The Nocturnists

The Origins of Life with Sara Imari Walker Oct 31, 2024

In this episode of Conversations, we sit down with Dr. Sara Walker, an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist who is reshaping the way we think about life. From her work on the origins of life to her innovative assembly theory, Sara takes us on a journey through the possibilities of discovering alien life and challenges some of the core tenets of biology and physics. This conversation will make you rethink not just how life began, but what life is and does.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.org.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

The American 31 Flavor Ice Cream Oct 10, 2024

Family medicine physician Zed Zha persuades her reluctant parents, visiting from China, to indulge in the treat of ice cream.

Zed performed this story live at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York in November 2023, for an event on the theme of "Taking Care" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Bellevue Literary Review.

Find show notes, transcript and more at thenocturnists.org.

Fly Away Oct 03, 2024

Mother of four, writer, and attorney Ann Schrooten reflects on a pivotal moment from her fifteen year journey caring for her son Jack, who lived with congenital muscular dystrophy.

Ann performed this story live at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York in November 2023, for an event on the theme of "Taking Care" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Bellevue Literary Review.

Find show notes, transcript and more at thenocturnists.org.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

A Taste of Home Sep 26, 2024

Shaida Dusenge Kamali, originally from Kigali, Rwanda, reflects on her journey from earning a prestigious scholarship to study in Oklahoma, to raising her younger brother after the sudden passing of their mother. Now a second-year medical student with a passion for geriatrics, Shaida shares the challenges and growth that came with balancing education, caregiving, and cultural transitions.

Shaida performed this story live at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York in November 2023, for an event on the theme of "Taking Care" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Bellevue Literary Review.

Find show notes, transcript and more at thenocturnists.org.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Healing Waters Sep 19, 2024

Nurse Roshni Shah reflects on how water and ritual bathing brought serenity to a difficult life period, where she was balancing caring for her aging mom with working nights in the ICU.

Roshni performed this story live at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York in November 2023, for an event on the theme of "Taking Care" which The Nocturnists co-produced with Bellevue Literary Review.

Find show notes, transcript and more at thenocturnists.org.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

The Art of Being Seen Sep 12, 2024

Emmy-winning writer and creative director Lu Chekowsky delves into her mother’s powerful lessons on resilience, navigating a high-stakes media career, and facing the biases of healthcare in a larger body.

Lu performed this story live at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York in November 2023, for an event on the theme of "Taking Care" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Bellevue Literary Review.

Find show notes, transcript and more at thenocturnists.org.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

The Power of Pausing in Uncertainty with Maggie Jackson May 23, 2024

In our 50th The Nocturnists: Conversations episode, Emily speaks with Maggie Jackson, award-winning author and journalist, about her book "Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure." Maggie describes the neuroscience of uncertainty, the benefits of curiosity and slowing down, and findings from her interviews with physicians and surgeons about uncertainty in medical practice.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

Moving Toward Health Equity with Uché Blackstock, MD May 16, 2024

Dr. Uché Blackstock, an emergency medicine physician and health equity advocate, discusses her book "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine." She shares personal stories about her family's journey in medicine, systemic racism and her work to create a more equitable healthcare.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

Behind the Scenes of Spiritual Care with Luke Lortenzen and Mati Engel May 09, 2024

Documentary filmmaker Luke Lorentzen and hospital chaplain Mati Engel discuss their award-winning film, "A Still Small Voice," which explores the rewards and challenges of providing spiritual care in the hospital setting.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

Magical Realism in the Pediatric ER with Rachel Kowalsky May 02, 2024

Pediatric ER physician and author Rachel Kowalsky discusses her short story, "The Delivery Boy." Set in an ER, the story follows a young Guatemalan boy and the team of clinicians who treat him. Rachel talks about how her experiences influence her writing and teaching in health humanities.

"The Delivery Boy" is available to read online for free.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

Obituaries From My Father Mar 28, 2024

When Dr. Augie Lindmark first started receiving obituaries in the mailbox, he wasn’t sure whether to be amused or afraid. But soon he discovers the identity of the sender, and enters into a rare an unexpected dialogue about aging and mortality.

Augie performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This episode of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is sponsored by The New York Zen Center.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Labor and Loss Mar 21, 2024

Physician Tiffany Albrecht jumped into “doing” mode when her beloved husband died – she ran a 5K, cleaned out her closet, and went on a hike. But when her son was finally born, she was overcome by a cathartic wave of emotions.

Tiffany performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This episode of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is sponsored by The New York Zen Center.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Growing Up Mar 14, 2024

Psychiatrist Carson Brown was terrified to tell her mother that she was moving to Minnesota. But with inspiration from Carl Jung, and some of her own psychotherapy patients, she finds the courage to make the announcement, and feels her way into a new chapter of adulthood.

Carson performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This episode of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is sponsored by The New York Zen Center.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Saying Goodbye Mar 07, 2024

When medical student Peter Park’s grandfather died, he was unable to fly to Korea for the funeral due to COVID restrictions. But in anatomy lab, the cadaver he was assigned to shared some similarities to his grandfather that were difficult to explain. Spending time with the body of this stranger, he was able to come to terms with his grandfather’s death.

Peter performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This episode of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is sponsored by The New York Zen Center.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Traction in the Rain Feb 29, 2024

Pathologist Sue Wheaton tells a story about helping her mom, a surgeon and racecar driver, navigate the challenges of aging. Later, she reflects on their complicated relationship, and how car metaphors helped them move through difficult moments in their lives.

Sue performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Love in Practice Feb 22, 2024

When Anthony’s wife got sick, he believed the way to best support her was by getting stuff done. Over time though, he discovered that in order to become a better caregiver, he was going to need to unlearn some of the lessons he’d learned growing up about what love looks like in practice. Anthony performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Lost and Found Feb 15, 2024

The Nocturnists is back with Season 6 of its classic storytelling series, "Stories from the World of Medicine." We begin with Dr. Meghan Rothenberger, an infectious disease doctor in Minneapolis who had to lose her dog, her wallet, and her dinner, before she realized she'd also lost something more important: herself.

Meghan performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

Trailer: Season 6 - Stories from the World of Medicine Feb 12, 2024

The Nocturnists, the award-winning medical storytelling podcast, is thrilled to announce the launch of its sixth season of its series Stories from the World of Medicine, themed "REBIRTH," available starting February 15, 2024.

Hosted by Dr. Emily Silverman, this season features an inspiring lineup of medical professionals and students, including Dr. Meghan Rothenberger, Dr. Anthony Williams, Dr. Sue Wheaton, 4th year medical student Peter Park, Dr. Carson Brown, Dr. Tiffany Albrecht, and Dr. Augie Lindmark, who share their experiences and transformations within the world of medicine.

