Run the List

In this episode, Dr. Daniel Motta-Calderon (host) talks with Raquel Sofía Sandoval (invited student), a fourth-year MD/MPP student at Harvard, and Dr. Pilar Ortega (discussant), author, researcher, and expert on health communication, multilingualism, and equity. First, they shed light on the differences between race and ethnicity and defined identifiers like “Latinx” and “Latine” that some of our patients use to self-identify. They then focused in explaining some cultural themes and barriers that Latinx patients experience when accessing the healthcare system. The episode closes with some recommendations for listeners on best practices to establish linguistically and culturally competent care when taking care of Latinx patients.En este episodio, el Dr. Daniel Motta-Calderon (presentador) habla con Raquel Sofía Sandoval (estudiante invitada), estudiante de cuarto año de MD / MPP en Harvard, y la Dra. Pilar Ortega (comentarista), autora, investigadora y experta en comunicación en salud, multilingüismo y equidad. Primero, discutieron acerca de las diferencias entre raza y etnia y definieron términos como “Latinx” y “Latine” que algunos de nuestros pacientes usan para identificarse a sí mismos. Luego se enfocaron en explicar algunos temas culturales y barreras que los pacientes Latinx experimentan al acceder al sistema de salud. El episodio cierra con algunas recomendaciones para los oyentes sobre mejores prácticas para establecer una relación cultural y linguísticamente competente al atender a pacientes Latinx.

In this episode, Jordan Petersen (audio editor, host) speaks with Dr. Valerie Stone, the Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Lash Nolen, a 2nd year Harvard medical student and the first black woman to serve as student council president at HMS. Together, they discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in the classroom, on the wards, and within medical institutions at large. They take a historical approach to their discussion and provide perspective on ways to prioritize diversity and inclusion in order to engender belonging for both patients and trainees going forward.

In “Addressing Implicit Bias and Microaggressions,” Jordan Petersen (audio editor, host) speaks with two leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion: Titi Afolabi, a 4th year Harvard medical student, and Dr. Sherri-Ann Burnett-Bowie, the Director of Multicultural Affairs and an endocrinologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. They explore their definitions for implicit bias and microaggressions, the contexts in which they emerge in medicine, and their own perspectives experiencing and witnessing the harms of them in the hospital and in medical school. They also discuss frameworks for acknowledging and reducing implicit bias and microaggressions and end with key takeaways for listeners.

In this episode of Run the List, Blake Smith (host) talks with Dr. David Steensma, a hematologist/oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, about his career path, the changing landscape of the field, and how to immerse oneself in new disease indications within an already-established division of medicine. They talk about Dr. Steensma’s impressive writing career, scientific and clinical research, and his budding interest in clonal hematopoiesis. The episode closes with a retrospective discussion of hematology/oncology, how the field has changed over time, and a look to the future.

In this episode of Run the List, Walker Redd (host) and Jakub Glowala (case presenter) talk with Dr. Rebecca Zon, a hematology/oncology fellow in the Dana-Farber/Mass General Brigham program, about solid oncologic emergencies. We learn to think anatomically about where tumors arise, where they may subsequently present, and how that can clinically manifest in an emergent situation. They then focus in on neurologic complications of solid malignancies and discuss how to triage, manage, and consult with other medical and surgical teams to provide rapid care to these patients. The episode then closes with clinical pearls from Dr. Walker Redd who highlights the need to quickly assess the severity of the patient in these contexts.

In this episode of Run the List, Walker Redd (host) and Jordan Said (case presenter) talk with Dr. Matthew Weinstock, a hematologist/oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, about the causes and workup of lymphadenopathy. We learn about how to stratify lymphadenopathy into less and more serious cases based on the physical exam, and review the wide differential of generalized and diffuse lymphadenopathy. The episode closes with clinical pearls from both Dr. Weinstock and Jordan about the differential diagnosis and management of lymphadenopathy.

In this episode of Run the List, Joyce Zhou (host) and Blake Smith (case presenter) talk with Dr. Jean Connors, a hematologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, about the causes of thrombophilia (congenital and acquired) and its management in the acute care setting. We learn about common risk factors and how these can be both additive and synergistic with inherited causes of thrombophilia. The episode closes with Dr. Connors’ discussion of both when to order lab tests and how to interpret them in the setting of VTE, in addition to important clinical pearls to consider with any case of known or suspected thrombophilia.

In this episode of Run the List, Joyce Zhou (host) and Katie Kester (case presenter) discuss sickle cell disease and the management of acute chest syndrome with Dr. Maureen Achebe, a hematologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. We learn not only about the management and common complications of sickle cell but also some of the challenges that patients with sickle cell face in accessing care and how best to advocate for these patients.

Dr. Marlise Luskin, a hematologist/oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins host Walker Redd and case presenter Jakub Glowala to discuss a case of a febrile neutropenia (FN) in a patient with AML. Dr. Luskin first defines neutropenia, then fever, and moves to the chronicity of FN. Using these definitions, Dr. Luskin talks about ways to identify which pathogens are more likely associated with acute vs. chronic FN presentations. They then walk through the standard workup of a patient with FN, talk about which tests/procedures to avoid, and which to later include when fevers do not resolve after empiric treatment.

Dr. Aric Parnes, a hematologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins host Joyce Zhou and case presenter Sarah Onorato to talk through a case of a patient presenting with new onset pancytopenia. Throughout the case, they discuss a framework for thinking through the major causes of pancytopenia. In addition, they consider the steps in emergent management of severe pancytopenia and an approach to history taking, physical examination, and data interpretation for patients with pancytopenia. Tune in to hear their discussion, including the patient’s final diagnosis and Dr. Parnes’ three clinical pearls for pancytopenia!