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New Docs on the Block!
72 Plays21 days ago
In our final episode of the season, our new resident physicians Dr Isabella Ntigbu MD, Dr Aldwin Soumare DO, Dr Samiza Palmer MD discuss Juneteenth, mental health, interpersonal wealth, and keep an eye on DEI as well as giving their hopes for residency as well as their opinions on the current state of medical education.
Click this link to access the SNMA DEI Survey!
To share your thoughts on our discussions or if you have any questions to ask our hosts, email podcast@snma.org for a chance to be featured on the show!
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed on our podcast do not reflect the official stance of the Student National Medical Association.
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Transcript
Introduction and Survey Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
The views expressed on this podcast represent only those of the hosts and do not represent the views of the Student National Medical Association.
00:00:09
Speaker
We want to hear your experiences and perspectives on how recent anti-DEI legislation and today's sociopolitical climate affects your medical journey. We're inviting everyone to participate, pre-med students, medical students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians.
00:00:24
Speaker
Please complete this survey by June 30th, 2025 at 1159 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Click the link in the description box below if you're interested in participating in this survey.
00:00:37
Speaker
All right, now let's start the show. Eee!
Podcast Introduction and Focus
00:01:03
Speaker
Welcome to SMA Presents The Lounge. Whether you're in the student lounge, doctor's lounge, or lounging around at home, get ready to join SMA for meaningful conversations on topics affecting minorities in medicine and groups that often sit at the margins of healthcare.
00:01:17
Speaker
I'm newly minted Dr. Palmer. We love it!
Juneteenth Celebrations and Significance
00:01:27
Speaker
Yeah, let's take a little one for the back, for the people the
00:01:34
Speaker
We have reached the month of June, aka Juneteenth season. I'm curious to know, guys, how did you guys celebrate Juneteenth this year? um i can start. My Juneteenth was a little bit more calm. um I was actually being a caretaker.
00:01:49
Speaker
Somebody had like a day surgery. So my mom had a day surgery. so i had to take care of but She was okay. All went well. So you see, still Black excellence. We love it. Period. Shout out to Mom Dukes. Hope she's you know recovering well.
00:02:04
Speaker
And see I know you're a fantastic daughter. So take care of her. Of course, of course, of course, of course. What do you say? She said, of course.
00:02:17
Speaker
Yeah, but um yeah my Juneteenth was dope, man. Shout out to the Mets students at Meharry. They invited me to Little Shindig. Who are you? there Someone could be listening to this up episode for the first and they don't even know who's here. you know how long I've been on this pod? They better know who I is. I don't need to announce myself. I even, to you know, pop my collar. But this is... You said, you said I'm done. I'm done. You're right, though. Izzy put me straight, though. But it's Dr. Samari, a.k.a. White Coat Poppy, a.k.a. that guy you know, Fly Doctor, a.k.a. that guy.
00:02:51
Speaker
You dick? But anyway... i Yeah, you know Juneteenth was lit, though. You know, I spent time, and shout out to med students, inviting me, connecting to them. It was my first time um chilling with them since last summer. was crazy. When I first came to Nashville, there was a med student, Shindig, and then now it's toward the end of my tenure in Nashville, so being able to reconnect with them was really dope. And then ah they have this Juneteenth celebration at a park in Nashville called Fort Negley. They did it last year. I went And this year I went too. So it was like live performances, food, trucks.
00:03:23
Speaker
It was a whole situation. was a whole vibe, you know? So, of course, we got to celebrate. That's fine. But how about you, Izzy? Like, how you celebrated? Uh-huh. Rhode Island.
00:03:34
Speaker
Keep coming for me. Keep coming for me. Don't worry. I got you. I got you when I see you next AVEC or sooner. It goes down in Providence. I don't know what you're talking about. goes down in Providence. Well, as you guys hopefully know this voice by now, this is Doctor. Okay. So I know we have to to upgrade. Me and Samisa, we have to upgrade, upgrade. me upgrade you.
00:04:00
Speaker
Oh, we love it. it's It's really nice. It's really nice to say that title after so much years of, you know, turmoil and distress, but we've we've made it. We've made it on the other side. um Yeah. So how I celebrated Juneteenth this year, i actually got to do a little something. There was um a Juneteenth pool party happening in Boston.
00:04:17
Speaker
So I drove down to Boston and my best friend also had come from Philly. She's like starting her residency um and at Temple soon. So we just kind of like said, oh, let's just do something, you know, nice and fun before kind of really diving into like the real residency stuff. So it was like a nice little pool party. felt kind of like a kickback ish because it was like maybe about 30, 40 people there. But I got to meet some new people in the area. You know, there was cookout food like.
00:04:39
Speaker
drinks like it was it was a nice little vibe so i enjoyed it it wasn't really too much going on like that day in particular outside of that but i really enjoyed just kind of getting to know some new people honestly and what's gonna be my home for the next four ish years um yeah well let's say four years it's not four ish it's just four yeah um so yeah that's how i spent it that's how i spent it yeah but y'all you know we have to kick this off with our main maine main main uh reason for being here today, which is run the list.
Diddy Trial Overview and Implications
00:05:10
Speaker
So for our preclinical students, running the patient list on the wards allows the team to address pressing matters of the day. In this segment of the show, we'll be discussing some recent events in medicine and beyond affecting our communities and the populations we serve.
00:05:23
Speaker
So of course we cannot ignore the elephant in the room. Diddy diddler diddy is still on trial buthoo for what we know to be heinous,
00:05:36
Speaker
sexual deviant crimes of many, many forms, biggest one being Cassie. But of course it actually doesn't end at Cassie from what I've come to know while listening to all of the updates that's been happening in the trial so far.
00:05:48
Speaker
Um, kind of just big picture things. There has been a lot of testimonies given so far. Um, I know a lot of my information I was getting about, the update to the trial was from ah the breakfast, one of the breakfast club co-hosts, Lauren LaRosa. She has her own podcast called um the latest with Lauren LaRosa. And she kind of literally has been going to the courtroom every day and sitting there and listening to people give their testimonies and kind of giving those updates. But I'll just say big picture things. I mean, there's been testimonies of course, given by Cassie herself, someone who's going by a pseudon pseudonym of
00:06:20
Speaker
Jane so not really actually giving out her identity um but she's been talking about just you know different things relating to the ah hit the charges such as sex trafficking racketeering Diddy's personal assistant from 2009 to 2017 who goes by Mia Scott Mascuti also known as Kid Cudi Diddy's own personal assistant from 2004 to 2018, Capricorn Clark, former Intercontinental Hotel security officers, Eddie Garcia and Israel Flores. If you guys remember that videotape that surfaced with Cassie literally getting, you know, dragged and beat on the ground. um I'm pretty sure he's talking about these security officers.
00:06:57
Speaker
Don Richard, who was ah a former member of Danity Kane and Carrie Morgan, former friend of Cassie and also two male escorts by the name of Daniel Phillip and Sheree Hayes.
00:07:08
Speaker
So those are kind of some of the people so far who have given their personal testimonies to the trial. If, you know, if, so to those who are listening if you want to actually get more in-depth updates i would suggest or i recommend listening to the latest with lauren la rosa she goes very much in depth unfortunately this is not what this podcast is for we will not be going into all of the details of the trial but i will say that it just continues to get messy and messy and it's just always a new thing going on each day in the courtroom um so basically i would say from what for how they're kind of summarizing everything.
00:07:41
Speaker
Right now, Diddy is potentially facing ah minimum of 15 years to life in prison based on if he is found guilty of these charges, which includes the racketeering conspiracy and the sex trafficking charges.
00:07:53
Speaker
um I don't know. It's been a lot. And I'm just curious to know from you guys' perspective, like where do you think... this trial is actually going to lead to, are is he going to be found guilty of the charges?
00:08:04
Speaker
Is there going to, is he going to go scot-free? Do you feel like, you know, something might happen that no one expects? like I just, I'm curious to know what you guys think is actually gonna come at the end of all this stuff. He going to do like three to five years, honestly, in my opinion.
00:08:19
Speaker
They said today that the defense on the defense, um, that they're not bringing any, uh, persons up for it to, uh, for a testimonial. So did he include it He's not going to be questioned or put, um, up on the stand. So I found that really interesting.
00:08:36
Speaker
um I think, like you said, it's been like an incredible timeline of things, events. Jane Doe, a.k.a. 50 Cent's baby mama. You know, we've found several different individuals, you know, and um through this process and they've told their story.
00:08:51
Speaker
You know, I don't want to I want to be careful with my my statements here. You know me. ah yeah Diddy, in my opinion, certainly is a heinous individual. The way they treated Cassie and several other female and male members, and they could have probably gotten more male members um from, you know, Danity Kane, some other band members, and also Day 26, which I'm surprised they didn't bring any of those individuals.
