Doctors Making A Difference

By Peter M. Crane, MDBusiness Medicine Health & Fitness Education Self-Improvement Investing

Doctors Making A Difference episodes

April 16Rural Medicine in 2026: Dr. Lance Hansen’s Life as a Full-Spectrum Family Physician in Idaho | DMD # 79
In this heartfelt episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane welcomes Dr. Lance Hansen, a full-spectrum family physician practicing in rural Idaho. The two friends, who once shared an office and countless challenging cases for nearly a decade, discuss the unique rewards and realities of rural medicine.
Dr. Hansen shares his journey from a Southeast Idaho potato farm to medical school at the University of Washington and a rural training track residency. The conversation covers why he chose broad-scope family medicine, the deep relationships formed in small communities, the challenges of being on call 24/7 for obstetrics, balancing inpatient, outpatient, ER, and procedural work, and the critical role full-spectrum physicians play in keeping rural hospitals and communities alive.
They reflect on the importance of strong partnerships, the declining interest in rural practice among new graduates, the value of extra rural and OB training, and the financial realities of rural medicine. Dr. Crane also shares a personal update about his health and the difficult decision to stop accepting new OB patients.
Episode Highlights:
Dr. Lance Hansen’s background: Growing up on a potato farm in Southeast Idaho, University of Washington School of Medicine, rural training track residency, and nearly 11 years practicing alongside Dr. Crane in Bear Lake

What “full-spectrum” rural family medicine really looks like in 2026: clinic, hospital rounding, ER call, obstetrics, nursing home care, colonoscopies, and 24/7 OB call

The power of deep community relationships. Seeing patients at church, basketball games, and the grocery store

Challenges of rural practice: long hours, disrupted sleep, being “on an island” without immediate specialists, and the need for strong partners

Why fewer residents are choosing broad-spectrum rural medicine and the importance of rural exposure and extra training

The financial side of rural medicine: loan repayment programs, procedure income, and the stability of critical access hospitals

The vital role full-spectrum family physicians play in preventing “OB deserts” and keeping services local

Dr. Crane’s personal health update and decision to stop taking new obstetrics patients

The emotional highs and lows of truly knowing your patients and their families
Top 3 Takeaways:
Full-spectrum rural medicine is still alive and deeply rewarding. It allows physicians to use every skill they learned in training while building meaningful, lifelong relationships.

Strong partnerships and backup are essential in rural settings; no one can do it alone.

Rural communities desperately need more broad-scope family physicians, exposure during training and targeted recruitment of rural-background students are key to solving the growing shortage.
About Dr. Lance Hansen
Dr. Lance Hansen is a full-spectrum family physician practicing in Preston, Idaho. A native of Southeast Idaho, he completed medical school at the University of Washington and a rural training track residency. He has extensive experience in clinic, inpatient, OB (including C-sections), ER, endoscopy, and nursing home care. Passionate about medical education, Dr. Hansen has served on medical school admissions committees and enjoys mentoring students and residents in rural settings.
LinkedIn: Lance Hansen, MD FAAFP
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
38 min
April 09Vaccine Conversations in 2026: Bridging the Gap Between Parents and Pediatricians | DMD # 78
In this timely episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane interviews Dr. Joel Warsh, a board-certified pediatrician practicing integrative medicine in Los Angeles. Dr. Warsh shares his journey from conventional training to embracing lifestyle-focused care and his deep dive into vaccine science after years of fielding complex parental questions.
The conversation addresses the rise in vaccine hesitancy since COVID, the erosion of public trust due to messaging around “safe and effective,” and the growing divide between what physicians see in hospitals versus what parents observe in daily life (chronic conditions, allergies, and developmental issues). Dr. Warsh emphasizes meeting families where they are, avoiding judgment, and prioritizing education over mandates. Key topics include the need for better long-term safety studies, vaccinated vs. unvaccinated research, risk-benefit discussions, and practical approaches to vaccine conversations in time-constrained practices. Both doctors call for humility in medicine, more independent research, and a return to collaborative decision-making focused on healthy children rather than rigid schedules.
Episode Highlights
Dr. Joel Warsh’s background: Conventional pediatric training, shift to integrative/functional medicine influenced by his wife, and focus on prevention through diet, exercise, and lifestyle

Why vaccine questions became central in his integrative practice and his decision to write the book Between a Shot and a Hard Place

Post-COVID erosion of trust: Frustration with censored discussions, overconfident public health messaging, and the “safe and effective” narrative

The growing gap between physicians, who see severe infectious diseases and parents, who see rising chronic illness, allergies, ADHD, and autoimmune conditions.

