Is It Serious?

Hospital romances and dramatic defibrillator saves are good for television ratings but they can be cringe worthy for real doctors. JL & Mark have fun debunking medical show myths and misuse of props. The details matter! But don’t look too closely at our logo. Our stethoscope is apparently a dead giveaway that we might be amateurs! (It was the only stethoscope in stock footage in the shape of a question mark. ...

Families matter. Medical histories provide clues and details that can help you understand your own health journey. Dr. Mark Lewis shares his personal cancer story and how he gained crucial information from his father and his uncles' experiences.

Tweet us your questions @marklewismd or @jeanlucneptune or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or call us at 855-283-4666.

Show Notes: Journal of Clinical Oncology v.29, Aug. 1...

Do you feel like you don't have a voice in your own healthcare? Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune talk about ways to take a stand for yourself. No one knows you and what you want for yourself better than YOU! Communicating your health concerns and goals clearly to your doctor helps your doctor help you.

Tweet us your questions @marklewismd or @jeanlucneptune or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or call us at ...

Not to be confused with concierge medicine, personalized medicine uses genetic or biomarker information to determine treatment. In oncology, this leads to more precise care. Emerging in other medical specialties as well, personalized or precision medicine is providing more in-depth care and unique treatment options. JL and Mark are here to help us understand how it could benefit individuals.

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Recording our weekly episode was overshadowed by the emotion that we all felt in response to the senseless shooting in Uvalde, Texas. As parents and citizens, Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. J.L. Neptune grapple with the impossible feelings of loss and grief over these young children and their teachers. As physicians, they see this as a public health crisis that must be addressed.

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Getting to the root of sleep struggles might take longer than popping a pill, but good sleep hygiene and bedtime habits are a healthier solution. Relying on Ambien or other sleep medicines for an extended period of time can have long-term side effects. JL and Mark talk about sleep and sleep aids; when to use them and when to try an alternative method.

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The prosecution of Radonda Vaught, a nurse from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has caused a lot of controversy in the medical world. The American Nurses Association fear that it "sets a dangerous precedent" of "criminalizing the honest reporting of mistakes." Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. JL Neptune discuss the case and its reverberation among medical professionals.

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A special episode where Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune chat with Matt Zachary on his show, Out of Patients. They discuss how their paths have crossed to create podcast magic as well as random emergency landings in Salt Lake City. Plus, Mark does his best Trainspotting re-enactment.

Tweet us your questions @jeanlucneptune or @marklewismd or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or call us at 855-283-4666.

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“mRNA” has emerged into the global vocabulary without a true understanding of what it is and how it works. Mark and JL explain it all in a fun and informative way. They use Legos as visual imagery to explain mRNA, DNA and the human genome. 

Tweet us your questions @jeanlucneptune or @marklewismd or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or call us at 855-283-4666.

Show Notes: CDC Covid-19 Vaccine Info: https...

Mark Lewis, MD and Jean Luc Neptune, MD tackle the sensitive subject of weight. What exactly are the measures of health? While we often assume that being overweight is a sign of being unhealthy, we rarely think that someone who is thin can be out of shape. With the current obesity epidemic in the United States, it is worth asking the question, "Can I be fat and healthy?" but a better question might be, what does healthy lo...

The 21st Century Cures Act made it mandatory to release scans and lab results to patients as soon as they are ready. Often, this means that they get released to patients before their doctors have seen them. While JL and Mark believe that patients should own their data, there are many sensitive situations when patients receiving their information without full understanding or explanation can have devastating results.

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Throwing a football through a tire swing and crooked carrots are not subtle metaphors. Drug ads have taken over our televisions with 45 of the 60 seconds filled with the long list of potential side effects. Have they made us educated consumers or a doctor’s worst nightmare?

Tweet us your questions @jeanlucneptune or @marklewismd or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or call us at 855-283-4666.

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Mark Lewis M.D. and JL Neptune M.D. share the defining moments that informed their decision to become doctors. As they get to know each other, they talk about their grueling medical school journeys, the tragic stories of their fathers' cancers, and little tidbits about their Scottish, Haitian and Texan roots. What should your doctor know about you? JL and Mark give you some pointers as well as a few healthcare hacks. 

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Nature versus Nurture; one of the oldest debates in the social sciences. Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune tackle this conversation from a 21st century lens. With more information about DNA and global environmental changes, there are even more reasons why someone might wonder, "Why me?" when diagnosed with cancer or some other disease? Mark and JL help listeners find a balance between responsibility and being kind to...

Physician burnout is on the rise and there are many barriers and reasons why providers do not talk about it. Dr. JL Neptune and Dr. Mark Lewis pull back the curtain on the pressures and demands that cause the burnout as well as the reasons why doctors and other healthcare workers often don't talk about it.

Tweet us your questions @jeanlucneptune or @marklewismd or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or ...

Is marijuana addictive? Should it be prescribed for cancer patients? How are doctors educated about marijuana? Dr.Mark Lewis and Dr.Jean Luc Neptune talk about these questions and more through the lenses of oncology and addiction medicine. They cover the need for physician training and education plus the need for further research of marijuana and how the current legal position makes it difficult to study.

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This should be a basic question with a yes or no answer but the American insurance system is so complicated and buries both patients and providers in paperwork. Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune share their frustrations and insights along with tips and tricks. Plus, don't miss the debut of the Is It Serious Players!

Tweet us your questions @marklewismd or @jeanlucneptune or email us at isitserious@offscrip.com or...

45 is the new 50! Colon cancer screenings are for everyone and yet, people still find it difficult to talk about. Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune share their own colonoscopy experiences and talk candidly (and even with some humor) about what to expect from both the prep and the screening. The recommended age for screenings has been lowered to 45 so if you have been putting it off, listen in, get inspired and get sc...