Friends of Franz

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer remains to be the most common cancer, excluding skin cancers, and accounts for the second leading cause of cancer death, following lung cancer, in women across the nation. Yet, despite these staggering statistics, a Current Oncology commentary from Harvard Medical School states that misinformation believed by the general population within the domain of breast health remains at large, especially when it comes to breast cancer screening. In this episode, we seek to tackle these questions that surround breast cancer screening and detection: What is the BRCA gene, and how does it relate to breast cancer? What are the risk factors for breast cancer? At what age should a woman start getting a mammogram? Can men also get breast cancer? What is the BI-RADS score? How does one perform a monthly breast self-examination? What are the next steps for the patient after a breast cancer diagnosis?We are joined today by Dr. Robyn Roth, a board-certified diagnostic radiologist and breast & abdominal imaging specialist based in Camden, NJ. She received her BS at the University of Florida, MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Diagnostic Radiology residency and Women's Imaging fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. For the past decade, Dr. Roth has been an attending Breast Radiologist, Women's Imaging Fellowship Director, and Assistant Professor of Radiology in New Jersey. Dr. Roth is the founder of "The Boobie Docs," a renowned social media platform and podcast where she discusses breast cancer and breast health in an educational and fun way. Dr. Roth has been featured on The TODAY Show, USA Today, AOL.com, Health.com, Katie Couric Media, and Good Day Philadelphia.Livestream Air Date: August 22, 2023Follow Robyn Gartner Roth, MD: Instagram, YouTube, TikTokFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the World Health Organization, around 3.6 billion diagnostic radiologic medical examinations are performed worldwide yearly. Diagnostic imaging exams — including X-rays, MRIs, Ultrasounds, CT scans, and PET scans — can truly save lives and change the trajectory of a patient's care plan by potentially preventing the necessity of surgery and more invasive procedures. Yet, despite the integral work of diagnostic radiologists and radiologic technologists, they remain to be the unsung heroes of medicine. What does the medical education and training for radiology look like? When is an X-ray needed to rule out a medical condition versus an MRI or a CT scan? Is the radiation emitted from the imaging machines safe? What are the scaled effects of radiation exposure on the body?We are joined today by diagnostic radiology resident physician Dr. Sally Choi (also known online as Drsallymanderchoi). She received her MD from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and is currently completing her Diagnostic Radiology residency at UTHealth San Antonio Long School of Medicine, with an interest in furthering her training in Neuroradiology fellowship. Through social media, Dr. Choi has garnered over 300,000 followers, having shared her journey within medicine, the field of radiology, and mental health.Livestream Air Date: November 10, 2022Follow Sally Choi, MD: Instagram, TikTok, YouTubeFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), nearly one-fourth of older adults aged 65 and older are at increased risk for loneliness and are considered to be socially isolated, with risk factors being attributed to hearing loss, losing family or friends, role changes such as retirement, living alone, and chronic disease. Geriatric syndromes — such as polypharmacy, falls, cognitive impairment like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, malnutrition, and incontinence — are clinical conditions and multifactorial impairments that are more commonly identified in older adults. Aging is definitely the normal trajectory of human life, but how can one age in a way that is considered healthy and with an optimal quality of life? How can an older adult look forward to the remaining years of life despite chronic illness? How can we help safeguard a geriatric's mental health despite feelings of abandonment, loneliness, and fear of being a burden to their caregiver/s?We are joined today by Dr. Christina Chen, a double board-certified geriatrician and internist at Mayo Clinic. She received her BS in Biology and Psychology from Michigan State University, MD from St George's University School Of Medicine, Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and Geriatric Medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She further achieved certificates in Acupuncture for Physicians from Helms Medical Institute and Executive Women in Leadership from Cornell University. Dr. Chen currently stands as an Attending Geriatrician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic Rochester, the Host of the Aging Forward Podcast, the Course Director of the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Senior Sages Curriculum. the Editor of the Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging book, and the Medical Advisory Board of GrandPad, a customizable platform that delivers virtual care to seniors at home while keeping seniors connected to reduce social isolation and improve the telehealth experience.Livestream Air Date: August 17, 2023Follow Ying Ying (Christina) Chen, MD: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Did you know that, according to the National Institute of Aging, if we stretched out our arteries, veins, and capillaries as adults, they would measure around 100,000 miles? This means that our blood vessels could circle the globe four times, given that the earth's circumference is about 25,000 