Most families are in the middle. They want healthy kids but have legitimate safety questions and want to be heard

Challenges of modern practice: Short visit times make deep conversations difficult; many practices dismiss non-compliant families

The importance of empathy, listening without judgment, and treating vaccine decisions as shared risk-benefit discussions

Critique of current safety data: Limited long-term studies, lack of cumulative schedule research, and few true vaccinated vs. unvaccinated comparisons

Specific concerns discussed: Hepatitis B at birth, aluminum, number of vaccines in the schedule, and potential for innovation

Call for more rigorous, independent safety research and humility in medicine

Practical advice: Set aside longer visits for vaccine discussions, create a safe space for questions, and focus on building trust over time
Top 3 Takeaways
Meet parents where they are: Empathetic, non-judgmental conversations rebuild trust far better than mandates or dismissal.

Prioritize better science: We need more long-term, independent studies on vaccine safety, cumulative effects, and vaccinated vs. unvaccinated outcomes.

Focus on healthy kids, not just vaccination rates: Physicians should advocate for safety, innovation, and individualized risk-benefit discussions rather than rigid schedules.
About Dr. Joel Warsh
Dr. Joel Warsh is a board-certified pediatrician in Los Angeles with training from Cedars-Sinai and Thomas Jefferson University. He practices integrative pediatrics, combining conventional medicine with lifestyle-focused prevention. After years of addressing parental vaccine concerns, he authored the book Between a Shot and a Hard Place to promote informed, balanced discussions on vaccine efficacy and safety.
Instagram: @DrJoelGator
Book: Between a Shot and a Hard Place (available on Amazon)
Substack: Between a Shot and a Hard Place
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
46 min
April 02Evidence-Based AI for Smarter Doctor Visits in Rare Cancer | LMC # 77
Dr. Peter Crane, wearing both physician and metastatic cancer patient hats, hosts Steve McBee and Michael Weishuhn to discuss bridging the information gap in rare disease care. Steve shares two decades of experience with solitary fibrous tumor, highlighting the challenges of overwhelming question lists, time-constrained visits, and the value of focused, relevant preparation. Michael explains how Inciteful Med anchors large language models in peer-reviewed medical literature (primarily PubMed) to deliver cited, verifiable insights, reducing hallucinations common in general AI tools.
The conversation covers the shift from adversarial or generic AI use to collaborative preparation: uploading medical records (in a secure, non-HIPAA-certified patient-focused system), generating prioritized questions, translating complex notes into patient-friendly language, and supporting personalized decision-making. Topics include limitations of population-level guidelines, the power of integrating personal records with research, and real-world examples like advocating for liquid biopsies. The episode emphasizes humility, agenda-setting, and using tools to make limited appointment time highly productive for both patients and clinicians.
Episode Highlights:
Introduction to the LMC Series and the need for credible, cited information resources for rare diseases

Steve McBee’s 20-year journey with metastatic solitary fibrous tumor and lessons from searching for knowledge

Michael Weishuhn’s background: founding a tutoring marketplace, then developing an academic literature search engine now used by ~40,000 academics monthly, evolving into Inciteful Med

Dr. Crane’s perspective as both physician and patient: welcoming well-prepared patients while cautioning against adversarial or hallucinated AI outputs (e.g., inappropriate ER visits driven by generic ChatGPT)

Challenges of traditional visits: long question lists, 15-20 minute slots, competing demands on physicians, and biased patient research

How Inciteful Med differs from general LLMs: anchors every factual statement to cited medical literature with paragraph-level references for verification; focuses on preparation rather than diagnosis or replacement of clinical judgment