This season, the award-winning podcast The Nocturnists takes listeners on a captivating journey through seven episodes that delve into the personal and professional rebirths of those deeply embedded in healthcare. Recorded live in Minneapolis at the Parkway Theatre in collaboration with the Center for the Art of Medicine at the University of Minnesota (CFAM), these narratives explore themes of discovery, loss, love, and the serendipitous paths to healing.

How to Avoid Burnout in 73 Minutes with Stuart Bloom Dec 14, 2023

Oncologist Stuart Bloom speaks about his staged musical, How to Avoid Burnout in 73 Minutes, which tracks his journey from songwriter to oncologist, and the way he copes with burnout and finds meaning in his work.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This episode of The Nocturnists is sponsored by Nabla.

From Hardship to Healing with Laurel Braitman Dec 07, 2023

Author Laurel Braitman speaks about her memoir, What Looks Like Bravery, which explores her relationship to her physician-father, and her professional journey toward a career teaching writing to clinicians.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Moral Crossroads in the ER with Jay Baruch, MD Nov 30, 2023

Emergency medicine doctor and author Jay Baruch speaks about his memoir, Tornado of Life: A Doctor's Journey Through Constraints and Creativity in the ER, which explores ethics, stories, and uncertainty in the emergency room.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Leaving Surgery for Hollywood with Anthony Chin-Quee, MD Nov 16, 2023

Television writer and former ENT surgeon Anthony Chin-Quee speaks about his memoir, I Can't Save You, and his burgeoning career in storytelling for the screen.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com

Post-Roe America: 7. Futures Nov 02, 2023

What does the future hold for abortion care? In this final episode of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America, we hear from clinicians at the forefront of finding new solutions for patients in need.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Featuring: Amy Meg Autry, MD; April Lockley, DO; Jiana Menendez, MD, MPH; Oriaku Njoku; Linda Prine, MD; and other contributors who wish to remain anonymous

Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/7/futures. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Post-Roe America: 6. The Next Generation Oct 26, 2023

How has the Dobbs decision impacted medical education? In episode 6 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk to trainees and educators about how Dobbs has impacted their lives in the classroom, and explore what we lose when we lose abortion training.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Anastasia Anazonwu, MD Candidate; Bria Peacock, MD; and other contributors who wish to remain anonymous

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/pra/6/next-generation. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Post-Roe America: 5. Culture of Silence Oct 19, 2023

Many physicians have been advocating publicly for reproductive health for decades, but many more have remained silent on the subject of abortion, fearing retribution from the general public and their communities. In episode 5 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk about the culture of silence around reproductive health in medical spaces, and how breaking that silence is our only hope for reclaiming our reproductive freedom.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Vineesha Arelli, MD; Caitlin Bernard, MD MSCI FACOG; and Emily Patel, MD

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/pra/5/culture-of-silence. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Post-Roe America: 4. Uprooted Oct 12, 2023

Leilah Zahedi-Spung never planned to leave her life behind in Tennessee. But after Roe fell, she found herself having to make an impossible decision about the future of her career. In episode 4 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America, we examine how political events can upend clinicians’ lives and communities.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Scott Dunn, MD; Zachary Halversen, MD; and Leilah Zahedi-Spung, MD

Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/4/uprooted. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Two abortion providers grapple with their post-Roe reality Oct 09, 2023

Host of STAT First Opinion Podcast, Torie Bosch, interviews family medicine physicians and abortion providers Ali Block and Nikki Zite.

Physicians Alison Block and Nikki Zite knew what they were getting into when they became abortion providers early in their medical training. Family planning has long been a politicized, divisive area of medicine. And even though they knew that Roe v. Wade — the 1973 Supreme Court case that protected abortion access across the country — was being threatened, it still hit them hard when that ruling was actually overturned in June 2022.

This interview was originally released on STAT’s First Opinion Podcast, October 4, 2023.

Post-Roe America: 3. Trust Women Oct 05, 2023

After Dobbs, many states in the middle of the country severely restricted abortion – but Kansas stood out as an exception. As a result, a small clinic in Wichita called Trust Women became an unexpected oasis for abortion care. In episode 3 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America, we bring you inside the clinic to learn how they handled the overwhelming influx of patients.

*This episode briefly mentions violent imagery and actions targeting abortion clinics. Listener discretion is advised.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Christina Bourne, MD MPH; Ashley Brink; Zack Gingrich Gaylord; Catalina Moreno-Hernandez, RMA; and other contributors who wish to remain anonymous

Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/3/trust-women. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Post-Roe America: 2. The Canary Sep 28, 2023

Before the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, there was S.B. 8—a Texas law that prohibited any abortion after 6 weeks, essentially banning it entirely in the state. In episode 2 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America, we hear from healthcare workers in and around Texas. What was it like to be an early witness to America’s crumbling abortion rights?

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Kiernan Cobb, RN; Bhavik Kumar, MD MPH; and other contributors who wish to remain anonymous

Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/2/the-canary. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Post-Roe America: 1. The Day Roe Fell Sep 21, 2023

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America opens in Orlando, at a reproductive health conference where many abortion providers were gathered on the day of the Dobbs leak. We follow a few of them home, as they scramble in the aftermath to figure out what the ruling means for their practices, their patients, and themselves.

Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD

Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD

Contributors: Diane Horvath, MD MPH; Jiana Menendez, MD MPH; Nikki Zite, MD MPH

Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/1/the-day-roe-fell. Follow @thenocturnists.

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Trailer: Post-Roe America Sep 14, 2023

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Dobbs Decision. Overnight, Americans lost the protections on abortion care that Roe vs. Wade had afforded for almost 50 years. Soon afterward, The Nocturnists began talking to abortion providers around the country. Join us for The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America – a 7-episode podcast series featuring the stories of abortion providers from Texas to Tennessee, Oklahoma to Ohio, and beyond.

Series Host: Ali Block, MD

Co-creators: Emily Silverman, MD & Ali Block, MD

Featured Contributors: April Lockley, DO; Bhavik Kumar, MD MPH; Christina Bourne, MD MPH; Emily Patel, MD; Zack Gingrich-Gaylord and other healthcare workers who wish to remain anonymous

More information at thenocturnists.com/post-roe-america

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.

The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

The Myths of Self-Care with Pooja Lakshmin, MD Aug 24, 2023

Psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin speaks about her book Real Self-Care, which challenges mainstream notions of "self care" and offers a new framework for cultivating wellbeing.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Forgotten Polio Epidemic with Hannah Wunsch, MD Aug 17, 2023

Emily speaks with critical care physician Hannah Wunsch about her book The Autumn Ghost, which tells the story of a polio epidemic in Copenhagen in the 1950s, and how it gave birth to the invention of the modern ventilator and the field of ICU medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

How Comedy Became a Lifeline with Will and Kristin Flanary (The Glaucomfleckens) Aug 10, 2023

Emily speaks with ophthalmologist-comedian Will Flanary and educator Kristin Flanary (aka Dr. Glaucomflecken and Lady Glaucomflecken) about their medical comedy platform, and how Will's personal experience with cardiac arrest impacted the way they view their work as healthcare satirists and content creators.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Promise of AI in Medicine with Eric Topol, MD Aug 03, 2023

Emily speaks with cardiologist Eric Topol about his 2019 book Deep Medicine, which explores the potential for AI to enhance medical decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and restore the doctor-patient relationship.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Honoring Juneteenth Jun 15, 2023

In honor of Juneteenth this year, we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from our 2020 Black Voices in Healthcare series – Episode 7. "Standout."

