Psychotherapist and patient advocate Sara Rands discusses her article "Early-onset breast cancer: a survivor's story [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/early-onset-breast-cancer-a-survivors-story.html]." Sara shares her harrowing journey of finding a lump at age 32 despite having no family history and receiving a stage 3C diagnosis. She highlights the terrifying reality that mammograms often miss tumors in dense tissue and challenges the medical community to address why young women are frequently dismissed or misdiagnosed. The conversation addresses the rising incidence of early-onset disease, racial disparities in mortality rates, and the desperate need for research focused on younger populations. We must demand better screening tools to ensure mothers get the chance to see their children grow up.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Early detection fails when screening guidelines ignore young women

CEO, president, and founder of the Clinician Burnout Foundation Jodie Green and physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey discuss their article "Why wellness programs fail health care [https://kevinmd.com/2025/10/why-wellness-programs-fail-health-care.html]." Jodie and Kim explain why traditional wellness initiatives often add to the burden rather than relieving it for exhausted medical professionals. They introduce the concept of the quicksand effect where meaningful help becomes impossible to grasp amidst systemic failure and advocate for immediate practical support like transportation and child care. The conversation covers alarming statistics regarding physician suicide and nurse safety in the U.S. while addressing the critical difference between burnout and moral injury. Real change happens when we lift the burden from those who care for us to restore their capacity and hope.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd], your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Tangible support saves health care workers from systemic collapse

Orthopedic surgeon Yoshihiro Katsuura, medical student Mark Polemidiotis, and premedical student Cyrus Nasr discuss their article, "Why young people need to care about bone health now [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/why-young-people-need-to-care-about-bone-health-now.html]." Yoshihiro, Mark, and Cyrus explain that osteoporosis is not just an old person's disease but a result of peak bone mass missed during youth. They use the powerful metaphor of a "retirement account" to describe skeletal metabolism, where deposits must be made before age twenty to prevent a "moth-eaten" structure later in life. The discussion highlights the shocking mortality rates of insufficiency fractures and reveals why modern anabolic medications are revolutionizing treatment beyond the old "freezing" methods of bisphosphonates. Learn how to invest in your skeleton now to avoid paying the high price of frailty later.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Treating your bone density like a retirement account

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article, "Reclaiming physician agency in a broken system [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/reclaiming-physician-agency-in-a-broken-system.html]." She shares her personal story of leaving a prestigious academic position after realizing that "being a good doctor" was impossible within the constraints of corporate health care. Christie explains how for-profit entities now control seventy-eight percent of hospices, leading to worse patient care and deep moral injury for clinicians. The discussion explores the four paths physicians can take to reclaim agency: working within the system with boundaries, building alternatives like direct primary care, organizing through unions, or planning a strategic exit. Christie emphasizes that while the system is broken, physicians still have the power to make conscious choices about how they engage with it. Learn how to move from passive demoralization to active, values-driven leadership in your medical career.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

How doctors can reclaim control in a corporate system

Psychiatrist Farid Sabet-Sharghi discusses his article, "The psychological trauma of polarization [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/the-psychological-trauma-of-polarization.html]." Farid explains how the human psyche is evolutionarily wired for connection, making the current climate of hostility and division deeply traumatic. He connects the panic and anxiety seen in his clinic to the reactivation of childhood wounds, where global discord mimics the volatility of a troubled family system. The discussion highlights the visceral impact of the 24-hour news cycle and offers clinical strategies for reclaiming agency through setting boundaries. Learn why unity is not just a social ideal but a fundamental psychological necessity for mental health.

