanding the Heart of Medicine”
As an emergency physician and a physician coach since 2008, I have been privileged to witness hundreds of stories similar to those Kim Downey has masterfully collected in “White Coats.” This book arrives at a critical time when the medical profession desperately needs advocates like Downey—individuals who understand both the deep calling that draws people to medicine and the systemic challenges that make practicing it increasingly difficult. Full review…
Dawn
“A Powerful Call to Care—for Physicians and the System”
Kim has given us more than a book—she’s given us a spark. Born from her own experience of connection, loss, and the devastating suicide of a beloved physician, this collection of stories is both deeply personal and powerfully universal. Through the voices of physicians, Kim brings to light the humanity, heartbreak, and hope that exist within our medical system. Full review…
Denise Bell
“An urgent love letter to the people who make medicine human”
Kim Downey’s White Coats, Courageous Hearts is more than just a book. It’s a lifeline of empathy, truth, and fierce advocacy. A physical therapist by training, Kim’s world was forever changed when she lost her beloved physician to suicide. That heartbreak became a rallying cry, fueling her mission to protect the heart of healthcare: the people inside it. Full review…
Gabe Charbonneau
Real Stories. Real Doctors. Real Impact.
Champions of Change
Hear from our supporters
Voices of impact. Our supporters share stories
Kim is a fierce advocate for physician well-being and I had the honor of being a guest on her YouTube show. She is very knowledgeable as a host and guided the conversation in an expert manner. I would highly encourage her as a public speaker. She is inspiring and dedicated- sharing her authentic journey and helping all who come in her circle.
Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC
Kim Downey is one of those people whose presence on LinkedIn immediately stands out—not just because of what she shares, but because of how she shows up: consistently, courageously, and with deep care for the well-being of clinicians.
We first connected through mutual colleagues and shared advocacy work in the physician wellness space, and I’ve since had the pleasure of speaking with Kim on the Solving for Joy podcast. Her story and perspective are powerful, and her work through Stand Up for Doctors—as well as her role as an ambassador for the Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation—is a meaningful contribution to the larger conversation around healthcare culture and clinician support.
Kim brings both vulnerability and vision to the table, and her commitment to amplifying the voices of others is felt across every platform she touches. I’m grateful to be in community with her and excited to see how her work continues to ripple outward.
Chrissie Ott MD
What Kim has created here is more than a platform. It’s a mirror. One that reflects not just the pain physicians endure, but also the strength it takes to name it, share it, and do something about it….Kim has reminded us that advocacy starts with empathy. That connection is not a distraction from medicine. It’s the heart of it. And that when we stand up for each other, we begin to heal, together.