Have you ever looked around and realized you were the only one? Standing out in the crowd can be hard, but it might just be your superpower.

The Black Voices in Healthcare series is hosted by Ashley McMullen, MD and executive produced by Kimberly Manning, MD.

Contributors include: Marla Law Abrolat, MD; Tomás Díaz, MD; Utibe R. Essien, MD; Erica DaVonne Farrand, MD; Akeem Nassor Marsh, MD; Ekene Onwuka, MD; Whitney Wellenstein, MD; and other healthcare workers who participated anonymously.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Why Public Health Gets Left Behind with Michael Stein, MD Jun 01, 2023

Emily speaks with physician, public health professor, and author Michael Stein about his recent book Me vs. Us: A Health Divided, which explains why the U.S. focuses on individualized health rather than public health, and the importance of considering populations, prevention, and policy.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Houston's Hospital for All with Ricardo Nuila, MD May 25, 2023

Emily speaks with writer and physician Ricardo Nuila about his debut book The People's Hospital, a love letter to Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, Texas, and exploration of how its unique business model may help solve our broken healthcare system.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Exploring Beauty and Disability with Chloé Cooper Jones May 18, 2023

Emily speaks with writer and philosophy professor Chloé Cooper Jones about her memoir Easy Beauty, which chronicles her quest to widen perceptions of beauty, motherhood, and disability.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

What We Learned from the COVID-19 Response with Philip Zelikow May 11, 2023

Emily speaks with historian, attorney, and diplomat Philip Zelikow, about the investigative report Lessons from the Covid War, authored by the COVID Crisis Group, which examines the U.S. response to COVID and provides valuable insights for how we can do better in the future.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Visions and Voices May 04, 2023

The Nocturnists' Emily Silverman tells a story about how medical school satisfied much of her curiosity about the human body—but how some mysteries remain, especially related to her dreams.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Resident and the Rogue Apr 27, 2023

Medical student Katie van Kampen brings us into the magical world of Dungeons & Dragons. The deeper they get into the forest, the more parallels they find between their role as Dungeon Master and their role as physician-in-training.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Impossible Decision Apr 20, 2023

Medical student Oak Sonfist brings us inside their vivid dream about the Lost City of Atlantis – and the impossible decisions they face as they navigate between two worlds.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Act Like a Surgeon Apr 13, 2023

Actor-turned-otolaryngologist Alessa Colaianni has no problem acting sad—it’s actually feeling sad that’s the problem. In this episode, Alessa tells the story of losing and regaining access to her emotional landscape.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Homelonging Apr 06, 2023

Primary care doctor Tseganesh Selameab brings us inside her practice as a provider for immigrants and refugees, and describes one of the most common ailments she sees: “homelonging.”

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Vital Sounds Mar 30, 2023

Medical student and classically-trained cellist Melanie Ambler describes her most memorable concert, which took place over Zoom with only one other person in attendance.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Preparing to Live Mar 23, 2023

Hospitalist PJ Lally reflects on a time he got a second chance at life.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Encounter on Aisle 9 Mar 16, 2023

Emergency medicine and helicopter flight physician Mike Abernethy recounts an unexpected run-in at his local Walmart that made him feel as if he’d seen a ghost.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com

Serendipity in Shutdown Mar 09, 2023

OB/GYN Jackie Howitt and pediatrician Gretchen Volk bring us into the deserted airport where they first met in April 2020 on their way to offer COVID-19 relief in NYC. Though their friendship began at one of the most disorienting moments in their lives, the coincidences that followed made the connection feel almost fated.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Trailer: Season 5 - Stories from the World of Medicine Mar 02, 2023

On March 9th, join The Nocturnists for our newest season of "Stories from the World of Medicine," featuring original stories from frontline clinicians.

How One Novel Exposes Medical Injustice with Dolen Perkins-Valdez Feb 23, 2023

In today’s episode, Emily speaks with author Dolen Perkins-Valdez about her recent novel Take My Hand, based on the 1973 case of the Relf sisters who were forcibly sterilized at a federally-funded health clinic in Montgomery, Alabama.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Unlocking Creativity in Dementia with Jake Broder, Lucy Davenport & Bruce Miller, MD Feb 16, 2023

In this live panel at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, Emily sits down with playwright Jake Broder, actor Lucy Davenport, and neurologist Bruce Miller to discuss Broder’s play UnRavelled, which explores the fascinating relationship between dementia, art, and music.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Divided Brain with Iain McGilchrist, MD Feb 09, 2023

In this episode, Emily speaks with psychiatrist-philosopher Iain McGilchrist about his seminal book The Master and His Emissary, which explores the relationship between our brain’s right and left hemispheres and how they structure our understanding of the world.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Art as Recovery with Matthew Wetschler, MD Dec 15, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician-painter Matthew Wetschler about pushing limits, the tension between presence and absence, and how he’s remained curious in the aftermath of crisis.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Myth of Normal with Gabor Maté, MD Dec 08, 2022

Emily speaks with physician and author, Dr. Gabor Maté about his latest book, The Myth of Normal, which explores the connections between our environment, psychological wounds, and medical disease.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Fun of Medical Fiction with Shirlene Obuobi, MD Dec 01, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician, artist, and author, Shirlene Obuobi about fiction as escapism, and the stories behind her debut novel, On Rotation.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Giving Tuesday Gratitude & 2023 Preview Nov 29, 2022

Hi Listeners! Today is Giving Tuesday, and we wanted to take this time to express our gratitude and let you know what’s coming up on The Nocturnists podcast. Thank you for supporting our work in transforming medical culture through storytelling.

To learn more, head to thenocturnists.com.

Shame in Medicine: 10. Until We Meet Again Nov 15, 2022

Over the last nine episodes, we’ve listened to dozens upon dozens of clinicians tell their stories about shame. What have we learned? What can we take away from all of this? And where do we go from here?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 9. The Unwell Doctor Nov 08, 2022

According to medical culture, a clinician should “fix” illness, not have one – especially not a mental illness. But in reality, mental illness is incredibly common, and a huge source of shame, which may prevent us from seeking help. In this episode, we hear stories of sadness, “madness,” stigma, grief, and the potential for healing.

If you or someone you love needs help, please see our list of “resources” in the episode show notes at thenocturnists-shame.org where you can find free, confidential support. And, as always, please take good care of yourself, whatever that may mean for you.

