
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
Supercharge your learning and enhance your practice with this Internal Medicine Podcast featuring board certified Internists as they interview the experts to bring you clinical pearls, practice-changing knowledge, and bad puns. Doctors Matthew Watto, Paul Williams, and friends (a national network of students, residents, and clinician-educators) deliver a little knowledge food for your brain hole. Yummy! No boring lectures here, just high-value content and a healthy dose of humor. Fantastic for Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Primary Care, and Hospital Medicine.
Latest episodes

Nov 21, 2022 • 47min
#367 Weekend Warriors, Fluids for Acute Pancreatitis, Colonoscopy Screening & Mortality, and SPRINT trial Revisited (Hotcakes)
Join Dr. Era Kryzhanovskaya and guests as they discuss mortality benefits for weekend warriors, fluid strategies for acute pancreatitis, colonoscopy screening impact on mortality, and the legacy of the SPRINT trial. Delve into intense blood pressure control, colon cancer risks, and patient population considerations in this engaging episode.

Nov 14, 2022 • 1h 3min
#366 Opioid Use Disorder and Acute Pain in the Hospitalized Patient
With Carolyn Chan MD and Shawn Cohen MD
Conquer acute pain in the hospitalized patient with opioid use disorder! It’s challenging to treat opioid withdrawal and acute pain simultaneously. This episode features clinical pearls on prescribing methadone, buprenorphine, low-dose buprenorphine initiation, and how to incorporate opioids as part of multimodal pain treatment responsibly. We’re joined by The Curbsiders Addiction Medicine Podcast hosts, Drs. Carolyn Chan (@carolynachan) and Shawn Cohen (@shawncohen)!
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | askcurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner
Acute pain in the patient on buprenorphine maintenance
Acute pain in the patient on methadone maintenance
Acute pain in the patient with opioid withdrawal
Standard buprenorphine initiation
Methadone initiation
Low dose buprenorphine initiation
Take-home points
Outro
Credits
Writer and Producer: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Show Notes: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Cover Art and Infographic: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Reviewer: Fatima Syed MD
Showrunners: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Carolyn Chan MD and Shawn Cohen MD
Sponsor: ExpressVPN
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Sponsor: Southern California Permanente Medical Group
Learn more or apply at scpmgphysiciancareers.com or call (866) 449-1684.
Full transcript HERE

Nov 7, 2022 • 1h 3min
#365: Perioperative Medicine with Anesthesiologist Dr. Angela Selzer
We’ve Come a Long Way From Ether
Learn how an anesthesiologist approaches perioperative medicine from how to choose the right type of anesthesia (general anesthesia vs regional anesthesia vs MAC), to preoperative risk assessment, and how to avoid anesthesia related complications. Our guest, anesthesiologist, Dr. Angela Selzer (Denver, CO) helps us explore high yield pearls regarding the practice of anesthesiology to empower the internal medicine clinician to deliver team-based, perioperative care.
Claim Free CE credit for this episode through VCU Health CE at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner
Introduction to anesthesiology
Introduction to regional anesthesiology
Walk through what an anesthesiologist does in the operating room
Ambulatory surgery center exclusions
Approach to preop assessments
“Will it change management?” applied to anesthesiologists
ASA Classes
Anesthesia complications
Take Home Points; Outro; Bonus clip
Credits
Written and Produced by: Edison Jyang; Avital O’Glasser MD, FACP, SFHM
Cover Art: Sarah Phoebe Roberts, MPH
Infographic: Avital O’Glasser MD, FACP, SFHM; Edison Jyang
Show Notes: Avital O’Glasser MD, FACP, SFHM
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Avital O’Glasser MD, FACP, SFHM
Technical Production: Pod Paste
Reviewer: Sai S Achi, MD MBA
Showrunner: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Angela Selzer, MD
Sponsor: Better Help
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Sponsor: Hello Fresh
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Sponsor: Indeed
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Full transcript HERE

Nov 2, 2022 • 18min
#364 Screening for syphilis: A USPSTF Update with Dr. Katrina Donahue
Dr. Katrina Donahue, a Professor at UNC Chapel Hill and a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, dives into the vital conversation about syphilis screening. She outlines the recent USPSTF guidelines, emphasizing the importance of screening high-risk individuals as syphilis cases rise. The discussion also contrasts traditional testing methods with newer rapid tests, weighing their efficacy. Additionally, Dr. Donahue addresses the delicate balance of risks and benefits in screening, calling for better risk assessments in primary care.

