THE DOUBLE SCRUB

What happens when a judge orders a woman to have surgery she doesn't want — while she's in labor?

In this episode, Radhika and Scott break down one of the most talked-about cases in maternal healthcare right now: the story of Cherise Gordon Doyle, a 32-year-old doula and mother of four who was taken to court mid-labor over her right to attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). As OB/GYNs, they bring both the clinical context and the human weight of what this case really means.

They cover the medical reality of VBACs — who's a good candidate, what the risks actually are, and how shared decision-making is supposed to work. But they also go deeper: into informed consent, racial disparities in maternal mortality, what it means that a Black woman with professional expertise in birth advocacy still couldn't advocate her way out of that room, and the uncomfortable question of when — if ever — the law has a place in the delivery room.

This one is equal parts medical education and honest conversation. Whether you're a patient, a provider, or just someone who's been following this story — this episode will give you the full picture.

Topics covered: VBAC candidacy and risks · informed consent · court-ordered medical procedures · racial disparities in obstetric care · maternal vs. fetal rights · patient advocacy · Florida maternal health legislation

In this episode, Radhika and Scott get honest about what family travel actually looks like for a dual-career, dual-physician household. They talk about what changed the moment kids entered the picture, how high-achievers are surprisingly bad at resting, and why the unscripted moments almost always become the ones you remember most.

They cover:

• Travel before kids vs. after — what you grieve, what you gain
• The planning trap: why over-optimizing a trip can kill the magic
• Handling things going wrong (in real time, with kids, at altitude)
• How to actually carve out couple time inside a family vacation
• What long-distance marriage looks like at the end of a week together

Real, funny, and deeply relatable — for any family trying to make it all work.

What does it really mean to reinvent yourself — not for an audience, but for you?

In this Women's History Month conversation, Dr. Radhika Sharma sits down with Heidi Powell — fitness expert, transformation coach, and former co-host of ABC's Extreme Weight Loss — for a candid, layered discussion that goes far beyond fitness. Known for helping hundreds of people dramatically change their lives on national television, Heidi opens up about being a self-described late bloomer, navigating the tension between public life and private identity, and the quiet but powerful work of unlearning patterns that once felt like protection.

Together they explore what emotional resilience actually looks like in practice, how to raise kids who are grounded when the whole world is watching, and why non-scale victories might matter more than anything with a number attached. They also get into body image in midlife, what integrity really means when no one is looking, and how service — not achievement — became a source of genuine self-worth.

This one is honest, warm, and deeply human. Whether you're in a season of reinvention or just beginning to ask harder questions about who you are — this conversation is for you.

In this episode:

• Why emotional strength comes from within, not from external validation
• Navigating personal identity when you live in the public eye
• Parenting with intentionality in a filtered, hyper-visible world
• Body image and self-worth in midlife — letting go of the old metrics
• How integrity and self-commitment become the foundation of everything

What happens when wellness culture meets federal public health leadership?

In this episode of The Double Scrub, Dr. Radhika Sharma and Dr. Scott Curtis take a thoughtful look at the nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General of the United States — the physician often referred to as the "nation's doctor."

The Surgeon General leads more than 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Health Service and serves as one of the country's most visible voices in public health. But what happens when a nominee comes from outside traditional clinical practice and from within the rapidly growing wellness and influencer ecosystem?

In this episode we break down:

• Casey Means' medical training and residency background • Why she left clinical training and how that story has been interpreted • Her work in metabolic health, wellness media, and health technology • Questions raised during her Senate confirmation hearing • The intersection of influencer wellness culture and public health authority • What this moment says about the state of American healthcare

As practicing OB-GYNs, we also discuss the implications for women's healthcare, including public messaging around contraception, vaccines in pregnancy, hormone therapy, and the growing influence of social media health narratives.

This conversation is not about politics.

It's about trust in medicine, evidence-based care, and the future of public health communication in the United States.

Because when the nation's doctor speaks, it shapes how millions of Americans understand their health.

Season 2 kicks off with a real conversation about what it means to practice medicine in 2026.