Shame in Medicine: 8. In Hiding Nov 01, 2022

When healthcare workers put on their uniforms to go to work, what other roles, masks, or disguises do they put on as well? The norms and standards of our workplace culture are often more implicit than explicit, but many of us still go to great lengths to present a curated version of self at work that fits into this unspoken code of conduct. The right mask, we tell ourselves, will win the respect and trust of our colleagues and protect us from painful judgments and feelings of alienation. But what are the side effects of hiding parts of ourselves at work? And what about the parts of ourselves that remain exposed?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 7. On Trial Oct 25, 2022

1 in 10 physicians will get sued at some point in their career – but physicians rarely discuss this, much less prepare for it. How do we bring litigation, and all the stress and shame associated with it, out of the shadows?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 6. The Mistake Oct 18, 2022

For most clinicians, the idea of harming a patient is a worst nightmare. But in a high-stakes profession, practiced by humans in a dysfunctional system, errors are nearly inevitable. So how do we deal with the shame that follows?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 5. Indoctrination Oct 11, 2022

In medical culture, shame is often wielded as a teaching tool. We shame learners for not knowing, for forgetting, for making mistakes. When does this serve us? When is it harmful? Is there a better way?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 4. Pass/Fail Oct 04, 2022

On the path to medicine, we’re constantly taking tests: MCAT, shelf exams, step exams, boards, and more. What are these numbers good for? What are they not good for? What is the emotional impact of these tests, and their scores, on medical learners?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 3. Golden Ticket Sep 27, 2022

We all arrive at the gateway to medicine carrying baggage from our past. We’ve had different hopes, hurts, and childhood arcs. How do these early life experiences guide us toward our careers? And once we “arrive,” how do they impact the way we experience shame in the workplace?

Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 2. The Ideal Doctor Sep 20, 2022

Medical culture is filled with impossible ideals: the resident expected to work a 28-hour shift without complaint or error; the surgeon with the steel bladder; the doctor with perfect bedside manner; the student with all the answers. How should a doctor look, act, think, speak, dress, feel? What should they value?

In this episode, we explore the concept of “The Ideal Doctor.” Where do these “ideals” come from? How are they communicated? And what do they have to do with shame?

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Shame in Medicine: 1. Hello, Shame Sep 13, 2022

What is shame? And how does it manifest in medical culture? In this episode, The Nocturnists teams up with two shame experts to investigate these questions. From a pool of over 200 stories submitted to The Nocturnists from healthcare workers across the US, the UK, and beyond, we’ll explore the tension between who we are, and what the culture expects of us.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org.

Trailer: Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest Sep 06, 2022

A 10-part audio documentary series on The Nocturnists podcast, “Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest” explores how shame manifests in medical culture.

Shame is ubiquitous in healthcare. Shame experiences in healthcare workers contribute to burnout, depression, suicidality, impaired empathy, disengagement from learning, social isolation, diminished physical wellness, unprofessional behavior, and altered professional identity formation — all challenges that continue to vex the medical community and lead to poor health outcomes.

Hosted by Emily Silverman, MD and produced in collaboration with the Shame and Medicine project at the University of Exeter, this podcast series breaks the silence about shame in medical practice, sharing intimate stories told by healthcare workers from across the globe.

"Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest" starts on September 13. Listen to the series trailer and follow The Nocturnists wherever you listen to podcasts.

Conversations: Nina Shevzov-Zebrun, MD Aug 30, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with pediatrics resident Nina Shevzov-Zebrun about movement, medicine, and the creation of The Ten Tensions Project, which explores core dilemmas of the physician experience through photography and dance

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Why Doctors Write with Danielle Ofri, MD Aug 23, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician-author Danielle Ofri about the science of writing, the art of medicine, and the imperative of recognizing stories as a tool for healing.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Shame Machine with Cathy O'Neil Aug 16, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with data scientist and author Cathy O’Neil about her book The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation, which investigates how society exploits the powerful emotion of shame.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Documenting the Race to a Vaccine with David France Aug 09, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with documentary filmmaker and journalist David France about his films How to Survive a Pandemic (2022) and How to Survive a Plague (2012), and the role of storytelling in documenting public health crises and holding institutions accountable.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Post-Roe America: Conversation with Alison Block, MD Jul 26, 2022

In this special episode, Emily speaks with The Nocturnists’ Executive Producer, family medicine physician and abortion provider, Dr. Alison Block, who recently published an Op-Ed in The New York Times called "Why I Learned to Perform Second-Trimester Abortions for a Post-Roe America."

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Deep Medicine with Rupa Marya, MD and Raj Patel May 17, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician Rupa Marya and political economist Raj Patel about their recent book Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice, which explores the impact of oppressive systems on our health, and how deep medicine can facilitate collective healing.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Science and Art of Dreaming with Sidarta Ribeiro May 10, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with neuroscientist and author Sidarta Ribeiro about his book The Oracle of Night, which investigates the art and science of dreams and the extraordinary power dreams have in shaping our world.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Conversations: Laura Kolbe, MD May 03, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with poet, physician, and medical ethicist Dr. Laura Kolbe about her poetry collection, Little Pharma, the languages of poetry and medicine, and how poetry can help illuminate the various aspects of self.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Revolutionizing Care in the ICU with Wes Ely, MD Apr 26, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with Dr. Wesley Ely about the harms of deep sedation and immobilization in the ICU, and how he's transforming critical care, one patient at a time.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Grief, Science, and Poetry with Jenny Qi Mar 29, 2022

In this episode, Emily speaks with cancer biologist and poet Jenny Qi, about her poetry collection "Focal Point," which examines science, disease, love, and family.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Dementia from Two Perspectives with Cindy Weinstein and Bruce Miller, MD Mar 22, 2022

In today's episode, Emily speaks with Professor Cindy Weinstein and Dr. Bruce Miller, authors of the book Finding the Right Words, which explores literature, grief, and the brain. It tells the story of Cindy’s father, who lived and died with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and serves as a dialogue between patient and doctor, literary critic and neuroscientist. A great example of narrative medicine in action.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Uncertain World of Chronic Lyme with Ross Douthat Mar 15, 2022

In today's episode, Emily speaks with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat about his book The Deep Places, which tells the harrowing story of his experience with Lyme disease, and what it's like to navigate a chronic illness that mainstream medicine hasn’t yet fully explained.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Cost of Living with Emily Maloney Mar 08, 2022

The American healthcare system is a tapestry of providers, insurers and chargemasters, and often leaves patients with unexpected and crippling bills. That is, if they show up to the hospital at all.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Emily Maloney who has been on both sides of the health care cost equation. After being hospitalized for a suicide attempt, she began working as an emergency room technician to pay off her medical debt. Emily Maloney tells her story in a new collection of essays, Cost of Living.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

House Call Feb 15, 2022

Physician Tobin Greensweig makes an unannounced visit to a patient’s house to check on him after he leaves the hospital. Recalling stories from his father's community medical practice, he is struck by the constraints on the doctor-patient relationship in modern medicine.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Bearing Witness Feb 08, 2022

Psychiatrist Shaili Jain tells the story of a pivotal experience on a road trip with her father, and how it catalyzed her career as a PTSD specialist.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Ride Feb 01, 2022

Pediatrician Christina Lee recounts a memorable ambulance ride from residency, in which she helped transport a child from the hospital to hospice.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Elective Procedure Jan 25, 2022

Medical student Pablo Romano tells the story of losing his mother to complications of surgery, and how he continues her legacy as a medical student.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Sharing the Air Dec 07, 2021

Internal medicine physician Natasha Spottiswoode reflects on her flying days from Oxford while teaching a green intern how to recognize whether patients are "sick" or "not sick."