55 snips
Oct 31, 2022 • 53min
#363 Afib: Rhythm Control, Catheter Ablation, Afib in the hospital, and Left Atrial Appendage Closure
Optimize and update your approach to atrial fibrillation (afib) as we discuss early rhythm control, antiarrhythmic drugs, TTE/cardioversion, afib ablation, new onset afib in the hospitalized patient, and left atrial appendage closure. Plus, we try to answer, Does afib burden matter? Our guest is cardiologist-electrophysiologist, Hugh Calkins MD, @hughcalkinsMD, Professor of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins, @hopkinsheart.
Sorry, but we won’t be offering CME for this episode. You can claim CME for past episodes at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | askcurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner
Case from Kashlak; Definitions
An approach to new-onset afib in the office
Rhythm control
Lifestyle modification is a pillar of afib treatment
Indications for hospitalization in afib
More on rhythm control and when to pursue afib ablation
Rhythm control in heart failure
New onset afib in the hospitalized patient
Does afib burden matter?
Left atrial appendage closure
Watto and Paul recap what we’ve learned
Outro
Credits
Written and Produced by: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Show Notes: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Cover art and Infographic by:
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Reviewer: Emi Okamoto MD
Showrunners: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Hugh Calkins MD
Sponsor: Grammarly
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Full transcript HERE

7 snips
Oct 26, 2022 • 40min
#362 Migraine Headaches, Acute Hypoxemia: A rapid review (TFTC)
Recap and review the top pearls from recent episodes #341 Migraine Headaches Update and #350 Acute Hypoxemia with Watto and Paul. It’s Tales from the Curbside! (TFTC), our monthly series providing a rapid review of recent Curbsiders episodes for your spaced learning.
Note No CME for this mini-episode but visit curbsiders.vcuhealth.org to claim credit for shows #341 and #350!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Migraine Headaches Update
An approach to Hypoxemia
Outro
Credits
Written, Produced, and Hosted by: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Show Notes: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
TFTC Cover Art design: Edison Jyang
Technical Production: Pod Paste
Full transcript HERE

66 snips
Oct 24, 2022 • 1h 18min
#361 Advanced Lipidology
Lipids Update 2022: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and New Medications on the Horizon with Erin Michos, MD
Show description:
Ready to take the next step in management of your patient with hyperlipidemia? Dr. Erin Michos (@erinmichos) returns to give us a lesson in Advanced Lipidology. She updates us on what new medications we can use for those difficult to treat lipids and what medications are on the horizon.
Unfortunately, this episode will not be available for CME. You can claim free CME for other episodes at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | askcurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, Getting to know Dr. Erin Michos, Pick of the Week
Patient Case, Digging into ASCVD Risk
Coronary artery calcium scoring - why it’s important
What are “Risk Enhancing Factors”?
Biomarker testing, what is the significance of Lip a and how can we use it to drive management?
Introduction to PCSK9 inhibitors
More than just statins - other LDL-lowering medications
siRNAs, ASOs - Pelacarsen and more
Apollo Trial regarding Pelacarsen
Importance of Family History
What to do if maxed out on a statin or statin intolerance - Ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, MAB therapies, and more
Bempedoic Acid discussion
Medication side effects
Homozygous FH - approach to treatment, ANGPTL3 inhibitors
Triglycerides discussion, icosapent ethyl, the REDUCE-IT trial
Wrap-up and Take home points, Outtro
Credits
Producer and written by: Christopher Chiu MD, FACP, FAAP
Show Notes: James Antaki MD
Infographic: Edison Jyang
Cover Art: Kate Grant MBChB, DipGUMed
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Associate Editor: Leah Witt MD
Showrunner: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Erin Michos MD, MHS
Sponsor: Birch Living
Birch is giving $400 off all mattresses and 2 free eco-rest pillows at BirchLiving.com/curb.
Full transcript HERE