miles! The human vasculature is truly an intricate system that literally supplies us with blood (with veins circulating around 2,000 gallons to all body organs every day) - with life. It is no surprise that pathologies and disease processes that involve our vasculature can result in life-threatening effects, like heart attacks and strokes from coronary vascular and cerebrovascular disease, respectively. However, diseases of the vasculature can also result in effects that can simply alter one's quality of life, such as limb loss from critical limb ischemia due to peripheral arterial disease, varicose veins from peripheral venous insufficiency, lymphedema from lymphatic diseases, the need for hemodialysis due to chronic kidney disease secondary to renal artery stenosis, erectile dysfunction from genitourinary vascular diseases, and much more. We are joined today by fifth-year Integrated Vascular Surgery resident physician Dr. Yang Yang. She received her BS in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from Drew University, MD from Drexel University College Of Medicine, and is currently completing her Vascular Surgery residency at MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital. Livestream Air Date: April 16, 2023Follow Yang Yang, MD: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter/XFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), approximately 2.9 million annual injuries occur in sports, athletic, and recreational settings, with sprains and strains accounting for the largest portion of injuries at 41.4 per 1,000. Truly, the universal recommendation is that we all engage in physical activity and exercise due to its evidence-based benefits on our cardiopulmonary health and general wellness. However, how do we do so safely in order to avoid injury? How can professional athletes engage in training that assures safety while achieving desired progress? How can one with chronic pain still increase stamina and endurance during workouts? And in cases of pain and injury, how can one rehabilitate properly without needing surgery?We are joined today by Doctor of Physical Therapy and board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Dr. Harris Choe. He received his BS in Psychobiology from UCLA and DPT from the University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, where he also completed his residency as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Dr. Choe was previously an Adjunct Faculty Member at USC for physical therapy clinical reasoning and interventional skills. Since 2022, he has stood as the Founder and Owner of HYC Physio Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in Santa Monica, California, where individualized physical therapy services are provided to professional athletes to help rehabilitate from injury, eliminate chronic pain, and return to high performance.Livestream Air Date: August 3, 2023Follow Dr. Harris Choe, PT, DPT, OCS: Instagram, YouTubeFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

"Life in plastic, it's fantastic." This iconic line from the 1997 hit song "Barbie Girl" by Europop band Aqua alludes to the Barbie doll that debuted in 1959. Barbie has long been the paradigm of societal attractiveness through physical features, as confirmed by a survey report by Fairmont State College professor Albert M. Magro. In the same year as the song was released, Magro published the paper "Why Barbie is Perceived as Beautiful" with reasons such as a thinner body frame, longer limbs, elongated neck, square shoulders, and larger eyes. Research studies throughout the decades have shown Barbie's mixed influences on body image and the rise of cosmetic-altering procedures to achieve these physical ideals that have been pushed as societal norms, such as liposuction, breast augmentation, and rhytidectomy (or a facelift). This has placed the medical domains of plastic and cosmetic surgery in a narrowed and misconstrued light of mere vanity and the pursuit of physical "perfection."However, there is more to the field of plastic surgery than cosmesis - with power and necessity in its own right by bestowing self-confidence and resulting quality of life. The field of plastic and reconstructive surgery daily changes, improves, and saves lives through surgeries such as cleft lip and palate repair, breast reconstruction secondary to breast cancer mastectomy, reduction mammoplasty to relieve Intertrigo, facial reconstruction after physical trauma, skin grafting to treat burn wounds, and much more.Today, we are joined by sixth-year plastic surgery resident physician Dr. Alex Sun to speak about the often misunderstood beauty of the field. He received his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University, where he was a Research Fellow at Duke University Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratory, and MD/MHS from Yale University School of Medicine, where he was an NIH-CTSA-funded Plastic Surgery Research Fellow. Dr. Sun is currently completing his Plastic Surgery Residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has also served as the Senior Staff Fellow and Medical Officer of the FDA Division of General Surgery Devices and the Division of Infection Control and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.Livestream Air Date: July 27, 2023Follow Alex Sun, MD, MHS: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2021, 25% of Asian American adults with a mental illness reported receiving mental health services compared to 52% of White adults. Additionally, Asians were 2.25x more likely to report mental health treatment being ineffective. What is it about the Asian American community that their approachability to mental health and mental health care is lower than other demographics? Is it mistrust in the system? Is