The Interesting MD Podcast

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck talks with Dr. Jacob Kelly, a Duke-trained cardiologist based in Anchorage, Alaska, about his journey from traditional cardiology to a more personalized model of care. Dr. Kelly shares why he moved away from fee-for-service medicine to create Rule Health, a practice focused on prevention, lifestyle medicine, and building stronger relation...

In Part 2 of her conversation with Dr. Rob Beck, Dr. Mariam Washington shares the realities of moving from the United States to Canada to continue her medical career. The discussion covers physician licensing, immigration pathways, provincial differences between Alberta and British Columbia, and the financial and emotional challenges of relocating an entire family. Dr. Washington also reflects on...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Dr. Mariam Washington, a physiatrist who transitioned from practicing medicine in the United States to working in Canada. Dr. Washington shares her experience navigating significant student loan debt, building her career in the U.S., and ultimately deciding to make a major professional and personal change. The discussion explo...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Dr. Teresa Purzner, a neurosurgeon and developmental neurobiologist whose work is transforming how pediatric brain tumor care is delivered. Dr. Purzner shares how she applied startup-style design thinking to identify and solve major inefficiencies in patient care pathways. By engaging patients, families, clinicians, and admini...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Brooke Finlay, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant and founder of Navio Immigration. Brooke shares expert insights into Canada's immigration system and the pathways available to healthcare professionals interested in relocating. The conversation covers Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, work permits, permanent...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Mona Kaiser, healthcare engagement strategist for the Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project on Vancouver Island, BC. They discuss the vision behind one of Canada’s most innovative new hospitals—from physician and nurse involvement in the design process to the hospital’s focus on sustainability, Indigenous inclusivity,...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Kelsey Renning of Global Nurse Pathways, exploring the emotional and practical realities of working abroad as a nurse. Kelsey shares how surviving cancer and facing personal hardships pushed her to rethink what she wanted from life and career. The conversation covers international nursing pathways, adapting...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Kelsey Renning, a pediatric nurse practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice, about burnout, healthcare culture, and leaving the U.S. to build a life abroad. Kelsey shares her personal and professional journey, including working through stage 2 breast cancer, experiencing medical debt as a healthcare provider, and struggling...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Dr. David Spiro, a pediatric emergency physician, educator, and host of the HU Med Podcast. Dr. Spiro shares his experiences practicing medicine across the U.S., his reflections on the strengths and challenges of the American healthcare system, and why he seriously considered relocating to Canada. The discussion touches on hea...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Danni Viera, focusing on her experience after relocating from the U.S. to Canada. Danni shares how she transitioned into her new role at a supervised consumption site in British Columbia, where she provides harm reduction care and supports vulnerable populations. She reflects on the differences in workplace...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Danni Viera, a registered nurse and Marine Corps veteran, about her journey from the U.S. healthcare system to a new life in Canada. Danni shares her experiences growing up in a working-class family, serving in the military, and working across multiple nursing specialties—including caring for veterans. She offers an honest per...

In the final episode of this two-part series, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Don Chapman, the driving force behind the Lost Canadians movement and Bill C3. This episode explores the deeper historical context behind Canada’s citizenship laws, including policies that affected war brides, immigrant communities, Indigenous peoples, and adoptees. Don also shares his perspective on media c...

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Don Chapman, founder of the Lost Canadians, about the hidden history of Canadian citizenship laws and their far-reaching consequences. Don shares his personal experience of losing his citizenship due to outdated legislation, and how that led to decades of advocacy to restore rights for others. The episode explores the passage of Bill C3,...

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Dr. Avalon Swenson, focusing on the deeper impact of immigration enforcement on healthcare and community life. Dr. Swenson shares firsthand experiences of how fear is affecting patient behavior, access to care, and the emotional well-being of both communities and clinicians. They also discuss the challenges of advocacy...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck talks with Dr. Avalon Swenson, an internal medicine resident in Minneapolis, about the ripple effects of immigration enforcement on healthcare. They discuss how fear is changing patient behavior—leading to missed treatments and delayed care—and the ethical challenges physicians face when law enforcement intersects with clinical environmen...

Buying a home in Canada as a U.S. physician can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Manpreet Kandola, a Victoria-based realtor, about navigating the Canadian housing market as a relocating doctor. They discuss mortgage qualification differences, foreign buyer taxes, and how physicians can position themselves for succ...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck speaks with Dr. Dennis Kim, a trauma surgeon who has practiced in both the United States and Canada. Dr. Kim reflects on his journey from Toronto to high-volume trauma centers in Southern California and now to Vancouver Island, where he’s helping develop a regional trauma system. The conversation covers the realities of trauma care, the i...

In the final episode of this three-part series, Dr. Rob Beck concludes his conversation with Dr. Michael Antil, an American internist who moved to Toronto to build a new life in Canada. This episode dives into the practical side of relocation: taxes, physician incorporation, education costs, and the immigration pathway for U.S. doctors. Dr. Antil shares his experience navigating licensing, work pe...

In Part 2 of this series, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Dr. Michael Antil, focusing on the lifestyle and practice differences he’s experienced since moving from the U.S. to Toronto. Dr. Antil describes reduced administrative complexity, lower overhead, predictable reimbursement, and a renewed sense of professional fulfillment. He also reflects on how life outside the hospital has ch...

In Part 1 of this three-part series, Dr. Rob Beck interviews Dr. Michael Antil, an internist who relocated his family from North Carolina to Toronto. Dr. Antil shares the professional and personal factors behind his move, including burnout, community tensions during the pandemic, and frustration with financial pressures in U.S. healthcare. He reflects on the contrast he’s experienced in Canada, hi...

It’s the one-year anniversary of The Interesting MD Podcast, and Dr. Rob Beck is celebrating with a special longform conversation featuring Dr. Mark Royer as guest host. They reflect on how the show grew from a small idea into a real community of physicians and healthcare professionals. Rob shares how the podcast shifted from hobbies and side passions into deeper conversations about physician burn...

In this reflective solo episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck tackles the ethical challenges physicians face outside the exam room, particularly when money, fame, or influence are involved. Rob shares firsthand experiences from his early practice working with musicians in Nashville, explaining how easily professional boundaries can blur and why he chose to push back against unnecessa...

In the final episode of this two-part series, host Dr. Rob Beck continues his thought-provoking conversation with Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War and The Last Election. They explore how political violence, institutional decay, and societal polarization in the United States are beginning to impact physicians and healthcare professionals. Marche outlines how doctors can become targets i...

In this episode of The Interesting MD Podcast, Dr. Rob Beck talks with Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War and creator of the Gloves Off podcast, about political instability and rising violence in the United States. Marche explains why expert models increasingly point toward more civil unrest—not necessarily through dramatic conflict, but through fragmentation, disruption, and the breakdo...

In Part 2 of this Interesting MD Podcast series, Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Dr. Amber Hull, focusing on the real-life experience of immigrating to Canada as a physician. Dr. Hull shares practical guidance on visas, licensing, moving logistics, and starting over professionally, alongside reflections on courage, identity, and growth. She opens up about the emotional side of leaving...