4 snips
Oct 17, 2022 • 1h 11min
#360 Disease-Modifying Nutrition with Dr. Michelle McMacken
The treatment your patients need but may not be getting!
Take a bite out of our latest episode featuring guest expert Dr. Michelle McMacken (@DrMcMacken) and learn how you can help your patients effectively and sustainably reap the health benefits of improved nutrition. Discover the enormous evidence base for nutritional recommendations, develop scripts to engage patients, and update your CVD, T2DM, and hyperlipidemia treatment plans to meaningfully incorporate nutrition. Get your truffle-hunting outfit on, it’s time to go foraging for some tasty knowledge food!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner, favorite advice
Case from Kashlak; definitions
“Evidence-based nutrition” vs plant-based diet
Unifying the guidelines for patient care
Treating the skeptical patient
Tailoring recommendations to patients’ needs
Treating the motivated patient
Host questions
Outro
Credits
Written and Produced by: Deep Shah MD
Show Notes: Sarah Phoebe Roberts, Deep Shah MD
Infographic and Cover Art: Lyan Chang
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP; Deep Shah MD
Reviewers: Emi Okamoto MD
Showrunner: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Michelle McMacken MD, FACP, DipABLM
Sponsor: BetterHelp
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Sponsor: Indeed
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Super foods handout
Full transcript HERE

Oct 10, 2022 • 1h 20min
#359 Monkeypox with Dr. Boghuma Titanji
Master the latest knowledge on the ongoing monkeypox outbreak with Dr. Boghuma Titanji (@Boghuma)! Learn how to recognize monkeypox in the clinic, how to test for monkeypox, how to approach management (including options for antiviral agents), and more.
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | askcurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner, Picks of the Week
Case from Kashlak
History of monkeypox - past and current outbreaks
Transmission of monkeypox
Risk factors for monkeypox
Clinical presentation of monkeypox
Testing for monkeypox
Management of monkeypox: supportive care and antivirals
Monkeypox in patients with HIV
Monkeypox in pregnancy
Monkeypox vaccines
Outro
Credits
Producer and Writer: Paul Williams MD, FACP
Show Notes: Malini Gandhi
Infographic: Sarah Phoebe Roberts
Cover Art: Kate Grant MD
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Reviewer: Emi Okamoto MD
Showrunner: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Boghuma Titanji MD
Sponsor: Green Chef
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Sponsor: Medmastery
Go to medmastery.com/curbsiders to claim your discount.
Full Transcript HERE

4 snips
Oct 3, 2022 • 1h 24min
#358 Oncologic Emergencies with Dr. Aditi Singh
From Cord Compression to Tumor Lysis Syndrome
Do you freak out over oncologic emergencies like cord compression or tumor lysis syndrome? Join Dr. Aditi Singh (University of Pennsylvania, Abramson Cancer Center, @AditiSinghMD) for this comprehensive conversation on six commonly encountered oncologic emergencies we see in the hospital!
Claim free CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org!
Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | askcurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Show Segments
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
Guest one-liner, Picks of the Week*
Cord Compression
SVC Syndrome
Malignant Obstruction
Tumor Lysis Syndrome
Blast Crisis
Outro
Credits
Producer, Writer, Hosts: Meredith Trubitt, MD MPH; Monee Amin, MD
Infographic and Cover Art: Caroline Coleman
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Associate Editor: Leah Witt, MD
Showrunner: Matthew Watto MD, FACP
Technical Production: PodPaste
Guest: Aditi Singh, MD
Sponsor: BetterHelp
Visit BetterHelp.com/curb today to get 10% off your first month.
Sponsor: Indeed
Visit Indeed.com/internalmedicine to start hiring now.
Sponsor: Hello Fresh
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Full Transcript HERE