it disbelief in the concept of the services? Or can it be fear and shame to partake in these discussions and actually receive help? In this episode, we tackle the sensitive, often taboo, and stigmatized conversations that surround Asian communities and their mental well-being: the model minority myth, racism and microaggression, intergenerational trauma, guilt and shame within collectivist cultures, and the importance of culturally responsive mental health care.Carrie Zhang is the founder and executive director of the Asian Mental Health Project (AMHP), a non-profit organization that provides educational resources and community care initiatives to help de-stigmatize mental health and make it more accessible for the Pan-Asian community through social media, multimedia content creation, and community events. Carrie graduated from the University of Southern California with a BS in Public Relations and is a Policy and Research Associate at Rise Up Inc, focusing on civil rights.Alice Zhang, CEO and Nisha Desai, COO are the co-founders of Anise Health, an online holistic mental health service for the Asian community that incorporates cultural stressors into personalized treatments. Alice and Nisha were co-pupils at Harvard Business School for their MBA, where they saw and agreed on the importance of culturally-responsive providers and an integrated approach to executing data-driven treatment for Asian clients.Livestream Air Date: July 19, 2023Follow Asian Mental Health Project: InstagramFollow Anise Health: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), approximately 65% of over 50 million anesthesia services in the United States are delivered by certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) each year, whether in collaboration with a physician or independently. In many rural and underserved areas in America, this percentage is significantly higher at over 90%. Despite this, the profession is still regarded as a “hidden gem” within the nursing domain, given that the general public and patients may not be fully knowledgeable about their scope and even their existence at all. Dating back to the American Civil War in the early 1860s, nurses have been providing anesthetics to wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Now, nurse anesthetists administer both surgical and procedural relief in and out of operating rooms across over 100 countries worldwide. How does the scope of practice of nurse anesthetists differ from physician anesthesiologists? What does the educational and training pathway of CRNAs look like? In what settings and specialties can CRNAs deliver anesthesia?In this episode, we are joined by the co-founders of Confident Care Academy, a comprehensive online educational resource that seeks to empower critical care nurses, nursing students, nurse educators, and future CRNAs through lecture video series and discussion boards. Chrissy Massaro is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist of five years, rooting her near-decade nursing career in the Cardiovascular ICU at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she later received her MSN in Nurse Anesthesia. Anna Jobe is a current Resident Registered Nurse Anesthetist with three years of ICU nursing, ranging from Cardiovascular ICU at The Johns Hopkins University Hospital, COVID-19 ECMO units, and travel nursing around the country in both medical and surgical intensive care units.Livestream Air Date: June 30, 2023Follow Christina Massaro, MSN, CRNA: InstagramFollow Anna Jobe, BSN, RRNA: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the Sleep Research Society (SRS), and the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), adults should regularly sleep at least 7 hours a night to promote optimal health. However, over one-quarter of adults do not meet this recommendation. (Oops, me included!) AASM states that about 30% of adults have insomnia symptoms, and about 10% of adults have insomnia that is severe enough to cause daytime repercussions. What is it about sleep that it's so important to have? What is the parameter of good and quality sleep? What are the health risks of not sleeping enough? In this episode, we tackle it all: sleep, dreams, the sleep cycle, sleeping pills, sleep disorders, and so much more!We are joined today by Dr. Meredith Broderick, a triple-board certified sleep neurologist and the Founder of Sound Sleep Guru, a boutique sleep telehealth service focused on discovering the root of individualized sleep problems. She received her BA in Chemistry from The Ohio State University as Summa Cum Laude​, MD from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Neurology Residency at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, and Sleep Disorders and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Broderick is on the Medical Advisory Board of Ozlo Sleepbuds®, wireless biometric sensors to help optimize the sleeping experience. She has been the Assistant Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, the Sleep Lab Director at Alaska Neurology Center, and the Medical Director at several sleep centers in Seattle, Washington.Livestream Air Date: June 28, 2023Follow Meredith Broderick, MD: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to Harvard Medical School, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a long-hidden mystery of the human body - a complex network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that play a crucial role in regulating various essential functions in our body, such as sleep, temperature regulation, immune responses, learning and memory, and so much more. With the "cannabinoid" receptors in our brain, does this mean that our body is set to receive the cannabinoids that we know of? "Cannabidiol (CBD)," "cannabis," "hemp," "marijuana," "weed" - these