Our theme this month is "Scar Tissue."

And I don’t mean the surgical scar tissue, the ones from the fall we took ice skating when we were 6, or the ones we give patients when we take out their appendixes or sew up their lacerations — this is about the emotional vulnerability that we all have in clinical practice — and that accepting what we feel is the first step in healing.

Now, this is a hard one for us as clinicians. We all fancy ourselves healers — but don’t always like to acknowledge that in the process, we need healing ourselves. Because the burdens we elicit from our patients, we often shoulder ourselves — whether subconsciously, or in empathy — and those burdens can chip at us, like they do any human.

But that’s what we are — human.

Chapter 1. I Can't Do This Again (3:28) -- A physician reaches his limit. Story by Taison Bell, MD.

Chapter 2. When the Patient Becomes the Healer (16:17) -- A doctor finds hope from an unexpected place. Story by Ashanda Saint Jean, MD.

Chapter 3. It Is Not a Sin to Cry (29:09) -- How being a good doctor is being human. Story by Hannah Brooks, MD.

Episode produced by Genevieve Friedman

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

What happens when you become the patient? That's what we're here to explore today -- with this episode's theme: Heal Thyself.

Think about it. We diagnose and often intervene with medicines, surgeries, treatments. These interventions generally temporize and support the body, so that the body can heal itself.

The concept of "healing" thyself, then, really does often have to accept that modern medicine can't do the healing. Sometimes we have to do it ourselves.

And sometimes that's more mind than matter.

Today, we have three incredible stories for you -- by three different doctors, of three different specialties, who all share a story of how they "Healed Thyself" of a disease in their very area of expertise.

Chapter 1. Researcher Turned COVID Long-Hauler (3:04) -- A story of knowledge and recovery. Story by Paul Garner, MD.

Chapter 2. I'm a Neurologist With Alzheimer's (15:52) -- How knowledge helped one doctor's uncertainty. Story by Daniel Gibbs, MD, PhD.

Chapter 3. Prayer's Place in Treatment (25:50) -- "Dr. Hope" credits his remission, in part, to tens of thousands of strangers. Story by Gary Onik, MD.

Episode produced by Judy George

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

Resilience is a core necessity in medicine. Resilience is toughness. Resilience is tenacity. Resilience is recovering and coming back for more.

You need resilience to survive the long education and training for nearly every role in medicine. And as a patient, you need resilience to just make it through not only your acute care but the often weeks, months, or years of healing that happen afterward.

Day in and day out, we call on our own resilience to get through difficult situations, tragic experiences, and more — so that we can keep doing what we do best.

Resilience is a core necessity in medicine. Resilience is toughness. Resilience is tenacity. Resilience is recovering and coming back for more.

You need resilience to survive the long education and training for nearly every role in medicine. And as a patient, you need resilience to just make it through not only your acute care but the often weeks, months, or years of healing that happen afterward.

Day in and day out, we call on our own resilience to get through difficult situations, tragic experiences, and more — so that we can keep doing what we do best.

Chapter 1. From Tragedy to Advocacy (3:00) — When the worst happened to his son, one father took the opportunity to help others. Story by Martin McNair.

Chapter 2. Balancing Medicine and Country Music Stardom (17:00) — How one doctor’s story of following a passion turned out a few hits. Story by James Robert Webb, MD.

Chapter 3. The Power of Social Media (32:22) — This doctor discovered a better way to communicate health information. Story by Austin Chiang, MD, MPH.

Episode produced by Ryan Basen

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

This has been a bit of a tough summer for everyone in healthcare. Our worlds have been a bit topsy-turvy, to say the least.

That makes this all the more important of a time to remember to celebrate wins, of all sizes. Times are tough, remember every day of our lives is still riddled with victories.

Some are small — a patient who listened to your advice, a colleague who thought you were right, even the warm blanket you brought to a patient that cheered up their day a little bit. Some are big — a literal life saved, a life changed, sometimes even an entire community improved.

Our impact as healthcare professionals is incredible, now more than ever. We influence our patients, our families, our communities and get an amazing opportunity to be listened to and respected so that we can expand our impact even more.

Chapter 1. Early in COVID: A Win and a White House Call (2:47) -- Years of work led to wins during a difficult time. Story by Brian Garibaldi, MD.

Chapter 2. Breaking Down Patients' Barriers (16:04) -- A doctor helps a reluctant patient thrive. Story by Fred Pelzman, MD.

