

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

Oct 19, 2021 • 49min
The Moral Murkiness of Medical Aid in Dying with Katie Engelhart
Do no harm. Thou shalt not kill. Life is sacred and should be protected at all costs, right? But when is life no longer worth living? Who decides? And what do we do about it? In this episode, Emily discusses the murky ethical dilemmas of medical aid in dying with award-winning journalist Katie Engelhart, the author of The Inevitable: Dispatches On The Right to Die. 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 12, 2021 • 43min
The Dark History of Medicine’s Mistreatment of Women with Elinor Cleghorn
In the last few years, the medical profession has been grappling with the problem of gender bias in medicine, with how the symptoms of women are seen as atypical, or worse, are minimized, dismissed or ignored. But where did this problem come from? How far have we come and where should we go from here? In this episode, Emily discusses these questions and more with Dr. Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World. 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

Jul 27, 2021 • 37min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.8: A Call to Arms
It’s been over a year since the first case of COVID-19 appeared in Seattle, and it’s been a long cold lonely winter. But in our series finale, we wanted to hear about a bright spot in all the darkness: the first vaccines that found their way into the arms of healthcare workers all around the country. 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

Jul 20, 2021 • 29min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.7: Remembering a Pandemic
Where did the pandemic become real for you? This has been the most significant global public health crisis in a generation, but we each experienced it through a different set of eyes. 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

Jul 13, 2021 • 34min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.6: Space Oddity
The acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, but some things are here to stay. How have N-95s, face shields, gowns, gloves and ventilators inserted themselves into our everyday lives? 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

Jul 6, 2021 • 36min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.5: Night Flight to San Francisco
The COVID-19 global health crisis shed light on the immense value of doctors, nurses, public health workers, and research scientists. At the same time, the pandemic has all but obliterated the arts: theater artists, dancers, and performers have lost their livelihoods and their purpose. But doesn't art save lives, too? 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

Jun 29, 2021 • 30min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.4: Dreams and Nightmares
We know the pandemic has affected the waking lives of healthcare workers. But what happens after we fall asleep? Does the pandemic haunt us in the shadows too? 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

Jun 22, 2021 • 28min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.3: By My Side
One of the hardest things about being healthcare workers going through this pandemic is that we've both experienced and borne witness to moments that nobody should have to go through alone. Who do we need by our side when everything falls apart? And what do we do when they can’t be there? 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

Jun 15, 2021 • 43min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.2: COVID Hits Home
To some, the pandemic is a distant thing. The deaths of hundreds of thousands can feel unreal and even impossible to comprehend. That is, until COVID hits home. 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

Jun 8, 2021 • 33min
Stories from a Pandemic: Part II - Ep.1: The Space Between
The Nocturnists is back with the second installment of “Stories from a Pandemic”. How have healthcare workers been holding up over the past year? In this episode we hear stories from healthcare workers around the country about what it’s been like after the dust has settled. Visit our website for episode show notes here. 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