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Authentically Me Nov 30, 2021

Internist Ashley McMullen decides to let her hair go natural for the first time in over a decade — a process which serves as a metaphor for self-acceptance in the rigid world of medicine.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

See One, Do One, Teach One Nov 23, 2021

Interventional Radiologist Bobby Chiong's patient codes on the table during a procedure, prompting a frantic but successful resuscitation. Afterward, Dr. Chiong reflects on the high-stakes nature of his job and the intimidating responsibility of being entrusted with patients' care.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

Burn The Map Nov 16, 2021

An improv workshop transforms the way psychiatrist David Elkin approaches a patient on the psych consult service, and catalyzes a philosophical shift in his approach to patient care.

The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

Facing the Alzheimer's Crisis with Jason Karlawish, MD Nov 02, 2021

Alzheimer's disease used to be a rare diagnosis. But today, more than 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's and this number is projected to triple to 14 million over the next forty years.

In this episode, Emily discusses the mounting practical, moral, and ethical quandaries of caring for patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-causing diseases with Dr. Jason Karlawish, author of The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It.

The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

Stories from the ER with Michele Harper, MD Oct 26, 2021

The emergency room is a place of intensity—a place of noise and colors and human drama. This is the setting of Dr. Michele Harper's memoir, The Beauty in Breaking, which explores how the healing journeys of her patients intersect with her own.

Emily and Dr. Harper discuss the back stories that become salient in caring for patients who may be suffering from more than just the injuries bringing them to the ER.

The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

The Moral Murkiness of Medical Aid in Dying with Katie Engelhart Oct 19, 2021

Do no harm. Thou shalt not kill. Life is sacred and should be protected at all costs, right? But when is life no longer worth living? Who decides? And what do we do about it?

In this episode, Emily discusses the murky ethical dilemmas of medical aid in dying with award-winning journalist Katie Engelhart, the author of The Inevitable: Dispatches On The Right to Die.

The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer free CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

The Dark History of Medicine’s Mistreatment of Women with Elinor Cleghorn Oct 12, 2021

In the last few years, the medical profession has been grappling with the problem of gender bias in medicine, with how the symptoms of women are seen as atypical, or worse, are minimized, dismissed or ignored. But where did this problem come from? How far have we come and where should we go from here?

In this episode, Emily discusses these questions and more with Dr. Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World.

The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer free CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode.

More at thenocturnists.com.

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.8: A Call to Arms Jul 27, 2021

It’s been over a year since the first case of COVID-19 appeared in Seattle, and it’s been a long cold lonely winter. But in our series finale, we wanted to hear about a bright spot in all the darkness: the first vaccines that found their way into the arms of healthcare workers all around the country.

More at thenocturnists.com

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.7: Remembering a Pandemic Jul 20, 2021

Where did the pandemic become real for you? This has been the most significant global public health crisis in a generation, but we each experienced it through a different set of eyes.

More at thenocturnists.com

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.6: Space Oddity Jul 13, 2021

The acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, but some things are here to stay. How have N-95s, face shields, gowns, gloves and ventilators inserted themselves into our everyday lives?

More at thenocturnists.com

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.5: Night Flight to San Francisco Jul 06, 2021

The COVID-19 global health crisis shed light on the immense value of doctors, nurses, public health workers, and research scientists. At the same time, the pandemic has all but obliterated the arts: theater artists, dancers, and performers have lost their livelihoods and their purpose. But doesn't art save lives, too?

More at thenocturnists.com

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.4: Dreams and Nightmares Jun 29, 2021

We know the pandemic has affected the waking lives of healthcare workers. But what happens after we fall asleep? Does the pandemic haunt us in the shadows too?

More at thenocturnists.com.

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.3: By My Side Jun 22, 2021

One of the hardest things about being healthcare workers going through this pandemic is that we've both experienced and borne witness to moments that nobody should have to go through alone. Who do we need by our side when everything falls apart? And what do we do when they can’t be there?

More at thenocturnists.com.

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.2: COVID Hits Home Jun 15, 2021

To some, the pandemic is a distant thing. The deaths of hundreds of thousands can feel unreal and even impossible to comprehend. That is, until COVID hits home.

More at thenocturnists.com

Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.1: The Space Between Jun 08, 2021

The Nocturnists is back with the second installment of “Stories from a Pandemic”. How have healthcare workers been holding up over the past year? In this episode we hear stories from healthcare workers around the country about what it’s been like after the dust has settled.

Visit our website for episode show notes here.

Trailer: Stories from a Pandemic: Part II Jun 01, 2021

The Nocturnists is proud to announce the second installment of Stories from a Pandemic, which explores what the murky, middle part of the pandemic has been like for healthcare workers.

Tune in Tuesday, June 8, 2021 for the first of eight episodes, “The Space Between”.

A Woman's Life in Medicine with Suzanne Koven, MD May 04, 2021

Emily talks to Dr. Suzanne Koven, author of Letter to a Young Female Physician: Notes from a Medical Life. Dr. Koven graduated from medical school in the 80s at a time when there were so few women in her residency program that she had to write up her own maternity leave policy. Her memoir is a testament to how, while some things have changed for the better for women in medical education, much of the culture remains the same.

Dr. Suzanne Koven is a primary care physician and the inaugural Writer in Residence at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Hosted by Emily Silverman.

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou.

Edited and mixed by Jon Oliver.

Recorded in San Francisco by audio engineer Jon Oliver and at Ugly Duck Studios in Brighton by Ian Bouslough.

Original Theme by Yosef Munro. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

This episode of The Nocturnists is sponsored by Fabled.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Sex, Science, and STDs with Ina Park, MD Apr 27, 2021

As much as our culture delights in talking about sex, we do not relish discussing the sexually transmitted diseases which sometimes follow. But STDs are not just a fact of life, they are a subject that has been shrouded in mystery and moralizing throughout the history of medicine.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Dr. Ina Park, a family medicine doctor, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, and the author of Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs.

Hosted by Emily Silverman.

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou.

Edited and mixed by Jon Oliver.

