The Clinical Etymologist

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A returning traveller with fever reminds us that malaria prophylaxis reduces risk—but never eliminates it. We explore why low platelets can signal malaria even when hemoglobin remains normal. “Thick finds, thin defines”—and tiny “headphones” inside a red blood cell offer a memorable diagnostic clue.

Discover why malaria means “bad air,” and how our ancestors blamed the wrong thing coming out of the swamp.

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What do a Bolivian schoolboy, a few bitter green leaves, and a patient having a seizure have in common? More than you might think. Forty years ago, while attending middle school in Buenos Aires, my friend Pablo offered me my very first coca leaves. At the time, I had no idea that this ancient Andean plant would one day reappear at the bedside of a critically ill patient. In this episode, we'll trace the remarkable journey of coca—from sacred indigenous tradition to one of medicine's most dangerous recreational drugs. Along the way, we'll uncover why cocaine can trigger seizures, heart attacks, strokes, hyperthermia, and sudden death. This is the story of Mi Amigo Pablo. 

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What do a Pacific bluefin tuna and clinical hematology have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, our beloved Clinical Etymologist, Dr. Simon Kim, takes his hardworking medical students to a Japanese sushi restaurant, where an ordinary lunch unexpectedly becomes a masterclass in transfusion medicine. As one magnificent tuna is transformed into increasingly selective sushi dishes, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, PCC, and tranexamic acid suddenly become remarkably easy to understand. By the end of this meal, you'll never look at blood products—or sushi—the same way again. 

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In this special bulletin episode of The Clinical Etymologist™ , Dr. Kim traces the haunting story of hantavirus from the battlefields of the Korean War to a childhood summer camp by the Hantan River. Through memory, etymology, and pathophysiology, he explores how a tiny rodent-borne virus came to shape global medical history. Along the way, listeners discover the origins of Hanta and Sin Nombre viruses, the mystery of capillary leak syndrome, and the deeply human stories hidden inside medical vocabulary. And yes… the Sodium Doom trilogy will eventually continue. 

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In this episode of The Clinical Etymologist™, Dr. Kim returns to the mystery of hyponatremia through the lens of soda, sodium, and the kidney’s inner logic. From the ancient chemistry of soda water to the modern lab value of serum sodium, Jennifer the Padawan learns that hyponatremia is usually less about salt and more about water. Together, they review how ADH explains urine osmolality, while aldosterone and effective circulating volume explain urine sodium. Along the way, they untangle SIADH and other pathologies. By the end, the algorithm becomes physiology: the kidney only asks, should I keep sodium, or should I let it go?

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A quiet weekend on call begins with the retirement of Dr. Flow, a urologist who made the difficult look simple.  A search for the perfect farewell wine—Pee No More—is abruptly interrupted by a sodium of 122.  At the bedside, memorized algorithms begin to unravel under real clinical pressure.   Through conversation, we explore ADH, aquaporins, and the physiology behind hyponatremia.

Why does volume override tonicity—and how can treatment itself become dangerous?

In Part 1 of Sodium Doom, we move beyond flowcharts and begin to truly understand sodium. 

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In medicine, we often order tests reflexively, trusting that numbers will guide us toward truth. But what happens when a test is elevated — or completely normal — and the patient remains a mystery? In this episode, we explore C-reactive protein, a familiar marker that is often misunderstood. Through one challenging patient, we uncover what CRP truly measures — and what it does not. And in doing so, we are reminded that not all suffering can be captured in a laboratory value. 

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In this episode of The Clinical Etymologist, we explore a common clinical paradox—anemia in the presence of abundant iron. Through a real bedside conversation, we move beyond memorized lab patterns and uncover the physiology that explains them. What does it mean when ferritin is high, yet the patient remains anemic? Why does the body hide iron during inflammation, and what role does hepcidin play in this process? Together, we follow iron’s journey—from absorption to storage—and discover where the system breaks down. By the end, anemia of chronic disease will no longer be a pattern to memorize, but a story you understand.

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Some time ago in a teaching hospital far, far away,
a Marvel supervillain interrupted a lesson in hematology.
What happens when all the iron in your body suddenly disappears?
Do red blood cells simply fade… or do they shrink in quiet protest?
Tonight, we explore iron deficiency, microcytosis, and the elegant physics of erythropoiesis. 

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In today’s episode, we explore how an overlooked organ can reveal a neurologic emergency. 

We question whether every “mechanical fall” is truly mechanical. 

We trace the hierarchy of micturition — from pons to sacrum. 

And we see how careful listening at the bedside leads to diagnosis.