Navigating Medicine and Faith: A Conversation with Dr. Sharon Stoll In this episode, Dr. Sharon Stoll discusses her background growing up in a modern Orthodox Jewish community in Philadelphia, her journey to becoming a neuroimmunologist, and her professional experiences working at Yale and now in Philadelphia. The conversation touches on her approach to patient education, especially around COVID-19 and various medications, including GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and SSRIs for mental health. Dr. Stoll also speaks about her role in JOWMA (Jewish Orthodox Women's Medical Association) and the importance of educating her community on medical issues.

 

 The discussion covers her views on IVF, the ethical considerations of genetic selection, and the interplay of anxiety and genetic predispositions within the Ashkenazi Jewish community. Dr. Stoll shares personal anecdotes and insights into balancing professional and personal life, making this an in-depth and enlightening conversation.

 

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:19 Professional Journey and Achievements 

02:08 Balancing Media and Medicine

03:48 Involvement with Jowma

05:40 Views on Vaccination

14:26 Discussion on SSRIs and Ozempic

28:16 Challenges in the Frum Community 

34:38 Debunking Misconceptions About Diabetes

35:07 Educational Gaps and Community Efforts

36:43 Health Education in Schools

39:06 Challenges of Motherhood and Societal Expectations

43:43 Genetic Risks and Mental Health in Ashkenazi Jews

54:38 IVF, Genetic Selection, and Ethical Dilemmas 

01:02:34 Concluding Thoughts and Personal Reflections

 

About Our Guest:

Dr. Sharon Stoll is a board-certified neurologist, neuro-immunologist. She currently serves as Director of Neurology at Stoll Medical Group in Philadelphia. For the past 8 years she worked as assistant professor, in the department of neurology at Yale School of Medicine. She completed her neurology residency training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and her Neuroimmunology fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital. Dr. Stoll played an active role in academic development and continuing medical education. She currently serves on several steering committees and advisory boards. She has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and served as Principal Investigator on several clinical trials. Dr. Stoll has received numerous awards, including Top Neurologist, 40 under 40, the Rodney Bell teaching award, and is a national multiple sclerosis society grant recipient. Dr. Stoll is also a medical editor for Medscape and Healthline and previously worked as a medical editor for ABC News. She is also a medical commentator for several national and local news outlets, including ABC, NBC, and CBS News, and has been on a variety of shows, including “The Doctors”. She is an internationally renowned speaker and patient advocate.

 

https://www.drsharonstoll.com

https://www.instagram.com/drsharonstoll/?hl=en

https://www.jowma.org