The Nocturnists

Emily speaks with writer and philosophy professor Chloé Cooper Jones about her memoir  Easy Beauty , which chronicles her quest to widen perceptions of beauty, motherhood, and disability. 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 historian, attorney, and diplomat Philip Zelikow, about the investigative report Lessons from the Covid War , authored by the COVID Crisis Group, which examines the U.S. response to COVID and provides valuable insights for how we can do better in the future. Find show notes, transcript, and more at  thenocturnists.com . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

The Nocturnists' Emily Silverman tells a story about how medical school satisfied much of her curiosity about the human body—but how some mysteries remain, especially related to her dreams. 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.c...

Medical student Katie van Kampen brings us into the magical world of Dungeons & Dragons. The deeper they get into the forest, the more parallels they find between their role as Dungeon Master and their role as physician-in-training. 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 bonu...

Medical student Oak Sonfist brings us inside their vivid dream about the Lost City of Atlantis – and the impossible decisions they face as they navigate between two worlds. 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

Actor-turned-otolaryngologist Alessa Colaianni has no problem acting sad—it’s actually feeling sad that’s the problem. In this episode, Alessa tells the story of losing and regaining access to her emotional landscape. 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, visi...

Primary care doctor Tseganesh Selameab brings us inside her practice as a provider for immigrants and refugees, and describes one of the most common ailments she sees: “homelonging.” 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

Medical student and classically-trained cellist Melanie Ambler describes her most memorable concert, which took place over Zoom with only one other person in attendance. 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

Hospitalist PJ Lally reflects on a time he got a second chance at life.   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

Emergency medicine and helicopter flight physician Mike Abernethy recounts an unexpected run-in at his local Walmart that made him feel as if he’d seen a ghost. 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

OB/GYN Jackie Howitt and pediatrician Gretchen Volk bring us into the deserted airport where they first met in April 2020 on their way to offer COVID-19 relief in NYC. Though their friendship began at one of the most disorienting moments in their lives, the coincidences that followed made the connection feel almost fated. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer ...

On March 9th, join  The Nocturnists for our newest season of "Stories from the World of Medicine," featuring original stories from frontline clinicians. 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

In today’s episode, Emily speaks with author Dolen Perkins-Valdez about her recent novel Take My Hand, based on the 1973 case of the Relf sisters who were forcibly sterilized at a federally-funded health clinic in Montgomery, Alabama.  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 b...

In this live panel at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center, Emily sits down with playwright Jake Broder, actor Lucy Davenport, and neurologist Bruce Miller to discuss Broder’s play UnRavelled , which explores the fascinating relationship between dementia, art, and music. Find show notes, transcript, and more at  thenocturnists.com . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with othe...

In this episode, Emily speaks with psychiatrist-philosopher Iain McGilchrist about his seminal book The Master and His Emissary, which explores the relationship between our brain’s right and left hemispheres and how they structure our understanding of the world. Find show notes, transcript, and more at  thenocturnists.com . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other sub...

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician-painter Matthew Wetschler about pushing limits, the tension between presence and absence, and how he’s remained curious in the aftermath of crisis. 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.substac...

Emily speaks with physician and author, Dr. Gabor Maté about his latest book, The Myth of Normal , which explores the connections between our environment, psychological wounds, and medical disease. 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.su...

In this episode, Emily speaks with physician, artist, and author, Shirlene Obuobi about fiction as escapism, and the stories behind her debut novel, On Rotation. 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

Hi Listeners! Today is Giving Tuesday, and we wanted to take this time to express our gratitude and let you know what’s coming up on The Nocturnists podcast. Thank you for supporting our work in transforming medical culture through storytelling.  To learn more, head to thenocturnists.com . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epi...

Over the last nine episodes, we’ve listened to dozens upon dozens of clinicians tell their stories about shame. What have we learned? What can we take away from all of this? And where do we go from here? Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at  thenocturnists-shame.org . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epi...

According to medical culture, a clinician should “fix” illness, not have one – especially not a mental illness. But in reality, mental illness is incredibly common, and a huge source of shame, which may prevent us from seeking help. In this episode, we hear stories of sadness, “madness,” stigma, grief, and the potential for healing. If you or someone you love needs help, please see our list of “re...

When healthcare workers put on their uniforms to go to work, what other roles, masks, or disguises do they put on as well? The norms and standards of our workplace culture are often more implicit than explicit, but many of us still go to great lengths to present a curated version of self at work that fits into this unspoken code of conduct. The right mask, we tell ourselves, will win the respect a...

1 in 10 physicians will get sued at some point in their career – but physicians rarely discuss this, much less prepare for it. How do we bring litigation, and all the stress and shame associated with it, out of the shadows? Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...

For most clinicians, the idea of harming a patient is a worst nightmare. But in a high-stakes profession, practiced by humans in a dysfunctional system, errors are nearly inevitable. So how do we deal with the shame that follows? Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers o...

In medical culture, shame is often wielded as a teaching tool. We shame learners for not knowing, for forgetting, for making mistakes. When does this serve us? When is it harmful? Is there a better way? Find show notes, discussion guide, transcript, and more at thenocturnists-shame.org . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episo...