

The Nocturnists
Our mission is to humanize healthcare and foster joy, wonder, and curiosity among clinicians and patients alike.
The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors and art-makers, and special podcast documentary series such as "Uncertainty in Medicine" , “Post-Roe America", and others. thenocturnists.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 15, 2022 • 47min
House Call with Tobin Greensweig, MD
Physician Tobin Greensweig makes an unannounced visit to a patient’s house to check on him after he leaves the hospital. Recalling stories from his father's community medical practice, he is struck by the constraints on the doctor-patient relationship in modern medicine. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Feb 8, 2022 • 41min
Bearing Witness with Shaili Jain, MD
Psychiatrist Shaili Jain tells the story of a pivotal experience on a road trip with her father, and how it catalyzed her career as a PTSD specialist. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Feb 1, 2022 • 40min
The Ride with Christina Lee, MD
Pediatrician Christina Lee recounts a memorable ambulance ride from residency, in which she helped transport a child from the hospital to hospice. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Jan 25, 2022 • 38min
Elective Procedure
Medical student Pablo Romano tells the story of losing his mother to complications of surgery, and how he continues her legacy as a medical student. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Dec 7, 2021 • 36min
Sharing the Air with Natasha Spottiswoode, MD
Internal medicine physician Natasha Spottiswoode reflects on her flying days from Oxford while teaching a green intern how to recognize whether patients are "sick" or "not sick." The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Nov 30, 2021 • 42min
Authentically Me with Ashley McMullen, MD
Internist Ashley McMullen decides to let her hair go natural for the first time in over a decade — a process which serves as a metaphor for self-acceptance in the rigid world of medicine. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Nov 23, 2021 • 30min
See One, Do One, Teach One with Bobby Chiong, MD
Interventional Radiologist Bobby Chiong's patient codes on the table during a procedure, prompting a frantic but successful resuscitation. Afterward, Dr. Chiong reflects on the high-stakes nature of his job and the intimidating responsibility of being entrusted with patients' care. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. More at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Nov 16, 2021 • 47min
Burn the Map with David Elkin, MD
An improv workshop transforms the way psychiatrist David Elkin approaches a patient on the psych consult service, and catalyzes a philosophical shift in his approach to patient care. The Nocturnists is partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. More at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Nov 2, 2021 • 46min
Facing the Alzheimer's Crisis with Jason Karlawish, MD
Alzheimer's disease used to be a rare diagnosis. But today, more than 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's and this number is projected to triple to 14 million over the next forty years. In this episode, Emily discusses the mounting practical, moral, and ethical quandaries of caring for patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-causing diseases with Dr. Jason Karlawish, author of The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. More at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com

Oct 26, 2021 • 36min
Stories from the ER with Michele Harper, MD
The emergency room is a place of intensity—a place of noise and colors and human drama. This is the setting of Dr. Michele Harper's memoir, The Beauty in Breaking, which explores how the healing journeys of her patients intersect with her own. Emily and Dr. Harper discuss the back stories that become salient in caring for patients who may be suffering from more than just the injuries bringing them to the ER. The Nocturnists are partnering with VCU Health Continuing Education to offer FREE CME credits for healthcare professionals. Visit ce.vcuhealth.org/nocturnists to claim credit for this episode. More at thenocturnists.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenocturnists.substack.com