Episodes

March 20, 2026

Criticism stings because doctors care deeply about their work

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "." Jessie validates the pain that comes with criticism, noting that it hurts not because physicians are weak, but because they are human and deeply invested in their patients. The...

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March 19, 2026

Why early detection matters: Transforming lung cancer care

In this special sponsored episode from Eli Lilly and Company, I am joined by Dr. Lee James, senior vice president of oncology medical affairs at Lilly, to discuss the importance of lung cancer screening, early detection, and ...

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March 18, 2026

Politics and fear have replaced science in U.S. pain management

Patient advocate Richard A. Lawhern, PhD, discusses the article "." Richard argues that for decades, public policy on pain treatment has been driven by sociopolitical factors rather than medical science. He traces the history from the "business...

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March 17, 2026

Shift from universal to optional vaccination risks normalizing preven…

Medical student Umayr R. Shaikh discusses his article "." Umayr argues that recent CDC changes, moving vaccines like flu, Hep B, and meningococcal from universal recommendation to shared decision making, risk normalizing preventable illness. He...

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March 16, 2026

Emergency nurses struggle to turn off survival mode after the pandemic

Retired emergency department nurse Amy Dinaburg discusses her article "." Amy reflects on the relentless pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic where nurses were forced to override their nervous systems to keep patients alive. She describes the concept of...

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March 15, 2026

Autonomous AI agents could strip the soul from medicine

Internal medicine and functional medicine physician Shiv K. Goel discusses his article "." Shiv analyzes the new ARPA-H "ADVOCATE" program which aims to deploy autonomous AI agents for heart disease care within three years. The conversation highlights...

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March 14, 2026

Wellness requires safe spaces outside the medical system

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "." Jessie reflects on her seventeen years leading in-house wellness initiatives and argues that while institutional programs provide legitimacy, they are ultimately insufficient...

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March 13, 2026

Why "just relaxing" fails when your nervous system is stuck in surviv…

Occupational medicine physician and life coach Claudine Holt discusses her article "." Claudine challenges the common advice to treat burnout with self-care like massages or vacations. She explains that for many, stress is not a mindset issue but a...

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March 12, 2026

Heat therapy activates proteins that repair cells and protect the hea…

Hematologist-oncologist Khushali Jhaveri discusses her article "." Khushali shares her personal journey from skepticism to advocacy after experiencing the profound physiological shifts of infrared heat therapy. The conversation dives into the science...

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March 11, 2026

How to master a new health care leadership role

Intensivist Cristin Mount and business operations lead Steve Lettrich from All Levels Leadership discuss their article " A 6-step framework for new health care leaders ." The authors address the common challenge where clinici...

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March 10, 2026

Understanding the science behind embryo grading improves IVF decision…

Double board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Erica Bove discusses her article " A clinician’s guide to embryo grading in IVF ." Erica breaks down the complex metri...

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March 9, 2026

AI redefines the physician's role by reducing cognitive overload

Family physician and health care entrepreneur Tod Stillson discusses his article "." Tod argues that the binary debate between AI as a savior or a threat misses the point. The real issue is that modern medical complexity has outgrown human cognitive...

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March 8, 2026

Hospitals must establish safety guardrails before deploying AI

Physician and health care consultant Harvey Castro discusses his article "." Harvey outlines the immense potential of large language models to reduce administrative burdens while warning of the risks regarding misinformation and privacy breaches. The...

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March 7, 2026

Unregulated botanical products pose hidden risks in convenience stores

Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "." Muhamad explores the dangerous misconception that "natural" equals safe, revealing how consumers unknowingly ingest substances with opioid-like...

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March 6, 2026

AI could end the administrative nightmare for doctors

Internal medicine physician Shiv K. Goel discusses his article "." Shiv contrasts the two hours he spent fighting a prior authorization with the promise of Anthropic's new "Claude for Healthcare," an AI system designed to handle claims and verify...

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March 5, 2026

Physician vulnerability and authenticity: How shared stories heal

Professor of clinical psychiatry Michael F. Myers discusses his book Physicians With Lived Experience: How Their Stories Offer Clinical Guidance and the article " Breaking the silence: mental health and racism in medical scho...

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March 4, 2026

Rest is a holy practice: Reclaiming the soul of medicine

Developmental behavioral pediatrician Roxanne Almas discusses her article "." Roxanne shares her deeply personal journey through the "quiet unraveling" of burnout and the profound grief of losing both parents. She describes how she moved away from the...

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March 3, 2026

Ecovillages and organic farming could reverse global warming

Physician and health care reform advocate David K. Cundiff discusses his article "." David challenges the IPCC's failure to model a fully organic global agricultural transition, presenting a scenario where converting 5 billion hectares to biointensive...

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March 2, 2026

"Disruptive" behavior is often a cry for help from depleted doctors

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "." Jessie argues that the rising number of "disruptive" labels slapped on highly skilled doctors is not a failure of character but a predictable response to a broken health care...

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March 1, 2026

Unpaid on-call shifts are driving doctors into early retirement

Internal medicine physician Corinne Sundar Rao discusses her article "." Corinne argues that the term "call" is a euphemism used to extract free labor from employed physicians who no longer own their practices. She highlights the discrepancy between...

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Feb. 28, 2026

Primary care receives only five cents of every health care dollar

Family physician and health benefits advisor Jonathan Bushman discusses his article "." Jonathan contrasts the grueling decade of training and massive debt required to become a doctor with the thirty-minute process of obtaining a health insurance...

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Feb. 27, 2026

Physician father wrestles with daughter's post-Dobbs future

Family physician Travis Walker discusses his article "." Travis reflects on the glaring double standard facing his daughter compared to his sons in the wake of the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling. He explores the unique medical risks inherent in every...

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Feb. 26, 2026

Orthorexia nervosa turns healthy habits into a harmful obsession

Internal medicine physician Sally Daganzo discusses her article "." Sally explains how the pursuit of a perfect diet can spiral into a debilitating obsession where food rules dictate a patient's entire life. She describes how individuals often adopt...

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Feb. 25, 2026

Navigating the hype and hope of psychedelic medicine

Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "." Muhamad explores the complex landscape of psychedelic medicine, balancing the growing public interest with the necessity of rigorous FDA oversight...

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