00:09:18
Speaker
Shine, who he lied on and had him spend 10, 15 years, you know I mean? And Shine came out smiling. But anyway, regardless, um... It's time for people to understand that just because you have all the money in the world does not mean that you are obsolete from being persecuted and put in a position where you can spend prison and be punished.
00:09:41
Speaker
And I think that this is a lesson, right? Don't be thinking you can move anyhow. Don't be thinking you can mistreat people and then get out scot-free. Because for most of Diddy's life, he's been able to do that. He's been able to put the battery in other people's back and get people in trouble or get others, you know, and, you know, there's a conspiracy about Kim Porter losing her life. So there's many different aspects of this, you know what I'm saying? and even his own kids, you know, are still there supporting him. And it's like, bro, you you hearing what these people have gone through, you know what saying? Like...
00:10:10
Speaker
Right. You know, it just, but anyway, regardless, like, um he easy he's going spend some time, don't think he's going to life, certainly not 15 years at all. And then he, on the back end, probably going pay little some bread, restitution and things that nature, so that a lot more people, you know, feel calmer and cool about it.
00:10:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think I agree with you, Alden. like Usually what happens in these cases, because he's such a high profile like um you know person going through this case, but he did do something and it's just overwhelming amounts of evidence. like There has to be some show of like the justice system works. Yeah.
00:10:50
Speaker
Right? So there has to be a sentence. So I think very well he might get that minimum, but like you're saying, make it out early with good behavior things of that nature. um I think in terms of... I have not been keeping up with the case fully because it just... Once I heard about Kid Cudi in the the car and all that, my brain went out. There was a lot going on. It's too much going on, man. Yeah, I was like, yeah, this I can't.
00:11:17
Speaker
But... um Yeah, I think once they really – once the defense heard all the things that are coming against him, I think it's not surprising to me that they didn't call anybody up, and especially not Diddy himself.
00:11:33
Speaker
Because I feel like – you watch like any SVU, they're like, oh the defendant's going to get killed in cross-examination. And I feel like they would tear him to shreds if he tried to get on the – Yeah.
Misogynoir in Sports and Media's Role
00:11:45
Speaker
and but in terms of like what i think like larger implications um like for the music industry and everything as a whole i mean i hope it shows that you know there isn't really a place for that and that there will be less tolerance of it yeah But I feel like there definitely is less tolerance of it like in general. But yeah, I don't know.
00:12:12
Speaker
i don't know. I hope it brings change. But I feel like there's still like a lot of work to do internally in terms of really like switching up. the music industry as a whole and protecting people who, even if they have humble beginnings, they now have amassed a lot of like power, wealth, all of that. And now kind of can be aggressors in that field too. So don't know.
00:12:37
Speaker
We'll see. Right. Cause nobody thought Bill Cosby was really going to go to jail and he like did something too. And OJ went to jail eventually. so like, you know,
00:12:49
Speaker
i yeah agree I mean, speaking of, you know, accountability and keeping people on task and everything, I think, you know, one of the things in the in the news that I saw was about Coco Gauff and art Arena Sebelenka.
00:13:06
Speaker
um So recently there was a major tennis match, the U.S. Open, French Open, I'm sorry. Yeah, of which the French Open, I believe it was. It was a French Open.
00:13:17
Speaker
I think it was a French Open because I remember the clay. I'm pretty sure it's French. But it was a French Open and Coco Gauff won. Shout to my girl. Very um amazing win. I think it was the first time like an American had won in a like a very long time.
00:13:31
Speaker
And her win got overshadowed because her opponent... wouldn't just accept the fact that she won. the show You know, from the post ah game press conference, she was quoted as saying, this is Aria Arena Sabalenka. She was quoted as saying, she won the match, not because she played incredible, just because I made all those mistakes from, if you look from the outside, from easy balls. And she even claimed that another ah cop competitor was,
00:14:01
Speaker
who was beaten in the semifinals, so didn't even make it to that, you know, last match would have defeated Coco had she got to that final. um And I think, you know, when we were discussing this, it just, to me, I think the first thing that came up was when I was growing up and the whole debacle between like Maria Sharapova and, um and Serena Williams and Venus Williams and all that. And I think to me, ah it brought up the charges of misogynoir, right? And how that tends to come about in these sports that are dominated by people of, you know, of the majority race. And then you have these black competitors that come in and they tend and they can dominate.
00:14:42
Speaker
And then there's a, almost like a, non-acceptance of their clear hard work and determination in the field. um So I guess, I mean, for you guys, do you think there's anything that we can do as viewers to sort of change the misogynoir that we see in professional sports? Because, I mean, tennis is one example, right? That's very much so branded as like,
00:15:04
Speaker
in the in the general population, like a very ah like rich slash leisurely sport, but especially when you get to professional sports, it's definitely dominated by white players. But things like basketball, all of that, you still see that misogynoir play itself over and over again. Like, what do you guys think that we can do to change that?
00:15:24
Speaker
I think, you know, it's unfortunately massard mis misogyny or, you know, misogynoir, however you choose to say it, I think it's just something that's very much ingrained in our society that it's kind of hard to really figure out like what are the next steps to kind of help, you know, turn that around. I think it would just take just reminders from your who's are whoever's around you, the people that hear you have these conversations, people hear you kind of give your thought processes on certain things like how are they holding you accountable or kind of making sure that you understand how these things could appear or how it could look like when you have a certain mindset as to how you're interpreting something and I think in this case uh Ariana or how yeah Ariana or i will say Sablenka because she goes that's her last name Sablenka I think she
00:16:19
Speaker
is, uh, somebody who also, right, is from, i don't know what country she's from, but I know she's not American. And so she, I think it's somewhere in Europe and I don't necessarily know what the culture is like that or is over there, like kind of how they, um, how women are seen or how people are instructed to kind of Talk about these kinds of things, especially when it comes to a black woman, right, and how they even view black women from where she's from. And I just wonder, like, does that then put some like underlying kind of um bias in her head that could affect how she wants to talk about a fellow competitor? And I just think it's kind of crazy that she said that.
00:16:59
Speaker
when that's not the first time that Coco beat her. So I'm just kind of looking like, so every time the because the wind blew so rough, that means that that's the reason why, you know, you couldn't win because Coco wasn't a fighting against the same wind as you.
00:17:12
Speaker
Y'all was both fighting against the same kind of wind. So it's just kind of like, it didn't really make any sense to me when she said that. But I think once again, i just wonder if these things have to do with just where,
00:17:25
Speaker
there's cultural or kind of societal um things that people are constantly told that then seep into the way that they interpret things or the way that they talk about certain people. So I just think it's just something that you have to just get constant reminders and you have to just kind of be in a space or a setting where the people around you will hold you accountable, even when the place that you live or the place that may potentially be telling you, this is how you should think may not necessarily hold, not may not necessarily kind of air on that side of fairness and, you know, equity and all of that. So, yeah, I think that's kind of my thoughts on, on that situation.
00:17:58
Speaker
We totally got to start. And I definitely agree as the, um, changing the perspective and perception of black women in sports, um, We think about, for instance, Shikari, when she was running and she you know had the marijuana positive test.
00:18:15
Speaker
But meanwhile, in the in the Olympics, several years after that, there was a man who ah raped a young woman years prior and was still able to ah complete his volleyball you know career, professional career within the Olympics.
00:18:31
Speaker
We have the case of Simone Biles when she was going through the twisties. And they were saying she wasn't patriotic. Meanwhile, she was going through a mental health crisis and her body was breaking down due to the mental health crisis. ah You know, Naomi Osaka was criticized as well for taking a break after pregnancy because she needed time and break away from tennis.
00:18:52
Speaker
So these are unfortunately things that will continue, I believe, to be perpetuated in our society. Black women aren't valued or to held to a high standard, unfortunately, ah by our society, but yeah they're held to high standard by me.
00:19:09
Speaker
And I think that black men need to take the initiative to continue to encourage and empower a black women. We need to start early on in our children, in kindergarten, educating them about ah black women athletes, their plights, misogyny, um how that affects our society as a whole.
00:19:28
Speaker
how there's been considerable contributions from many women. And we can go down from Flojo. We can go to, you know, I mean, there's so many names I can just go through, you know, um at this point in time.
00:19:41
Speaker
And so we are able to acknowledge that and maybe we can change the dynamic and the discussions and conversations we have about that. And then can thus hopefully get into those spaces of media because, you know, media controls the narrative. You know, it's not just about our conversations, but if we're able to actualize that in these circles on television, on radio, and ah create a positive optimistic mindset about how black women should be portrayed in sports, then those things can happen.
00:20:09
Speaker
But oftentimes we don't do that. And even people that have the power to do that, we can name several names in media, you know, they don't do that. You know, they always denigrate black women and they're black women themselves or black men themselves.
00:20:21
Speaker
So your voice is a very powerful tool. whether you're an an individual or you know whether you you're part of a mass marketing team. And so we need to acknowledge that.