Patient preparation strategies: using the tool to generate overviews, suggested questions, and prioritized lists tailored to personal circumstances

Steve’s “playbook” approach: one-page summary of expectations, communication style, quality-of-life goals, and reprioritized questions

New features: secure upload of EHR exports (notes, labs, pathology interpretations) to contextualize answers and translate medical language into understandable terms

Real-world impact: helping patients advocate for tests like liquid biopsies (ctDNA) by drafting informed letters to doctors and insurers

Limitations acknowledged: not HIPAA-certified (patient-focused with strong security practices), systemic issues in medical literature (e.g., reproducibility crises), and the value of physician clinical experience

Future vision: more personalized medicine, moving beyond population guidelines to individual-tailored plans using genetics, history, and evidence
Top 3 Takeaways:
Prepare collaboratively, not adversarially: Use cited, literature-anchored tools like Inciteful Med to bring focused, verifiable questions and context to visits, making the most of limited time.

Anchor AI in truth: General large language models can hallucinate or reinforce biases; tools grounded in PubMed with direct citations allow patients and physicians to verify information together.

Shift to personalized, informed conversations: Combine patient research, medical records, and clinical expertise to move beyond basic education into tailored decision-making that respects both evidence and individual circumstances.
About Steve McBee and Michael Weishuhn
Steve McBee is a 20-year survivor of metastatic solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). He has extensive experience navigating rare disease care, from initial diagnosis after a car accident to multiple surgeries, treatments, and ongoing management. Steve shares his institutional knowledge through a Substack newsletter focused on helping other SFT patients and emphasizes practical preparation for doctor visits.
Michael Weishuhn has a background in technology and education. He previously founded and sold a tutoring marketplace (Wyant). He later developed an academic literature search engine used by approximately 40,000 academics monthly. This foundation led to Inciteful Med, which combines literature search with large language models to provide patients and physicians with cited, evidence-based medical insights.
Website: https://incitefulmed.com
SFT Patient Guide: https://incitefulmed.com/resources/sft-patient-guide
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
41 min
March 26Profit Over Patients: Why Healthcare Is Failing America | DMD #76
Dr. Joseph Jarvis, a semi-retired public health physician and consultant from Salt Lake City, joins Dr. Peter Crane on Doctors Making a Difference. With decades of experience spanning primary care, occupational and environmental medicine, state health leadership in Nevada and Colorado, and now health system reform advocacy, Dr. Jarvis offers a unique, authoritative perspective on what’s gone wrong in American healthcare, and how we can fix it.
The conversation explores his calling to medicine, the stark differences he observed between nonprofit and for-profit hospital systems, the failures of applying free-market principles to healthcare, and the alarming economic consequences of unchecked healthcare spending. Dr. Jarvis also discusses how the corporatization of medicine has fueled rural healthcare collapse and broader societal division. He presents a hopeful, practical solution through his proposed “Utah Cares” model and urges physicians to become active advocates for systemic change.
Episode Highlights:
Dr. Jarvis’s diverse career: from community health center family physician and home-visit doctor to state health officer, occupational lung disease specialist, consultant, author, and film producer

The deep personal calling that has kept him engaged in medicine for decades, including delivering babies, caring for the elderly, and investigating occupational outbreaks

The pivotal moment in Nevada that revealed the dangers of for-profit hospital systems: higher costs, worse outcomes, and refusal to accept trauma patients who couldn’t pay

Why traditional market principles (buyer knowledge, seller motives, elasticity of demand) simply do not apply to healthcare

The explosion of administrative costs and “dumbing down” of hospital staffing driven by profit pressures

How healthcare’s growing share of GDP (approaching 20% and heading toward 25%) threatens America’s economic future, drawing parallels to the Soviet Union’s collapse

The link between rural hospital closures, economic decline, and rising political polarization in America

Dr. Jarvis’s proposed solution: “Utah Cares”, a publicly-oriented, nonprofit health financing system that pays hospitals global budgets, eliminates patient bills, raises provider pay, and uses monopsony power for better drug prices

Call to action: unelect incumbents beholden to the medical industrial complex and support ballot initiatives for real reform

His documentary film “Healing Us” and upcoming advocacy across the Intermountain West
Top 3 Takeaways:
Markets do not work in healthcare, patients are not informed buyers, demand is driven by illness (not price), and profit motives conflict with the Hippocratic Oath.

