Episodes

Sarah Sellers is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who shocked the world this past April when she came out of nowhere to finish in 2nd place at the Boston Marathon. She joined us to discuss her remarkable achievement, the importance of being in the moment, and how her work in healthcare and her marathon training are bound together. Key Topics What does a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist do? Finding time to run amidst a full work schedule The discipline and value of “being in the...

Dr. Colleen Kraft is the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics and she has been a pivotal voice in helping us understand the scope of the immigrant child separation crisis. She joins us to discuss the physical, emotional, and developmental harm these children are exposed to as well as where things stand with reuniting them with their families. Key Topics How and when the issue of child separation came to Dr. Kraft’s attention Images from the detention centers as a national Rorschach...

Sam Quinones is an investigative journalist who wrote an extraordinary book about the opioid epidemic in America called “Dreamland.” He joins us to talk about the tremendous challenges he found in writing the book, how the book helped break the story of the opioid epidemic, and his brilliant insights on the road forward in this epidemic. In parts frightening and inspiring, this is an amazing discussion Key Points Starting his investigation into the opioid epidemic The collision of opioid pres...

Pamela Wible is a Family Practice physician who has taken on the cause of physician suicide. We discuss the acuity of the problem and the disconnect between public understanding and the reality of the problem. Sadly, Dr Wible is probably correct when she surmises that almost every physician in America knows someone in medicine who killed themselves. The conversation also moves through how the problem can begin to move towards improvement. Key Learnings Why Dr. Wible took on the issue of physic...

Dave Berke is back and we continue our deep-dive into assessing and building team culture. In our 3rd conversation, we get into the importance of selflessness in driving culture, ensuring a team has a sense of purpose and creating shared experience to bring people together. Plus, another round of Quick Hitters! Show Notes Generalizability of culture conversations to any type of team or organization The demands of tackling culture and avoiding “easy outs.” Importance of positive culture in a ...

Zack Shinar is an Emergency Medicine physician, an international expert on resuscitation and highly sought-after speaker who is launching a new conference called Emerge. This conference is designed to introduce high school students interested in medicine to some of the most amazing things that doctors get to do on a daily basis. We dive into the incredible opportunity this conference provides to help light a fire under the next generation of physicians. Show Notes What is Emerge all about? Se...

Meg Tirrell is a reporter with CNBC focusing on biotech and pharmaceuticals, and she joins us to discuss CNBC’s new conference “Healthy Returns”. The conference brings together powerhouse minds from healthcare, business and tech; Meg will be right in the thick of it. Our conversation covers politics, the opioid epidemic, and how to ensure the patient voice is heard. A fascinating discussion of what is sure to be a truly unique event.

Steve Beeson comes back on the the podcast to discuss the power of coaching in medicine. Steve was my coach early in my career after residency; there is no one better to speak on how to use coaching to pull the main levers for human contentment and the way we can turn simple skills like narrating a physical exam into a wave of cultural transformation.

Dr. David Troxel is the Medical Director for The Doctor’s Company, which is the largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer in the United States. He joins us to help demystify one of the most anxiety-provoking topics in healthcare for both physicians and patients, as well as explore the value of transparency when reviewing cases and discussing errors.

David Berke is back to help us harvest hard-won lessons in leadership from his career as a fighter pilot and Top Gun instructor. We build on his previous appearance to look at how to assess a team’s culture and the key steps needed to reveal some hard truths. There’s also a new “quick-hitters” question batch at the end featuring medicine vs military including pop culture, late night eats, and sleep deprivation.

Jack Ende is the President of the American College of Physicians, the largest medical specialty organization in the United States, and he joins us to discuss gun violence. We cover approaching gun violence as a public health issue, the statement released by the ACP in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, and the importance of discussing guns with patients. ACP statement after the Las Vegas shooting can be found here. ACP 2015 Call To Action can be found here Article from Dr. Wintemute can be fou...

The Curbsiders Podcast, made up of Matt Watto, Stuart Brigham, and Paul Williams, is changing the way we learn about medicine and education. The 3 docs behind the microphones join us to discuss how they came together, the power of making education fun, and the rise of The Curbsiders.

Christina Farr joins us as the first 3-time guest on the podcast to discuss breaking health tech stories for CNBC and the impact Apple and Amazon are having on digital health.

As the magnitude of the North Bay Wildfires have become clear, the necessity of looking towards recovery has become imperative. Todd Salnas, who is President of Providence-St Joseph Health Sonoma County, joins us to discuss the transition from disaster to recovery, the importance of maintaining a full battery of energy, and the value of being present for one another during a disaster

Over the past 11 days, Santa Rosa and much of the North Bay of California has been in the grips of several destructive wildfires. Chad Krilich is the Chief Medical Officer at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, and he joins us to discuss disaster leadership, building trust in a crisis, and the value of little wins during dark times.

Rob Patel is an ED physician who deployed to Houston with a FEMA Search and Rescue team in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. He joins us to share the unbelievable experiences he had as well as what draws First Responders to the task and what holds them together.

David Berke is a retired Marine aviator, Top Gun instructor, and pilot of next generation F-22 and F-35 fighter planes. He joins us to discuss his article on redefining perfection and we get into an extraordinary conversation on accountable leadership, the importance of discussing mistakes with teammates and the importance of organizational culture.

Elisabeth Rosenthal is the author of a provocative and powerful book on healthcare delivery in the United States called “An American Sickness.” She joins us during a nationwide debate over healthcare reform to evaluate our current state and how to move forward.

Michelle West is tough. 135 miles through Death Valley in 120 degree heat tough. She is running the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon for the second time in a few days, her discussion of mental toughness, teamwork, and overcoming extraordinary challenges has something for everyone.

BJ Miller is a Palliative Care physician who has rapidly become an essential voice in helping us change the way we think, feel, and talk about death. This is an amazing opportunity to hear a world leader open up and explore a subject guaranteed to effect each of us.

Amber Moore is a Hospitalist who joins us to discuss her experiences as a patient after being struck by a car. She takes us through that whirlwind, and also through her work as part of a Patient-Family Advisory Council (PFAC) & a member of Society Of Hospital Medicine’s Patient Experience Committee

Justin Legg @gorillafrog is a retired Navy SEAL officer who is no stranger to frightening situations. From combat in Iraq to acute leukemia to lung transplantation, Justin has overcome obstacles far beyond the normal human experience. He shares his insights on overcoming fear, communicating with your medical team, and appreciating life.

Eric Byrnes has made a remarkable and unique transition from playing Major League Baseball to becoming an ultra-endurance athlete. He joins us to discuss the skills and discipline he used in both pursuits, his pathway to completing the Western States 100, and the outstanding movie “Diamond To The Rough”, which captures his journey.

Karl Meltzer holds the record for most 100 mile race wins and recently completed the 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail in a record 45 days, 22 hours, 38 minutes. He joins us to discuss his suffer-fest on the AT and overcoming the demon between the ears.