The Podcast by KevinMD

Health attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article "First physician employment agreement mistakes." Dennis shares his amazement after 30 years in health law at the timidity of new attending physicians during contract negotiations. He explains why the "seller's market" created by a massive physician shortage means that young doctors have far more leverage than they think. Dennis debunks the myths of the "standard contract" and the f...

Health care executive Kimberly Smith discusses her article "Why clinicians must lead health care tech innovation." Kimberly explains why clinicians, who are on the front lines of patient care, are in the unique position to solve health care's most complex challenges. As a registered wound care nurse, Kimberly has seen how technology like AI and advanced EHRs can both help and hinder clinical workflows. She argues that for health ca...

Patient advocate and author Irene Tanzman discusses her article "A mother's question about PCOS and her son's autism." Irene shares her personal journey as a mother to a son with severe autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), exploring the challenging but necessary questions about the link between maternal PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), the modern metabolic crisis, and fetal neurodevelopment. Irene advocate...

Cardiologist Saurabh Gupta discusses his article "Physicians must lead the vetting of AI." In this episode, Saurabh explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping medicine and why its future depends on physician leadership, not passive adoption. Drawing from his experience in cardiology and AI development, he explains why every algorithm influencing clinical care must meet the same rigorous standards as any medical device or dru...

Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "The crisis in inpatient psychiatric care." In this episode, Muhamad examines the growing dysfunction within the nation's psychiatric hospital system, where patients in crisis are too often turned away or kept too long because of policy failures, financial pressures, and insurance algorithms that override clinical judgment. Drawing fr...

Patient advocates Alan P. Feren and Joyce Griggs discuss the article "Why agency and partnership are vital in modern health care." In this episode, Alan and Joyce explore how collaboration, advocacy, and shared responsibility create stronger, more effective care. Together, they unpack the four pillars of good medicine—agency, advocacy, responsibility, and partnership—and highlight how each empowers patients to play an active role i...

Family physician Grace Yu discusses her article "The backbone of health care is breaking." In this episode, Grace reflects on the urgent decline of the primary care workforce and the growing crisis facing family medicine. She shares personal stories from more than two decades of practice—delivering babies, guiding families, and caring for patients across generations—to illustrate why strong, relationship-based primary care remains ...

Psychiatrist Yekaterina Angelova discusses her article "Are you addicted to false urgency?" In this episode, Yekaterina explores how modern professionals, including physicians, get caught in a cycle of constant busyness and fabricated emergencies that drain focus, health, and joy. She explains the neuroscience behind the "mere urgency effect," where our brains prioritize quick tasks over meaningful ones, and how this addiction to u...

Internal medicine physician Robert C. Smith discusses his article "Why medicine needs a second Flexner Report." In this episode, Robert explores how modern medical education has fallen behind the science it was built on, leaving today's physicians unprepared to address mental health, chronic disease, and prevention. He examines how the historical "mind-body split" continues to shape curricula and care delivery, calling for a new na...

Neurologist Scott Abramson discusses his article "Why 'the best physicians' risk burnout and isolation." In this YouTube-optimized episode, Scott reflects on the ancient Talmudic teaching that warns how pride and perfectionism can become a physician's downfall. He explores how the culture of grit, self-sacrifice, and fear of vulnerability leads many doctors to burnout and emotional isolation. Drawing on decades of medical experienc...

Internal medicine physician Harry Oken discusses his article "mRNA post vaccination syndrome: Is it real?" In this episode, Harry explores the science, uncertainty, and human stories surrounding post-vaccination syndrome (PVS) linked to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Drawing on clinical data and personal experience, he explains how lingering immune reactions may affect patients and why research is urgently needed to clarify causes and tre...

Physician executive Mona Potter discusses her article "When anxiety runs the show: How medication can help kids thrive." In this episode, Mona explores how clinical anxiety differs from everyday worry, why it can become paralyzing, and how medication can be a key part of restoring balance in children's lives. She emphasizes that medication alone isn't a cure, but when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, it can create the me...

Emergency physician Drew Remignanti discusses his article "A world without vaccines: What history teaches us about public health." In this conversation, Drew reflects on historical lessons from smallpox, polio, and measles to reveal what life looked like before modern immunization. He explores the dangers of misinformation, the importance of science-based health care guidance, and the global success stories that vaccination campaig...

Board-certified pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, "Why don't women in medicine support each other?" She explores how scarcity, competition, and cultural conditioning have discouraged women physicians from advocating for themselves and one another. Jessie shares how authentic connection, praise, and recommendations can shift the culture of medicine toward abundance and mutual growth. Viewers will...

Certified coach and professor Kathleen Muldoon discusses her article, "The humanity we bring: a call to hold space in medicine." She shares how her experience as a mother in the neonatal intensive care unit transformed her understanding of empathy and reshaped how she teaches future clinicians. Kathleen explains why health care professionals must hold space for patients and themselves, embracing presence, storytelling, and authenti...

Physician executive Joseph Pepe discusses his article, "A doctor's guide to preparing for your death." He shares practical and compassionate advice on planning for life's inevitable end, from organizing essential documents and creating a "death folder" to protecting loved ones through wills, trusts, and life insurance. Joseph explains why facing mortality head-on allows people to live more freely and meaningfully. Viewers will lear...

Internal medicine physician Augusta Uwah discusses her article, "The dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care." She shares the emotional story of a terminally ill patient whose simple act of gratitude transformed her understanding of compassion, presence, and what it means to truly care. Augusta reflects on the challenges of patient care, the importance of listening, and the quiet moments that redefine medicine beyond t...

Hematology-oncology physician Adeel Khan discusses his article, "Universities must tap endowments to sustain biomedical research." He explains how declining federal support for the National Institutes of Health threatens America's position as a global leader in medical science and why universities must use a fraction of their massive endowments to sustain research innovation. Adeel highlights the moral and economic case for investi...

Internal medicine physician Rajeev Khanna discusses his article, "I passed my medical boards at 63. And no, I was not having a midlife crisis." He shares his journey of studying for the ABIM exams decades after medical school, balancing family skepticism, humor, and determination. Rajeev reflects on aging in medicine, the evolution of study tools, and the deeper purpose behind lifelong learning. Viewers will learn how passion, pers...