America’s healthcare spending is unsustainable and is actively harming our economy and social fabric; without reform, we risk a major economic decline.

Physicians have both the moral authority and responsibility to speak up and advocate for systemic change that puts patients and healers first.
About Dr. Joseph Jarvis:
Dr. Joseph Jarvis is a semi-retired physician practicing public health and environmental/occupational medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah. A graduate of the University of Utah School of Medicine, he has served as a community health center physician, state health officer in Nevada and Colorado, faculty member at National Jewish Health, and national consultant on cancer clusters, indoor air quality, and workers’ compensation. He is the author of multiple books on health system reform and producer of the documentary film Healing Us. Dr. Jarvis currently devotes much of his time to unpaid advocacy for fundamental healthcare financing reform.
Website: https://utahcareshealth.com
Film: Healing Us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oovXwK0vaGM
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
45 min
March 19What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Menopause & Bioidentical Hormones | Dr. Prudence Hall | DMD # 75
In this powerful episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane sits down with Dr. Prudence Hall, a trailblazing gynecologist and founder of The Hall Center. Dr. Hall recounts her unexpected calling to medicine, the discovery that conventional menopause care was failing women, and how she built a revolutionary integrative practice using bioidentical hormones, international approaches from France and Germany, functional medicine principles from Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and a true team-based model. Listeners hear candid stories of regulatory pushback, the power of presence and love in healing, and practical guidance for physicians who want to offer more than “one-size-fits-all” hormone therapy. This conversation is a masterclass in scaling impact while staying deeply connected to patients.
Episode Highlights
Dr. Hall’s dramatic calling to become a gynecologist while dancing on tables in France at age 18

From philosophy & world religions to delivering babies and training as a surgeon

The “aha” moment: realizing Premarin/Provera wasn’t enough for her menopausal patients

Bringing bioidentical hormones, thyroid optimization, testosterone, DHEA, and adrenal support from Europe

Discovering functional medicine with Dr. Jeffrey Bland and building a multi-disciplinary team

The spiritual dimension of healing: presence, love, and seeing patients as whole beings

Facing the California Medical Board, probation, and going “underground” during the controversy

Writing Radiant Again & Forever (with foreword by Suzanne Somers) and giving it away free

How the removal of the HRT black-box warning validated decades of her work

Practical advice for physicians: youthful hormone reference ranges, multi-hormone evaluation, and when to bring in specialists
Top 3 Takeaways
Menopause is not just estrogen and progesterone. Check thyroid, testosterone, DHEA, adrenals, and lifestyle; match to youthful reference ranges, not lab “normal” ranges skewed to sick or elderly patients.

Build a team of nutritionists, functional NP, or stress counselors, so you can deliver truly personalized care even in today’s time-constrained system.

Presence and love are powerful medicine, showing up fully for patients heals both them and you.
About Dr. Prudence Hall
Dr. Prudence Hall is a board-certified gynecologist and obstetrician who graduated from USC Keck School of Medicine in 1982. After practicing in a traditional high-volume group, she founded The Hall Center in Santa Monica, California, one of the earliest integrative restorative medicine practices focused on bioidentical hormone optimization, functional medicine, and whole-person healing. A pioneer in the field, she has trained with leaders in Europe and the U.S., appeared on Oprah, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and collaborated with Suzanne Somers. She is the author of Radiant Again & Forever and continues to teach physicians and patients worldwide about vitality at every stage of a woman’s life.
Website : https://www.thehallcenter.com , https://www.drprudencehall.com
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
43 min
March 12Resilience and Human Connection: Tools for Physicians to Show Up Whole with Dr. John Winkler | DMD # 74
In this heartfelt episode of Doctors Making a Difference, Dr. Peter Crane welcomes back Dr. John Winkler, emergency physician and peer-support advocate. After briefly recapping the personal tragedy and growth shared in the June 4, 2025 episode, Dr. Winkler dives into the practical tools that have sustained him: the Gottman Method’s Four Horsemen and their antidotes, mindfulness that leans into pain instead of avoiding it, crucial conversations, rewriting negative storylines, and simple shift-prep rituals that keep him present and compassionate even on the busiest nights. Listeners walk away with actionable strategies to integrate personal healing with professional purpose, turn conflict into connection, and rediscover why they fell in love with medicine in the first place.
Episode Highlights
Welcome back and quick recap of Dr. Winkler’s inspiring personal journey (June 4, 2025 episode : A Physician’s Grief, Grace & Grit: Finding Purpose After Personal Tragedy)

