

The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast brings you expert interviews, clinical pearls, and practice-changing knowledge — plus the occasional bad joke. Trusted by 100,000+ health professionals every month, we cover the full spectrum of internal medicine to keep you learning and laughing. 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.
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Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 16, 2020 • 1h 14min
#225 Women in Medicine: COVID Edition
Listen as our expert guests, Kelly Graham, MD, MPH (@KellyGrahamMD) and Lekshmi Santhosh, MD MAEd (@LekshmiMD), detail the professional and personal challenges faced by women in medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Produced by: Leah Witt MD & Shreya Trivedi MD
Written by: Molly Heublein MD, Isabel Valdez PA-C, Leah Witt MD & Shreya Trivedi MD
Infographic & Cover Art: Edison Jyang
Hosts: Leah Witt MD & Shreya Trivedi MD, Justin Berk MD, MPH, MBA
Editor: Molly Heublein MD and Matthew Watto MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guests: Kelly Graham, MD, MPH; Lekshmi Santhosh, MD MAEd
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Episode Breakdown
Intro, disclaimer
Introduction and bio for Kelly Graham, MD, MPH
Introduction and bio for Lekshmi Santhosh, MD MAEd
One-liner for Kelly Graham, MD, MPH
One-liner for Lekshmi Santhosh, MD MAEd
Gender Awakening Moments
Picks of the Week*
Case from Kashlak
Difficulty with lack of childcare while working
Hippocratic Oath paradox
Dr. Santhosh’s 3 Ps
Motherhood penalty-fatherhood bonus
Two Pandemics, One Response
Breadwinner-homemaker bias
Female physician burnout
Minority Tax
Silver Linings
Take home points and Outro

Jul 13, 2020 • 60min
#224 Hospital Addiction Medicine with Dr Melissa Weimer
Jump into an episode dedicated to hospital based addiction medicine, as we cover common scenarios hospitalists encounter. In this episode we talk to addiction medicine expert, Dr. Melissa Weimer @DrMelissaWeimer (Yale) about inpatient management of patients with substance use disorders. Topics include: the management of polysubstance withdrawal, approaching acute pain management for a person with opioid use disorder, and inpatient harm reduction strategies. After this episode listeners will gain new tools to help them best care for hospitalized patients with substance use disorders.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | CME!
Credits
Writers and Producers: Carolyn Chan MD, Deb Gorth, and Nora Taranto MD
Cover Art and Infographics by: Carolyn Chan, MD
Hosts: Stuart Brigham MD; Paul Williams MD, FACP; Carolyn Chan MD
Editor: Emi Okamoto MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Dr. Melissa Weimer
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio : 00:00
Guest one-liner: 03:00
Picks of the Week*: 08:20
Case from Kashlak: 10:30
Urine Toxicology Screens 11:30
Discussing Urine Toxicology Screens with Patients 13:20
Management of Polysubstance Withdrawal 16:16
Tapering Benzodiazepines 19:56
Acute Pain Management and Opioid Use Disorder 30:35
Active Drug Use in the Hospital 38:52
Harm Reduction 40:00
Discharges - Planned 43:43
Perioperative Buprenorphine and Methadone: 46:50
QT Prolongation and Methadone - 52:53
Outro 56:21

Jul 6, 2020 • 1h
Cystic Fibrosis Licked (Cribsiders #1) with Dr. Whittney Warren
Our very first Cribsiders/Curbsiders crossover episode! Learn about cystic fibrosis care across the lifespan. We dive into the diagnosis of CF (don’t lick your patients!), management of pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications, and the future of CF. You’ll also get tips on CF in adolescents and young adults, as well as recognizing undiagnosed CF in older patients. Our guest, Dr. Whittney Warren, is a pulmonary critical care doctor and the medical director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis clinic in an academic hospital in Texas. Show notes: https:/www.thecribsiders.com/.
Credits
Writer, Producer, Infographic, CME Questions: Clara Mao Cover Art: Christopher Chiu MD Hosts: Justin Berk MD, Christopher Chiu MD, and Matthew Watto MD
Editor: Justin Berk MD; Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Whittney Warren DO
Time Stamps
Intro / Disclaimer 0:00 Guest bio 2:25 Guest one-liner, picks of the week 3:15 Explaining CF to patients, life expectancy 7:00 Types of CF mutations and phenotypes 11:50 Presentation of CF in older patients 15:20 Screening and diagnosis 16:40 PFTs and airway clearance 25:20 Nutrition and the “CF diet” 29:10 CF exacerbations and antibiotic selection 32:25 Extrapulmonary manifestations 39:35 Transition of care for CF adolescents (alcohol, exercise, sex) 43:50
CFTR modulator therapy 51:35
Lung transplantation 54:45
Goal
Listeners will develop a systematic approach towards long-term management and acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis.
Learning objectives
After listening to this episode listeners will…
Explain the pathophysiology underlying cystic fibrosis. Identify maintenance therapies that optimize pulmonary function and nutritional status in patients with cystic fibrosis. Choose evidence-based practices in the management of cystic fibrosis-associated pulmonary exacerbations.

