Zoanne Clack: The ER Doctor Behind Grey’s Anatomy

Zoanne Clack is one of the most influential writers and producers in the television industry, having written and produced more than 400 episodes across Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. But Zoanne wasn’t always just writing about doctors—she was one. She began her career in emergency medicine, working grueling hours as a physician after training at Emory and serving at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At 32, completely burnt out and still thinking of her lifelong dream of working in television, Zoanne packed up her life in Atlanta and moved to Los Angeles, a move that changed the course of her life. On this episode of She Pivots, Zoanne shares her experience going through medical school knowing she didn’t love science and joining Grey’s Anatomy in its very early days. She also discusses how she became a leader in what she calls “entertainment education,” using television to tackle public health issues, expand representation, and in some cases, maybe even save lives. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to She Pivots 00:28 From ER Doctor to Grey's Anatomy 02:25 Childhood Dreams and Career Expectations 04:45 The Practical Choice: Medical School 08:33 Burnout and the Search for a New Path 16:47 The Turning Point: Moving to Los Angeles 21:31 Finding Her Footing in TV 29:04 Balancing Two Careers: Medicine and Writing 32:30 The Evolution of Grey's Anatomy 38:05 Zoanne's Mom 40:37 The Art of Medical Education Through Media 44:22 Low Point to Launch 47:43 Reflections on Zoanne's Pivot 48:36 Podcast Production Credits Keep up with Zoanne @zclack on instagram, and learn more about her offerings here.   Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.   She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.   Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com   Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates.    She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast. Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.