How loss, peer support, and family rebuilt his “why” in medicine

The healing power of genuine human connection with patients and colleagues

The 2 a.m. ER story the night before his wife’s funeral that still shapes his practice

Introduction to John & Julie Gottman’s work and the Four Horsemen of relationships

Practical antidotes: gentle startup, culture of appreciation, and repair

Real-life examples de-escalating angry patients and supporting teams during crisis

Mindfulness, crucial conversations, and rewriting negative storylines

Mental and physical prep for unpredictable ER shifts: deep breathing, exercise, presence

Resources that helped him turn stress into meaning and growth
Top 3 Takeaways
Master the antidotes to the Four Horsemen (gentle startup, appreciation and repair) to turn conflict into deeper connection at work and at home.

Lean into the hard, sacred moments with patients and colleagues; the compassion you give comes back and heals you too.

Prepare for every shift with deep breathing, physical reset, and intentional presence, then allow full recovery afterward, so you can show up as your whole, authentic self.
About Dr. John Winkler
Dr. John Winkler is a board-certified emergency physician with more than 15 years at a Level I trauma center. After losing his first wife to a sudden illness during internship and raising three young children while finishing residency, he rebuilt his life and found deep purpose through peer support, relationship counseling, and teaching resilience. Married to Rachel, he and his wife now raise a blended family of six children. Dr. Winkler is passionate about helping physicians integrate their whole selves into both patient care and personal life so they can show up healed and present wherever they are needed.
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
42 min
March 05Preventive Cardiology, Direct Care Models & Physician Wellness | DMD # 73
Dr. Troy Badger, an interventional cardiologist with over a decade of experience, joins host Dr. Peter Crane to discuss his evolution from high-acuity procedural work to preventive and performance medicine. Drawing from his own atrial fibrillation episode triggered by stress and metabolic issues, Dr. Badger shares how he founded Cardio Strong MD, a concierge-style practice focused on lifestyle interventions, risk factor management, and athlete-specific cardiac evaluations. The conversation covers the realities of building a cash-based model, the importance of physician presence on social media to combat misinformation, the rise of direct primary and specialty care, and insights for mid-career physicians seeking balance amid burnout. They emphasize adapting traditional roles, collaborating with innovative health models, and prioritizing personal health to sustain a meaningful career in medicine.
Episode Highlights
Dr. Badger's backstory: Training at University of Utah, practicing in Idaho, and developing an interest in preventive health after a personal AFib episode

Personal health journey: Recognizing metabolic risks, sleep deprivation, and the need for lifestyle changes as a busy interventionalist

Founding Cardio Strong MD: A concierge preventive cardiology practice blending longevity medicine, nutrition, exercise physiology, and wearable monitoring

Balancing dual roles: Maintaining an employed hospital-based job with travel accommodations while pursuing a passion project

Social media's impact: Combating misinformation, building a physician voice, and reaching patients influenced by algorithms

Direct care challenges: Marketing, patient recruitment, non-competes, EMR selection, and financial sustainability in cash-based models

Preventive cardiology's growth: Integrating cardiorenal perspectives, lipid management, and early interventions in primary care referrals

Patient education and access: Addressing vaccine hesitancy, telemedicine trends, and the need for personalized, evidence-based care

Advice for physicians: Finding the right employer fit, blending traditional and innovative models, and pursuing passion projects for fulfillment

Future of healthcare: Role of venture capital in longevity medicine, importance of physician involvement in tech-driven innovations
Top 3 Takeaways
Prioritize your own health: Early stress, sleep, and metabolic factors can lead to personal crises; use them as catalysts for preventive focus and practice innovation.