Chapter 3. A Victory for Cancer Prevention (27:21) -- A tale of engaging, educating, and advocating for patients. Story by Len Lichtenfeld, MD.

There are few things more core to the pillars of medicine than the concept of "empathy." Now empathy is something we hear about from day one in medical school, nursing school, or PA school. Hey, it's even something we hear in pre-med! It's probably something we even wrote about in our admissions essays. And that's because empathy is a critical part of care. You cannot care for a patient if you cannot relate, commiserate, and feel with them. In this episode, three storytellers have their own stories of empathy, all with a different spin on how it came out to them.

Chapter 1. 'Can You Explain Why You're Sending Me to the ICU?' (2:57): Doctor-turned-patient reflects on empathy in medicine after the harrowing birth of her child. Story by Lauren Rissman, MD.

Chapter 2. It Isn't the Dead Child Who Haunts Me (21:31): A doctor is reminded of an intern's reaction often. Story by Maryanne Chrisant, MD.

Chapter 3. Treating Cancer Patients 'Like Cattle About to Be Slaughtered' (42:33): What "heartless" oncology in Russia taught this doctor. Story by Vadim Gushchin, MD.

Episode produced by Amanda D'Ambrosio

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

This Anamnesis episode is called “Eureka.” In medicine, a "eureka moment" usually comes for us through special patients. As much as we teach patients, they teach us so much more.

Chapter 1. The Death of One Little Girl Helped Millions (4:28): A case more than 35 years ago has spurred discoveries ever since. Story by Kevin Tracey, MD.

Chapter 2. Screaming Patient, No Restraints (16:00): A story about empathy in emergency psychiatry. Story by Scott Zeller, MD.

Chapter 3. Diagnosing the Mind of a Special Patient (26:40): This patient proved that rare isn't always rare. Story by Deborah Serani, PsyD.

Episode produced by Crystal Phend

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

This episode on "Abandoned" is about what happens when you are out there all alone -- whether it's because you're physically sequestered, or feeling like it's you versus the establishment, or you versus the world. Those are trying times, but learning ones for everyone involved.

Chapter 1. People Died. The Establishment Played Games (3:10): Here's what it took, and how disgracefully long it took, for a simple COVID research project. Story by Martin Makary, MD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief, MedPage Today, and Johns Hopkins professor.

Chapter 2. The System Failed Us (15:26): Seeking help for her husband, a nurse finds tunnel vision is rampant in medicine. Story by Donna Cardillo, RN.

Chapter 3. Patients in Pain Left Out and Left Behind (25:50): Top-down policies lead to tragedy. Story by Beth Darnall, PhD.

Episode produced by Nicole Lou

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

This Anamnesis episode is called "At a Loss." And that can mean a lot of things -- at a loss for words, at a loss for any certainty, and for us in healthcare, it often means a loss of a patient.

Chapter 2. A Broken System Killed My Young Patient (12:15): We've made improvements, but would anyone say it can't still happen? Story by Gregg Miller, MD.

Chapter 3. What Could I Have Done Differently? (25:30): Almost a year later, COVID deaths still haunt this doctor. Story by Venus Oliva, DO.

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Sound engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

“Taboo” is a really complex concept in medicine. As healthcare workers treating patients, we are, in a way, stewards of secrets — secrets for patients, for our peers, and for our specialties.

Chapter One, I Was Pregnant and Swallowed a Handfuls of Pills : (3:23): She wanted to end her life, now she wants to end the stigma surrounding depression. Story by Kara Zivin, PhD, MS, MA.

Chapter Two, You’re Never Prepared for the Screams : (13:50): Telling people a loved one died is never easy. Story by Matthew K. Tobin, MD, PhD.

Chapter Three, So Pro-Life That They Almost Killed a Pregnant Woman : (23:42): A pro-life doctor who did a pro-death thing. Story by Chavi Eve Karkowsky,

Episode produced by Kristina Fiore

Hosted by Amy Ho, MD

Audio mixing/engineering by Greg Laub

Theme music by Palomar

Research presented at the virtual IDWeek conference touched on how COVID-19 has affected a wide swath of issues in infectious diseases, from HIV infections to antibiotic stewardship. Even broader public health issues, such as treating opioid use disorder, were not immune to the pandemic's effects.

In this "in-between-isode" of MedPage Today's podcast series, Anamnesis, one of our reporters discusses some of the research spotlighted at the meeting.

Episode produced by Molly Walker

Hosted and sound engineering by Greg Laub