The Nocturnists

Latest Episodes:

Act Like a Surgeon with Alessa Colaianni, MD Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

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 with Tseganesh Selameab, MD Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

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 with Melanie Ambler Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

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 with PJ Lally, MD Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

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 with Mike Abernethy Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

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 with Jackie Howitt, MD & Gretchen Volk, MD Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.