Build a sustainable career: Blending employed stability with passion projects like direct care models, while navigating challenges like marketing and non-competes through community learning.

Engage on social media authentically to counter misinformation and scale impact. Patients value physician expertise for evidence-based guidance in a algorithm-driven world.
About Dr. Troy Badger
Dr. Troy Badger is an interventional cardiologist practicing in Idaho, with a passion for preventive health and performance medicine. Trained at the University of Utah, he has over 10 years of experience in high-acuity cardiology. After a personal health scare with atrial fibrillation, he founded Cardio Strong MD, a concierge practice offering personalized preventive cardiology, lifestyle coaching, and athlete evaluations. Dr. Badger balances his hospital-based role with this niche work, advocating for evidence-based care amid social media influences. He shares insights on Instagram and his website to educate patients and peers.
Instagram: @cardiostrong_md
Website: www.cardiostrongmd.com
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
39 min
February 26Continuing Education, Burnout Prevention, and Creative Pursuits in Medicine | DMD # 72
Dr. Dave Davis, the most cited primary care physician in Canada, joins Dr. Peter Crane to share his career journey from clinical practice to revolutionizing CME. With decades in family medicine, academia at McMaster and the University of Toronto, and innovative research, Dave discusses the inefficacy of traditional lectures, effective learning strategies like problem-based learning and point-of-care tools, and the importance of relationships in medicine. The conversation delves into avoiding burnout by listening to one's "gut," pivoting to meaningful roles like underserved community care during the AIDS epidemic, and exploring creativity through science fiction novels and historical fiction. Dave also highlights volunteer work in retirement as a source of fulfillment. This episode offers physicians insights on staying engaged, balancing professional demands, and embracing holistic personal growth for long-term career satisfaction.
Episode Highlights
Dave's early career spark in CME after attending ineffective lectures, leading to research and roles at McMaster and University of Toronto

Publishing a provocative JAMA paper showing traditional CME lectures fail to change behavior, based on randomized trials and reviews

Effective CME alternatives: Daily journal reading, colleague discussions, small-group sharing, point-of-care lookups, and quality improvement with feedback

Shift from pharmaceutical-sponsored CME to unbiased, embedded learning in practice, like electronic consultations and specialist input

Personal strategies for staying current: Treating medicine as a "school without walls," using computers for quick answers, and daily patient-driven research Burnout onset after 10-12 years in routine practice; rediscovering joy through teaching doctor-patient relationships and pivoting during 1987 Ontario physician strike

Transformative move to urban community health center: Handling AIDS cases, collaborating with multidisciplinary team, and feeling "alive" in meaningful care

Balancing academia: 60% clinical practice with 40% research at University of Toronto, allowing time for reflection and sharing experiences

Writing origins in high school science fiction ideas; completing novels like "Potter's Tale" (inspired by Da Vinci Code structure) and "The Last Immortal" on eternal life

Current project: Historical fiction novel "Clandestine" based on secret Warsaw Ghetto medical school during WWII, involving research trips and interviews

Writing process tips: Join critique groups for humility, take online courses (e.g., Dan Brown's MasterClass), start small with memoirs or local pieces, and allocate dedicated time

Volunteerism in retirement: Running church-based drop-in center for homeless and seniors, focusing on listening to personal stories for healing and connection

Core advice: Prioritize relationships with patients, family, and colleagues; listen to what energizes you to avoid becoming an "empty shell" post-career
Top 3 Takeaways
Rethink CME: Move beyond lectures to interactive, patient-centered strategies like point-of-care research and small-group discussions for better retention and application.

Combat burnout: Listen to your "gut" by identifying what energizes you, whether teaching, community service, or creative hobbies and make time for it amid professional demands.