are words that revolve around a green flowering plant that produces so many questions, discussions, and controversies. Often regarded as recreational therapy when it comes to parties in the form of gummies and brownies, the plant has been said and shown to provide so many more benefits than recreation. Whether tinctures to help with insomnia, facial oil to reduce acne, or capsules for pain, CBD seems to be a promising technology within the realm of plant medicine. But still, so many questions arise: What are cannabinoids? What are CBG and CBN? What are THC and THCv? What are terpenes? Can CBD give you the high? How can one consume CBD products safely?We are joined today by Amy Chin, a licensed cannabis coach and consultant and the founder of Calm Better Days (CBD). After over a decade of working in product management, Amy took her experiences of anxiety and depression to help others also find light in what she found an answer in: cannabis. In 2020, she founded Calm Better Days, a boutique that provides a curated CBD regimen suited to an individual's needs and lifestyle while providing educational services to new users of the phytochemical. CBD's boutique has a curated wide range of organic toxin-free, fungicide-, and pesticide-free products from carefully maintained farms in the United States.Livestream Air Date: June 23, 2023Follow Amy Chin: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

There is a saying that goes, "The mind is the Devil's playground." Though this particularly refers to thoughts, mindsets, and emotions, the organ that houses the mind also seems to be an abode to nefarious diseases that have long been regarded as death sentences. Brain tumors and cancers, like meningioma and glioblastoma, are the most-feared adversaries of the nervous system, but there is an array of brain diseases that also creep up over time and claim their power over someone's life, its quality, and even the people around them. Memory loss has long been regarded as the hallmark presentation of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. and it leads to the question of how possible it is to evade the malady that wipes the mental records of love and happiness clear. Can one surpass the ultimatum set by brain cancer? How can one ease their mind in the face of imminent demise? Can memory loss be prevented? What does "brain health" mean? Is social interaction really necessary to keep our brains safe?We are joined today by Joon Myung, a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner, Alzheimer's disease and dementia educator, and brain health and mental health advocate. She received her BS in Nursing from California State University in 2002 and MS in Family Practitioner Nursing from UCLA in 2005. Joon has been a nurse practitioner for almost two decades, spending the bulk of her advanced provider role in Internal Medicine and Urgent Care. Over the past six years, she has been diagnosing and treating brain cancers and providing treatment plans for post-surgical patients. Online, Joon generously shares her passion for brain health education, focused on brain-boosting, activities, meditation, mindsets, and supplements. She also shares her advocacy for Alzheimer's disease and dementia prevention, rooted in her own journey with her mother, who had the progressive brain disease.Livestream Air Date: May 25, 2023Follow Joon Myung, MS, FNP-C: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Does sunscreen really prevent skin cancer? The higher the SPF, the better? Do oral sunscreen and UPF clothing actually work? Does the sun cause melasma and hyperpigmentation? Does one still need to apply sunscreen during the winter or if staying inside the house? We are joined today, not by one, not two, but three expert board-certified dermatologists all the way from Manila, Philippines, to talk about all things sun exposure, damage, and protection, especially within equatorial regions, where UV exposure is known to be at highest risk.Dr. Mara Evangelista-Huber, also known as "Dermomtology," is a dermatopathologist with expertise in dissecting clinical research. She received her BS in Biology from the University of the Philippines, MD from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery as Cum Laude, Chief Dermatology Residency at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dermatopathology Fellowship at the University of California San Francisco, and Masters in Clinical Research Trials from the University of London with distinction. Dr. Mara is the Managing Editor of the Journal of the Philippine Dermatological Society, Secretary of the Dermatopathology Society of the Philippines, and Co-Chair of the Philippine Dermatological Society Research Committee. She is the first Asian and Filipino to win the Everett Fox Award for Outstanding Clinical Research by the American Academy of Dermatology for her investigation of the use of simvastatin for venous ulcers.Dr. Francesca "Chesca" Sy-Alvarado, also known as "Go Lightly MD," is an expert in dermatologic surgery, lasers, and cosmetic dermatology. She received her BS in Psychology from the University of the Philippines, MD from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Dermatology residency at the Philippine General Hospital, and Dermatologic Surgery Fellowship at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital of Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Chesca is the Owner and Medical Director of QuAD Clinic in Makati, which focuses on positive aging.Dr. Jarische "Jaja" Lao-Ang, also known as "The Derma Mama PH," is a master of science communication on healthy hair, skin, and nail habits. She received her BS in Human Biology from De La Salle University as Cum Laude and MD from St. Luke's Medical Center College of Medicine William H. Quasha Memorial, where she also completed her Dermatology residency. Dr. Jaja now stands as an attending dermatologist at St. Luke's Medical Center and Skin 101 Shangri-La Plaza, where she tackles acne, cosmetic procedures, and starting a skincare routine.Livestream Air Date: May 23, 2023Follow Mara Padilla Evangelista-Huber, MD, FPDS, MClinRes: IGFollow Francesca Sy-Alvarado, MD, FPDS, DPACS: IGFollow Jarische Lao-Ang, MD, DPDS: IGFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTube

Throughout nursing school, working in the hospital or at "the bedside" was definitely the encouraged career path after graduation and licensure. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 55% of registered nurses worked in hospitals in 2022. However, a beauty of the nursing profession is its versatility of where one could take a position: ambulatory services, home health, schools, politics, you name it. Over the recent years, we have also seen a new pavement in nursing entrepreneurship in collaboration with the rise of technology, social media, and artificial intelligence. We are joined in this episode by three "nursepreneurs" within the social space.Cara Lunsford is the Founder and CEO of HOLLIBLU, a social networking app for nurses, which was acquired by Relias/Nurse.com, where she is now the Vice President of Community. Nurse.com has been the trusted go-to resource for nurses worldwide for more than 30 years, providing the nursing community with peer support, job opportunities, and accredited continuing education. Cara has been a registered nurse for almost two decades, having worked in the areas of pediatric oncology, infusion services, hospice care, and concierge home health as a Director of Nursing.Anthony Scarpone-Lambert is the Co-Founder and CEO of Adni (formerly Lumify), a one-stop shop of gear and resources made for healthcare workers and the only all-in-one AI-powered clinician engagement platform. He previously co-founded Text-911, an advocacy non-profit startup expediting the process of implementing emergency text capabilities in all United States counties. Anthony received his Nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the Class Board Executive Vice President and graduated with the Spoon and Dean's Awards as the first honor of his graduating class. Anthony was a childhood Broadway performer from the Disney Theatrical Group.Tamara AL-Yassin is the CEO of The Nursing Beat, the only free daily digital nurse-operated newsletter made for nurses. She is also a Healthcare Consultant for Baxter International Co., a healthcare product company focusing on kidney disease and other chronic and acute medical condition treatment. Tamara was a charge and trauma nurse in the emergency department for over a decade, where she previously co-founded The Acknowledgement Collective, which created meaningful customized lapel pins.Livestream Air Date: May 12, 2023Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Have you ever seen the meme that goes: "Nursing exams be like: 'Which one is the most orange?'" and goes on to provide four images of the same orange fruit? Having been a nursing student myself years ago who bore the burden of these tests that were often oblique and required specific tackling strategies, I understand the pressure and mental stress of the whole examination process. How should one, a nursing student alike or not, approach the test room? Are there helpful mindset preparations to ensure successful results? What are the strategies for effective studying, especially for online instruction? How far can mere memorization skills take you? And how should one know when to abandon an unfruitful learning style and method for a new one? We are joined by two incredible nursing educators to answer it all!Stephanee Beggs from Los Angeles, California, is the CEO of RNExplained, Inc., an educational content platform that went viral on social media and is utilized by over 1 million nursing students and current nurses nationwide. She was honored on Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education, having generated more than $2 million in revenue selling study materials and merchandise in 2023. Stephanee has received two Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration in Marketing and Nursing as Magna Cum Laude and currently works as a registered nurse at the UCLA Health Emergency Department and as an Adjunct Professor of Nursing Pharmacology at Mount Saint Mary's University.Meris Shuwarger from Columbus, Ohio, is a certified Emergency and Trauma registered nurse and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Emergency Nursing. She received her Bachelor's degree in Nursing as Valedictorian and currently works at a Level II Trauma Center and Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. Within the world of nursing education, Meris is an Adjunct Clinical Instructor for Medical-Surgical Nursing at Columbus State Community College, piloted the Supplemental Instruction model at Chamberlain University College of Nursing, and a Nurse Team Lead and Educator at Level Up RN, an educational content platform for registered and practical nurses. Livestream Air Date: May 10, 2023Follow Stephanee Beggs, BSN, RN: InstagramFollow Meris Shuwarger, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Over the past few years, the health and wellness space has been flooded with the concept of the "gut microbiome," or the ecosystem of microorganisms in our stomachs. Probiotics, which have become prominent on social media, are said to strengthen this bacterial community and can result in benefits like improved nutrient absorption, skin inflammation, and even mental acuity. However, this connection of the gut to the mental sphere has actually been shown in research