OB-GYNs Dr. Scott Curtis and Dr. Radhika Sharma return with an honest, unfiltered discussion on women's health, authenticity, and lifelong learning in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. From obesity medicine and metabolic health to AI in healthcare, rural healthcare shortages, rising insurance costs, and the business of medicine — this episode tackles the issues shaping patient care today.

They explore where technology helps (and where it falls short), why empathy in OB-GYN care can't be replaced by algorithms, and how healthcare costs and accessibility are impacting families across America.

If you care about women's health, obesity medicine, AI in medicine, rural healthcare access, insurance challenges, and personal growth as a physician — this season opener sets the tone.

Welcome back to The Double Scrub.

In this episode of The Double Scrub Podcast, Dr. Scott Curtis and Dr. Radhika Sharma break down the latest controversy surrounding Tylenol (acetaminophen) use in pregnancy and the alleged link to autism.

They unpack what the science really says — separating causation from association, reviewing key studies from JAMA, Environmental Health, and JAMA Psychiatry, and explaining why study design and control groups matter.

The doctors also discuss the risks of untreated fever in pregnancy, the political and media reactions that have fueled public anxiety, and how misinformation spreads faster than evidence.

The episode wraps with actionable takeaways for patients and providers, emphasizing shared decision-making, trust in healthcare, and the importance of evidence-based guidance over fear-driven headlines.

👉 Referenced studies:

• Ahlqvist et al., JAMA 2024

• Ji et al., JAMA Psychiatry 2020

• Prada et al., Environmental Health 2025

• Acetaminophen is safe when indicated and used as directed.

• Association ≠ causation — small observational links do not prove Tylenol causes autism.

• Untreated fever in pregnancy can increase maternal and fetal risk.

• Patients should not feel guilty about using Tylenol appropriately.

• Discuss concerns with your OB-GYN before making medication changes.

• Misinformation and mistrust can harm public health.

• Shared decision-making builds confidence and clarity in care.

EPISODE SUMMARY

After a short hiatus, we're back with a straight-talk update that connects the headlines to the exam room. We unpack the CDC shakeup—what's changing, why trust in public health wobbles, and how to separate signal from social-media noise around vaccination and guidance.

Then we pivot to women's brain health: why Alzheimer's disproportionately affects women, what the latest midlife brain research is (and isn't) saying, and where menopausal hormone therapy fits—timing, limits, and the right questions to bring to your own clinician.

What you'll hear: • CDC leadership changes—how they ripple into public trust and vaccine confidence • Vaccination debates: personal choice vs. population benefit, and better ways to weigh risk • Women & Alzheimer's: the burden, the biology, and what's new in midlife brain data • Hormone therapy in context: what timing might mean—and what guidelines actually say • Practical ways to stay evidence-anchored when health news gets loud • Our take on rebuilding trust: character, competence, and transparent communication

Resources & links: • Seva Wellness: mysevawellness.com • Support the show: Thorne 15% off — thorne.com/u/thedoublescrub

Education only; not medical advice. Please discuss your care with your clinician.

RESEARCH DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE

Mosconi L, Berti V, Dyke J, et al. Menopause impacts human brain structure, connectivity, energy metabolism, and amyloid-β deposition. Scientific Reports. 2021;11:10867. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90084-y (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34108509/)

Mosconi L, Berti V, Guyara-Quinn C, et al. Perimenopause and emergence of an Alzheimer's disease–like bioenergetic phenotype. PLOS ONE. 2017;12(10):e0185926. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185926 (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29016679/ ; PMC: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5634623/)

Mosconi L, Rahman A, Diaz I, et al. Increased Alzheimer's risk during the menopause transition: A 3-year longitudinal brain imaging study. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(12):e0207885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207885 (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30540774/)

Mosconi L, Nerattini M, Hsiao E, et al. In vivo brain estrogen receptor density by neuroendocrine aging and relationships with cognition and symptomatology. Scientific Reports. 2024;14:14154. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62820-7 (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38902275/)

After a month-long scrub-cation, The Double Scrub is back in the OR—this time dissecting an extremely important women's health topic of 2025: endometriosis.