Embrace wholeness: Cultivate relationships, volunteerism, and personal passions like writing to become a fuller person, ensuring long-term fulfillment in and beyond medicine.
About Dr. Dave Davis
Dr. Dave Davis is a retired family physician, educator, and author, renowned as Canada's most cited primary care physician for his influential research on continuing medical education (CME). With a career spanning clinical practice, academia at McMaster University and the University of Toronto, and roles in quality improvement, he pioneered evidence-based approaches to physician learning. Dave's work includes randomized trials challenging traditional CME methods and promoting embedded, systems-based strategies. In retirement, he authors science fiction and historical fiction novels, volunteers at a community drop-in center, and shares insights via TikTok and his website.
His experiences—from underserved AIDS care to creative writing, emphasize holistic physician wellness.
Website; https://drdavedavis.com
LinkedIn: Dave Davis
TikTok: Dave Davis
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.

The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
37 min
February 19Donating a Year's Salary: Dr. Stuart Clive's Mission to Cure Blindness in Ghana | DMD # 71
Dr. Stuart Clive, MD, an emergency physician in Boise, Idaho, joins Dr. Peter Crane to discuss his path from undergrad at BYU and medical school at Emory to practicing in Western Idaho. He opens up about burnout in ER medicine, a pivotal documentary on curing blindness, and his decision to donate a year's salary to the Cure Blindness Project after achieving financial independence.
The conversation covers the cost-effectiveness of cataract surgeries (as low as $100 in some regions), funding a new ophthalmology residency in Ghana to address 200,000 cases of curable blindness, and the broader impact on families and communities. Dr. Clive emphasizes balancing local and global giving, integrating service to combat burnout, and the excitement of tying shifts to a higher purpose.
This episode inspires physicians to seek meaningful causes, dedicate portions of their work to charity, and prioritize financial security for outward-focused lives, while underscoring the soul-cleansing benefits of philanthropy.
Episode Highlights
Stuart's background: Undergrad at BYU, medical school at Emory, residency at UT Houston, and settling in Western Idaho for family reasons.
Growth in Boise: Observations on population boom, mild weather, and changes over 20 years.
ER career choice: Shift to supporting blindness cure despite not being an ophthalmologist.
Inspiration: Documentary on North Korea outreaches, cost-effective surgeries ($100+ per cure), primarily cataracts with expanding procedures.
Donation details: Funding completion of a Ghana hospital's residency offices after USAID shortfall, enabling full-spectrum eye care training.
Impact amplification: Supporting education for surgeons to cure thousands over careers, plus family ripple effects.
Burnout and perspective: Media focus on negatives vs. finding higher purpose; religious prompts to serve.
Financial independence: Hitting retirement goals at 57, feeling healthy, and choosing to extend career for impact.
Shift mindset: Excitement for work knowing earnings cure dozens per shift; reduced urgency to retire.
Global vs. local: Bond with developing world from Ecuador mission; maximizing difference where needs are greatest.
Advice: Find thrilling causes (e.g., hunger, wells); dedicate extra shifts to charity early to resolve burnout.
Organization work: Outreaches, infrastructure building, addressing vitamin A deficiencies in 30M global cases.
Personal benefits: Joy, legacy for family; wife’s support after hearing scale of need.
Top 3 Takeaways
· Achieving financial independence allows physicians to shift from necessity-driven work to purpose-driven service, reducing burnout and enabling impactful philanthropy like curing blindness.
· Integrate giving throughout your career—dedicate shifts or earnings to causes that excite you—to maintain joy, combat drudgery, and create lasting global change.
· Balance local and international aid by maximizing impact; curing one person's blindness in developing countries frees families and communities, amplifying effects beyond direct beneficiaries.
About Dr. Stuart Clive
Dr. Stuart Clive is an MD and emergency physician with nearly 20 years of practice in Western Idaho, following training at Emory University and UT Houston. Inspired by global health needs, he is donating a full year's salary to the Cure Blindness Project to fund ophthalmology residencies and surgeries in Ghana. His work emphasizes cost-effective interventions for curable blindness, financial independence for service, and integrating philanthropy to overcome burnout. He draws from religious and humanitarian roots, including a mission in Ecuador.
Cure Blindness Project Website: https://cureblindness.org
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
33 min
