The Podcast by KevinMD

The Podcast by KevinMD

Social media's leading physician voice, Kevin Pho, MD, shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. 15 minutes a day. 7 days a week. Welcome to The Podcast by KevinMD.

Recent Episodes

May 18, 2025

Addressing America's reliance on psychotropic medication

Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article, "." He raises concerns about the high rate of psychotropic medication use in the U.S., citing CDC data suggesting nearly 1 in 4 adults may be taking these drugs, often...

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May 17, 2025

An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine

Occupational medicine physician Robert Nathan Clapp discusses his article, "." Addressing the pervasive issue of physician burnout, Robert introduces occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) — a specialty under preventive medicine — as a...

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May 16, 2025

Alzheimer's and the family: Opening the conversation with children

Journalist and patient advocate Carol Steinberg discusses her article, "." She argues that while Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are known to affect the whole family, children under 18 are often excluded from conversations about...

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May 15, 2025

Why great patient outcomes don't protect female doctors from burnout

Pediatrician and holistic wellness expert Noemi Adame discusses her article, "." She highlights research indicating patients often experience better outcomes—including lower mortality, readmission, and post-surgical complication rates—when treated...

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May 14, 2025

Precision and personalization: Charting the future of cancer care

Hematology-oncology physician Yousuf Zafar discusses his article, "." He traces the evolution of cancer treatment over the past two decades, moving through waves of cytotoxic chemotherapy, biologic therapies, immunotherapies including groundbreaking...

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May 13, 2025

Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care

Health care executive Blake Walker discusses his article, "." He describes a perfect storm impacting provider groups: the significant rise in patient financial responsibility due to high-deductible health plans, the growth of health care consumerism...

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May 12, 2025

Why funding cuts to academic medical centers impact all of us

Orthopedic surgeon Adil S. Ahmed discusses his article, "." He outlines the essential, multifaceted roles of academic institutions in educating future doctors, conducting vital biomedical research, and providing complex care, often for underserved...

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May 11, 2025

Navigating physician non-competes: a strategy for staying put

Cardiologist Stanley Liu discusses his article, "." He shares his personal experience of being bound by an 18-month, 20-mile non-compete clause after leaving an academic cardiology position and outlines the strategic steps he took to navigate this...

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May 10, 2025

Mindful negotiation: practical strategies for physician self-advocacy

Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, "." She explores why negotiation often feels stressful for physicians, linking it to medical training that emphasizes service, self-sacrifice, and conflict avoidance over...

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May 9, 2025

Understanding therapy beyond crisis management

Anesthesiologist and psychotherapist Maire Daugharty discusses her article, "." She challenges the common misconception that therapy is only necessary or effective during acute crises ("crisis-hopping"), explaining that this view can lead to premature...

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May 8, 2025

Misconceptions about food allergy safety in the skies

Physical therapist and food allergy advocate Lianne Mandelbaum discusses her article, "." Sharing harrowing personal experiences with dismissive airline staff that ignited her advocacy work with No Nut Traveler, she highlights the pervasive fear and...

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May 7, 2025

Navigating the path from physician burnout to career balance

Internal medicine physician Kara Pepper discusses her article, "." Drawing from her own journey away from burnout and her experience coaching hundreds of physicians, she outlines five predictable stages doctors often traverse when seeking more...

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May 6, 2025

Survival strategies for marginalized physicians

Family physician Atharva Joshi discusses his article, "." He argues that the health care system often targets minority physicians not through overt actions but via subtle, bureaucratic processes—a form of systemic discrimination based on culture or...

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May 5, 2025

Avoiding leadership pitfalls: strategies for success in health care

Management consultant and author Roger A. Gerard discusses his article, "." He identifies common, often unintentional, ways health care leaders undermine their credibility and effectiveness, frequently due to a lack of formal leadership training....

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May 4, 2025

Understanding the ADHD brain: support, empowerment, and managing challenges

Pediatric neurologist Paige Kalika discusses her article, "," sharing insights from her perspective as a pediatric neurologist and parent of a child with ADHD. She outlines compassionate ways to talk to children about ADHD, starting by validating...

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May 3, 2025

Acknowledging the silent grief of vanishing twin syndrome

Research scientist Nichole Cubbage discusses her article, "." She explains that Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS), the loss of one fetus in a multiple pregnancy, often leads to unique and isolating grief, frequently unacknowledged by health care...

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May 2, 2025

C. Everett Koop's defining stand against the tobacco industry

Historian and ethicist Nigel Cameron discusses his article, "," drawn from his biography of the former U.S. surgeon general. He recounts how C. Everett Koop, initially facing ridicule and expected to be ineffective, strategically used the 1982 Surgeon...

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May 1, 2025

Focusing on medicine's core, not administrative chores

Physician executive Grace E. Terrell discusses her article, "." She introduces the concept of "core vs. chore," urging health care workers to distinguish essential patient care duties from the administrative tasks that often dominate their time,...

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April 30, 2025

Pandemic reflections: a nurse anesthetist on trauma, loss, and finding hope

Nurse anesthetist Christine King discusses her article, "." Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic five years later, she shares the profound impact of collective trauma through personal and professional lenses. Christine recounts a moving encounter with...

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April 29, 2025

Ditching insurance: How direct pay models enable personalized patient care

Family physician Jay K. Joshi discusses his article, "." He explains that as traditional insurance becomes less accessible and covers fewer proactive and preventive services, both patients and physicians are seeking alternatives. Jay outlines a...

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April 28, 2025

Overcoming the curse of knowledge: Why doctors need to translate medicine

Communications consultant and attorney Heather Hansen discusses her article, "." Drawing on her background as a medical malpractice defense attorney, she explains the "curse of knowledge," where physicians, once expert, find it difficult to imagine...

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April 27, 2025

Practical advice for physicians seeking joy and well-being

Palliative care physician and author Alen Voskanian discusses his article, "," based on an excerpt from his book. Drawing from his personal experience with burnout where he felt isolated and like a failure within the demanding medical industry, Alen...

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April 26, 2025

Addressing the crisis in rural health care access and outcomes

Internal medicine physician Edward Hoffer discusses his article, "" He outlines the significant health care disparities facing rural communities, including higher death rates from major diseases, increased opioid overdoses, ongoing hospital closures,...

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April 25, 2025

Buying into a medical practice: key legal and financial checks for physicians

Health care attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article, "." He emphasizes that while receiving an offer to buy into a practice is typically a significant honor and opportunity, physicians must perform thorough due diligence to avoid potential...

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April 24, 2025

Customer relationship management tools to beat physician burnout and regain practice control

Child psychiatrist and entrepreneur Marissa Caudill discusses her article, "." She argues that a significant driver of physician burnout is the lack of control within systems that prioritize metrics and administrative tasks over meaningful patient...

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