The Hippocratic Society Podcast

Suffering affects all people from all walks of life, but what does it actually mean to suffer? How do we find meaning within suffering? How can we respond to the suffering of another? In this episode, we discuss these important questions with Wes Ely, a critical care physician responsible for changing the face of ICU care in the U.S. Join us as we reflect on how we can flourish in our own sufferin...

Where do ideals come into play in medicine? How do we build trust in patients? What do we do when situations suggest that we act contrary to our values? Join us as we discuss Integrity's irreplaceable role in medicine and how developing this virtue contributes to the flourishing of ourselves and our patients. References/Further Reading: Virtues in the Medical Practice , Thomasma and Pellegrino The...

What does the ideal physician look like? How do we get there? What influences our identity as physicians as we go through training? Where do we look for guidance in this journey? Join us as we delve into the personal journeys of our guests, examine the concept of "professionalism," and explore the ideal physician, including the role of the moral and spiritual dimensions in medical practice. Our di...

How can we live a strong family life with a busy medical career? How do we balance the demands of a flourishing profession and a flourishing family? How can we develop our family relationships in the demanding time of medical training? Join us as we explore the beautiful struggle of pursuing both family and medicine. Come away with some practical tips to love family well amid the particular challe...

What does it mean to flourish? What is medicine's role in Human Flourishing? How can we, as students and doctor, flourish during the demanding time of the medical profession? Bioethicist Xavier Symons joins us as we explore these questions and discover what it means to pursue a life well lived in medicine. Dr. Symons conducted research at Harvard's Human Flourishing Program, providing him with the...

Following our interview with Professor Carter Snead, we dive into Humility, one of the "virtues of embodiment" that he identified as being essential to human flourishing. Join us as we explore how to practically live out this virtue, to benefit our patient, colleagues, and friends.   References/Further Reading: What it Means to be Human ⁠ , Carter Snead The Virtuous Physician: The Role of Vir...

What is common to all humans? What characterizes a human being? Professor Carter Snead provides an answer to these questions with the "anthropology of embodiment" described in his book, What it Means to be Human . Join us as we explore the shared nature connecting all humans beyond our perceived differences, divergent ideas, and preconceived notions.   References/Further Reading: What it Mean...

What drives your life? What is the goal of your everyday actions? What motivates you? These questions can all be answered to some extent by ideals. In this episode, we discuss why a deep understanding of our ideals is necessary to avoid burnout and maintain love for the noble profession of medicine.     References: Pew Research Center, November, 2021, “What Makes Life Meaningful? Views F...

The Hippocratic Society podcast explores the profound question of what medicine is truly for and how the profession has shifted away from its noble roots. Despite the idealism that often brings new students into the field, many seasoned practitioners express regret and discontent, a phenomenon largely attributed to modern cultural dynamics. This shift has skewed medicine towards being a mere provi...