Jul 2, 2020 • 47min
#223 Hot COVID Cakes: COVID19 Disparities, Steroids, Hormones for Depression, Probiotics
This episode is Half COVID Cakes, Half Hotcakes, and entirely enlightening. Our guest Dr. Utibe Essien MD, MPH @UREssien and Curbsider/epidemiologist, Dr. Rahul Ganatra MD, MPH @rbganatra discuss some Hot COVID Cakes including: racial differences in COVID-19 outcomes, why dogs and dexamethasone may hold the key to defeating COVID-19, how hormonal adjunctive therapies might be key for depression, and when to poo-poo probiotics versus when a side of Lactobacillus may be beneficial.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | CME!
Credits
Written and Produced by: Rahul Ganatra MD, MPHl Emi Okamoto MD; Sarah P. Roberts MPH; and Matthew Watto MD
Show Notes and CME questions by: Deborah J. Gorth ScM
Cover Art: Deborah J. Gorth ScM
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD; Rahul Ganatra MD, MPH, Emi Okamoto MD, and Sarah P. Roberts MPH
Editor: Matthew Watto MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Utibe Essien MD, MPH
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
00:00 Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
02:20 Silver Linings / Picks of the Week: Chicken Run (2000) and Chicken Run 2 on Netflix; Philly Inquirer story on COVID sniffing dogs; Buy some peaches! And check out their Wikipedia page!
07:33 Hospitalizations and Mortality Among Black and White patients with COVID-19
26:10 Dexamethasone for COVID-19
28:55 Hormonal therapy for depression
38:16 Probiotics
45:00 Outro

Jun 25, 2020 • 54min
#222 Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Medicine Utibe Essien MD, MPH
Listen as our esteemed guest Dr. Utibe Essien @UREssien walks us through key terminology and evidence necessary to understand anti-Black racism in medicine. Dr. Essien provides insights into ways that racism impacts our work in the clinical and academic settings and offers approaches for addressing anti-Black racism in these settings.
Show Notes | Subscribe | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | CME!
Credits
Producer and Writer: Joniqua Ceasar MD, Hannah Abrams MD
Cover Art: Hannah Abrams MD
Infographic: Beth Garbitelli
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP; Joniqua Ceasar MD
Editor: Paul Williams MD, Chris Chiu MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Utibe Essien MD
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
00:00 Intro, disclaimer, guest bio
02:40 Guest one-liner, Picks of the Week*: Just Mercy
09:20 Statement from the show; Importance of discussing racism in medicine
14:11 Definitions
18:06 Identifying how racism manifests in the clinical setting
37:46 Ideas for advocacy
49:50 Take points and Outro

13 snips
Jun 22, 2020 • 1h 4min
#221 Interstitial Lung Disease with Erin Narewski DO - Breathtaking knowledge and other words of inspiration
Dr. Erin Narewski, a pulmonologist specializing in interstitial lung disease, breaks down the classification, patient history, workup, and management of ILD in this engaging podcast. From favorite movies to book recommendations and career stories, the discussion covers the complexities of diagnosing ILD, treatment options like anti-fibrotics and palliative care, and real-life cases illustrating the challenges and nuances of managing ILD patients. Breathe easy with Dr. Narewski's expert insights!

Jun 18, 2020 • 40min
#220 Social Determinants of Health with Karen DeSalvo MD
We’re going upstream! Dr. Karen DeSalvo (@KBDeSalvo) talks social determinants of health, arming us with a framework to consider this very challenging aspect of patient care. As Society for General Internal Medicine President and Chief Health Officer at Google Health, she shares her clinical and public health experience, including weathering Katrina in New Orleans. While our clinical care largely focuses on the downstream medical consequences, we must recognize the upstream social context to address the barriers to health and wellbeing.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | CME!
Credits
Written and Produced by: Emi Okamoto MD
Cover Art: Kate Grant MBChb, MRCGP
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP; Emi Okamoto MD
Editor: Matthew Watto MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Karen DeSalvo MD, MPH, MSc
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org for and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio 0:44
Dr Desalvo’s one-liner 3:34
Picks of the Week*- The Great Influenza book by John M Barry 5:01
Dr Desalvo’s advice and past experience 6:10
Case from Kashlak 10:30
What about the evidence for social determinants? 13:40
What to do about this in the clinic, and is it worth screening? 16:06
Approaching as a team and with the community 19:40
How do we affect the upstream, before the downstream consequences? 22:40
NAM recommendations and framework 26:00
The role of technology 30:00
What are Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), and who they affect 34:00
Start paying attention to SDOH 37:00
Outro 38:49

