Small Talk, Big Topics

Many of the skills required for success in medicine are learned outside formal training programs. Drs.  Joan Culpepper-Morgan, Anita Afzali and Matthew Whitson join host Dr. Ugo Iroku on this episode to explore the "hidden curriculum" of health care, including feedback, conflict resolution, leadership, sponsorship, bias, workplace dynamics, and team management. Through real-world scenarios and mul...

Clinical guidelines are critical to delivering high-quality inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care, but optimal outcomes often require addressing factors beyond disease activity alone. In this episode, guests Dr. Sandra Quezada and health advocate Tina Aswani-Omprakash, MPH, join hosts Drs. Ugo Iroku and Victor Chedid to examine how cultural beliefs, dietary practices, mental health, language acces...

The mid-season finale takes a creative look at the many career opportunities available beyond traditional clinical, academic, and private practice roles. Using the concept of "extraintestinal manifestations" as a metaphor, Drs. Vivian Asamoah, Austin Chiang, and Iris Wang join hosts Drs. Ugo Iroku and Victor Chedid to explore careers in media, public communication, digital health, entrepreneurship...

Small Talk, Big Topics returns with a renewed focus on the issues shaping today's gastroenterology workforce, patient care environment, and health care systems. In this kickoff episode, the hosts, Drs. Nina Nandy, Victory G. Chedid, and Ugo Iroku, are joined by guest Dr. Joan A. Culpepper-Morgan to introduce the vision for the new season, reflecting on how the field has evolved and why conversatio...

Effective mentorship plays a critical role in career growth, leadership development, and long-term success in gastroenterology. Yet women in GI continue to face unique challenges related to access, sponsorship, representation, advancement, and leadership opportunities. Drs. Fola May, Rhonda Souza, and Rebecca Ekeanyanwu joined host Dr. Nina Nandy to explore how mentorship, sponsorship, and allyshi...

Providing inclusive, patient-centered care requires an understanding of the unique experiences and health care needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals. In this episode, Drs. Nikki Duong, Kara Jencks, and Hannah Phillips join host Dr. Victor Chedid to discuss how GI practices can enhance patient experiences through inclusive communication, respectful clinical workflows, and equitable care delivery. Topics in...

Feeling like the promotion process is shrouded in mystery? In this episode, host Dr. Matthew Whitson and guest host Dr. Averill Guo work to unveil the mystery with guests Drs. Olga Aroniadis, GI Division Chief at Stony Brook University Hospital and Michelle Kim, GI department chair at the Cleveland Clinic. While every institution is a bit different, they offer their most practical tips on who to t...

If you’re receiving late night calls about handling food impaction cases in Eosinophilic Esophagitis patients, or if you’re just curious about how to best treat EoE patients, you’ll hopefully find this episode relatable and beneficial! Host Dr. Matthew Whitson and guest host Dr. Weston Bettner chat with guests Drs. Kristle Lee Lynch, director of the Esophageal and Swallowing Center at the Universi...

We're live from Digestive Disease Week 2024! Host Dr. Matthew Whitson is joined by one of our favorite guests, Dr. Janice Jou, professor of medicine and fellowship program director at Oregon Health & Science University, for a candid conversation about what it’s like in your first job out of training. She shares her advice for dealing with imposter syndrome, how to handle someone questioning your e...

Building research collaborations can be a challenge when you’re establishing your career, so let’s talk strategy. Host Dr. Matthew Whitson and guest host Dr. Kathryn Schmidt chat with guests Drs. Loren Rabinowitz, instructor in medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Rachel Issaka, associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, about the do’s and don’ts of bu...

If you’re looking for a GI career that offers a high return on therapeutic endoscopy and scratches a unique itch, this Small Talk, Big Topics episode is for you! Host Dr. Matthew Whitson and guest host Dr. Kunjali Padhya are joined by Dr. Andy Tau, GI hospitalist with Austin Gastroenterology, for a conversation on what it takes to manage GI emergencies and how patient care looks different in this...

How are we supporting the growth and development of women in gastroenterology? This episode’s hosts Drs. CS Tse and Bahar Adeli are joined by guests Drs. Laurel Fisher and Asma Khapra, co-directors of AGA’s Women in GI northeast regional workshop, for a discussion on how to address challenges in the workplace and cultivate a supportive community that supports career advancement. Don’t miss this co...

Welcome to season 3 of Small Talk, Big Topics! For our season premiere, hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and Nina Nandy interview current AGA president Dr. Barbara Jung about her journey as a physician-scientist, the value of mentorship and how AGA became a home to her. Plus, find out how she met and received role modeling from former AGA president Dr. John Carethers!

Does cleaning a scope lead to a significant amount of waste? Why should GI care about the environment? Tune in to this special bonus episode to hear hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and CS Tse, and guests Drs. Nitin Ahuja, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Amit Patel, associate professor at Duke University, discuss gastroenterology and climate change.

What approach should you take when you're faced with a hard clinical case? Hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and Nina Nandy are joined by Drs. Jessica Korman and Erica Cohen from Capital Digestive Care, a gastroenterology group in the Washington, D.C.-metro area, to discuss their approaches to patient care, particularly when it comes to challenging cases.

How will artificial intelligence (AI) impact how gastroenterologists diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases? Host Dr. Matthew Whitson is joined by Drs. Renumathy Dhanasekaran, assistant professor at Stanford University, Alexandra T. Strauss, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University and Daniel Penrice, gastroenterology fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, to unpack what AI means for me...

Happy Pride Month! For the inaugural Pride episode, hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and Nina Nandy are joined by Drs. Christopher Velez, neurogastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Sonali Paul, transplant hepatologist at the University of Chicago, for a conversation about being a part of the LGBTQIA GI community and how to best support LGBTQIA patients.

We're live from Digestive Disease Week 2023! In our first-ever live recording, our hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson, Nina Nandy and CS Tse are joined by the Twitter famous Dr. Mohammad Bilal. They share their tips for making the most of DDW and answer live attendee questions.

Let’s journey into how to become a better educator in endoscopy while balancing patient care. Hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and CS Tse are joined by Drs. Catharine Walsh, associate professor at University of Toronto, and Justin Sewell, professor of medicine at UCSF, to break down if there's a right or wrong way to teach endoscopy and more.

How do you make it as an early career GI and progress from your fellowship to become a clinical expert? Hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and CS Tse chat with Drs. Rena Yadlapati, esophagologist and associate professor of medicine at UCSD, and Frank Scott, IBD-ologist and associate professor of medicine at University of Colorado, to find out how they did it.

This one is for all the future hepatologists and entrepreneurial GIs. We’re thrilled to have Drs. Alex Vogel and Adam Winters, the hosts of Liver Talks — the official podcast of the Liver Fellow Network, on the pod to share the inception of Liver Fellow Network and how they made this educational network a reality.

What makes a successful GI fellow? Find out straight from the source in this exciting episode. We have four GI fellowship program directors, from four very different programs, on the podcast to share their insights and advice. They discuss behaviors, characteristics and academic experiences that make a well-rounded GI. Hear from: Dr. Matthew Whitson, Hofstra-Northwell (co-host of Small Talk, Big T...

We're back with part 2 of our interview with AGA president Dr. John Carethers. This episode goes deep on career advice. Listen to hear Dr. Carether's 80/20 rule and much more. On behalf of our hosts, Drs. Matthew Whitson, Nina Nandy and CS Tse, thanks for listening to season 2 of Small Talk, Big Topics! We have some fantastic guests lined up and are looking forward to a great season covering a ran...