White Coat Story

Dr. Alex Hajduczok is a second-year Cardiology Fellow at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. He is pursuing an academic career in Advanced Heart Failure/Transplant with a particular interest in remote monitoring, hemodynamics, and wearable devices. He is passionate about improving health care delivery using innovative strategies and optimizing systems of care, and fighting burnout in medicine. Outside of the hospital he enjoys working out with friends at Evolve Fitness PHL and following the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. He has used WHOOP to optimize training in CrossFit since 2017, and is a certified CrossFit Level-1 Trainer. In addition, he leads multiple clinical trials using the WHOOP device for various populations, including medical students, residents, and fellows, along with heart failure patients.

In this podcast, Dr. Hajduczok speaks about his passion for the medical field, his fascinating research into the effects of exercise on physician health, and advice for the next generation of doctors. 

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Today on the podcast we have Dr. Michelle Kittleson MD PhD. Dr. Kittleson is a Cardiologist, Director of Post Graduate Medical Education and Heart Failure and Transplantation, and a Professor of Medicine at Cedars – Sinai California Heart Center.

Dr. Kittleson attended both Harvard and Yale Medical Schools. She then completed her Residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

In this podcast, Dr. Kittleson talks about many of her past mentors and the benefits of having a mentor, the future of heart failure transplant cardiology, teamwork in medicine, and more.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Today on the podcast we have Dr. Margaret Stager MD FAAP. Dr. Stager is a Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Director of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics for the MetroHealth Medical System.

Dr. Stager received her MD from the State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. From there, she completed her residency in Pediatrics at the Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital in Ohio. Following that, she completed her fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at Boston Childrens Hospital.

In this podcast, Dr. Stager talks about her journey through the field of adolescent medicine, the relationship of revenue and preventative care/wellness, physician burnout, and more.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Today on the podcast we have Dr. Melinda Manolas MD, MPH! Dr. Manolas is a third year resident at Weill-Cornell Hospital in New York who, upon completing her residency seeks a fellowship in endocrinology. Additionally, Dr. Manolas is a storyteller and digital educator with followings on twitter, Instagram, tiktok, and more.

Dr. Manolas received her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 2015. From there she went onto receive her MD from Tulane University of Medicine in 2020.

In this podcast, Dr. Manolas talks about the desigmitization of Physician Mental health, her path to becoming a resident, her thoughts on the future of medicine, and cultural humility.

Today on our podcast we have Dr. Geoffrey Maracek! Dr. Maracek is an orthopedic trauma surgeon who treats fractures in the upper and lower extremities, pelvis, and acetabulum at Cedars-Sini in Los Angeles, CA.

Dr. Maracek completed his Bachelor’s Degree, MD, and Residency at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. He then completed his fellowship at Harborview Medical Center. From there, he completed his education with the AO Jack McDaniel Memorial Fellowship in Switzerland.

In this podcast, Dr. Maracek walks us through an average day for him as a doctor, the procedure for treating a broken femur or tibia, what he feels is the biggest problem in medicine today, and some of what it took for him to get to where he is today.

Dr. Gottfried is a Professor in Orthopedic Surgery, Professor in Neurosurgery, and Vice Chair for Clinical and Quality Outcomes at Duke University School of Medicine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Dr. Gottfried received his M.D. in 2001 from the University of Arizona. From there, he went on to do his Residency in Neurosurgery and Fellowship in Spine Surgery at the University of Utah. Before becoming a professor at Duke, Dr. Gottfried was an Instructor of Spine and Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University.

In this podcast, you will hear Dr. Gottfried talk about some of his daily work as a Neurosurgeon, his role as a medical consultant for many television shows, the future of medicine for both the physician and the patient, and what it takes to make it in his field.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Dr. Galgano is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Director of Spinal Oncology and Reconstructive Spinal Deformity Surgery, as well as Director of the Medical School Neurosurgery Clerkship Program at Suny Upstate University in Syracuse, NY. He specializes in Neurosurgery with a sub-specialty in spine surgery.

Dr. Galgano attended St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies. From there he went on to complete his Residency in Neurological Surgery at SUNY Upstate Medical University, where he works now.

In this podcast, Dr. Galgano talks about his unique experiences and how he ties them into his work every day, his average day as a physician and as an educator, his personal life, work-life balance, and what he feels is wrong with the medical industry today.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Today on the podcast, we have Dr. Joseph Coselli. Dr. Coselli is a cardiothoracic surgeon; Program Director for the Aortic Surgery Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, Cullen Foundation Endowed Chair at Baylor, and Professor and Executive Vice Chair of the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Surgery.

Dr. Coselli received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Notre Dame. From there he went on to University of Texas Medical School at Galveston to receive his MD. Following that, Dr. Coselli completed his General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery residencies at Baylor College of Medicine affiliate hospitals located in Huston, Texas.

In this podcast, Dr. Coselli talks about the great mentors in his life which influenced his decision to choose his field, the importance of decompression, the significance of academics in pursuing a medical career, and what it’s like to spend a day in his shoes.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Dr. Jamie Coleman is an acute care surgeon, Associate Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chair in the Department of Surgery at the University of Louisville. As an acute care surgeon, she specializes in trauma, emergency general surgery and surgical critical care.

She completed her general surgery residency in Chicago at Cook County Hospital and Rush University and her trauma and surgical critical care fellowship in Atlanta at Grady Memorial Hospital with Emory University. Her current clinical research is focused on the physiologic impact of sleep deprivation, stress, and burnout amongst surgeons.  She is the PI for the SuPer Trial (Surgeon Performance Trial), the largest study of continuous physiologic monitoring of acute care surgeons.  Her groundbreaking work in sleep deprivation and stress in physicians has led to an entire new field of research.

She is also a medical media expert, public speaker, avid writer and blogger.  She, and her work, have been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, Glamour magazine, and US News and World Report.

In this podcast Dr. Coleman talks about her journey of becoming a surgeon, the importance of decompression and some methods that she herself uses, the influences of her family and background on her current path, waste within the medical industry, and advice to children hoping to join the medical field.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.

Dr. David Cohen is the Director of Clinical and Outcomes Research at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation in New York, NY. He is also a Professor of Medicine at Columbia University School of Medicine. In addition, he is a practicing interventional and structural cardiologist at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NY as well as their Director of Academic Affairs.

Dr. Cohen completed his MD at Harvard Medical School along with a Masters degree in Health Policy at the Harvard School of Public Health. From there, he completed his training in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Following that, he did his cardiology and interventional cardiology training at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

In this podcast, Dr. Cohen talks about what it’s like to be an interventional and structural cardiologist in addition to being a Director of Academic Affairs and Professor, his unique hobby that helps him relax, and his reasons for getting into cardiology. Dr. Cohen also describes in simple words what occurs during a minimally invasive heart catheterization and a coronary angioplasty procedure.

White Coat Story is a podcast series for school students to gain first-person insights into the practice of medicine, and what it takes to get there.