The Liminal MD

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, pediatrician, thought leader and entrepreneur. We cover the evolving landscape of doctors in the public space as well as her amazing new venture, Skinmetal. Wendy serves as a powerful example of a hybrid physician with a fascinating history in innovation and public communication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I’m joined by Alexandra Sifferlin of The New York Times, author of The Elusive Body. We talk about the hidden crisis of misdiagnosis, why we still struggle with uncertainty despite our technology, and what patients get wrong about how diagnosis actually works. This is a big conversation about the limits of medicine, the mythology of the doctor, and what may remain stubbornly human...

Every physician knows the feeling of opening the electronic health record and finding a note that's beautifully structured with every box checked but somehow says almost nothing about what's actually wrong with the patient. This is not an accident. It's the result of decades of design choices, most of them not made by doctors but rather billing departments and compliance offices. In this episode I...

What happens to the physician's authority when artificial intelligence can do what only doctors once could? Bioethicist and pediatrician John Lantos has written one of the more provocative pieces in recent medical literature — a JAMA editorial arguing that AI isn't the beginning of medicine's identity crisis. It's the culmination of one that started two centuries ago. Drawing on philosopher Walter...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Charlotte Blease, an informaticist and philosopher and the author of Dr. Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us and How AI Could Save Lives. The book has generated sharp reaction within medicine by advancing a simple, uncomfortable claim: that in some cases, continuing to rely on human clinicians may be ethically inferior to turning decisions over to machines. We discuss p...

In this short take episode, Dr. Bhargav Patel, Medical Director of Sully AI, joins Freerange MD to talk about the rapidly evolving world of AI in healthcare. With more than 120 companies in the AI scribe space, the market is crowded—but not sustainable. Dr. Patel shares his perspective on what’s coming next, how Sully AI is approaching the challenge, and why clinical efficiency is only the beginni...

In this episode Freerange MD is joined by Dr. Spencer Dorn, public intellectual in the realm of medicine and technology. This freewheeling conversation covers some of the more interesting developments in the modern clinical space — A drill down on AI, the future of the doctor's work and much more. I hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we dive into the world of wearables — where personal health tech meets human behavior. My guest is Jason Oberfest, the Vice President of Healthcare at ŌURA, the company behind the sleek little ring that's quietly revolutionizing how we track sleep, recovery, and readiness. Jason has a fascinating vantage point—not only on the origins of the Oura Ring and how it evolved from a niche...

In this episode of Freerange MD, I sit down with renowned physician-scientist Dr. Eric Topol to talk about his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. We unpack the science behind aging, longevity, and the surprising habits of people who age exceptionally well. From the role of exercise, sleep, and socialization, to emerging interventions and the limits of lifespan extensio...

In February 2024, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer died by suicide. His mother, Megan Garcia, believes his death was driven by an intense, abusive relationship—not with a person, but with an AI companion. One that manipulated him emotionally and sexually. In this episode of Freerange MD, we welcome James O’Donnell from MIT Technology Review to explore the dark frontier of AI companions —emotionally intel...

In this episode, I’m joined by Daniel Oberhaus, author of The Silicon Shrink. AI and psychiatry are on a collision course — Therapeutic chatbots, surveillance psychiatry, and digital phenotypes are advancing faster than our understanding of mental illness. And as you’ll learn in this rapid-fire discussion, the hype of AI comes with some scary realities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

There are seven deadly sins that have defined human immorality. But do these sins represent moral failings or critical biological functions necessary for survival? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by Dr. Guy Leschziner, neurologist and author of Seven Deadly Sins — The Biology of Being Human. We explore the seven sins and unpack their neuroscientific and psychological basis. This is a g...

Science is supposed to be about the pursuit of truth. But what happens when ambition, greed, and fraud infect that pursuit especially in a field as high-stakes as Alzheimer's research? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by investigative journalist Charles Pillar, author of the explosive new book Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's. His reporting uncove...

In this episode cardiologist John Mandrola joings Freerange MD for great discussion. We dig deep into the concept of the medical conservative, an idea popularized by Dr. Mandrola. Our conversation evolves to cover ‘citizen research’, the rising popularity of medical newsletters, and the growing pains physicians have experienced on sites like Twitter. If nothing else, Dr. Mandrola's contrarian pers...

Introducing Freerange MD with Bryan Vartabedian. This new podcast brings you the most interesting voices in healthcare. From thought leaders to frontline innovators, we explore how technology is reshaping healthcare—and us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices