Medha Shanbhag

a penny for your thoughts

Health EN ↓ 31 episodes

welcome to "a penny for your thoughts," the podcast that delves deep into the fascinating world of medicine and human behavior. join us as we explore questions like: where did different languages originate? how do i improve my heart health? and why can't i balance my work and life?in each episode, your host medha shanbhag teams up with experts, psychologists, and everyday individuals to unpack these questions. have you ever wondered why cliques form, even in diverse settings? curious about making an impact? struggling with work-life balance? we've got you covered.

Author

Medha Shanbhag

Category

Health

Podcast website

podcasters.spotify.com

Latest episode

Dec 31, 2025

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Episodes

it's ok to be mainstream 31.12.2025

hey guys, in this last episode of the year, me and vibha discuss the rise of ai technology in academia, the performative movement that originated from social media, and some of our favorite pieces of media. this year has been so busy and rewarding and i cannot wait to see what this next brings!! youtube: @medha.shanbhag

comparison is the thief of joy (feat. kate garnes) 24.08.2025

in this episode, i am joined by motivational speaker kate garnes who ultimately discusses important things including surrounding yourself with the right people and acknowledging the double-edged nature of social media. for adolescents in this current time period, it can be extremely hard to stick to your true beliefs and feel noticed, but i hope this episode helps with any doubt you might be feeli...

sophomore year 08.07.2025

in this episode, i go through the major areas of my sophomore year as a high school student. i truly believe this platform is a way to immortalize my current self, so if you’re a rising sophomore (or just want to listen for fun) then i think you’ll really enjoy this episode!

another trip around the sun 05.01.2025

happy new years guys!! in this episode, i go through a recap of my previous year and include some things that i'm going to incorporate into this year and other things that i would love to leave behind for the better

gynecology (feat. dr. annekathryn goodman) 07.12.2024

during this episode, me and dr. annekathryn goodman talk all things gynecology. she is a professor at harvard and also a practitioner at the massachusetts general hospital. some things we cover in this episode are the importance of listening, continuing to learn even after school, and how finding the expertise you thrive in is extremely important.  

grass farmer (feat. joel salatin) 01.09.2024

joel salatin is a celebrity in the alternative farming world, and i had the privilege of having him on the show! during this episode, we touched on topics like the importance of shopping local, ways polyface farms has positively affected the environment, and the hidden health benefits that come with local products. he has dedicated his life to speaking and advocating for a better food system, and...

perseverance (feat. zenani d. johnson) 25.08.2024

zenani johnson is an aspiring law student who has lots of experience with rejection and perseverance. during this episode, she shares the journey she had to take to get where she currently is, and perseverance happens to be a very important skill in life. some things we touched on in this episode (besides the importance of perseverance) include planning ahead, knowing your worth, and the value of...

public health (feat. dr. penny ralston) 18.08.2024

this second season kickstarter touches on several different topics including the importance of higher education and the impact a program can have on a community. dr. penny ralston is a professor at fsu, and although she started off as a student of gerontology, she has devoted her life to teaching public health.

summers over interlude 11.08.2024

can you believe we’ve made it to season 2 already? in this premiere episode, medha goes over all things season 2 including an updated posting schedule, future content to look out for, as well as everything you’ve missed during the break! while it is super sad that summer is over, i hope this school year turns out in your favor and next summer arrives just as quickly.

season 1 finale 29.05.2024

this episode is mainly a clip show and an enormous thank you to everyone who has made this season happen. i'm so grateful for all the opportunities this year has given me and season 2 is just going to get better! i also share some statistics and some advice for people interested in starting a podcast as well.

summer bucket list 22.05.2024

with the school year coming to an end and summer rapidly approaching, i’ve created a bucket list of 50+ things i want to this summer! some of the things i talk about include: going to a pilates class, going on hikes, and catching sunrises. 

cardiology (feat. dr. vilma torres) 15.05.2024

dr. vilma torres is a clinical professor in the field of cardiology at the university of florida. this episode was a really informational one, and i honestly learned so much from dr. torres. some things we discussed in this episode were the importance of regular exercise, how far cardiac technology has come, and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance (especially when it comes to...