In this episode, Dr. Scott Curtis and Dr. Radhika Sharma break down the landmark 2025 JAMA review article on endometriosis. They unpack the condition's profound impact—affecting 1 in 10 women worldwide—while exploring why diagnosis takes 7–10 years on average, and how myths and misinformation continue to delay care. From pain management strategies to fertility concerns, from surgical options to the power of multidisciplinary teams, this conversation sheds light on a condition that is too often left in the shadows.

They also highlight why awareness, advocacy, and patient-centered approaches are essential for improving outcomes and quality of life.

JAMA Article https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2833561#google_vignette

Takeaways

• Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women globally.

• The average delay in diagnosis is 7–10 years.

• Pain can be debilitating and life-altering.

• Endometriosis impacts relationships, mental health, and productivity.

• Multiple theories exist about pathogenesis, all critical to diagnosis.

• Pain management and surgery are cornerstones of treatment.

• Fertility issues are common and multifactorial.

• Dispelling myths improves awareness and access to care.

• Multidisciplinary approaches lead to the best outcomes.

💊 As always, you can support the show and your wellness by checking out our partners at Thorne for 20% off supplements trusted by healthcare professionals.

https://www.thorne.com/u/thedoublescrub

In this episode, Radhika Sharma sits down with Dr. Alexis Dunne (@dunnewithmenopause), a powerhouse in primary care and women's health, known for her raw and real take on menopause. Together, they unpack what's really going on in midlife care—from misinformation and medical gaslighting to the power of social media in reshaping the narrative.

Dr. Dunne shares how her personal journey led her to specialize in menopause care, the top myths she battles daily, and what every woman should know about hormone therapy, sexual health, and navigating weight and mental wellness during this stage of life.

Whether you're a patient, provider, or someone just trying to make sense of midlife changes, this conversation is full of real talk, evidence-based insight, and empowering takeaways.

💊 BONUS: Get 15% off your Thorne supplements with our affiliate link: 👉 https://www.thorne.com/u/thedoublescrub

Have a question or topic you want us to cover in a future episode? 📩 DM us or email—we love hearing from you.

• Menopause care is often delayed or dismissed due to lack of provider education

• Misinformation about hormone therapy leads to avoidable suffering

• Vaginal estrogen is safe, local, and underutilized

• Sexual health is part of total health and must be discussed openly

• Weight and metabolic shifts in menopause require a holistic approach

• Mental health changes in perimenopause deserve more attention

• Social media is helping women feel seen—and less alone

• Trust between patients and providers is the foundation of good care

In this episode, Dr. Radhika Sharma and Dr. Scott Curtis explore a topic that often gets overlooked in the hustle of daily life: celebrating your wins. From professional accomplishments to personal breakthroughs, they break down why it's not only okay—but necessary—to pause and acknowledge progress.

They discuss the mental and emotional roadblocks that keep us from owning our success, including time constraints, discomfort with self-praise, and the societal tendency to focus on what's next instead of what's been achieved. You'll hear about the subtle power of internal validation and how defining your own version of success is critical to sustainable growth and self-worth.

The episode introduces practical tools like the Win Jar—a simple but effective ritual to help you track and reflect on moments of achievement over time. Whether it's paying off debt, setting boundaries, or navigating tough conversations, the hosts share personal stories and strategies that inspire a more intentional approach to success.

This episode is a reminder that success doesn't need to be loud or public to be worth celebrating. Sometimes, a quiet acknowledgment is the most powerful kind.

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• Wins don't need to be massive—small steps forward matter.

• Celebrating helps reinforce confidence, momentum, and motivation.

• Defining success on your own terms leads to more authentic growth.

• Barriers to self-celebration include time scarcity, discomfort with reflection, and fear of judgment.

• Internal validation is key to building lasting self-esteem.

• Creating rituals—like a Win Jar—can help make celebration part of your routine.

• Supportive communities amplify our ability to reflect and grow.

• Communication in relationships plays a vital role in sharing and validating one another's wins.