Original Theme by Yosef Munro. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

The Art and Science of Easing Pain with Abdul-Ghaaliq Lalkhen, MD Apr 20, 2021

All of us have experienced physical pain at some point in our lives. Yet many of us are unaware of how essential context is to the pain experience. Even today, there is much about pain that remains poorly understood. How is it that something so core to being human can remain such a mystery?

Joining me to unravel some of these complexities is Dr. Abdul-Ghaaliq Lalkhen, an anesthesiologist and author of An Anatomy of Pain: How the Body and the Mind Experience and Endure Physical Suffering.

Hosted by Emily Silverman.

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou.

Edited and mixed by Jon Oliver.

Original theme by Yosef Munro. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Love and the Playful Farewell with Kirsten Johnson Apr 13, 2021

Many of us have had to imagine dreaded scenarios for the death of a loved one with dementia. But few have done so with as much cinematic ingenuity and depth of affection as our next guest. In this episode, Emily talks to Kirsten Johnson, the veteran cinematographer and award-winning documentary filmmaker of the film Dick Johnson is Dead, which centers around her father's experience with dementia.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Growing Caregiving Crisis with Jessica Zitter, MD Feb 09, 2021

More and more Americans are choosing to die at home in the care of a loved one. But who takes care of the caregiver? In today's episode, Emily talks to Dr. Jessica Zitter, a critical care and palliative care specialist, about her award-winning directorial debut film, Caregiver: A Love Story.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

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The Transformative Power of Diagnosis with Danielle Spencer Feb 02, 2021

Emily sits down with Danielle Spencer to discuss her book Metagnosis: Revelatory Narratives of Health and Identity which, in identifying and naming the concept of "metagnosis," brings the study of healthcare into conversation with the discourse on identity. In doing so, this extraordinary new work in narrative medicine underscores the importance of narrative in healthcare in relation to concepts of self.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Breath and Beyond with Michael Stephen, MD Jan 26, 2021

Our lungs connect us to our innermost selves, the outside world, and each other. In this episode, Emily talks to pulmonologist Dr. Michael Stephen, author of Breath Taking: What Our Lungs Teach Us About Our Origins, Ourselves, and Our Future.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Untold Story of America's First Female Doctors with Janice Nimura Jan 19, 2021

Emily talks to biographer Janice Nimura about her new book, The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women—and Women to Medicine, which examines the complicated and exceptional lives of Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell, the first and third female physicians in the United States, two women who profoundly influenced the medical profession.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

2020 Holiday Special, Act II Dec 22, 2020

The Nocturnists Holiday Special looks back on a year like no other and celebrates the holiday season with creative contributions from healthcare workers.

Contributors include:

Alex Raines, Alina Kung, Brad Hunter, Brian Bobby Chiong, Catherine Forest, Dan Merriott , Dawn Marie Wadle, Elsa Alaswad, Emmeline Sun, Greta Peng, Theodore Peng, Jacqueline Flores, Jessica Briggs, John Danyi, Kathy Lin, Katie Brooks, Kimberly Manning, Lily Stern and brothers, Lori Edwards, Mariam Nawas, Marshall Fleurant, Mike Reid, Natasha Spottiswoode, Nick Iverson, Patrick McMurray, Raphaela Posner, Resa Lewiss, Syed Hoda , Teja Kompala, Tina Munjal, Tseganesh Selameab, and other healthcare workers who chose to remain anonymous.

Hosted by Emily Silverman.

Producers: Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, Raphae Posner

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Janaé E.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

2020 Holiday Special, Act I Dec 22, 2020

The Nocturnists Holiday Special looks back on a year like no other and celebrates the holiday season with creative contributions from healthcare workers.

Contributors include:

Alex Raines, Alina Kung, Brad Hunter, Brian Bobby Chiong, Catherine Forest, Dan Merriott , Dawn Marie Wadle, Elsa Alaswad, Emmeline Sun, Greta Peng, Theodore Peng, Jacqueline Flores, Jessica Briggs, John Danyi, Kathy Lin, Katie Brooks, Kimberly Manning, Lily Stern and brothers, Lori Edwards, Mariam Nawas, Marshall Fleurant, Mike Reid, Natasha Spottiswoode, Nick Iverson, Patrick McMurray, Raphaela Posner, Resa Lewiss, Syed Hoda , Teja Kompala, Tina Munjal, Tseganesh Selameab, and other healthcare workers who chose to remain anonymous.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Producers: Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, Raphae Posner

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

Original theme music by Janaé E.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, bonus playlist, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Just Five Minutes Dec 08, 2020

Pediatric critical care physician Cathy Humikowski tells the story of having a cardiac arrest the day she gave birth to her daughter. This story was originally told at The Nocturnists Transitions show in San Francisco on January 16, 2020.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

Original theme music by Yosef Munro

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

The Bridge Dec 01, 2020

The Nocturnists picks up with Season 3, which was interrupted by the COVID pandemic.

Internal medicine physician David Muller tells a story about a chance encounter on the George Washington Bridge that made him ponder what makes caring real, and not just something we do professionally. This story was originally told live in New York City at our October 2019 event at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. Learn more about this great venue and organization here.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

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WARNING: Today's episode of The Nocturnists contains descriptions of mental health crises and suicidal actions. Listener discretion is advised.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Ambivalence Nov 24, 2020

The Nocturnists continues with Season 3, which was previously interrupted by the pandemic.

In this episode, family medicine doctor Miriam Sheinbein tells a story about coming to terms with ambivalence surrounding pregnancy and motherhood. This story was originally told at a storytelling event produced by TEACH (teachtraining.org), an organization that cultivates the next generation of reproductive health care providers.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Not Cut Out for This Nov 17, 2020

The Nocturnists picks up with Season 3, which was interrupted by the COVID pandemic.

Medical student Latha Panchap shares a story about a crisis of confidence on the wards. Latha was the winner of The Nocturnists' medical student storytelling contest on the theme of LEARNING, and told her story in front of a live audience at the Housing Works Bookstore and Cafe in New York City on December 19, 2019.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This episode was brought to you by Vocera Communications' Experience Innovation Network, an organization that has investigated the impact of stress, divided attention, and cognitive load on clinicians, and published data on how it affects communication and emotional wellbeing. Learn more about their work here and here.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Also mentioned in this episode: Saturday Night Stories from UCSF.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 10. A Conversation Sep 08, 2020

In this final episode of Black Voices in Healthcare, Host Ashley McMullen and Executive Producer Kimberly Manning discuss the making of the series.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 9. Birth Aug 25, 2020

Our series began with reflections on the death of George Floyd, and ends with stories of birth. Even in the midst of tragedy, new life is beginning.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 8. Touch Aug 18, 2020

From the physical exams we conduct to diagnose disease to the reassuring handshakes before a surgical procedure, human touch is fundamental to the work we do in healthcare.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 7. Standout Aug 11, 2020

Have you ever looked around and realized you were the only one? Standing out in the crowd can be hard, but it might just be your superpower.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 6. Becoming Aug 04, 2020

Everyone has a different origin story. This week we hear about all the roads you’ve taken to become who you are.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 5. Pandemic Jul 28, 2020

We know the pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color. This week, we hear about how COVID-19 has affected your lives.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E. Featuring music "Heart Shaped Box" by Amber Mark (covering Nirvana).

