The Nocturnists

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 Park...

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 Nocturn...

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 them...

The Nocturnists  is back with Season 6 of its classic storytelling series, "Stories from the World of Medicine." We begin with Dr. Meghan Rothenberger, an infectious disease doctor in Minneapolis who had to lose her dog, her wallet, and her dinner, before she realized she'd also lost something more important: herself. Meghan performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April...

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....

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 .  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...

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 .   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theno...

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 . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epis...

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 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

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

How has the Dobbs decision impacted medical education? In episode 6 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America 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 co...

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. In episode 5 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk about the culture of silence around reproductive health in medical spaces, and how breaking that silence is our only hope for rec...

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 episode 4 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America , we examine how political events can upend clinicians’ lives and communities.   Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD Contributors: Scott Dun...

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 19...

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 episode 3 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America , we bring you inside the clinic to learn how they handled the overwhelming influx of patients.   *This episode briefly men...

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 episode 2 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America , 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:  Emil...

The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America opens 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:  Dia...

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. 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 for The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America – a 7-episode podcast series featuring the stories of abortion providers from Texas to...

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 .   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.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 .   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribe...

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. Find show notes, transcript, and more at  thenocturnists.com . This is a public episode. I...

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 . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, v...

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 Kimber...

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 . This is a public episode. If you would like t...

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 . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...