00:20:33
Speaker
For sure. i agree. um Yeah. And just calling things out like this, like calling out Maria Sherevova and her ah memoir and talking about Serena's thick arms and thick legs that she intimidated and intimidated and this. And I think yeah the more we do it, the more like we can really like make a difference. So I agree with y'all for sure.
00:20:56
Speaker
She just wanted to be like Serena. Yeah. I know. It's just a silent animosity, the same way that DDG had a silent animosity for Holly Bailey and is the reason why he decided to embarrass her on all social media platforms because of that.
00:21:15
Speaker
So, you know, I tried to... not engage in the media madness surrounding Holly and DDG just because I think that it to me was just an example of a young girl who was duped or very impressed by a flashy guy who has money, who's maybe just like,
00:21:40
Speaker
living a certain lifestyle.
Drama Between DDG and Halle Bailey
00:21:42
Speaker
And I think that like a lot of people in the media were kind of confused why Holly decided to be with somebody like DDG and not even just be with him, but then eventually be the mother of his child.
00:21:52
Speaker
Whether that was intentional or not, I am not in their relationship, but I will say that people had questions. I chose to ignore them because i was I like DDG's music. You know, he seems like he has a certain audience that I don't necessarily really care for because I don't listen to his Twitch or any of that stuff. I just listen to his music.
00:22:09
Speaker
So i don't really have a big opinion on him, but I thought Holly was a very, you know, a successful young woman who was doing well as an actress and as a singer and, you know, doing stuff with her sister. So that was kind of my impression. I tried not to get into that stuff until it started getting real messy. It started getting, it started getting crazy. So recently there were texts that were leaked by DDG that were between him and Holly.
00:22:32
Speaker
And basically i guess the most, on messy way to summarize them were just texts of her pretty much having very vulnerable.
00:22:45
Speaker
And I don't want to use the word crash out, but I would say like suicidal, you know, ah adjacent, if not suicidal. Yeah. Text messages, period.
00:22:57
Speaker
um With between her and DDG. um Honestly, Aldrin, I think as our psychiatrist on this call, you are very equipped with to speak about ah the the implications here, right? Regarding what was in those texts. I'm not gonna necessarily, we're not gonna read the text messages. This is not what we would, we don't use this platform to kind of state those kinds of explicit things. I think if you wanna see the text messages, just Google the story and you should see those screenshots or those pictures pop up.
00:23:25
Speaker
But I will say that I think those text messages did bring up topics of postpartum depression, um given that they were happening pretty relatively early into when she had Halo. when she had halo And um I think he decided to leak them post them, ah him trying to, I think, give him a restraining order, or i don't know if it was Holly who gave restraining order to him.
00:23:49
Speaker
A restraining order was brought on and, ah basically, I think she was also supposed to travel with Halo. And because of that, um he was trying to stop her from traveling with Halo and then kind of use this as like a way as evidence as, oh, she's not mentally fit to care for the sun and then decided to leak these messages.
00:24:04
Speaker
um People had mixed, ah you know, people had mixed emotions. I'm i sure a lot of DDG supporters said, oh, this is why Hallie's crazy. This is why, you know, he's been in this situation and he's the one that's the victim here. But then a lot of women were saying like, this is just very lame. You're putting a woman who was too clearly very depressed on display like this showing her text messages and you know holly did respond saying like you know this was when she was depressed she has a therapist she is currently working through her mental health challenges that she's continued to have so this is not really the flex he thinks it is you know alden i do want to ask you specifically like what is your interpretation of just like all of this like kind of how would you
00:24:43
Speaker
um how how would you kind of describe i will actually say just to kind of make it easier in terms of just the text messages with holly what is your interpretation of what that was do you think that was proposed from depression do you think that was just maybe just like a depressed individual period like kind of what's your take on i mean honestly it's hard to ascertain that just through text because yeah there is the way you text and converse through that texting and the energy and emotions that are displayed through texting and then also how you convey that in real life.
00:25:14
Speaker
And those can be conruent congruent, but sometimes they they may not. But I will say this, you know, 10 to 20% of women suffer from postpartum depression and it is a real thing.
00:25:25
Speaker
And it's very important. Health literacy is such an important thing that we don't have or acknowledge in our communities. um Again, going back, you know, we as black men cannot devalue or antagonize women that are especially in the peripartum and postpartum period.
00:25:43
Speaker
um Many women suffer from mortality in that period. There are, you know, significant changes in their hormonal ah chemistries, significant changes in their physiology.
00:25:55
Speaker
And so when we get to it, you know, I think that Hallie was, you know, just trying to scream out in a way that she felt was suited for her. But also felt um that it was unfortunate that social media was used as a tool to embarrass her, to expose her in a negative way.
00:26:11
Speaker
And we're seeing this more and more often. are We're seeing it with Cardi B and Offset. We're seeing it with ah Tiana Taylor. It should not, you know, the the the issues that you're, you know, dealing with, with your significant other should be privatized. It shouldn't be a public matter.
00:26:27
Speaker
Right. Because then it big allows public, you know, discussions into into the forum. And then that can cause other negative um issues. These are things that we you realize that's why it's important to have a therapist.
00:26:40
Speaker
That's why it's important for you to have outlets and channels in which you can um help navigate these situations and have communication. In our communities, ah we don't learn how to communicate with each other.
00:26:52
Speaker
We don't learn how to understand see other each other's perspective. Instead, we just go straight to social media. Like we're in an era where it's like that dopamine. Oh yeah, I'm ready, man. Let me just hop on social media and just say what I need to say.
00:27:05
Speaker
But that dopamine hit may, you know, cost you a relationship. It may cost you your son. It may cost you your sanity. It may lead to your downfall. So you got to be very careful what you put out there. And so with that being said, um ladies and gentlemen, let this be a lesson. You know, when you're in a relationship, I think the most beautiful thing is when people can bow out gracefully If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. And that's okay. Not everyone's meant to be with the first, last, third person that they've been with. You know what saying?
00:27:34
Speaker
But the fact the matter is that you have to have a sense of maturity and understanding and that what you put out today can affect you forever, including your child and your significant other.
00:27:46
Speaker
And I just think this is just something that I just thought about. Like, who knows if, like, at the end of the day, this might go in the same realm or trajectory that, like, revenge, you know, what goes into and whether or not there's, like, legal implications for that depending on, like, what state you're in. So, I mean, I think in general, like...
00:28:06
Speaker
It's just important. They talk to us about this all the time, right? Like being careful with social media, like, you know, making sure that you're, you know, having your relationships and having your like conversations, but knowing that it can always...
00:28:22
Speaker
be out there, but on the same front, like if you expose that information, there could be implications and repercussions for you. So, I mean, I don't know if that's going to happen because that gets into like, I don't know, free speech, probably bunch of legalese that I don't know.
00:28:36
Speaker
But I think- We're doctors, guys. We're not lawyers. We have malpractice lawyers. Thank you very much. But I think it could be an interesting concept for both parties to know that, hey, like this could, you know, who would have thought that, you know, i don't know, 20 years ago that, you know, there would be legal implications for posting, you know, revenge or whatever, right? Like that is, like who knows if that could be the case with something that you're exposing about somebody's mental health, right? Because mental health you know it as like that's a HIPAA violation. You're talking about what somebody's going through. But
00:29:12
Speaker
Maybe the public will have that burden and then people will know. like You can't just expose people. like you could that could That could be a problem for you. um But yeah, I don't know. It's it's very crazy. Like you said, Isabella, definitely side-eyed the DDG plus Holly thing. And then Kayla was cute. And then now DDG is being not cute.
00:29:34
Speaker
But it it just is what it is. and It wasn't meant. Yeah. It ain't look great. Yeah. No. Ladies, pick your guy appropriately, man. If you need help, I'm here. I got you.
00:29:47
Speaker
Okay. so So we turn this into like is this a... day Is this a dating show? Is this Love Island? Love is blind? If you don't remove it, continue.
00:29:57
Speaker
yeah Thank you. Speaking of you know just health scares and all the things that can happen when you're not you know necessarily feeling your best, we have another celebrity health scare that has just recently just been more at the forefront of the culture.
00:30:19
Speaker
um I'm talking about Jamie Foxx and his comedy special that happened late last year, but also his appearance at the BET Awards. um So back in, so i but i want to say it was like a couple years ago, Jamie Foxx ended up having a stroke, um which is what they're terming it as now, but it's actually a little bit of a mystery as to what exactly happened.
00:30:41
Speaker
um But if you watch his comedy special, um it's just this emotional journey through, you know, Everything that happened to him when he initially, you know, had that major health scare, his journey back to recovery. And he talks a lot about his his sister and his and his daughters and how they were advocates for him in the hospital and how if he didn't have them, he didn't know if he would be at the same place that he's at.
00:31:07
Speaker
um But I think something that was really like poignant to me when I was both watching the comedy special and everything since then was honestly more so his description of his initial health presentation.