cancer sucks (feat. pratiksha patel) 08.05.2024

in this episode, i am joined by pratiksha patel! she is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with hodgekin’s lymphoma in her early 20’s. some of the key concepts we covered in this episode were the importance of family and having a strong support system during this process, relying upon god or a spiritual belief, and the major fomo that happens during this time.

book club pt. 4 01.05.2024

for our april reads, me and vibha were a lot more successful in reading books, but there were only two that earned a 5/5. this episode is one of the shorter ones, but some of the books we reviewed include: lessons in chemistry, the seven husbands of evelyn hugo, and the hunger games trilogy!

growing up (feat. my mom) 24.04.2024

with the school year coming to an end, i felt like we needed one last advice episode. my mom is literally my favorite person in the world, and she has so many fun stories and good advice that might help someday! (this episode was also a very late birthday present for my dad so i hope you love it just as much as we do!)

hustle culture 17.04.2024

hustle culture is this idea that we as humans are constantly setting high standards for ourselves and spending every waking hour striving for success. while this sounds like a relatively positive concept, there are many harmful results including burnout and future procrastination. in this episode, we dissect hustle culture and its role in today’s society.

unpopular opinions 10.04.2024

unpopular opinions, or hot takes, have been conversation starters for a while and me and vibha are dissecting a couple off of reddit. we went through everything ranging from the eiffel tower to picking your nose! don’t forget to rate the show and follow us @apennyforyourthoughts.show on instagram!

freshman year 03.04.2024

with the school year coming to a close, i’ve learned so much about high school and have pieces of valuable advice that might be of use! in this episode i try my best to make sense of the classes, clubs / extracurriculars, and important tests, and provide a new perspective on being a freshman.  don’t forget to rate the show and follow us @apennyforyourthoughts.show

book club pt.3 27.03.2024

march was a very interesting month for both me and vibha, and we both plan on reading a lot more next month! this book club episode has lots of thrillers and nonfiction books, and once again, tons of spoilers. although we didn’t read as  many books as previous months, the books we did read were super interesting and we hope you enjoy this episode! don’t forget to rate the show and follow us on ins...

spring break 13.03.2024

this episode was mostly focused around my #1 biggest fear: wasting my life scrolling on social media. this spring break me and vibha talk all about spending our time actually doing stuff and ways we can try loosening the grip that our phones have on us :) don’t forget to rate the show and follow the instagram @apennyforyourthoughts.show

book club pt.2 28.02.2024

as promised, i’m back again for another book club episode! earlier this year, i set the ambitious goal of reading 100 books by the end of 2024, and this month was full of good reads. keep in mind that these episodes have tons of spoilers, but if you don’t mind them, then this episode is perfect if you’re looking to get out of a reading slump! don't forget to rate the show and follow us @apenny...

bilingualism (feat. dr. sirada rochanavibhata and dr. ashley chung) 07.02.2024

i’ve recently been trying to learn spanish and during this process, i’ve had many different questions about the psychological aspects of bilingualism. in this episode, dr. sirada and dr. ashley from northwestern university help explain the cognitive benefits of being multilingual, the physical changes that occur in the brain, and why it’s so important for children to grow up in bilingual household...

book club? 31.01.2024

since one of my biggest new year’s resolutions is to read 100 books this year, i thought the best way to keep myself accountable would be to create a little book club series! In this episode, me and vibha rate and review the books we’ve read in january, and also share the many books we’ll attempt to read next month.

a trilogy, creativity, and life as an author (feat. ruhi parikh) 24.01.2024

in this episode, me and ruhi dive deep into all things writing! ruhi is currently a sophomore in college and has published 3 novels (and is currently working on a fourth book!). some of my favorite things that were brought up include the importance of following your dreams, staying persistent, indulging in self-care, and the pros of having a dependable creative outlet. this was a really fun episod...

conversations with a 6th grader (feat. vibha shanbhag) 17.01.2024

we’re back! during the very second episode of the new year, me and my sister (and best friend) vibha dig deep into the things that make middle schoolers tick. we talked about everything from sicknesses to weird kids, and i couldn’t wish for a better start to our new year. this episode also contains mild spoilers regarding several books and a tv show! don’t forget to follow the instagram @apennyfor...

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