Health policy researcher and advocate Dr. Jeral Self joins host Dr. Michael Jerkins to explore one of the most overlooked yet impactful forces in healthcare: policy. With over 17 years of experience, Dr. Self shares what most people, and even many doctors, misunderstand about Medicaid, and why that matters more than ever.

From school-based health initiatives and rural hospital struggles to the rapid rise of telehealth, this episode digs into the real-world effects of policy decisions and the importance of doctor involvement beyond the clinic. Dr. Self also opens up about how motherhood reshaped her perspective on care, and why advocacy can’t be something we only take on after burnout.

How do we make sense of a system as complex as Medicaid? Where can doctors make a difference without a policy degree? And how do we keep patients, especially the most vulnerable, at the center of all this? Whether you’re new to health policy or already active in advocacy, this episode is a thoughtful, personal, and practical look at how doctors can be agents of change in a system that desperately needs it.

Pediatric cardiologist and educator Dr. Josh Daily joins the show to unpack one of the most pivotal and pressure-filled decisions in medicine: choosing your specialty. From the subtle influence of faculty feedback to the emotional weight of tough rotations, Dr. Daily shares how emotional and cognitive biases often shape career paths more than we realize.

In a system that expects clarity before exposure, how can students make informed, fulfilling choices? And what happens when a choice made under pressure leads to burnout later on? Dr. Daily reflects on his own journey, the power of mentorship, and why matching your specialty to your values matters more than chasing prestige. This episode dives deep into the hidden forces behind specialty selection; from confirmation bias and emotional fatigue to the role of coaching, aptitude testing, and systemic reform. We also explore how AI and wearable tech may influence the future of care and whether they’ll help or hinder the next generation of physicians.

If you’ve ever questioned your path in medicine (or are guiding someone through theirs), this one’s for you. Tune in for practical insights, candid reflections, and a conversation that challenges the status quo of medical training.

What’s it really like to train in medicine today? Internal medicine-pediatrics physicians Michael Jerkins, MD, M.Ed and Ned Palmer, MD, MPH dive into the results of the Panacea Financial 2025 Annual Residents and Fellows Survey, which captured the voices of nearly 500 medical trainees across the country. The findings? Over half of respondents reported feeling extremely financially stressed—and the stories behind that number paint a deeper picture of the challenges facing today’s doctors-in-training.

From rising living costs and ballooning student debt to the emotional weight of working long hours while living paycheck to paycheck, Drs. Jerkins and Palmer explore the toll this financial pressure is taking on the future of medicine. They unpack why student loan stress jumped 26% in just one year, what it means when 1 in 3 trainees wouldn’t choose medicine again, and how instability is hitting certain specialties the hardest.

What can we learn from the doctors who are still in the thick of it? How does financial stress impact patient care and what could a better training system actually look like? With data, personal insights, and a dose of realism, this episode is a candid look at what’s working, what’s broken, and why meaningful reform matters now more than ever. Tune in to hear what today’s residents and fellows really want you to know.