In this episode of Dr Tisdall Unfiltered, I sit down for a solo podcast to unpack one of the biggest problems in modern medical education: the false belief that memorization leads to mastery. I explore why today’s medical students feel overwhelmed, anxious, and frustrated despite studying harder than ever. We walk through how the Clinical Pathologic Correlation (CPC) method reframes learning around real patient presentations, physiology, and mechanisms—so knowledge actually sticks under pressure. I explain why starting with symptoms instead of isolated facts fundamentally changes how the brain organizes information, improves exam performance, and builds true clinical reasoning.

If you’re preparing for USMLE or COMLEX, teaching medicine, or trying to understand how doctors really think, this conversation will give you a clearer, more durable framework for learning medicine.

👉 Follow the podcast to stay up to date with future episodes and expert conversations on medical thinking, education, and clinical reasoning.

Buy the textbook:

Volume 1
https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2
https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3tdqJOtpmL0

Follow me on socials: @drphiliptisdall

In this episode of Dr Tisdall Unfiltered, I sit down for a candid conversation about one of the most misunderstood parts of medical education: why learning medicine feels so uncomfortable. Many students assume that anxiety, embarrassment, or frustration means they’re doing something wrong. In reality, those feelings are often signs that real learning is happening.

I break down why learning physically and mentally “hurts,” how repeated exposure to not knowing creates anxiety, and why students are rarely taught what to expect during the learning process. We talk about the difference between memorization and understanding, why repetition matters more than confidence, and how structure transforms confusion into clarity over time. This episode is especially relevant for medical students who feel overwhelmed, behind, or discouraged despite working hard.

This conversation is part of an ongoing effort to be honest about how medical knowledge is actually built — and why discomfort is not a failure, but a necessary step toward mastery.

Follow the podcast to stay up to date with more expert discussions and deep dives into how medicine should be learned, understood, and practiced.

Buy the textbook:

Volume 1
https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2
https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/PNrMGCl-IOw

Follow me on social @drphiliptisdall

In this episode of Dr Tisdall Unfiltered, I take a direct look at one of the most persistent problems in modern medical education: how we test future physicians. I break down the three types of testing commonly used in medicine—motivational testing, mastery testing, and ranking—and explain why only mastery-based assessment actually correlates with safe, competent patient care. We discuss why multiple-choice exams and numerical grades fail to measure true understanding, how compliance-driven systems reward memorization rather than clinical reasoning, and why medicine should be evaluated on outcomes instead of time served. Drawing on my experience teaching and practicing medicine in both Canada and the United States, I argue for an outcomes-based approach that prioritizes competence, accountability, and real clinical thinking. This episode is for medical students, residents, educators, and practicing physicians who want a clearer framework for what mastery in medicine should actually mean.

Follow the podcast to stay up to date with more expert discussions, long-form teaching, and interviews focused on how doctors think, learn, and practice medicine.

Buy the textbook:

Volume 1 – https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2 – https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/rl4zYd5NJkg

Follow me on social: @drphiliptisdall

In this episode of Dr Tisdall Unfiltered, I sit down for a candid conversation about the structural problems facing modern medical education—and why teaching clinical thinking at scale remains one of the system’s greatest challenges. Rather than focusing on study tactics or exam tricks, this discussion examines how medical students are trained, why memorization has crowded out judgment, and what actually improves clinical performance when facts alone are no longer enough.

I draw on decades of experience as a clinician and medical educator to explain how understanding symptoms, structure and function, and pathophysiology must come before algorithms and pattern recognition. I also address the question of scalability: how effective, high-intensity teaching works in small groups—and what it would take to extend that approach to thousands of future physicians without losing rigor or depth. This episode is part of an ongoing series of unfiltered conversations about the realities, incentives, and limitations of medical training today.

Follow the podcast for more expert conversations on medical education, clinical reasoning, and how doctors are trained to think.

Buy the textbook:

Volume 1 – https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2 – https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Z9ATHvxB2ww

Follow me on social: @drphiliptisdall

In this episode, I’m joined by Nancy Selfridge, a physician, educator, and longtime leader in medical education, for an in-depth discussion on how medical students actually learn—and why so many struggle despite working hard. Drawing from decades of experience in both clinical practice and academic medicine, Dr. Selfridge shares insights into standards, assessment, student culture, and the critical gap between what faculty expect and what learners experience.

We explore what happens when teaching is truly patient-centered, why popularity is often mistaken for effectiveness in education, and how outcomes—not opinions—ultimately determine whether an approach works. This conversation also examines the role of discipline, focus, communication, and accountability in developing real clinical judgment, as well as why strong foundations matter far more than short-term comfort. If you’re a medical student, resident, educator, or lifelong learner looking to understand how to think more clearly and learn more efficiently, this episode provides a framework grounded in experience, results, and evidence.

Follow the podcast for more expert conversations on medical education, clinical reasoning, and mastering medicine through clarity and structure.

Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-IJrJ91TnUI

Buy the textbook:
Volume 1 - https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2 - https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Follow me on social: @drphiliptisdall

In this interview-style episode of the Dr. Tisdall Unfiltered, I sit down with Dr. Anthony Colón, a board-certified plastic surgeon whose career path challenges one of the most persistent myths in medicine: that you must start at the “right” school, with the “right” grades, or the “right” story to succeed.

Dr. Colón began his medical training at a Caribbean medical school and went on to complete general surgery residency, plastic surgery training, and fellowship—ultimately landing the career he set out to achieve. In this conversation, we unpack a critical but often unspoken truth in medical education: prestige in medicine is not fixed—it is earned through performance over time.

This episode explores:

• How medical students can work their way up in prestige regardless of where they start

• Why consistent top-third performance matters more than pedigree

• The role of resilience, behavioral discipline, and mentorship in long-term success

• What medical students misunderstand about “elite” careers in medicine

• Why perseverance—not perfection—is the real differentiator

For medical students and trainees who feel discouraged by early setbacks, imperfect grades, or non-traditional paths, this episode offers a clear, grounded framework for thinking about upward mobility in medicine—and proof that it is possible.

Guest:
Dr. Anthony Colón is a board-certified plastic surgeon with a background in general surgery, plastic surgery residency, and fellowship training. His career reflects what sustained effort, strategic mentorship, and long-term commitment can achieve in modern medical training.

Buy the textbook:
Volume 1 - https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cf4j4bp2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

Volume 2 - https://www.amazon.com/clinical-pathophysiology-comlex®-medical-companion/dp/b0cdz2qhhy/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=spotify_description

🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kMT-fQPuDm4

📲 Follow me on social: @drphiliptisdall

👉 Follow Dr. Tisdall Unfiltered for more in-depth conversations on medical education, clinical thinking, career development, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career in medicine.