How political polarization causes real psychological trauma

Interventional physiatrist Francisco M. Torres discusses his article, "A doctor's own prostate cancer recovery [https://kevinmd.com/2025/11/a-doctors-own-prostate-cancer-recovery.html]." He shares his vulnerable story of undergoing a robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and the unexpected shame and "erosion of dignity" caused by severe urinary incontinence. Francisco explains how his medical assumption that anatomical knowledge would ensure a fast recovery was wrong, and how pelvic floor physical therapy with biofeedback finally restored his function. The conversation advocates for a systemic shift toward "prehabilitation," arguing that men should start pelvic floor training weeks before surgery rather than being sent home with a pamphlet and diapers.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

A doctor's humbling journey through prostate cancer recovery

Vascular surgeon Xzabia Caliste discusses her article, "The silent disease causing 400 amputations daily [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/the-silent-disease-causing-400-amputations-daily.html]." She shares the heartbreaking personal story of witnessing both her aunt and uncle lose their limbs to peripheral artery disease (PAD), a preventable condition that causes over 400 amputations every day in the U.S. Xzabia explains how PAD restricts blood flow and why symptoms like leg pain or non-healing wounds are often dangerously dismissed as simple aging. The discussion addresses the critical "confidence gap" in primary care, where eighty percent of providers feel unprepared to diagnose vascular disease, and highlights the urgent need for early screening for those with risk factors like diabetes and smoking. Learn how to recognize the subtle warning signs of vascular disease and advocate for the specialized care that can save your mobility and independence.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Saving limbs from the silent threat of peripheral artery disease

Pediatric endocrinologist Shara Bialo discusses her article, "Why type 1 diabetes screening should be part of back-to-school [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/why-type-1-diabetes-screening-should-be-part-of-back-to-school.html]." She highlights that back-to-school visits are a critical window to screen for type 1 diabetes (T1D), a disease where sixty-two percent of new cases currently result in life-threatening hospitalizations. Shara shares her personal perspective as both a doctor and a mother with T1D, addressing the guilt and stigma that often stops parents from screening for autoantibodies. The discussion emphasizes that ninety percent of diagnoses happen with no family history, making universal awareness and early detection vital to preventing complications like diabetic ketoacidosis. Learn how a simple conversation during a routine checkup can change the trajectory of a child's health.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Catching type 1 diabetes before it becomes life-threatening

Double board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Erica Bove discusses her article, "Why do high-quality IVF embryos fail [https://kevinmd.com/2025/09/why-do-high-quality-ivf-embryos-fail.html]." Erica explores the heartbreaking reality of recurrent implantation failure, challenging the assumption that it is a rare phenomenon. She analyzes the physical factors often missed in standard studies, such as chronic endometritis, silent endometriosis, and adenomyosis, while explaining why the endometrial receptivity analysis is losing favor in the field. The conversation also highlights a critical, often overlooked variable: the role of stress and mental health in fertility outcomes. Erica advocates for a holistic approach that combines rigorous medical guidelines with emotional support to help patients navigate the complex journey of IVF. Learn what to do when the science says it should work but the result is still negative.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Why high-quality embryos sometimes fail to implant

Physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey and counselor Shari Morin-Degel discuss their article, "Why burnout prevention starts with leadership [https://kevinmd.com/2025/10/why-burnout-prevention-starts-with-leadership.html]." Shari shares her personal journey from a trauma-exposed mental health professional to a burned-out leader who initially expected her team to just "push through." The conversation highlights how she reached a breaking point and realized that true recovery requires more than just individual resilience, it requires systemic support. Kim and Shari explore the data behind the "My Work BALANCE" initiative, revealing that employee engagement with wellness tools soars only when leaders actively model participation and provide paid time for it. They discuss critical research on behavior change and argue that tools alone are useless without a culture of visible norms and psychological safety. Learn how to shift from a culture of survival to one where teams can actually thrive.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot [https://aka.ms/kevinmd].

Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust.

Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Leadership buy-in is the key to preventing burnout

Social media's leading physician voice, Kevin Pho, MD, shares the stories of the
many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. 15
minutes a day. 7 days a week. Welcome to The Podcast by KevinMD.

Kevin Pho

Shows