Beyond Borders – Coppola, A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq

This episode aired on May 8, 2011 as the Season 5 Finale and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

Featured Guest: Dr. Chris Coppola shares with us the stories he describes in his book entitled Coppola: A Pediatric Surgeon in Iraq. Dr. Coppola was deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned to the 332nd Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq, where many of his patients were seriously wounded children.

Learn more at coppolathebook.com

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

The Patient in the Center

This episode aired on May 1, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

In this episode, the Radio Rounds crew discovers the efforts of a family physician in Oregon to put her patients in control.

Featured Guest: Dr. Pamela Wible, board-certified family physician in Eugene, Oregon, and nationally recognized innovator in patient-centered care. In 2005 she hosted a town hall meeting and invited ordinary citizens to do something extraordinary: create the clinic of their dreams. On this episode, Dr. Wible tells us what happened next.

In addition. Dr. Wible is co-author of the award-winning anthology Goddess Shift: Women Leading for a Change with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, among other visionary women.

Also featured in this episode are faculty members at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine — Drs. Ashley Fernandes and Annette Chavez — who offer their own perspectives on primary care.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Oh, the Humanities!

This episode aired on Sunday April 24, and the free podcast download is now available on our iTunes page!

In this episode, hosts Avash Kalra and Shamie Das discuss the intersection of the humanities — literature and writing — with the medical profession. Kalra recently attended the annual “Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine” conference at the University of Iowa, and he describes his experience there and the lessons learned from writers and journalists across the country.

In addition, Kalra discusses a recent short story he wrote, which he presented at the conference in Iowa City. Click here to read that story, entitled “Can I Go Home?”

In addition…

Featured Guests: Residency Program Directors — Dr. Kevin Hinchey (Internal Medicine, Tufts University Baystate), Dr. Patrick Duff (OB/GYN, Univ. of Florida), and Dr. Michael Leitman (Surgery, Albert Einstein University’s Beth Israel Medical Center in NYC) — provide advice regarding the residency application process and provide insight for all listeners regarding how the future of the medical profession is chosen and trained.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Faith In Medicine

This episode aired on April 17, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

In this episode, our team investigates the application of faith in medical practice.

Featured Guest: Dr. David Stevens, Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, (CMDA). In addition, as the former medical director for Samaritan’s Purse, Dr. Stevens led medical teams into war zones in both Somalia and Sudan.

Dr. Stevens has previously appeared on NBC’s Today Show, NBC Nightly News, BBC-World Television, CNN and National Public Radio.  As a medical missionary, Dr. Stevens has witnessed the power of faith in medicine.  He discusses the use of the psycho-physiological model of medicine in the United States in comparison to the religious model on which many other countries have based their medical practice.

Faith is seldom discussed in medical education, which presents an interesting problem.  When patients ask their physician about faith-related issues, most have very little preparation for handling the situation unless faith is of central importance to them personally.

Hosts John Corker and Adam Deardorff — in addition to special guest Peter Hountras MS4 — lead the discussion with Dr. Stevens and delve into the roles of faith in both the patient’s and the physician’s life.  Since mental well-being is of critical importance to the overall health of the patient, faith and spirituality often play important roles in medical treatment, particularly in end-of-life scenarios.

To learn more about the CMDA, visit their website at www.cmda.org.

The Science Behind the Art – The Rational Clinical Exam

This episode aired on Sunday April 10, and the free podcast download is now available on our iTunes page!

In this episode, we investiage the application of a patient’s history and physical exam in the diagnosis of illness and the importance of using evidence-based medicine in practice.

Featured Guest: Dr. David Simel, faculty member in the Dept. of Internal Medicine at Duke University and Editor of the Rational Clinical Examination series published by JAMA Evidence — Learn more at JamaEvidence.com

As editor for this series, Dr. Simel has expanded his knowledge in the realm of evidence-based medicine. Hosts Avash Kalra and Lakshman Swamy discuss with Dr. Simel how the history and physical exam can be invaluable diagnostic tools when used as such. They also discuss the importance of practicing the simple tests and understanding the science behind them.  In this way, physicians can make definite decisions to better care for patients.

Dr. Simel also provides specific examples of situations where simple observations have prevented complications in his patients, emphasizing again the importance of basic physical signs that provide important information regarding the science behind symptoms.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Celebrating the Gift of Life

This episode aired on April 3, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

Join the Radio Rounds crew as they discuss many aspects of the organ shortage here in the U.S. and worldwide.

Featured Guests:

  • Dr. William K. Rundell, Director of Transplant Surgery at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Wright State Univ. Boonshoft School of Medicine
  • Dr. John Donnelly, Asst. Professor of Family Medicine at the Wright State Univ. Boonshoft School of Medicine… and a pancreas transplant recipient
  • Dr. Alex Tabarrok, Professor of Economics at George Mason University and co-author of the economics blog Marginal Revolution.

Dr. Rundell engages the hosts as he discusses the increasing need for organ donations and the lack of donors to provide for those needs.  Dr. Rundell is hopeful that education about this growing shortage will inspire “altruism” in our society and begin to bridge the gap between need and supply.