February 12DMD #70 | Overcoming Burnout: Dr. Amy Fogelman's Journey from Primary Care to Expert Witness and Physician Advocacy
Dr. Amy Fogelman, MD, a former internal medicine physician from Boston, joins Dr. Peter Crane to discuss her career trajectory from a high-volume primary care practice at Mass General to founding High Rock Experts in 2018. With over a decade in clinical medicine, she opens up about burnout exacerbated by long commutes, administrative overload, and loss of joy in patient care.
The conversation explores her decision to leave clinical practice after her husband's encouragement, her six-month break for self-reflection, and networking with non-clinical physicians. Dr. Fogelman highlights the value of expert witness work for leveraging medical expertise, the importance of ethical reviews in malpractice cases, and systemic issues in healthcare like prior authorizations and shrinking reimbursements.
She offers practical advice on finding fulfillment, reclaiming autonomy, and addressing physician suicide risks. This episode equips physicians at all stages with strategies for navigating burnout, exploring alternative careers, and advocating for systemic change, while emphasizing the enduring empathy in the medical workforce.
Episode Highlights
Amy's background: Growing up in Boston, training in internal medicine, and practicing primary care at Mass General for a decade before shifting to a smaller practice.
Journey into burnout: Starting part-time with extra projects like opioid policies and teaching, but facing increasing administrative burdens, long commutes, and emotional strain at home.
The turning point: A Boston Globe article on physicians quitting medicine, prompted by a former patient, leading Amy to share her hidden struggles publicly and resonate with many.
Leaving clinical practice: Husband's intervention, a six-month break, coaching, and networking with non-clinical physicians like Graham Gardner, realizing no additional degrees were needed.
Discovering expert witness work: Transitioning from ad-hoc reviews to founding High Rock Experts, connecting attorneys with medical professionals, and creating courses on ethical expert testimony.
Challenges in medicine: Administrative overhead, insurance battles, short visit times, and loss of patient trust; the need for physicians to reclaim control from administrators.
Systemic fixes: Eliminating prior authorizations (as in Massachusetts), transparent visit lengths for patients, avoiding incentive-based metrics that penalize complex cases, and exploring direct primary care.
Advice for physicians: Recognize you're not stuck—seek non-clinical options, prioritize joy, and use broad medical training for entrepreneurship; permission to step back and pivot.
Ethical expert work: Explaining medicine objectively to courts, preventing frivolous lawsuits, and ensuring credible experts review cases to protect both patients and providers.
Hope for the future: Valuing empathetic physicians, reducing bureaucracy, and voting with feet through career shifts to force systemic improvements.
Top 3 Takeaways
Burnout often stems from administrative burdens and loss of control; pivoting to non-clinical roles like expert witness work can restore joy and leverage medical expertise without additional degrees.
Physicians aren't stuck—network, reflect on what brings fulfillment, and explore options like direct primary care or entrepreneurship; seek permission from loved ones or coaches to step back.
Systemic change requires reclaiming physician autonomy, eliminating prior authorizations, and avoiding metrics that incentivize firing "noncompliant" patients; ethical expert work helps maintain integrity in malpractice cases.
About Dr. Amy Fogelman
Dr. Amy Fogelman is an MD and former primary care physician with over a decade of experience at Mass General and a private practice in Chestnut Hill, Boston. After battling burnout, she founded High Rock Experts in 2018, a company that connects medical professionals with attorneys for expert witness roles and offers courses on ethical testimony. Her work focuses on empowering physicians through non-clinical careers, integrity in legal-medical intersections, and advocacy for better healthcare systems. She has been featured in the Boston Globe for her insights on physician burnout.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amyfogelmanmd
About the Host:
Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.
Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.
About the Show:
Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.
In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.
Visit: doctorsmakingadifference.com
LMC Series Note:
Living with Metastatic Cancer (LMC) explores the science, decisions, and day-to-day realities of life with advanced disease—through candid physician–patient conversations.
The Doctors Making a Difference Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult appropriate experts regarding your unique circumstances.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
40 min

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