00:31:21
Speaker
So the way he discusses it is that he had this massive headache. He was in Atlanta. That's not the city that he's from. And he tells his friends that are next to him like, hey, like I'm having a headache. Could you get me some aspirin?
00:31:33
Speaker
Worst headache of life. Exactly. Worst headache of his life. Guys, how are you? What is that? exactly What is that? Hey. Some hemorrhage. Thunder clans. Stop playing with us. Stop playing. Man, we're the new docs on the block. You heard?
00:31:51
Speaker
me
00:31:54
Speaker
um yeah know but He talks about that. and ah The thing I thought that was most important about was that he said his friends were honestly useless. Damn. That's crazy. And he said it as a joke. He's a comedian, so I'm not yeah doing his his line justice.
00:32:11
Speaker
But essentially, he was like, before they could even get him the aspirin, anything else, he just lost 20 days in the hospital. He doesn't remember anything from that point on. And, you know, talks a lot about how his sister advocated for him with the doctor and they, you know, they went through all of the surgeries that he had to do, but eventually like he lost the ability to really walk. He was talking, couldn't really do anything for himself. he had to go through rehab and, and sort of you know, nurse himself back to health. um
00:32:43
Speaker
And I think one, the story itself is just incredible, right? Like Jamie Foxx is an incredibly talented, multi-talent artist. Like he's super talented, but very talented.
00:32:54
Speaker
But to see that a black man in his fifties had this major health of health scare, And nobody around him knew what to do. Nobody around him knew the the the signs of a stroke or what do we do? How do we get him help?
00:33:12
Speaker
I think to me, that is just an incredibly scary thing to to to be around. And you know obviously all of us here, like we have a form of health literacy, but I think we all can point out a person that has no idea what they would do in that situation. Yeah.
00:33:28
Speaker
I think it's just, you know, i was just reading about like different things, right? So like, especially in our community where we have increased stroke risk factors, like high blood pressure, overweight and um and obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, I think is just really scary that, you know, as people that are at high risk, since we don't really have a lot of lay, we've not done enough groundwork in the community to really put in the works of a layman knows what to do in this.
00:33:55
Speaker
So I guess for you guys, like, I guess, have you heard about this story? What is your take on just like how the people around you like can handle health emergency and how do you think that you can help them now, now that you guys are physicians? Yeah. I mean, you know, seeing this topic just reminded me, i' mean I'm on my neurology road um block this month, which I love.
00:34:17
Speaker
as As some of you may know, I was in neurology residency and I still love neurology. And I remember last week, you know, just prime example, black man, 46 year old came in, had a stroke several months ago and, um,
00:34:32
Speaker
When it happened, he was in his bed for a whole week. He didn't tell his wife that he couldn't move because he was afraid to communicate that. So imagine you just sitting there, you had a stroke and you're peeing on yourself. Your wife just like, oh, maybe he's depressed. He's not working.
00:34:46
Speaker
He's unemployed and whatnot. And then seven days go by and they take you to hospital. And it's like, bro, you know, we can't do much. But then on top of that, they run tests. Yeah, ah hemoglobin A1C is like 10, 11. You know, diabetes increases your risk.
00:35:02
Speaker
it can It doubles your w risk for stroke just by having diabetes by itself. And then being a black man, ah you have a 50% increase in chances of getting a stroke over a non-Hispanic white male.
00:35:16
Speaker
i mean? So um when this guy came in last week and I'm like, bro, you got to take care of yourself, my man. It's like, he's he can't walk right now. Like he's 45. He's unable to walk. He's unable to like really move. And he's like trying to figure out what's going on. And I'm like, bro, you're having TIAs, man.
00:35:32
Speaker
Like you have moments where, you know, you're slurring your speech and then your speech comes back. His blood pressure is like in the 180 systolic. So um health literacy is something that is so key and important um in our communities. And it's something that we neglect.
00:35:47
Speaker
And again, going back to this, we have to start at early ages when our kids get into the school system, teaching them what is a good what is good food? Let's eat broccoli together. Right. Like let's eat apples. Let's go on walks together. Let's exercise.
00:36:01
Speaker
Right. Smoking. Hello. No. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease. You know what I'm saying? Like that's like the number one cause of death in America is smoking and tobacco smoke.
00:36:14
Speaker
Right. ah So with that being said, people oftentimes are not aware. They don't have the same extent of knowledge that we do. But when things happen, when they go down, when you get that stroke and you can't move no more, when you got to get your foot cut off because your diabetes uncontrolled.
00:36:28
Speaker
You know what I mean? you got CHF and it's crazy. You can't walk one, two steps. Then that's when you start rethinking life. But by then, it's too late, bro. Oftentimes, right? All these decisions that you made have led to a culmination.
00:36:42
Speaker
But bringing it back, um what I want to say is that black men, we need to educate ourselves and communicate when we're down. Because I think that we're so afraid. of being vulnerable, that that can cause us ah our life. And I have a lot of stories of black men being in situations where they ignore their symptoms and they unfortunately passed away because of that.
00:37:01
Speaker
You know what mean? So it's a lesson even to me, and I'm glad that Jamie Foxx was able to make a joke of it and, but also be very transparent because hopefully that can connect with, you know, the rest of our communities and the populations that are affected by it.
00:37:17
Speaker
But speaking of things that are affecting us, how about Elon Musk and Donald Trump? I thought they was, you my bestie, you my bestie, you my bestie. It's not looking like they. That's my best friend.
00:37:32
Speaker
ah No, they are not. I can't say the rest of the words of this podcast, but y'all know the the lyrics. No, we can't do the lyrics. You got to behave. Yeah. Take time.
00:37:44
Speaker
But um it's crazy how things switch up. you know Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal. You see who's your real ones. And apparently ah Elon Musk is not a real one for Donald Trump. On Saturday, he stated that oh um there would be serious consequences if Elon Musk funds Democratic candidates to run against Republicans.
00:38:05
Speaker
Wow. What a fall from grace. Man's was, do you know, he was in those Department of Governmental Efficiency head. Then he stepped down. And once he stepped down, things just went awry. I mean, couple months ago, he brought him a ah Tesla. don't know if you saw he brought ah Donald Trump a Tesla and brought it to the White House.
00:38:23
Speaker
But regardless- yeah That's his work husband or maybe his real husband. Who knows at this point? On the back end. It went in the drain. and went and pray me It They had a little date, a work vacation, and said, nope, no more. That's crazy. Crazy how it switched up.
00:38:38
Speaker
Like, what is actually going on in that White House? Like, it's just, it's like they're they're just playing patty cake or- yeah I don't know what the they're doing in that White House. It's crazy. Madness. Yeah. Like,
00:38:49
Speaker
And Trump stated that he Elon was wearing then. So he asked him to leave. But that's neither. That's allegedly maybe left on his own accord. um And the blow up devolved into my saying, Trump is in the Epstein files.
00:39:02
Speaker
Oh, and the president's minions calling, they're calling on him to deport Musk. So it's this back and forth exposing each other. Very. This is crazy. ah it's Very nice. When you, when you brought him on.
00:39:16
Speaker
Oh, please. Where are we? Where are we are we? Is this like, this makes you question like, are we really living in a real society right now? When a president is not doing reals bickering back and forth?
00:39:26
Speaker
Yeah. The stimulation been broken. yeah It's crazy. But speaking of that, with professionalism, like should presidents be held to a different standard than the general ah public as far as verbal threats?
00:39:41
Speaker
physical violence we saw. Even today, ah Trump stated something about something politically going on in the world and just put on Twitter yeah before anyone can know. So, yeah, I just find it fascinating that we're in a world where people just saying whatever and not even realizing how that could affect millions, even billions of people.
00:40:03
Speaker
I'm going to say this as calmly and nicely as possible. When you hold a position of power... When you hold a position of power in which there are significant ah significant amounts of people counting on you, you are held to a higher standard. That is true quite literally for every high ranking in the world.
00:40:24
Speaker
in the world We are all here. We are all now physicians. We cannot just be doing stuff just because we want to. They tell us this literally every time. And that's because we've been trust we've been entrusted with a job that not many people get to do.
00:40:43
Speaker
And it is a privilege, right? And I think the same goes for political positions. But even more importantly, the presidency of the United States.
00:40:54
Speaker
So yes, I do you think that you should be held to a higher standard. I will not comment on where he ranks on the standard. But oh if we're asking about shoulds, he for sure should. And I think everybody in his cabinet should be held to that standard as well. and I think it's just a really interesting time that we live in that that is even a question because I feel like no matter what, when I was younger, like that wasn't a question. it was just a question of like your political preference. right
00:41:28
Speaker
But now we're debating, should you be ah professional if you are a high ranking politician? We're actually ABC questions. that Like, okay. funny.
