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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.  

Pediatric ER physician and author Rachel Kowalsky discusses her short story, "The Delivery Boy," which is set in an ER and follows a young Guatemalan boy, alongside 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.  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 and donations from listeners like you.

  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.

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.

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.

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.  

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.  

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.

The Nocturnists is back with season 6 of "Stories from the World of Medicine". This season features stories from frontline clinicians focused around the theme of "Rebirth". We start our season with Dr. Meghan Rothenberger, an an infectious disease / HIV doctor at the VA in Minneapolis. She went to medical school at Johns Hopkins and did her IM residency and ID fellowship at The University of Minnesota Meghan needed to lose her dog, her keys, and her dinner before she realized she’d also lost something more important: herself. She reflects on what it meant to lose her way and how she went about finding it again. 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.  

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.   

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. 

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.  

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.

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

What does the future hold for abortion care? In this final episode of Post-Roe America, we hear from clinicians and advocates 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.

How has the Dobbs decision impacted medical education? In this episode 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.

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. Today 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.

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 this episode, 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.

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.

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 this episode, 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.

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 this episode, 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://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.

We open 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 thenocturnists.com. 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.

On June 24, 2022, the US 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 September 21st for Post-Roe America—a 7-episode series featuring the stories of abortion providers from Texas to Tennessee, Oklahoma to Ohio, and beyond. See you then.   Host:  Ali Block, MD Co-creators:  Emily Silverman, MD & Ali Block, MD 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.

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.  

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

In today’s episode, 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.

In today’s episode, 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.

In today’s episode, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hospitalist PJ Lally reflects on a time he got a second chance at life.  Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.    

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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. .

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Just Five Minutes tells the story of pediatric critical care physician Cathy Humikowsky’s own cardiac arrest which happened on the same day she gave birth to her daughter. This story was originally told live at The Nocturnists event on the theme of Transitions which took place at the Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA 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 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. __________ 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.  

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. 

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.

In this special episode, host Ashley McMullen and executive producer Kimberly Manning discuss the making of the series Black Voices 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In our first episode, 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.

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. 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!

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). 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!

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. 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!

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. 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!

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. 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!

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. 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!

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. 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!

What have we learned about the virus so far? In the third episode of our special podcast series on COVID19, 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!

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

In the first episode of our new 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. Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.  

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

The Nocturnists, hosted by physician Emily Silverman, debuts soon! Learn more and support us at thenocturnists.com. Thank you!