Jun 15, 2020 • 58min
#219 Post-Op Fever and Complications with Avital O’Glasser MD
Answers to common questions in post-op care with our Kashlak Chief of Perioperative Medicine Dr. Avital O’Glasser. She provides updates in delirium prevention, perioperative medication management, pain control, and even clarifies a lesson from Meredith Grey about causes of post-op fever.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | CME!
Credits
Written: Hannah Abrams MD, Avital O’Glasser MD
Produced by, Infographic and Cover Art by: Hannah Abrams MD
Hosts: Hannah Abrams MD; Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP
Editor: Avital O’Glasser MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Avital O’Glasser MD
Sponsor: ACP - acponline.org/member
Sponsor: VCU Health CE -Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
00:00 Intro
02:53 Guest one-liner, Picks of the Week*: 12 Angry Men 1957 Movie; Hedwig and the Angry Inch Cast Recording; PCSSNow Buprenorphine Waiver Training for Medical Students
09:28 Sponsor
10:17 Kashlak case; How to collaborate with our surgical colleagues
13:45 Questions to ask at the time of transfer
23:00 Routine Post-Op Care: Bowel regimen, pain control, delirium prevention, glucose, antihypertensives, and nausea
44:25 Co-managing Complications and Fever/Tachycardia; Brief discussion of VTE prophylaxis
57:55 Outro

Jun 8, 2020 • 1h 6min
#218 Trauma-Informed Care with Megan Gerber MD
Join us as we delve into the paradigm-shifting ethos of trauma-informed care with renowned expert Dr. Megan Gerber, Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, Medical Director of Women’s Health for VA Boston where she directs the Women’s Health Fellowship, editor of “Trauma-informed Health Care Approaches: A Guide for Primary Care.” We discuss the framework for trauma-informed universal precautions, as well as basics about the prevalence of trauma, strategies for integrating a trauma-sensitive approach into primary care, practical changes for the office environment, modifications for physical exam methods, and more. We recognize this topic may be triggering. If you are struggling with thoughts of harming yourself, the national suicide prevention lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255.
Show Notes | Spotify | Swag! | Top Picks | Mailing List | thecurbsiders@gmail.com | Free CME!
Credits
Producer/Writer/Graphics: Beth Garbitelli
Co-Producer: Paul Williams MD
Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP, Beth Garbitelli
Editor: Molly Heublein MD (written materials); Clair Morgan of nodderly.com
Guest: Megan Gerber MD, MPH, FACP
Sponsor: ACP - Visit acponline.org/member
Sponsor: VCU Health CE - Check out curbsiders.vcuhealth.org and create your FREE account!
Time Stamps
Intro, disclaimer, guest bio (0:00 - 3:15)
Guest one-liner (3:30)
Kashlak Cases (13:45)
Epidemiology of trauma (15:18)
Trauma and #MeToo (18:10)
Defining Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) (19:00)
Integrating TIC into primary care (22:48)
Screening in TIC (25:00)
Containment and retraumatization (29:00)
Inquiring about trauma (30:45)
Recap and Office Visit Mechanics (35:30)
Building the Relationship (38:00)
Common Inquiry Mishaps (38:52)
TIC Physical Exam (40:20)
Resources for Patients (44:30)
Office Environment (48:00)
Provider Burnout (50:00)
TIC in Covid-19 (52:30)
Take-home Points (56:20)

Jun 3, 2020 • 22min
Curious Clinicians Episode 1 - Clubbing
Introducing our friends, The Curious Clinicians:
Why do human bodies work how they do? Why do medications work, or not work? Do you miss digging into the “why” behind what we do every day? Join Hannah Abrams (@hannarabrams), Tony (@tony_breu), and Avi (@AvrahamCooperMD) in the Curious Clinicians podcast as they delve into these questions & more, starting with episode 1: Why does fingernail clubbing happen in so many different diseases? https://curiousclinicians.com/
Check out their website and subscribe on your favorite podcast player.