00:41:43
Speaker
so Sorry. This is ridiculous. but but
00:41:49
Speaker
Yeah. Honestly, I agree with everything Dr. Palmer said. Like, I feel like at the end of the day, like, what are we really talking about? This is supposed to be obvious type conversation.
00:41:59
Speaker
like understanding you are literally the president of what probably one of the most powerful nations in the world i mean it's giving be professional like it's giving you should not be bickering on twitter like the rest of the common folks who could barely paint their light bill you know i'm trying to say like it's just i don't know why we're asking these kinds of questions when it should be obvious so i just think it's You know, granted, once again, I'm not here to make any hard political stance. The S&M does not, once again, reflect our opinions. They have their, you know, we are a nonpartisan group, but I will say that um these kinds of situations to me is a reminder of what happens when you do not take
00:42:35
Speaker
the office probably as seriously as you could. and not to say that I'm saying that this man is not doing that, but I'm just saying that based on what we are seeing as a nation, it's something's not really clicking. And I am worried that it could be a pattern if we just, you know,
00:42:50
Speaker
talking to you but I'm standing on business. It's just, it's not, it's not computing for me. So I'm just really hoping that this is really the end of the nonsense that we continue to see. Like every day is something new.
00:43:08
Speaker
ah today It's something new. So I don't know, maybe Elon and Trump will kiss and make up again. Who knows what goes on amongst those two, but I will just say, you know, good luck to them and their friendship or whatever dynamic they have.
00:43:23
Speaker
It is what it is. So yeah, I mean, things so continue to go weird in that white house. At least from what I'm seeing, there's, there's always a new, ah new, turn of the page that no one asked for. And this next one actually that has happened recently has been RFK firing literally the entire vaccine committee. um So according to ABC news and an unprecedented move last week, Kennedy dismissed each of the 17 members of the advisory committee on immunization practices or ACIP noting in an opinion piece in the wall street journal that quote, a clean sweep is needed to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science and quote,
00:44:02
Speaker
um Yeah, so then it says two days later, yeah he appointed eight new members, saying some with previous ties to Kennedy. A few have previously espoused vaccine, skeptical viewpoints, sharing ideas in line with the Kennedy's prior comments.
00:44:18
Speaker
um I think it is known ah that RFK is not really a vaccine ban. And I think him currently holding his position as someone who actually... i don't actually don't even know his real... what What is his positioning? I forgot the official title. Is he like the one who is like...
00:44:35
Speaker
the health is he chair of the health committee something like that chair of the health committee yeah i knew was something related to health but yeah secretary of health and human services wow that's like super important yeah that's something a doctor should be holding right like to me it's almost akin to like the a surgeon general right okay so and he's is he in health or like no he has any health background okay so that kind of maybe is making sense as to why we're seeing this play out um we've heard about anti-vaxxers we are physicians we believe in vaccines once again i'm not endorsing anything on the behalf of the sma but i will say that as physicians on this podcast we each individually so you know endorse vaccines and people getting vaccines and um
00:45:22
Speaker
I don't know. What do you guys think about just him literally firing the entire vaccine committee and putting some people who have been known to be vaccine skeptics like in their history? I just don't know where this is going to go.
00:45:37
Speaker
go ahead, Alvin. This is, a they're just trying to set a precedent, you know, and clearly ah he came into the role already stating his views and we knew that this is exactly what he wants to do.
00:45:52
Speaker
But when I see people that are anti-vaxxers, I just be thinking about how do we eradicate polio, you know, smallpox in in many areas of the world? How do we decrease, you know, the transmission and fatalities from RSV rotavirus.
00:46:08
Speaker
Right. I mean, there is research that shows these things that are happening, meningitis, like, you know, pneumonia, all of these kinds of things. And so with that being said, it's so interesting. These people don't, they don't lead by statistics. They just lead by their own perceptions, which is so inaccurate.
00:46:26
Speaker
And subjectively speaking, science is based off of fact, not how you feel about something. not your ideas or conspiracies is based off of what we see objectively.
00:46:38
Speaker
And I think that this is unfortunate because we know that um from ah the perspective of what he's doing is setting a precedent and many individuals are going to follow along.
00:46:49
Speaker
A lot of people read into a lot of this, whether it's pediatricians, um you know, national organizations. And so this could affect our children and their health. And we have to take a stand on that.
00:47:01
Speaker
You know, we have to galvanize the troops and state like, state like, yo, what he's doing ain't right. And we don't have to follow along with what he's saying. You know what mean? ah And then I'm sure a lot of patients and families and and and and parents, especially those, I have have had many patients, pediatric patients whose family don't believe in vaccines at all.
00:47:23
Speaker
They coming out the woodworks. This is like Thanksgiving, you know, in medicine for them. You know I mean? But it's a danger. And so there's, you know, we got to, there's intervention that's needed.
00:47:35
Speaker
ASAP Rocky. Yeah. Yeah, more than that. And I mean, specifically with RFK, like, first of all, like, your own reading, just go to that man's Wikipedia page.
00:47:48
Speaker
But other than that, like, it literally says he's an anti-vaccine activist. Like, just think of those three words together. And he went to Samoa and basically like was like, the measles vaccine is bad after they had like some random deaths related to it.
00:48:08
Speaker
And the measles outbreak that occurred post his visit was very serious, right? Do they know what measles are? like Y'all know measles has a near fatality rate? Oh, God. okay Like, for real. It gets real bad.
00:48:23
Speaker
But whatever. cool, like we've seen that his the impact that he can have, right? And whether or not you know his words really had an impact on whether or not their government actually went through with an actual action,
00:48:40
Speaker
It just shows you the power that somebody can wield. And in his position where he can wield even more power, he's doing something in the same vein. so I mean, I think in just in general, that's a dangerous precedent.
00:48:54
Speaker
It's really scary when your um major health officials, because that's basically what he is, is not necessarily trained in health science. what that is. and has zero date and has beliefs that kind of go against everybody that is in health sciences, right? yeah So, I don't know. but Again, I talked about professionalism in not only the presidency, but also the cabinet.
00:49:18
Speaker
And it begins, and it's just, I have the same sentiments. I feel like you should be knowledgeable about your job. yeah And you should be overt.
00:49:28
Speaker
Right. in All the fizz things, right? Correct. Well-versed in the field that you're trying to, you know, make um legislation about. But that's just me. What's your qualifications?
00:49:44
Speaker
You ain't even qualified. We need to start asking for people's resume resumes, people's, like, being actual... ro so like law and health just somehow go to get like that's like us as doctors trying to say oh we know what did he's going to be charged with because you know somehow we're now you know versed in the legal field like it doesn't make any sense we're like what y'all know what i got the word cross-examination from tv i don't know nothing about hate facts we're not even gonna get to that
00:50:17
Speaker
Although if you do do forensic psychiatry or be an expert witness, you you can do that. that could be That's all you. we We didn't go into psych. That's not all you. all You go ahead. Without being in psych too, but you know, they make more. You can make $2,000 an hour. You know what I'm saying?
00:50:33
Speaker
you you said You couldn't do the JVMD. That's the thing. That's true. That's true. You see, all he already got plans. He's about to increase his salary with that expert witness. sort of Exactly. yeah Let me look into that. How much does that have per year? On
00:50:51
Speaker
on a more serious note, again, i think we're living in a very um powder keg situation. tense moment right now in um in the U.S. and just our not only our international relations, but our domestic relations. And one of those things that happened was the L.A. riots. So um this occurred maybe at the beginning of the month um of June.
00:51:17
Speaker
um It was basically in relation to ah wave of ICE raids put out by the Donald Trump campaign. administration, ICE, sent dozens of arrests all throughout the the U.S., s but more specifically in l L.A., in the city, of over alleged immigration violations.
00:51:39
Speaker
um So in response, a lot of the community members were having peaceful protests and they weren't necessarily rioting or anything like that. However, um Donald Trump did still um and activate the military um on the ground and the National Guard, which in the past, like things like LA riots, not necessarily understandable, but there was violence at least of some some sort.
00:52:08
Speaker
So people were very surprised that, you know, we were having this almost overt show of force for peaceful protests because that pretty much goes against America's stance on most things. um by Right. yeah um So, I mean, I think something that, you know, I see here in a quote um from ABC.net, unlike the 92 riots, the protests, like I said, were mostly peaceful and have been confined to a roughly five block stretch of downtown L.A.
00:52:38
Speaker
um you know, ah professor, Professor or Moore, warned that circumstances could quickly change and said the federal troops brought in an air of menace. um It's more sporadic now, but that doesn't mean it cannot gain momentum.
00:52:52
Speaker
So I think, you know, As i guess lay watchers of this, what were you guys' responses and specifically as healthcare workers, like there's injuries, right? That can occur related to the protest.
00:53:06
Speaker
um There's crowd control measures that are now being enforced because you have this huge militarized presence. And that can obviously cause a situation where people feel now you're dealing with that on the back end.