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 4. Hair Jul 21, 2020

Our Black hair speaks volumes about our lives, and can be a source of joy or pain.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E. Featuring music inspired by “I am Not My Hair" by India.Arie.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 3. Home Jul 14, 2020

Many of us travel far and wide to become healthcare workers. What is home to you?

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E. Featuring “Home” from The Wiz, written by Charlie Smalls.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 2. Joy Jul 07, 2020

We are so much more than Black pain. This week, we focus on what makes us come alive.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Black Voices in Healthcare: 1. Again Jun 30, 2020

In our first episode of Black Voices in Healthcare, we sit with the grief of the event that set this project into motion: the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

Host: Ashley McMullen, MD

Executive Producer: Kimberly Manning, MD

Consulting Producer: Emily Silverman, MD

Podcast Producer: Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Ashley Floréal

Original music by Janaé E.

Black Voices in Healthcare series sponsors: California Health Care Foundation and The California Wellness Foundation.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com/black-voices-in-healthcare.

Stories from a Pandemic: 10. Mourning Jun 09, 2020

How does the pandemic end? Does it go out with a bang? Does it fizzle out? What we know for sure is that this story is not over.

In today’s episode you will hear from a pediatric hospitalist, laboratory scientist, pulmonologist, hospitalist, trauma nurse, OB/GYN, and an internal medicine resident, from California, the Midwest, Michigan, New Jersey, and New York.

Featuring Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

From the Nocturnists Jun 02, 2020

Stories from a Pandemic: 9. Bad Trip May 26, 2020

It takes surprisingly little for the human psyche to come undone. We know that the virus can’t survive when we isolate ourselves, but can we survive the isolation?

Today’s voices include an ER nurse, a medical student, a geriatrician, a maternal and fetal medicine fellow, a vaccine trial subject, a primary care doctor, a pediatrics medical resident, as well as some unexpected voices.

This episode features Bill Conti’s Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky).

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 8. Insomnia May 19, 2020

The mass media portrays us as “healthcare heroes,” or soldiers fighting a battle. For some people this language may ring true, but for others, it feels wrong.

This week you’ll hear voices from diarists based in California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. They include a geriatrician, a pediatric and an adult emergency physicians, an ER nurse, a hospitalist and historian of medicine, and two medical students.

*This episode includes themes of mental health crises and suicidal actions. Listener discretion is advised.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 7. Exhale May 12, 2020

We’ve been holding our breath for weeks. The future is unclear, but this week, we invite you to exhale and celebrate small wins.

You’ll hear voices from North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, Oklahoma, Colorado, and California, including those of a radiologist, a family practice doctor, an infectious disease researcher, meds-peds and internal medicine doctors, a neuroimmunology fellow, and a fourth year medical student.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 6. Sick May 05, 2020

What have we learned about the sickness caused by coronavirus?

You’ll hear from diarists from Michigan, Maryland, Ontario/Canada, Massachusetts, and California. You will hear from a meds/peds resident, a neuroimmunology fellow, a MICU nurse, two internal medicine residents, a primary care doctor, and an OB/GYN.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 5. Helpless Apr 28, 2020

What’s it like to be a healthcare worker standing on the sidelines during a pandemic?

This week, you’ll hear from diarists from California, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, and New York, including a primary care doctor, a travel nurse, a speech language pathologist, a pediatrician, an endocrinologist, and critical care doctor. Featuring the song Helpless by Neil Young.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 4. Air Apr 21, 2020

This week you discuss ventilator hacks, breathing tubes, search and rescue, and ministries of presence.

You will hear from diarists in New York, Colorado, Maryland, Indiana, Atlanta, and California, who include a family physician, a nurse practitioner, a veterinarian, a medical student, a couple of interns, and a hospital chaplain. Featuring Bill Withers’ Lean on Me.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Produced by Emily Silverman and Adelaide Papazoglou

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 3. Virus Apr 14, 2020

What have we learned about the virus so far?

In the third episode of Stories from a Pandemic, you will hear voices of a MICU nurse in San Francisco, an internal medicine resident in New York City, an internal medicine resident in Montreal, Canada, a neonatology fellow in Pennsylvania, a geriatrician in California, a participant in a study of a candidate vaccine, an anonymous health care provider, and a medical student in New York City.

Produced by Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, and Vishal Khetpal

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Stories from a Pandemic: 2. Arrival Apr 07, 2020

The COVID pandemic arrives in the USA.

In this episode of The Nocturnists: Stories from a Pandemic, you will hear diary entries from healthcare workers from New York, California, Massachusetts, and Indiana, all grappling with the first of the COVID case arrivals in their institutions. You will hear the voices of an internist, a pulmonologist, an emergency medicine intern, a clinical laboratory scientist, and a recently graduated medical student.

Produced by Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, and Vishal Khetpal

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Stories from a Pandemic: 1. New World Mar 31, 2020

In the first episode of our new Stories from a Pandemic series, you share stories of bracing for disaster.

You will hear the voices of a trauma nurse in San Francisco, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor in New York City, a Durable Medical Equipment (DME) truck driver in the Southern US, a neonatologist in Pennsylvania, a neurosurgery resident in Los Angeles, an emergency medicine physician in Arizona, and an internal medicine resident in New York City.

Produced by Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, and Vishal Khetpal

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

This series is brought to you by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and donations from our listeners.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Bleeding Out Mar 24, 2020

Rasha Khoury takes us inside a Doctors Without Borders hospital.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Cleaning Up Mar 17, 2020

Social worker Emmeline Sun has to betray the trust of a client in order to care for him.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Beyond the ABC's Mar 10, 2020

On Jeremy Topin's first call night in the ICU, his checklist was not enough.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This episode was made possible by Vocera Communication’s Experience Innovation Network, an organization that has investigated the impact of stress, divided attention, and cognitive load on clinicians, and published data on how it affects communication and emotional wellbeing. Learn more about their work here.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

The Art of the Block Mar 02, 2020

Hospitalist Abhi Kole tells a story about the ethics—and the art—of blocking patients.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This episode was made possible by Vocera Communication’s Experience Innovation Network, an organization that has investigated the impact of stress, divided attention, and cognitive load on clinicians, and published data on how it affects communication and emotional wellbeing. Learn more about their work here.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Love in the Time of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Feb 24, 2020

Internal medicine resident Elie Adler tells a story about loving someone with a chronic illness, how that relationship changed when she became a doctor, and how being a doctor affects her relationship.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Rhino Rocket Feb 18, 2020

Otolaryngologist Tina Munjal tells a story about learning to be comfortable outside of her comfort zone.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Code Lavender Feb 11, 2020

Pediatric hospitalist Monica Stemmle tells a story about her imperfect strategies for coping with feelings on the job.

