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The Accelerators (Drs. Matt Spraker and Simul Parikh) host radiation oncology resident physician and writer, Dr. Matt Farrell, to discuss narrative medicine.

We review his recent JCO publication "First Cousin Once Removed". In this piece, Matt describes his experience with a family meeting at the end of life for his cousin John, an actor and patient living with HIV and AIDS prior to the release of HAART. 

Matt's work sparks a discussion of family dynamics surrounding the death of a loved one, the language we use in medicine, and Matt's plans to keep writing a significant part of his life as a physician. 

Plus, book recommendations! 

Here are some things we discussed during the show:

• VVPN Reflections on Pandemics
• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese 
• Thrillville, USA by Taylor Koekkoek
• Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders
• The Combative Language of Cancer: A Plea for an Armistice by Dr. Matt Farrell

Podcast art generously donated by Dr. Danielle Cunningham. Intro and Outro music generously donated by Emmy-award winning artist Lucas Cantor Santiago.

The Accelerators Podcast is a Photon Media production.