00:53:20
Speaker
So I guess my question for you guys is just one, what were your thoughts of the situation? And, you know, being that you could potentially be asked to, you know, provide services in that in that sort of um environment, what would you, how do you think you would handle that?
00:53:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think that, honestly, l a has actually been historically known to always be ready to riot when the time comes to it. um It goes as far back as the 90s with Rodney King, right, when he was um unlawfully... ah targeted by police.
00:53:55
Speaker
And i I believe he even lost his life from that situation. um and but I'm correct on that, right? He i survived. Oh, he didn't? he survived it, right? Okay, okay. We're getting it mixed up. but from ah okay, okay. so But he didn't actually, but it was actually very brutal force that was shown at the time from a like a mobile phone, which is so funny, Because back then, mobile phones were like very new like pieces of technology. People didn't really use it to record stuff so to think that somebody actually brought out their phone and like recorded on maybe very janky so like technology that wasn't very clear but you could still see this black man being brutalized i think it just goes to show that even now today right we use social media we use our phones we use cameras to kind of show what is happening to people in silos that other people may not know about if we didn't broadcast it so i think the la riots that's currently happening here in relation to ice
00:54:46
Speaker
is just another testament to people trying to take a stand on what they see is wrong and showing that they've, that's their form of agency and and and their form of democracy and trying to have a safer environment for all people. um Yeah, I think I personally, some people may say that, oh, I only believe in peaceful protests and all those things.
00:55:06
Speaker
I believe in enacting change in a way that can it can be done. um I don't necessarily stand for violence, but I do think that like you need to do what is necessary to be safe.
00:55:19
Speaker
And so, once again, that's my personal opinion. So I just... My hope is that everybody is safe in this LA riot. um My hope is that... um ah Yeah, my hope is honestly that everybody comes out of this feeling like things will be done differently. Will things be done differently?
00:55:37
Speaker
I'm not too sure. I'm really not too sure what we're going to get out of this. I'm still hearing about the ICE truck you know cars and vehicles swarming around. so I would hope that things would change, but I just don't know. And I'm honestly...
00:55:51
Speaker
I honestly think I have to give LA kudos for still believing that they should speak up and that they have a voice and that they should use their voice and in whatever way that means to them. And I just, I'm hoping and praying that, you know, everybody ah is safe out there who is, who, who either part participate in it or still participating in it.
00:56:09
Speaker
That's really my thoughts on the situation. Yeah, i thought, you know, um when he did bring in the federal forces, Governor Newsom actually got an emergency order ah from the judge to state that it was illegal for him to send.
00:56:28
Speaker
How do you send federal forces to states without their, and you know, without their involvement or their permission? Right. um Because, you know, it's like the first time that's happened. Yes, it's the first time that's actually happened.
00:56:42
Speaker
Um, you know, like you were saying, is he like, and, uh, Samisa, like, uh, it's it's, it's a right. It's a God given right. And luckily we in America have the opportunity to express our freedoms, our liberties, how we feel, how we think, um, in many places in the world, there's, you don't have that luxury. You don't have that Liberty, you know, in many places you can lose your life off of doing that.
00:57:06
Speaker
But when we start to threaten antagonize and endanger our citizens, when they're peacefully protesting, that is when, you know, we, you know, it's, that's anarchy. That's, uh, that's obliteration, obliteration of our constitutional and God given rights. And I'm definitely against that, you know, and I think that's the beauty of being in America. You know, I remember when I went to,
00:57:29
Speaker
the National um Mental Health Conference in D.C. a couple years ago. And I remember walking out and there's a whole bunch of people with the signs like vaccines kill people. Psychiatry is not real.
00:57:44
Speaker
And I'm like, bro, this is, you know, i'm just laughing, like, welcome to America, you know, and I'm not mad at them. Like, I'm not like, oh, these guys, they have all right to say how they feel. As long as you're not going hurt me, you're not touching me.
00:57:57
Speaker
you not hurting my family my peoples that's it that's what really matters and so uh with that being said you know shout out to the people in la for standing resilient and believe in what you believe in you know whether i agree or don't agree that doesn't matter what matters is the fact that you stand in fair more your conviction and your ability to express that and make those changes whether is by running for political office whether it's creating community organizations or collaborating with community organizations, working with, you know, local police force, et cetera, et cetera.
00:58:29
Speaker
There's so many ways that you can make change and invoke change. And I think that this is one monumental step and I'm glad that things are improving, but there's still a lot of work to be done. know mean?
00:58:41
Speaker
We're one year out of four in a year one and four. So it's going to be interesting interesting ride nonetheless to say, but, With that being said, um like the riots that was happening in l LA, you know, ah me and my homies, you know, we're to have to riot too against the AAMC too. ah ah They getting rid DEI.
00:59:05
Speaker
What you talking about? What you talking about? The Liaison Committee on Medical Education or, you know, for short, the LCME, which accredits a lot of the medical schools and all the medical schools around the country.
00:59:18
Speaker
has announced that it will no longer consider diversity, equity, and inclusion programs during its evaluation. And this was stated on May 19th. They decided to eliminate DEI considerations as parts of its criteria for assessing medical school's performances.
00:59:34
Speaker
The vote was taken following thoughtful and careful consideration and discussion. And I think it's so interesting, last week, you know, I always try to put my medical school students on to different opportunities and several of them, you know applying to ah competitive fields. And there's this thing called the FARMS database, um which like just showcases all the um the away rotations, it's all the funded away rotations for minority students.
01:00:02
Speaker
And we went on a website and I'm like, bro, I looked at this website in 2021. And when I was applying, I'm like, yo, a lot of it has gone away. And you look at different institutions, you don't see DEI anywhere.
01:00:15
Speaker
You just see, you know, student ah scholarship or student visiting elective. ah You could tell, you know, many of these institutions, when it comes to money, when you play with people money, they change up quick.
01:00:29
Speaker
Because we saw in 2020 when George Floyd and whatnot happened, there was a significant, substantial increase in the number of people from minoritized backgrounds, particularly black people who got into neurosurgery, plastic surgery. e cetera et cetera, cetera. And then the fall off was quick subsequent to years after that. right So with that being said, you know, this is, you know, really devastating.
01:00:52
Speaker
Um, and we already saw that last year there was an 11% increase in the number of, of, uh, black students applying to medical school, but there was a 3% decrease in the number of matriculants and it's only going to get worse. It's going to exacerbate health and whatnot.
01:01:08
Speaker
But i wanted to ask you guys, What do you think the implications of getting ah rid of a DEI standard for medical school is for now and also for the near future?
01:01:20
Speaker
I mean, it's going to shake everything up. Like, it's just we already are have a very huge physician shortage when it comes to black and brown physicians, like making it through, whether it's like you said,
01:01:33
Speaker
applying into medical school, getting into medical school, and then eventually even making it to residency. um There's so many roadblocks in the way of that. And so now to actually take out something that was a very, what I believe to be a very essential aspect of creating future physicians, that's going to really make it even harder for that to happen. And I think that you're also having to think about people who aren't even black and brown, who are going to treat patients who don't even like know about certain things when it comes to patients who may be coming from certain backgrounds or cultures different from theirs, where these initiatives can help them have that understanding. So that way they don't continue to exacerbate existing health equity gaps.
01:02:13
Speaker
um So I think it's, it's really not, this is not going to result in anything positive for minority minority um future physicians or current physicians, um, in the field.
01:02:27
Speaker
And I wish that a double AMC could have made a harder stance and stuck with their DEI initiatives. I think this legislation is actually going, it's supposed to actually, um, It's supposed to actually make a huge difference in terms of how they're even deciding who can enter medical schools. And even though they're making that statement that, oh, they don't believe that this is going to actually maybe really make a difference, this change, I think it is going to make a difference. And I think that them believing it's not going to is more from a position of privilege and not really seeing the bigger picture of.
01:02:59
Speaker
all of like the real um setbacks that black and brown people already have when it comes to entering this field, that these this could make a significant, this could really ah make a significant pullback on that. And so I'm disappointed that this is what they came to.
01:03:15
Speaker
i I wish they hadn't. And I'm just hoping that even if the AAMC is no longer making that a requirement, that at the very least that individual medical schools who have who have already had that as a standard on their committee can continue that because it does matter um whether the governing body that is supposed to allocate this stuff doesn't want to affirm that anymore I hope that the individual medical schools can still keep that because that might be something that a ah future matriculant may actually look to, to see what are the actual initiatives from a DEI perspective that this school is offering.
01:03:50
Speaker
Cause that is going to help them feel like they might be like, hot and give them an idea of how they might feel supported or be seen in that space, which matters to a lot of black and brown people deciding where to go.
01:04:01
Speaker
So that's really my take on everything. Yeah. I mean, I think overall, like it's, I know that I have been the beneficiary of programs that champion DEI, right?
01:04:16
Speaker
Me too. And think when you look at it from personal standpoint to institutional standpoint, to national level standpoint, they're like, it's not a bad investment to make. So I don't understand that.