Warning: this story depicts sick and injured children.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Trailer: Season 3 Feb 04, 2020

Season 3 of The Nocturnists, hosted by physician Emily Silverman, will be coming soon to your feed.

This season of The Nocturnists was made possible by the California Medical Association. Learn more at cmadocs.org.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Redefining Aging with Louise Aronson, MD Oct 30, 2019

In this live podcast taping, Emily speaks with UCSF geriatrician and author Louise Aronson about her New York Times best-selling book, Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life. Louise opens the episode with a reading from her book. Emily follows with questions about the inspiration behind Elderhood, biases in medicine that impact geriatric care, and ways to reframe our perspectives on aging.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

A Practical Handbook for Facing Death with BJ Miller, MD and Shoshana Berger Sep 26, 2019

Emily sits down with palliative care doctor BJ Miller and IDEO's Global Editorial Director, Shoshana Berger, to talk about their new book, A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death. First, BJ and Shoshana read excerpts from the book about their individual stories. The readings are followed by a conversation with Emily about the inspirations behind their new book, the challenging nature of the dying process, and the importance of preparing for our final days.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Race Against Superbugs with Matt McCarthy, MD Sep 19, 2019

Emily sits down with physician Matt McCarthy, an infectious disease specialist at New York Presbyterian Hospital who researches drug-resistant microbes, to talk about his latest book, Superbugs.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Storytelling Contest: Learning Jun 18, 2019

Here we share a tapestry of voices that we stitched together from the 38 audio submissions we received for our first storytelling contest on the theme of "Learning." The entries came from 28 institutions, 14 states, and 3 countries. We plan to announce the contest winner before the end of the month. Thank you to all who submitted!

Music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Love, Loss, and Legacy with Lucy Kalanithi, MD Jun 13, 2019

Emily sits down with internist and thought leader Dr. Lucy Kalanithi to discuss her late husband's book When Breath Becomes Air and topics such as illness and identity, prognosis and uncertainty, love and suffering, and the importance of community.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The River Styx May 28, 2019

After hearing a mentor make an inappropriate joke, medical student Jenny Tiskus grapples with humor’s place in the world of medicine.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Dead To Me May 21, 2019

Physician Maureen Miller describes how perusing a dusty box of autopsy reports from 1897 helped her embrace her new professional future as a pathologist. Learn more about Maureen's work here. She also recommends reading The Misfit, featuring one of her favorite writers David Milch. For reference, the Conan and Colbert interviews are here and here. Illustrations by Lindsay Mound. Original theme music by Yosef Munro. Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

All That Jazz May 14, 2019

Psychiatrist Matthew Hirschtritt turns to lessons from his Jewish upbringing when caring for a patient with severe refractory depression.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Good Doctor May 07, 2019

Hospitalist Archna Eniasivam describes the time she made a diagnostic error with one of her favorite patients.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

For more content, we recommend some of our favorite medical podcasts: The Curbsiders, The Clinical Problem Solvers, and Core IM.

Dying to Tchaikovsky Apr 30, 2019

Family medicine physician Catherine Forest listens to her one of her classical music idols serenade a dying loved one in the hospital. According to the internet, the most relaxing song in the world is Weightless by Marconi Union. To learn more about music and the brain, check out the book Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks. For more of Catherine's work, check out this essay in Vox. Illustrations by Lindsay Mound. Original theme music by Yosef Munro. Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Welcome to Vietnam Apr 23, 2019

82-year-old retired trauma surgeon Bill Meffert, who cared for wounded soldiers in Vietnam, reflects on that bloody experience and the words of a priest who worked beside him.

You can read more about Bill and his novel, A Long Way From Home, on his website. To learn more about the Vietnam War, Bill recommends reading the book Dispatches, by Michael Herr.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Enjoy Your Life Apr 16, 2019

When caring for a young woman with a new brain cancer diagnosis, medicine resident Colleen Farrell comes to grips with her own mortality.

Books referenced include Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon. You can find the poem "Intensive Care" by Jane O. Wayne here.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

A Form of Love Apr 09, 2019

Hospitalist Peter Barish recounts an intense, intimate moment with a patient.

Learn more about Ladybird here.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Compassionate Release Apr 02, 2019

Michele DiTomas, a hospice physician who cares for incarcerated men, races against the clock and slashes through bureaucratic tape to help a dying man go home.

Learn more about the U.S. criminal justice system at the ACLU.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

The Lazarus Effect Mar 26, 2019

Emergency medicine physician Joe Sills panics when the patient he has just pronounced dead regains a pulse.

The article mentioned in our conversation, "What Does It Mean to Die?" can be found in The New Yorker.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

For more about emergency medicine, visit The EM Over Easy Podcast.

Trailer: Season 2 Mar 12, 2019

Season 2 of The Nocturnists, hosted by physician Emily Silverman, launches on Tuesday, March 26th.

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Yosef Munro.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Too Important to Die May 23, 2018

Cardiologist Dhruv Kazi recounts the heart-stopping tale of an emergency medical encounter in North Korea.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Even the Morgue Has a Waitlist May 09, 2018

Hospital administrator Galen Laserson recounts the time she got an unexpected call in the middle of the night, which prompted her to learn all about the hospital's underbelly and the logistics of death.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

This week, you also have the opportunity to listen to Galen's story on Snap Judgment from WNYC. Also catch Emily on The Short Coat Podcast and House of Pod from earlier this month.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Missing It Apr 25, 2018

The electronic medical record and a list of to-dos distract family medicine resident Milana Pebenito from her patient's impending death.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

That's Ninja Doc to You Apr 11, 2018

Hospitalist Meghan O'Brien recounts the frustration of caring for a homeless patient who would rather be on the streets.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

I Am Enough Mar 28, 2018

Grant Smith, chief resident in internal medicine at UCSF, recounts the story of his first code blue.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Not Always Wonderful Mar 07, 2018

In the hospital, pediatrician Dana Gal struggles with a young patient who asserts her autonomy in ways that are frustrating, and even dangerous.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Out of the Way Feb 21, 2018

Hospitalist Ann Knapp navigates her own doubts and assumptions when her patient, a ninety-year-old man, states he wants to die—today.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

A Great Many Things More Feb 06, 2018

Sirisha Narayana, a hospital medicine physician, discusses her strong identity as a physician, and how it collided with her other identities, until one of her interns made a simple observation in the hospital.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

Recognition Jan 25, 2018

Ben Lerman, an emergency medicine physician, describes how his ability to empathize with his patients deteriorated throughout his medical training, and how a chance encounter with a patient outside the hospital helped set him back on track.

Special thanks to Leon Morimoto.

Illustrations by Stephanie Muscat.

Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!