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The Nocturnists

The Nocturnists

The Nocturnists 223 Episodes Jun 11, 2026

The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast hosted by physician Emily Silverman. It features personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare authors and art-makers, and special documentary series on topics like post-Roe America, shame in medicine, Black voices in healthcare, and pandemic stories. The podcast aims to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients.

Episodes

Beyond Moral Injury with Lisa Rosenbaum, MD
Beyond Moral Injury with Lisa Rosenbaum, MD Jun 11, 2026 01:08:16 Cardiologist Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum tells the story of how her grandfather—a physician-writer whose experience as a patient transformed his view of medicine—influenced her sense of purpose, storytelling, and care. As she navigated her own path through medicine and writing, she became increasingly interested in the cultural narratives shaping physicians' experiences, particularly during the COVID-19 er
The Memory Disco with Kaylee Glenn (Crossover Episode with Remo Health)
The Memory Disco with Kaylee Glenn (Crossover Episode with Remo Health) Jun 4, 2026 38:15 In this crossover episode with Remo Health, Kaylee Glenn of the Day By Day Project shares how a childhood moment playing violin in a memory care facility inspired her to create a music-focused nonprofit for people living with dementia. This episode was originally produced by Remo Health as a part of their "Talking Dementia" podcast. Remo Health is an innovative telehealth company providing whole-p
The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD
The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD May 28, 2026 51:39 Historian Susan Wise Bauer tells the story of how, across centuries—from ancient civilizations to modern medicine—humans have tried to make sense of illness through evolving frameworks, from divine punishment to bodily imbalance to germs. Drawing on historical accounts and cultural analysis, she explores how fear, suffering, and uncertainty shape not only medical knowledge but also trust in author
Beyond the Shore with Erika MacIntyre, MD
Beyond the Shore with Erika MacIntyre, MD May 21, 2026 45:10 Dr. Erika MacIntyre reflects on her path into critical care and chronic ventilation medicine, as well as the mounting pressures she faced during COVID-19—including professional strain, loss of personal outlets, and family challenges. Seeking change, she and her family embarked on an ambitious sailing journey across the Atlantic, navigating both physical and emotional challenges while living simply
Rounds at the Zoo with Chris Carroll, MD
Rounds at the Zoo with Chris Carroll, MD May 7, 2026 41:48 Pediatric intensivist Dr. Chris Carroll tells the story of an unexpected consult: a young gorilla named Kevin, critically ill with Shigella sepsis during an outbreak at the Jacksonville Zoo. What begins as a strange crossover between human and veterinary medicine becomes something deeper as Chris works alongside veterinarians trying to save Kevin's life. In the process, he is struck not only by th
Practice and Reality with Solange Madriz, MA, MS
Practice and Reality with Solange Madriz, MA, MS Apr 30, 2026 44:28 Solange Madriz, a public health professional at UCSF, reflects on her work training birth attendants and clinicians in rural Guatemala to respond to maternal emergencies through low-cost simulation. For years, she helped others prepare for postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and other life-threatening complications of childbirth. Then, after the birth of her own first child during the pandemic, s
Failure and Grace with mike Reid, MD
Failure and Grace with mike Reid, MD Apr 23, 2026 37:49 In this episode, infectious disease physician and global health leader Dr. mike Reid reflects on a moment early in his career working in Botswana, when a young patient died in front of him despite his efforts to help. The experience brought back a memory from childhood, when he first heard his father quietly describe himself as a failure. In a field where the needs often far exceed the available r
Held in Prayer with Nikki Mittal, DO
Held in Prayer with Nikki Mittal, DO Apr 16, 2026 46:49 While navigating a painful period in her personal life, ICU physician Nikki Mittal cares for a patient with severe brain injury whose family is preparing to withdraw life support. After a difficult earlier interaction that leaves her questioning herself, the family gathers on the day of withdrawal and unexpectedly asks to pray for her. In that moment, the usual direction of care shifts—the doctor
Introducing: The Nocturnists+
Introducing: The Nocturnists+ Apr 15, 2026 01:37 We're excited to be launching The Nocturnists+, a subscriber-only feed featuring a special monthly episode called The Nocturnists After Hours, as well as discounted rates on our awesome new merch. The Nocturnists After Hours episodes are more intimate and unstructured—a space where I step away from formal interviews to join executive producer Ali Block for casual, open conversations about medicine
Choosing Home with Tiffany Chan, OD
Choosing Home with Tiffany Chan, OD Jan 8, 2026 01:14:04 Tiffany Chan shares how her journey from a small-town family optometry practice to high-intensity academic medicine at Johns Hopkins was transformed when her mother suffered a major brain bleed, drawing her back home to care for her family. Ultimately, her mother's recovery, later passing, and the deep relationships her parents built with their patients helped Tiffany realize that the meaningful,
A Soft Place to Land with Frances Southwick, DO
A Soft Place to Land with Frances Southwick, DO Dec 18, 2025 01:01:36 Physician and writer Frances Southwick tells a deeply personal story about love and illness. Growing up queer in rural Colorado, Frances experiences mysterious episodes of sudden paralysis triggered by intense emotion, beginning in adolescence and persisting for decades without a diagnosis. After years of shame, misattribution, and near-abandonment of dreams, Frances falls in love with Judith, bui
Medicine Beyond Medicine with Alicia Ashorn & Anthony Thigpen
Medicine Beyond Medicine with Alicia Ashorn & Anthony Thigpen Dec 11, 2025 53:02 Community health workers Alicia Ashorn and Anthony Thigpen share their personal stories—Alicia's journey through addiction and recovery, and Anthony's path through grief, transformation, and reentry work—and how these experiences shape their care for people returning from incarceration. In the conversation that follows, they reflect on the power of storytelling, the emotional complexity of support

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