
The Nocturnists
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
Latest episodes

Oct 5, 2023 • 37min
Post-Roe America: 3. Trust Women
After Dobbs, many states in the middle of the country severely restricted abortion – but Kansas stood out as an exception. As a result, a small clinic in Wichita called Trust Women became an unexpected oasis for abortion care. In episode 3 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America, we bring you inside the clinic to learn how they handled the overwhelming influx of patients. *This episode briefly mentions violent imagery and actions targeting abortion clinics. Listener discretion is advised. Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD Contributors: Christina Bourne, MD MPH; Ashley Brink; Zack Gingrich Gaylord; Catalina Moreno-Hernandez, RMA; and other contributors who wish to remain anonymous Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/3/trust-women. Follow @thenocturnists. The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page. 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

Sep 28, 2023 • 29min
Post-Roe America: 2. The Canary
Kiernan Cobb, RN, a healthcare worker in Texas, discusses the devastating impact of Texas' abortion ban, the struggles of abortion access in conservative areas, the challenges faced by abortion providers, and the hopeful patient care in trans care.

Sep 21, 2023 • 27min
Post-Roe America: 1. The Day Roe Fell
The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America opens in Orlando, at a reproductive health conference where many abortion providers were gathered on the day of the Dobbs leak. We follow a few of them home, as they scramble in the aftermath to figure out what the ruling means for their practices, their patients, and themselves. Host & Co-creator: Ali Block, MD Co-creator: Emily Silverman, MD Contributors: Diane Horvath, MD MPH; Jiana Menendez, MD MPH; Nikki Zite, MD MPH Find show notes, transcript, and more at https://thenocturnists.com/pra/1/the-day-roe-fell. Follow @thenocturnists. The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page. 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

Sep 14, 2023 • 2min
Trailer: Post-Roe America
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Dobbs Decision. Overnight, Americans lost the protections on abortion care that Roe vs. Wade had afforded for almost 50 years. Soon afterward, The Nocturnists began talking to abortion providers around the country. Join us for The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America – a 7-episode podcast series featuring the stories of abortion providers from Texas to Tennessee, Oklahoma to Ohio, and beyond. Series Host: Ali Block, MD Co-creators: Emily Silverman, MD & Ali Block, MD Featured Contributors: April Lockley, DO; Bhavik Kumar, MD MPH; Christina Bourne, MD MPH; Emily Patel, MD; Zack Gingrich-Gaylord and other healthcare workers who wish to remain anonymous More information at thenocturnists.com/post-roe-america The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America series was made possible in part by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by the California Medical Association, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page. 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

Aug 24, 2023 • 53min
The Myths of Self-Care with Pooja Lakshmin, MD
Psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin speaks about her book Real Self-Care, which challenges mainstream notions of "self care" and offers a new framework for cultivating wellbeing. 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

Aug 17, 2023 • 54min
The Forgotten Polio Epidemic with Hannah Wunsch, MD
Emily speaks with critical care physician Hannah Wunsch about her book The Autumn Ghost, which tells the story of a polio epidemic in Copenhagen in the 1950s, and how it gave birth to the invention of the modern ventilator and the field of ICU medicine. 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

Aug 10, 2023 • 59min
How Comedy Became a Lifeline with Will and Kristin Flanary (The Glaucomfleckens)
Emily speaks with ophthalmologist-comedian Will Flanary and educator Kristin Flanary (aka Dr. Glaucomflecken and Lady Glaucomflecken) about their medical comedy platform, and how Will's personal experience with cardiac arrest impacted the way they view their work as healthcare satirists and content creators. 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

Aug 3, 2023 • 55min
The Promise of AI in Medicine with Eric Topol, MD
Emily speaks with cardiologist Eric Topol about his 2019 book Deep Medicine, which explores the potential for AI to enhance medical decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and restore the doctor-patient relationship. 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

Jun 15, 2023 • 38min
Honoring Juneteenth
In honor of Juneteenth this year, we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from our 2020 Black Voices in Healthcare series – Episode 7. "Standout." Have you ever looked around and realized you were the only one? Standing out in the crowd can be hard, but it might just be your superpower. The Black Voices in Healthcare series is hosted by Ashley McMullen, MD and executive produced by Kimberly Manning, MD. Contributors include: Marla Law Abrolat, MD; Tomás Díaz, MD; Utibe R. Essien, MD; Erica DaVonne Farrand, MD; Akeem Nassor Marsh, MD; Ekene Onwuka, MD; Whitney Wellenstein, MD; and other healthcare workers who participated anonymously. 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

Jun 1, 2023 • 50min
Why Public Health Gets Left Behind with Michael Stein, MD
Emily speaks with physician, public health professor, and author Michael Stein about his recent book Me vs. Us: A Health Divided, which explains why the U.S. focuses on individualized health rather than public health, and the importance of considering populations, prevention, and policy. 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