01:04:31
Speaker
like the converse has never happened where the more black doctors you had or black you know people going to medical training, the worse things got. So I'm not really sure the real,
01:04:43
Speaker
ah justification for the for the um for the change, except for the fact that it's being cracked down on from a higher level. And I understand people, got to get your money, right? you have to make it work.
01:04:57
Speaker
But I think as one of the major governing bodies of these schools, the AAMC had a responsibility to maybe have a a bit of a firmer stance, but I get it. Like maybe it like you lose all funding and you can't help anybody, right? Or you shift it and and rename it something else, but still know do the funding that needs to be done. But I think, Alden, what you were saying about the FARMS database and how it's kind kind of increasingly, like I guess, less...
01:05:27
Speaker
less funding has been available, like that's a real-life implication. That's not a oh, like we're doing this and we're keeping the funding, but you guys just aren't having it in name. um And that has real-life consequences. like We all know sub-Is are expensive, right? That's one last last obstacle that you have that you're like, okay, well, now like I've gotten to the point, I've passed step one, I've passed step two.
01:05:51
Speaker
is now me just trying to make sure that you can see me and I can work, but... If I can't travel to where you're at, if I can't pay for my housing while I'm there, if I can't drive to work, that's a real burden. And that's really why those programs that, you know, help underrepresent like underrepresented minorities in those different times of your life are there.
01:06:12
Speaker
It's not necessarily to boost us past everybody else. It's to... create literally an even playing field. Some of my classmates are graduating without debt. That is not my life.
01:06:23
Speaker
Ask Sally Mae. um right And like having a little bit of help didn't make it so that I was any better or worse than my counterparts. It just made it so that I could be in the room.
01:06:37
Speaker
Correct. Yeah. I totally agree with that. Yeah. it's It's tragic. And I really hope that, you know, future physicians aren't dissuaded, but I can understand if they are. Like, I'm trying my best. I've, you know, gone to school, did the MCAT.
01:06:53
Speaker
I'm trying to make it. And like now when I'm here, I can't get any help. is It's just like you can never win. You know, that's that's the thing. And it's unfortunate this is, you know, happening during our time as we become you and I. dr Samisa Palmer, ah new interns and newly minted doctors. Alden, you've had skin in the game for a little bit, you know, a good amount of time. But you are also going to be embarking on a new journey with your new residency program as well as specialty. The one that you is your like your dream specialty.
01:07:25
Speaker
And so I think that like, you know, now that we are in these spaces and we are kind of starting this new chapter in our lives, um I actually just want us to maybe just answer, like maybe you just answer a few questions that about what,
01:07:40
Speaker
we had done um during our process or during that time that we were actually just trying to even get here um and so that way anyone who's listening can kind of just have a better understanding of just like yeah maybe some things that we found helpful not that this is going to necessarily be their journeys right but it is something that they can maybe put in the back of their pocket and you know decide to try it if it applies to their situation but I wanted to ask y'all first, like, what are things you feel residency interviews and speaking with current residents um at your new institution kind of prepared you for now that you're in this space? Like, is there anything particularly um that you think that during those interviews or just kind of talking to the people who are currently there, like, really kind of helped with your your newfound journey at at your current program?
01:08:33
Speaker
Do y'all... Did y'all understand the question? i don't... Okay, maybe this is like... I don't know. Jocelyn made this question. to say What are the things you feel... At your new institution prepared you for well?
01:08:44
Speaker
What are things you feel residency interviews and speaking with current residents at your new institution prepared you for well?
01:08:53
Speaker
Okay, let's let's do the second question. All right, let me just start over again. Okay. so So I wanted to start you off. I just sure. I know. I know. The pause had me weak. I was like, okay, no one understands this question.
01:09:10
Speaker
i i had even Even as I was saying the question, I said, okay, let me try and see I can even understand what she's saying. As I'm saying that, you know, but it's not. good i had no right bo Let me say, all right, y'all. So let me, I wanted to start off asking all this.
01:09:28
Speaker
If you had to start medical school all over or start your clinical years all over again, are there any things you wish you'd spent more time preparing for, whether that be like specific procedures or clinical skills, studying any particular subjects?
01:09:39
Speaker
research, mentoring, et cetera. Like, is there anything that y'all would like actually have done that kind of given more time to actually really prep for? for me, I would have like really try to understand like pathophysiology and medicine. Cause if you understand why things happen, you break it down.
01:09:59
Speaker
Like then it's so much more easy to understand why am i treating like a certain condition? You know what I'm saying? Like, I really felt like I should have done more questions too.
01:10:10
Speaker
ah Use more resources outside of my teachers. Like oftentimes I'll just use my my lectures, the teachers' lectures, but oftentimes they weren't enough. They weren't suffice enough.
01:10:22
Speaker
So I think that really get in the basis and foundation of medicine. Like as I learn it more and more, like even studying for step three now is like I'm ah gaining a like appreciation for like everything I'm doing because a lot of stuff you guys will see When you're like learning, it's like and on your rotations, a lot of stuff is what they're testing you all on these exams as in step three, as opposed to like the first two steps.
01:10:47
Speaker
And so for me, I wish I did more of that. I wish I used... ah my classmates because oftentimes i would study by myself but if you could learn something and teach it to somebody then you really know it really well and then using like podcasts like i listen to divine intervention podcast that man is there's some wonder this is divine if i feel so thank you for coming to divine yo that he started he had i love that man my god very very high yield very very high you Make sure you write it down, you bookmark it, whatever you have to do.
01:11:23
Speaker
So yeah, a combination of those. Be my thing. Yeah, no, I agree. If you are not listening to This Is Divine Intervention podcast, literally, honestly, for...
01:11:39
Speaker
For sure, once you hit third year, this man has a a podcast pretty much for every shelf. Once I discovered those, yeah, it was a wrap.
01:11:50
Speaker
And like I feel like I'm going to go back for step three, um but i feel like I agree with you a lot on the like um just utilizing different resources that will help you. i mean, I think for my school, we did not use USMLE style exams.
01:12:09
Speaker
So that transition from like institution exams to step style exams, was like, oh, that's interesting. Right. right yeah And going into step one dedicated, I did not listen to sketchy at all.
01:12:23
Speaker
So I had to listen to all of sketchy in dedicated. Do not do that. I love sketchy. I still use it. I was listening to it today. Exactly. Right. Very valuable resource.
01:12:35
Speaker
it would have been incredibly useful if I had utilized it the way it's supposed to be utilized, which is, you know, in a calm fashion, not rapid fire because you have a board exam to take.
01:12:47
Speaker
ah But I think for me, something I wish I spent more time on Once I got to the actual wards, I mean, and it's hard because you're working with people that are like actually at work.
01:13:00
Speaker
I tried with every rotation I was on to like really get feedback on the like day to day things, right? Like, am I doing this note correctly? Am I taking this history correctly? Does this physical exam skill look right? and Like I was push people, but not too hard because I know like you're busy too. And like, you got to work. Like you don't have time to be looking at me all the all the time.
01:13:21
Speaker
But now going into residency, I just really want to make sure like, dang, i don't want to have a bad note. I don't want to be known as an intern that writes bad notes. like Yeah. So like, I think just trying to spend more time on things that will actually impact your day-to-day life when you become a working resident, um it's something I wish I prepared for more. I think once I got to my later sub-Is,
01:13:45
Speaker
That was something I took into account. like No, like how do you work the pager? How do I take things and can you show me how to order these things? Right. like Yeah. I really want to know the nitty gritty because that's where I'm going to. yeah Right.
01:13:59
Speaker
Right. i know So i think that once you transition from after third year and like your sub eyes past year, past interview season, like if you have any, for sure that would be my advice.
01:14:14
Speaker
Try to learn the nitty the little nitpicky things about becoming a resident. Like obviously you're never going to know it to the level that you need to know it until you're there. But at least having some semblance of like, okay, this is how like the mundane things work, I think will be helpful.
01:14:31
Speaker
Yeah. No, I totally agree. I think real quickly, I'll say that for me, if I could do something all over again, I would be a lot more intentional about just like where I choose to do away rotations. Um, like, you know, people don't really talk about like how much it really matters.
01:14:46
Speaker
Like, getting yourself the exposure at the place that you may be interested in going to. I think it was hard because coming in, um i was like, I originally thought, oh, I just want to go back to BC. Like, I really just want to like practice there. And that's kind of how I informed where i did my way rotation. But then lo and behold, beholden low ah during residency. Yeah.
