Episodes

Board-certified internist with a long-standing focus on public health, tobacco control, and preventive care Edward Anselm discusses his article "The economic case for investing in tobacco cessation." Edward reveals that while smoking rates have hit historic lows, 19.5 percent of adults still use tobacco, with significant disparities persisting across race, ethnicity, and income levels. He analyzes why only 6.4 percent of patients receive optimal treatment involving both counseling and medication...

Family physician Kelly Bain discusses her article "." Kelly explains that while doctors are trained to diagnose and treat patients, they are rarely prepared to navigate the complex financial realities of the modern health care industry. She argues...

Psychiatrist Sarah Hollander, clinical psychologist Kelly D. Holder, and physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey discuss their article "Joy in medicine: a new culture." Sarah, Kelly, and Kim explore how the culture of medicine must evolve from a system of endurance to one of meaningful well-being. They examine the critical role of medical education in shaping the next generation, arguing that joy is not just an emotion but an alignment of purpose that can be taught and modeled. The ...

Board-certified pediatrician, certified coach, and mindfulness and yoga teacher Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "Pediatrician vs. grandmother: Choosing love over medical advice." Jessie explores the internal conflict she faced between her medical training and her role as a grandmother when her twin granddaughters were born at home. She examines how the physician's impulse to offer risk assessments and warnings can often feel like rejection to loved ones who simply want support. The conversa...

Internal medicine physician Shirisha Kamidi discusses her article "." Shirisha explains why prevention is often more powerful than treatment when addressing conditions like diabetes and hypertension. She shares a real-world example of a patient who...

Leading advocate for airline safety measures to protect food-allergic passengers Lianne Mandelbaum discusses her article "When TV shows use food allergy as murder." Lianne examines the dangerous trend in popular media where severe reactions like anaphylaxis are used as plot devices for violence without consequence. She critiques a recent miniseries that portrays food allergy murder as justified and fears this provides a blueprint for real-world bullying and harassment. The conversation highlight...

Certified coach and medical educator Kathleen Muldoon discusses her article "." Kathleen shares the harrowing personal story of having her social media account disabled when an algorithm mistook compassion for abuse. She explores how online support...

Primary care physician Jerina Gani discusses their article "." Jerina challenges the common narrative that general practice is merely a stepping stone filled with paperwork and low wages. She explains how physicians can unlock scalable income and...

Practicing oncologist, adjunct professor at Duke University, and chief medical officer at AccessHope Yousuf Zafar discusses his article "Remote second opinions for equitable cancer care." Yousuf explains how a patient's zip code often dictates their survival odds despite biology showing that rural and urban patients have identical potential for recovery when given the same protocols. He details how the explosion of precision oncology has made cancer care vastly more complex, leaving community pr...

Physical therapists Ziya Altug and Shirish Sachdeva discuss their article "." Ziya and Shirish explore how the ambiance of a medical office significantly impacts patient anxiety and emotional well-being before treatment even begins. They examine...

Triple board-certified physician in adult and geriatric psychiatry and addiction medicine, and the founder of The Aging Parent Coach Barbara Sparacino discusses her article "Why caring for a parent is hard for doctors." Barbara shares the personal struggle of navigating end-of-life care for her own parents despite her extensive professional training. She explains the "prophet in your own country" paradox where family members often dismiss medical advice from their own relatives. The conversation...

Nationally recognized psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "How deprescribing in psychiatry offers a path to safer care." Muhamad explores the growing movement to reduce unnecessary medications in mental health care, a practice that has long been established in geriatrics but is now gaining traction in psychiatry. He describes the "prescribing cascade" where side effects are treated with more drugs, leading to patients feeling trapped...

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article "5 things health care must stop doing to improve physician well-being." Christie challenges the pervasive narrative that younger physicians lack work ethic and argues that their boundary-setting is a rational response to an untenable system. The conversation explores why well-being initiatives fail when they are treated as volunteer hobbies without budget or authority. Christie explains ...

Physician, former health care executive, certified coach, speaker, and organizational consultant Laura Suttin discusses her article "Why the 4 a.m. wake-up call isn’t for everyone." Laura shares her personal struggle with the popular productivity advice that claims early rising is the only path to high performance. She describes the fog and misery she experienced while trying to force her body into a rhythm that did not match her natural energy patterns. The conversation highlights the dangers o...

Nationally recognized psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "Physician legal rights: What to do when agents knock." Muhamad shares a terrifying but essential guide for any doctor facing an unexpected visit from federal agents or investigators. He explains why the physician's natural instinct to educate, reassure, and be helpful is actually a liability that can lead to a prison sentence. The conversation highlights the critical legal di...

Fertility specialist and founder of Montgomery Fertility Center Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa discusses her article "Infertility public health: the WHO's new global guideline." Oluyemisi examines the historic release of global guidelines that reframe infertility as a matter of social justice rather than a luxury concern. The conversation highlights the practical strengths of these recommendations for low-resource settings while acknowledging critical gaps regarding environmental toxins and cultural ...

Internal medicine physician Earl Stewart, Jr. discusses his article "." Earl examines the devastating pattern of pancreatic cancer claiming Black cultural icons like John Lewis and Aretha Franklin while the medical establishment fails to implement...

Health care attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article "." Dennis explains the critical distinction between a guaranteed salary and a draw against future earnings where failure to meet production targets can lead to clawbacks. The discussion covers...

Internal medicine and functional medicine physician Shiv K. Goel discusses his article "." Shiv explores the limitations of conventional medical models that focus solely on acute intervention while ignoring the emotional roots of chronic conditions....

Saravanan Kasthuri, medical director at Northwest Endovascular Surgery, and Jason McKitrick, executive director at the Office Based Facility Association, discuss their article "Medicare payment is failing rural health." Saravanan and Jason analyze the critical economic forces dismantling independent medical practices and threatening patient access in underserved areas. They highlight the personal story of Mr. G to illustrate the human cost of broken reimbursement models while explaining how the ...

Family physician Tod Stillson discusses his article "." Tod explains how his career evolution revealed that artificial intelligence is not a threat to the medical profession but a necessary tool for reshaping care delivery. He argues that physicians...

Surgeon and health tech strategist Sarah Matt discusses her article "." Sarah analyzes the friction between efficient digital health tools and an outdated payment system that rewards activity over quality. She proposes replacing analog metrics like...

Urologist William Lynes discusses his article "." William examines the medical plausibility of a former president being diagnosed with widespread metastatic prostate cancer just months after leaving office. He explains why the slow growth of this...

Fertility specialist Oluyemisi Famuyiwa discusses their article "." Oluyemisi explores the transition to "Genetic Carrier Screening 3.0," a new era where expanded panels reveal hidden complexities that defy simple positive or negative interpretations....