Dr. Donnelly received a pancreas transplant in 2004.  As both a recipient and a healthcare provider, Dr. Donnelly was able to provide insight from two perspectives.  Many aspects of organ transplant are now a part of his daily life, and he can attest to the incredible impact that it has had on his life  — not only physically, but emotionally as well.  In addition, his experience as a physician gives him an even greater appreciation for the gift of life that was given to him and empathy for those who have yet to receive that gift.

Dr. Tabarrok shares his economical perspective on the organ shortage.  He claims that incentives play a major role in any supply and demand market and in a situation where incentives are deemed “unethical” economists are intrigued.  Dr. Tabarrok discusses many aspects of the organ shortage, including the Black Market and his proposed ideas for solving the shortage.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Robotic Surgery

This episode aired on March 13, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

In this episode, the Radio Rounds crew explores the topic of robotic surgery — highlighting the ongoing evolution of surgical technique and patient care.

Featured Guest: Dr. Bruce Bernie, a practicing OB/GYN in Dayton, Ohio. Born into a family of physicians that was once featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for ‘Most Physicians in a Family,’ Dr. Bernie has been practicing medicine since the 1970s, when the face of medicine was much different.  A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Dr. Bernie has successfully integrated the growing field of robotic surgery into his current practice.

Hosts Avash Kalra, John Mark McClain, John Corker, Teresa Lee, and Casey McCluskey lead us through the conversation with Dr. Bernie.  Together, they discuss the the impact of robotics on the physician-patient relationship, as well as on patient outcomes. Specifically, Dr. Bernie discusses the benefits of robotic surgery, including diminished invasiveness, shorter recovery times and fewer complications. Dr. Bernie also discusses the historical origins and the future of robotic surgery.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Inspiration Behind the House

This episode aired on March 13, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

In this episode, our crew investigates the importance of a patient’s history and physical exam in the diagnosis of illness.

Featured Guest: Dr. Lisa Sanders, author of the New York Times Diagnosis column that was the inspiration for the hit television series House and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Yale University.  In addition, she is the clinical educator for the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency program.

Dr. Sanders’ fascination with the “story of diagnosis” led her to write a book entitled Every Patient Tells a Story:  Medical Mysteries and the Art of Diagnosis.  The book investigates the mystery and intrigue of medical diagnoses and addresses the importance of the history and physical exam in those diagnoses.

Hosts Lakshman Swamy and Avash Kalra, and contributor Sam Roberto, discuss with Dr. Sanders the importance of the physical exam in this “story of diagnosis” and how this story helped her to create the Diagnosis column.  In addition, Dr. Sanders recalls how the column came to be the inspiration for Fox’s series House and discusses the use of medical diagnosis as the basis for the show.  Special Correspondent Dr. Matthew DiPaola also makes an appearance during the episode and provides his own perspective on the importance of diagnostic skills.

To read past Diagnosis articles written by Dr. Sanders, visit the NY Times website.  To watch recent episodes of House, visit Fox’s website.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Confronting the Silent Suffering – Medical Student Depression and Burnout

This episode aired on March 6, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

In this episode, our crew discusses the importance of mental health among medical students and the staggering rates of depression and suicide found throughout the medical profession.

Featured Guests: Dr. Thomas Schwenk, Dean of the University of Nevada School of Medicine and Dr. Lisa Dyrbye, from the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic.

Recently, each physician led and published research studies focusing on the important topic of depression, burnout and suicide in the medical profession.  They discuss, among other topics, the stresses and academic requirements of medical students which can potentially set the stage for the development of mental health issues, hidden behind the profession’s demands of excellence.

Dr. Matthew DiPaola (Radio Rounds Special Correspondent) and hosts Avash Kalra, Lakshman Swamy, and Adam Deardorff approach this complex discussion from their own diverse perspectives, emphasizing their personal experiences with the stresses and requirements of the medical profession as a whole.

To learn more about Dr. Schwenk and Dr. Dyrbye, read their published articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)… and check out this recent article published in the New York Times: NY Times website.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!

Spine Surgeon to Spinal Cord Injury Survivor

This episode aired on February 27, 2011 and is now available as a free download on our iTunes page!

Featured Guest: Dr. Scott Spann, a spine surgeon from Austin, TX, who suffered a spinal cord injury in 2005.  As a passionate athlete and physician, Dr. Spann was faced with the challenge of his life during the injury and throughout his recovery.  In addition to continuing his practice as an orthopedic surgeon just one year after his injury and integrating his personal experiences, Dr. Spann is in the process of writing a book entitled Anatomy of a Miracle: 12 Simple Prescriptions for Transformative Healing.

In this episode, hosts Lakshman Swamy and Avash Kalra discuss with Dr. Spann the impact that the injury has had on both his personal life and medical practice.  In addition, special correspondent Dr. Matthew DiPaola and host John Mark Mclain discuss the personal, clinical, and athletic aspects of Dr. Spann’s recovery.

To learn more about Dr. Spann’s practice or about his upcoming book, visit www.ScottSpannMD.com.

Again, remember that, as always, the free-to-download podcast of this episode (and all past episodes) can be found on our iTunes page!