The Pursuit of Health Podcast

This episode is dedicated to Dr. Fethke’s father, Walter P. Fethke, in remembrance of the honorable struggle he underwent along with his loving family in the last years and days of his remarkable life. In Episode 30 of The Pursuit of Health Podcast , our host, Dr. Fethke, once again reaches across artificial boundaries to a colleague in the legal profession. His guest, Louis Pierro is an esteemed...

On this episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we return to the issue of healthcare economics with our guest, Ms. Andrea Zalusky. She brings over a decade of experience in the field of healthcare administration, with a particular focus as of late on the transition from a “Fee-for-Service” (FFS) to a “Value-based care” (VBC) approach to the financing of medical care. She explains that, like docto...

On today's episode of The Pursuit of Health Podcast, Dr. Fethke is joined by a pediatrician leader and educator who has practiced for over half a century, Dr. Gilbert Simon. Dr. Simon started his pediatric career at Columbia University’s Babies & Children’s Hospital during the same era as many of Dr. Fethke’s most esteemed mentors. After years of working in the metropolitan northeast in a...

On this intensely thought-proving episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast our host, Dr. Eric Fethke, is joined by two pioneers and community advocates - Shirley Raman and Bongani Ngomane - from the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Shirley Raman has been a social worker, leader and community advocate for almost 4 decades. She has dedicated her life to helping to uplift others, and in turn, her be...

On this episode of The Pursuit of Health Podcast Dr. Fethke is joined by a remarkable frontline colleague from the medical field of Obstetrics, Dr. Daniel Perkes. Dr. Perkes takes us through two decades of change and turmoil during which he remarkably remained focused on maintaining strong professional relationships with his patients. He emphasizes that such alliances with his patients were the ba...

In this our fourth Take A Step Back episode we take the opportunity to look back over and comment upon Episodes 14 thru 16.  Our host, Dr. Fethke, is joined by two guests - a third year medical student, Leizer Steppa, and an experienced practicing primary care internist, Dr. Tracy Williams. Together they reflect on the lessons gleaned from these three episodes including; Ep 14 (Parts 1&2)   In...

On this episode of The Pursuit of Health Podcast we return to our Case Studies From the Heart format. Our host, Dr, Eric Fethke, begins by sharing the stories of two patients - one lost tragically and the other who survived against the odds.  Using these stories as a backdrop, he dives into the often frustrating issue of Health and Healthcare Disparities in the United States. This topic has been a...

On this episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we continue our investigation into the topic of Physician Burnout with Dr. Laura Vater.  Dr. Vater has gained a much deserved recognition for her approach to this issue by focusing on Humanism in Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science and minor in Poverty Studies at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. She then went on to complement her sk...

The Pursuit of Health Podcast takes a bold look at the mounting stresses that have negatively impacted the careers and lives of too many medical professionals. We have invited a remarkable guest, Dr. Simon Maltais, to help us understand the root causes, profound impact and solutions to this growing problem. Dr. Maltais is a high-powered cardiothoracic surgeon whose successful career has hit all th...

On this episode of The Pursuit of Health Podcast we dive further into the realm of public health by pausing to learn about the invaluable role of the Physician Assistant.  We are fortunate to have a frontline clinician, educator and pioneer, Joseph M. Daleo, as our guest to take us through this topic. Major Daleo is an active member of the US Army Reserve and holds a Doctorate Degree of Physician...

Public Health has become a term used repeatedly during the Covid-19 pandemic. On this episode, the Pursuit of Health Podcast is fortunate to have one of New York’s leading public health experts and educators to help us understand and appreciate the importance of a strong public health system. Megan Deichler is the Executive Director of the Catskill Hudson Area Health Education Center (CHAHEC). Ms....

During this episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we pick up on our topic of Infertility as a Health Concern with a remarkably accomplished guest physician, Dr. Chrissy Guidry. After years of medical and surgical training in Louisiana, Ohio and California, she is now the Medical Director of the Emergency General Surgery & Advanced Trauma Life Support Service at Tulane Medical Center and the...

