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The Nocturnists

The Nocturnists

The Nocturnists 223 Episodes Oct 8, 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

Healing Addiction with Jason Schiffman, MD
Healing Addiction with Jason Schiffman, MD Oct 8, 2026 01:08:32 After surviving addiction himself, psychiatrist Dr. Jason Schiffman has devoted his career to understanding why people become addicted—and how they heal. We discuss trauma, shame, attachment, and his belief that lasting recovery begins not with treating addictive behaviors alone, but by healing deeper psychological injuries.
The Lost Aura with John Lantos, MD
The Lost Aura with John Lantos, MD Sep 24, 2026 58:33 Drawing on philosophy, bioethics, and decades in pediatrics, Dr. John Lantos reflects on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the doctor-patient relationship. We explore what medicine has gained through technology, whether the physician "aura" is disappearing, and why the rise of AI could ultimately renew our understanding of medical humanism. Looking for more from The Nocturnists? Explore The
Misdirected
Misdirected Sep 17, 2026 39:31 As a college student seeking an abortion, Alejandra was unknowingly referred to a crisis pregnancy center instead of an abortion provider. In this conversation, she reflects on how that experience fractured her trust in healthcare, the years it took to reclaim her voice, and why she is now committed to providing compassionate, patient-centered reproductive healthcare as a future family physician.
Failure to Treat with Peter Kowey, MD
Failure to Treat with Peter Kowey, MD Sep 10, 2026 47:56 Drawing on a lifetime in medicine and the stories behind his new book Failure to Treat, cardiologist Dr. Peter Kowey explores how profit, bureaucracy, and the corporatization of healthcare have transformed the practice of medicine. We discuss what has been lost, what can still be reclaimed, and why he remains hopeful that technology may ultimately give physicians back their most precious resource:
The Body as Teacher with Giulia Enders, MD
The Body as Teacher with Giulia Enders, MD Sep 3, 2026 45:44 Dr. Giulia Enders—physician, gastroenterologist, and bestselling author of Gut—joins us to discuss her new book, Organ Speak. She invites us to see the body not as a machine in need of repair, but as a living source of intelligence, metaphor, and meaning. Reflecting on her early fascination with the gut and her years treating patients with complex gastrointestinal conditions, Giulia explores how
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

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