
Mayo Clinic Talks
Timely consultations relevant for family medicine, primary care, and general internal medicine topics for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and residents. Offering CME credit for most episodes at https://ce.mayo.edu/podcast. Produced by @MayoMedEd.
Latest episodes

Mar 20, 2025 • 53min
The Human Optimization Project: Understanding Calories | What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Them Right
Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Guest: Jason Ewoldt, M.S., RDN
There aren’t many words out there than can conjure up emotions, confusion, and frustration quite like the word we are discussing today, and that word is “calories.” However, a discussion on calories doesn’t have to be so complex and loaded with this unnecessary baggage. Today, we are going to bring clarity to the topic by focusing on what you really need to know from both a scientific and practical perspective. In addition to better understanding what they are, we will discuss ways to help you know what your body’s caloric needs are for losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. Finally, we will discuss practical strategies that help you achieve your fitness and health goals.
The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What are calories, and why do they matter?
2) Why do people often misunderstand calories, and why is it so hard to get it right?
3) What can I do to figure out my caloric needs and actually stick to them?
To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Jason Ewoldt M.S., RDN, who is a registered and licensed dietician and certified sports specialist dietician at Mayo Clinic.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
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Mar 18, 2025 • 46min
The Human Optimization Project: Moving From Stress to Joy | How to Cultivate Happiness and Joy at Home and Work
Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Guest: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.
We would all be open to the idea of a little less stress in our lives, especially if we can fill that with joy and happiness. For most of us, this holds true for both our personal and professional lives. But in this age of increasing pressure, demands, expectations, and deadlines, is that even a realistic expectation? Today we are going to dive deep into the meaning of joy, why so many of us don’t get enough, and how that is impacting our overall lives. In addition to that, we will discuss some intentional strategies for replacing stress with joy to help us become our best selves.
The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) How do you define joy and happiness, and how do they play a role in our everyday lives?
2) Why do so many of us struggle with finding joy in our lives, and how is that impacting us?
3) How can we intentionally design our lives and work to experience more joy, and make joy our default?
To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Darryl S. Chutka, M.D., General Internal Medicine Physician at Mayo Clinic and the host of the Mayo Clinic Talks Podcast.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