As we start 2022 we are honored to begin the second year of the Pursuit of Health Podcast with a very special guest - Dr. Tolu Bakare. She is an American Board Certified urologist with a special focus on Male Infertility. Currently she is an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern where she cares for patients, teaches students and does clinical research. She is a graduate of the medical school at P...

On Episode 18 Part 2 we present the final episode of our first year at  The Pursuit of Health Podcast, while looking forward to much more content as we begin 2022.  We continue our important discussion on Domestic Violence with our guest, MacKenzie Bachar, the Advocacy & Education Director of Fearless! in New York's Hudson Valley. Ms. Bachar works on the frontlines with survivors of Domes...

On Episode 18 Part 1 we proudly and humbly present the final episode of the first year of The Pursuit of Health Podcast as we take a bold step into the emotionally packed subject of Domestic Violence. Our special guest is MacKenzie Bachar, the Advocacy & Education Director of Fearless!, Hudson Valley, New York. Ms. Bachar works on the frontlines with victims and survivors of Domestic Violence...

For our 28th broadcast and episode 17 of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, your host, Dr. Eric Fethke, introduces a new format   - Case Studies from the Heart - where he takes the role of both host and commentator. In this format we ask our audience to share in the medical tradition of telling patient stories to learn and teach about illness.  Dr. Fethke invites us to use these Case Studies to go bey...

For Part 2 of Episode 16 on the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we now continue the engaging conversation with physician mentor, leader and pioneer - Dr. Tyree Winters.  Dr. Winters now serves as the Residency Program and Medical Student Clerkship Director, General Pediatric Residency, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lead Physician (Dept. of Pediatrics) at Goryeb Hospital of the Atlantic...

For this episode of the Pursuit of Health podcast we now return back to the U.S. shores from our prior journey to South Africa. We were fortunate to sit down with a wonderful physician  mentor, leader and pioneer in his own right - Dr. Tyree Winters. Dr. Winters began his medical career with the foundation of a BA degree in Psychology at the University of Michigan. He then completed his medical sc...

On the final installment of this three-part special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we conclude our first venture outside the US. Our host, Dr. Fethke, continues the discussion with Mr. Sagie Pillay from his home office in Johannesburg, South Africa.   Mr Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration.  For over three decades he has served South Afric...

On Part 2 of this three-part special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast, we continue our first foray outside the US. Our host, Dr. Fethke, continues the discussion with Mr. Sagie Pillay from Johannesburg, South Africa.   Mr. Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration.  He has served South Africa and the African continent through many leadership roles....

On this special episode of the Pursuit of Health Podcast we embark on our first venture outside the US. Our guest, Sagie Pillay, comes to us from the city of Johannesburg in the amazing country of South Africa.    Mr. Pillay has an extensive worldwide education in healthcare policy and administration, and has studied on almost every major continent around the globe. He notably received his Masters...

In our third Take A Step Back episode we take the opportunity to look back over Episodes 8 through 11.  Our host,  Dr. Eric Fethke, is joined by two guests - a third year medical student, Angela Ho, and an experienced practicing pediatrician, Dr. Jamee Goldstein. Together they reflect on the lessons gleaned from these four episodes including:   Ep 8 (Parts 1&2)   - Sudden Cardiac Death in the...

On this episode we had the opportunity to continue our intense discussion about international healthcare with Dr. Ronald Israelski at the Chester, NY headquarters of Orthopedic Relief Services International (ORSI). Dr. Israelski has been an Assistant Clinical Professor at NYU for well over 20 years, and a practicing orthopedist for over 30 years.  He has created a legacy of expanding both the clin...

On this episode we had the opportunity to join Dr. Ronald Israelski at the headquarters of Orthopedic Relief Services International (ORSI) to discuss his work in international healthcare. Just 2 days before our session, on August 14, 2021, a large earthquake hit Haiti with a force even greater than that which devastated this already vulnerable country on January 12, 2010.  During the discussion th...

On Part 2 of Episode 13 of the Pursuit of Health podcast, Dr. Fethke picks up the conversation with a very special guest, his own most influential mentor, Dr. Welton M. Gersony, a pioneer and world-class Pediatric Cardiologist to further expand on his words of wisdom regarding the importance of Patient-Physician Communication.  Together the doctors address the many obstacles that prevent today’s p...