01:15:07
Speaker
I stole that from Jessie Wu. She uses that all the time and I just love it. um And i literally life I literally found out like during interview season, like, oh, wait, there's actually like so many other programs I really like. And there's actually certain areas that I also really think is great for training. And so I would actually be very intentional about just thinking about, like, what do you actually care about when it comes to where you want to go to for residency, is it location? Is it like quality of training? Is it like diversity? You know, all these different things. Like I feel like you should really sit and like be honest with yourself about that and then try and see if you can squeeze in some spaces to do ah rotations there, but particularly put more specific to your field because let's say for me, for you know,
01:15:52
Speaker
there are certain places that if you do an EM rotation there, like you're guaranteed to put yourself on the map because they know notoriously how reputable that training program is. And so if you got honors there, that's going to just be a solid thing on your, on your application that people are going to know, okay, this person was able to do well in this ED that we know is a high pressure environment. That's not easy to navigate and they're able to survive there. I don't think it's just about picking any place that just like, oh, I want to go here. But even just thinking about like, what places can I go to that if I come out with a recommendation letter from here, I will stand out. So I think that if your specialty does utilize away rotations, be very thoughtful about where you do it. I wouldn't say go to the, heart like the place that, you know, for a number one, you want to match there. And it's like super hard because then if you don't do well, you might be shooting yourself in the foot, but I'll pick like a good middle ground, like pick like a place that, you know, okay, this is like a standout place. But even if I like, it's not like I necessarily want, have the biggest desire to go there or like, I'd be upset if I don't go there.
01:16:48
Speaker
But I think that if I do well here, I would still like really shine on, you know, interview season. So that's probably something I would do over again. It's like where I chose or how I how i went about choosing where to do my away rotation.
01:17:01
Speaker
Now, last... Oh, sorry. i was just going to add this real quick thing. During actual applications, like just, again, being judicious about what places you apply to, super important.
01:17:13
Speaker
You're going to save yourself money. Yeah. Yeah. I totally agree with that. I'll say real quickly for people, like, what do you all... think and you can give like a very quick answer as to what helped you the most when it came to like being able to successfully match this cycle and match at your given program like what do you think was the most useful thing that you were able to do during that interim period whether it was through interview season or just like post interview season like what do you think really served you well or even pre-interview season networking um yeah networking like literally
01:17:49
Speaker
Where I'm at is because I know somebody that was at the program before. and she's an associate program director at a very top psychiatry program.
01:18:00
Speaker
So shout out to her. Without her, without me knowing her, would have been done. And the thing is, I worked with her when I was in med school during a, I did a psychiatry research, summer are research program at an institution in Boston.
01:18:17
Speaker
And she was a right a resident. So everything, like, you never know who can come back and bless your life. That was in 2021, 2020 or something like that.
Networking and Personal Growth
01:18:27
Speaker
and Now she made calls and, like, helped me out and really advocated for me.
01:18:31
Speaker
And I've always been a firm believer in networking. Even the med students I work with, I'm like, I'm going just tap your eye on what people. Last week, anesthesia, pathology, like, I want us to win, you know what i mean? so that's very important to me.
01:18:44
Speaker
Right. Yeah, I agree. um Yeah. one my interview was in person. so i think that definitely helped a lot. um So that's just an on them part. And throughout my interview day and like the social before, like I just had random connections with like a bunch of the interviewers that I like talked whether it was they knew a mentor of mine or like we went to the same med school, like just little things that kept piling up that I think it just showed more and more like, hey, that this would be a place that I could fit at and might, you know, serve people
01:19:22
Speaker
me well and like help me grow and I think another big part for me is that I'm going I'm trying to go into like a super competitive subspecialty and like their emphasis on that subspecialty was just like that seems like almost like very like serendipity meant to be sort of situation right um so yeah was all that love that love that love that yeah and that's great advice now
Alzheimer's Awareness and African American Impact
01:19:50
Speaker
Yes. Speaking of, just to wrap everything up, as we stated at the beginning of the podcast, it's June.
01:19:57
Speaker
So as part of you know our June medical observances that we do, this Awareness Month is for Alzheimer's and brain awareness. um And we just just want to raise consciousness about Alzheimer's disease, brain health, and dementia.
01:20:14
Speaker
um it's actually funny because at some point in between i guess grad school and med school this is what's my research so actually a topic i'm interested in did a little bit of research in talking about like caregivers but i think something else that we found really interesting in like looking up this topic a little bit more is that african americans tend to have a higher prevalence of alzheimer's disease compared to their white counterparts studies have indicated that approximately 1.5 to ah two to They're approximately 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's as white Americans.
01:20:47
Speaker
This disparity can be influenced by a combination of biological, environmental, and social factors. Genetic predisposition can play a role, but socially socioeconomic factors, healthcare access, and historical racism also contribute to these differences.
01:21:02
Speaker
um And it's just really interesting, though, like in terms of the genetic variants, there's this one variant of ApoE, E4. It tends to be more prevalent in African Americans and is associated with a higher risk of um like we stated sort of like that historical tax of you know just historical racism and being ah hurt in this country has an impact as well um so I think you know just for us in terms of raising awareness for this month just being able to recognize those signs recognize that dementia is an umbrella term and there's a lot of different you know
01:21:42
Speaker
illnesses that fall under that umbrella and sort of, you know, how we can try to help um the people, you know, around us in terms of recognizing those signs earlier on rather than later.
01:21:54
Speaker
and But in terms of, you know, questions for you guys, do you think there's any misconceptions about, you know, Alzheimer's or brain disease that you've encountered from patients and relatives? I mean, I'll speak for myself just really quickly.
01:22:07
Speaker
Like I had no idea what like frontal temporal dementia was like when I went into my research and I was just like, wait, this isn't just like early onset Alzheimer's is like a completely different, um you know, disease pattern and it manifests differently. And you see it now. And like, you know, we're talking about it because of like celebrities that it's happened to, but definitely something that I didn't, didn't know anything about going into my research for sure.
01:22:34
Speaker
Right. I'm going let the psych doc bring us home with that answer. What do you think, Dr. Aldrin? ah I think oftentimes people, they think, like you said, Alzheimer's is an umbrella term.
01:22:49
Speaker
And Alzheimer's dementia makes up 70% of the dementias. But then there's also, for instance, I had a patient last week that had vascular dementia and had this chronic ischemic changes on her CT scan um that has been due to uncontrolled hypertension.
01:23:03
Speaker
All right. And you mentioned frontotemporal dementia. You can get HIV dementia. You can get Parkinson's dementia. Like there's so many different forms. And so oftentimes, you know, it's important for us to know that it's just not one form of Alzheimer's, one form of dementia, and that it can manifest yeah in different ways. And even the same disease process, right?
01:23:24
Speaker
The progression of Alzheimer's can differ, can be different from one person to another. For one person, they may have sundowners, right? So at this particular time, it's 9.30, right? They get really angry. They get pissed off right before they go to sleep.
01:23:37
Speaker
Very agitated. So you may have to you know give them you know the tragedy on surgery, whatever the case may be. For others, it might be like they have you know more pronounced memory issues.
01:23:48
Speaker
Like i had a patient last week that's trying to go through the immigration process. And um he can't take the exam because he can't remember anything. Like he has short-term and long-term memory loss from Alzheimer's.
01:24:00
Speaker
So um it's a beautiful thing to help people in these certain conditions and situations. And, um you know, it's actually one of my favorite things, especially when they come in with their they're loved ones. You know, um it's very important for us so to support and encourage people, but also caregivers of people with dementia, particularly Alzheimer's, dementia, also can suffer from psychiatric comorbidities. And
Advancements in Alzheimer's Treatment and Conclusion
01:24:24
Speaker
so we have to also give them grace and give them the support that they need.
01:24:28
Speaker
um In the state of New York, they pay you. In many other states, it's starting to become more common. As a caretaker for someone with dementia slash Alzheimer's, you can actually get paid per hour to do that um because it can be very tedious and very challenging. So um we need more awareness, more research. They did come out ah two, three years ago with Aducunumab, which was recently, it was recalled by the FDA. But there are two new, more promising monoclonal antibodies that are out there right now.
01:24:58
Speaker
that can allay some of the progression of Alzheimer's. And so I'm looking forward to hopefully um helping to help people navigate that in the future, as is definitely one of my interests.
01:25:12
Speaker
Definitely in the future. Thank you. And definitely about the caregiving top ah topic for sure. Take care of them. They're important. No, seriously. They matter too.
01:25:23
Speaker
Definitely, definitely. But What an amazing run the list, y'all. We covered a lot of ground. We thank our listeners for rocking with us as usual. um But that is our show. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode of The Lounge.
01:25:37
Speaker
Man, we apologize. We're supposed to be 45 minutes. We're an hour and half, girl. But you know what? Regardless, it's a lit episode. I'm happy to be here with you. I've been away for a little minute.
01:25:49
Speaker
But, you know, anyway, let us know your thoughts and discussions we had today or even ask us a question for a chance to be featured on the show by emailing us at podcast at SNMate.org. dot org And last but not least, be sure to follow the SNMA all our social media platforms. Stay up to date on upcoming events.
01:26:08
Speaker
Bye, guys. All right, y'all. See you guys later. Catch you next episode.