5 snips
Mar 13, 2025 • 49min
The Human Optimization Project: Creating Winning Cultures | Building and Maintaining an Optimal Culture for Teams and Individuals
Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Guest: Christina K. Zorn
“Culture” is a word that gets a lot of attention, and deservedly so! It is often thought of as the lifeblood of an organization. However, many of us don’t think about the fact that “culture” doesn’t just exist at the level of large organizations. Culture exists for smaller groups, teams, families, and even individuals. In today’s episode, we will work to define “culture”, discuss its impact on groups (large and small) and individuals, provide real world examples of the impact of culture, and discuss ways of optimizing culture in both the workplace and at home.
The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What exactly is “culture” and why is it so critical to success?
2) How does “culture” impact behavior and outcomes at work and at home?
3) What steps can I take to contribute to a positive culture in the workplace and for my own personal development?
To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Christina K. Zorn, who is the Chief Administrative Officer of Mayo Clinic.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Mar 11, 2025 • 54min
The Human Optimization Project: Emotional Intelligence Explained | How to Recognize, Understand, and Use Your Emotions to Be a More Effective Human
Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Guest: Mary Ann Djonne, M.Ed.
Most of us have heard the term “Emotional Intelligence,” and we understand that it’s generally important to our happiness and interpersonal relationships. However, most of us aren’t able to define it precisely or understand the key components that make it up. While many may think they do a good job of evaluating the emotional intelligence of others, it can be quite difficult to objectively evaluate our own levels of emotional intelligence. Once we better understand our own emotional intelligence, then comes the very challenging task of trying to improve it in a meaningful way. All of this can seem quite daunting, so we are going to help with that.
The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What exactly is “Emotional Intelligence”?
2) What are the benefits and why should I make it a priority to improve my Emotional Intelligence?
3) What are the actual steps I can take to maximize my own Emotional Intelligence?
To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Mary Ann Djonne, Professional Certified Executive Coach and Senior Advisor in Work Force Learning at Mayo Clinic.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Mar 6, 2025 • 47min
The Human Optimization Project: Exercise Simplified | Essential Components of the Ideal Workout Plan
Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Guest: Andrea Hayden MS, RSCC - Sports Performance Coach
Description: The amount of “exercise” information, recommendations, plans, and opinions out there is greater than it’s ever been. Although our increasing knowledge is generally helpful, it’s easy to get lost in the rapidly evolving sea of information. This is particularly true because much of the information we hear is contradictory, and many people claim to have the perfect (and only) answer for us. Our goal for today is to help you cut through all of this noise and focus on what you really need to know to establish a successful workout routine for yourself.
The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What is meant by an “ideal” or “optimal” workout plan?
2) How do I make sense of all the exercise recommendations out there?
3) What do I need to do to create an ideal exercise routine for my needs?
To help us answer these questions, my guest today is the Head Sports Performance Coach for the Minnesota Lynx WNBA Basketball Team, Andrea Hayden MS, RSCC.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Mar 4, 2025 • 27min
The Human Optimization Project: The Challenging but Achievable Quest for Accomplishing More While Also Improving Wellness
Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.
Guest: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
Being a healthcare clinician is an extremely rewarding occupation, but it can be stressful. Every year, we’re asked to do more and more, the patients seem to get more challenging, and we get less time to spend with each one. A significant number of clinicians report emotional and psychological distress, and burnout remains a major problem in healthcare providers. This increased stress and pressure is not just unique to physicians, and these struggles are common for all of us, regardless of career or position. How do we remain in an optimally functioning state? Does our physical health affect our cognitive function? Given the obstacles we face, how do we continue to achieve joy and happiness in our work and our life while continue to meet the ever-growing demands of the world? These are questions my guest is hoping to answer in a project he’s about to undertake on “Human Optimization”. My guest for this podcast is Christopher L. Camp, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic. We’re going to discuss his project and why he decided to tackle this important topic.
Learn more about The Human Optimization Project: Mayo Clinic Talks: Human Optimization | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
X: @MayoHumanOpProj
Instagram: @Mayo_Human_Op_Prog
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Feb 25, 2025 • 21min
The Evaluation and Management of Adnexal Masses
Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.
Guest: Carrie L. Langstraat, M.D.
It’s estimated that up to 10% of women in the U.S. will develop an adnexal mass at some point in their life. Whereas most adnexal masses are gynecologic in origin, they may also represent disease of the urinary or GI system. Although adnexal masses may produce symptoms, when present, they tend to be subtle and non-specific. What questions should we be asking our patients with an adnexal mass to help determine its cause? What components of the physical exam may be useful in the evaluation and what tests should we order to further characterize adnexal masses? These are questions I’ll be asking our guest for this podcast as we discuss “The Evaluation and Management of Adnexal Masses”. My guest is Carrie L. Langstraat, M.D., from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mayo Clinic.
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Feb 20, 2025 • 25min
Heart Health Edition: Pharmacologic Options to Maintain a Healthy Heart
Thomas C. Gerber, a preventive cardiologist from Mayo Clinic, discusses vital pharmacologic options to enhance heart health. He explores the role of medications, like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors, while addressing statin intolerance. Gerber also evaluates the efficacy of supplements such as CoQ10 and fish oil, revealing limited benefits. Additionally, he highlights tailored treatment plans for blood pressure and lipid management and delves into the importance of imaging for assessing heart risk. This episode is a goldmine for understanding heart health strategies!

Feb 18, 2025 • 23min
Heart Health Edition: Primary Prevention - How to Keep Your Heart Healthy
Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.
Guest: Thomas C. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D.
The heart is an amazing organ. At rest, the average heart beats approximately 4500 times per hour, slightly over 100,000 times per day. It’s quite a reliable organ and unlike our kidneys, lungs and eyes, we only have one heart. We expect a lot from it, if it stops working for even a minute, everything else in our body shuts down. Like an automobile engine, it runs longer and better if it’s well cared for. What can we recommend to our patients and what can we do for ourselves to keep the heart healthy? My guest for today’s podcast is Thomas C. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D., a preventive cardiologist from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic and we’re going to discuss preventive strategies to maintain a healthy heart.
For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Feb 13, 2025 • 33min
Heart Health Edition: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.
Guest: Jeffrey B. Geske, M.D.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects 1 in 500 adults or about 600,000 individuals in the U.S. and represents the most common inherited cardiomyopathy. It often goes undetected, and it’s estimated that about 85% of those with the condition remain undiagnosed. HCM can produce a variety of symptoms, the most serious being sudden death. The topic for this podcast is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. What are the clues that might make us suspect a patient has HCM and how should we confirm the diagnosis? Are we able to prevent sudden death in patients with the condition and finally, what is the most effective treatment? I’ll asking these questions of my guest, Jeffrey B. Geske, M.D., from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic.
For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development
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