as the "gut-brain axis" (GBA). In fact, according to a 2015 journal from the Annals of Gastroenterology, a bidirectional relationship between our gut and our brain has been shown to influence our responses to anxiety, stress, and even functions of memory through interactions with the central nervous system.We are joined today by behavioral neuroscientist, toxicologist, neuropharmacologist, and international fashion model Dr. Aya Osman. She received her BSc in Biomedical Sciences with Honors from the University of London, MSc in Toxicology focusing on the role of adenosine and glutamate receptors in cocaine addiction from the University of Surrey, and PhD in Toxicology and Neuropharmacology from the University of Surrey, where she investigated the development of brain opioid and oxytocin receptor systems in response to early life dietary manipulation. She then worked as a Toxicologist at the Centre for Radiation, Chemical, and Environmental Hazards for the governmental body Public Health England. Dr. Osman completed her postdoctoral research fellowship at the Friedman Brain Institute and the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she now serves as an Assistant Professor, focusing on the role of gut microbiome changes in brain development and the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.Livestream Air Date: April 25, 2023Follow Aya Osman, PhD: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Who here lives to eat good food? According to Nature Medicine and the American Society for Nutrition, food is undeniably essential to both our physical and mental health. Beyond the nutrients we acquire from food alongside their ability to prevent and fight disease, certain foods can improve mood and result in the reduction of depressive symptoms. As for me, I know that I get super excited and happy about eating good food! This is even made better when I share a great meal with loved ones. Truly, food and eating are healing for yourself and others. In this episode, we meet an incredible guest who provides healing to others with his skillful hands, both in the kitchen and the hospital.We are joined today by Chef AND Doctor Yoon Sung, family medicine physician and owner of Oksusu Restaurant. He received his BA in Public Health and Spanish from Johns Hopkins University, MHS in Clinical Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MD from Drexel University College of Medicine, and Family Medicine Residency at Stanford Health Care. Dr. Yoon was also a Clinical Research Coordinator and Predoctoral Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Otolaryngology and Center on Aging and Health. From serving and healing others' illnesses in clinic halls as an Urgent Care Supervising Physician at Carbon Health and UCLA Health, he now also serves and heals others through food and cooking in the kitchen. Chef Yoon is the owner-to-be and chef of Oksusu, a contemporary Korean-inspired restaurant that seeks to showcase the beauty of traditional Korean ingredients and the communal, family-style dining of Korean culture. He has also been the pastry chef at Hanchic and Red Room wine bar in Koreatown, Los Angeles. In 2013, he began his blog called 'Cooking With Yoon,' where he shares his journey from medicine to the culinary arts alongside gastronomic photographs and printable, budget-friendly recipes (some of which he created for his patients). Chef Dr. Yoon's work has been featured in the annual H Mart calendar, with his recipe video displayed in H Marts across the nation.Livestream Air Date: April 19, 2023Follow Chef Yoon Sung, MD, MHS: Instagram, FacebookFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Disease. Sickness. Malady. These are words that can truly send a chill down the spine as they bring us to the reality of the fragility of life and our proximity to the brink of death. Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the "father of medicine" from the 4th century BC, was the first known person to investigate the reasoning behind disease and its relationship with environmental factors. What exactly is a disease? Is there a common denominator of why they happen? Is there a way to evade sickness and possibly attain everlasting life? In this episode, we investigate the science and nature of sickness with a disease scientist, specifically in light of the current novel coronavirus pandemic. We are joined today by Dr. Katrine Wallace, also known as Epidemiologist Kat, a scientist with expertise in epidemiology, research methodology, biostatistics, and science communication. She received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. In 2022, she became Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Previously a Director for several medical device companies' Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research departments, Dr. Wallace now stands as an Advisory Board member for various projects focusing on infectious disease and public health practitioners funded by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the commencement of the 2019 pandemic, she provided public education and health misinformation debunking online, tackling the novel coronavirus, contagion data, and masking and immunization efforts. Dr. Wallace has become part of international science communication initiatives, such as “Team Halo” by the United Nations and Project FIDES by the World Health Organization. The UK government also recognized her as a “Vaccine Luminary” at the 2021 G7 Vaccine Confidence Summit. Dr. Wallace has extended her education in the classroom and online to international television as an expert opinion contributor for outlets such as BBC World News, CNN, CBS, The Washington Post, The New York Times, MSNBC, and NPR.Livestream Air Date: April 11, 2023Follow Katrine Wallace, PhD, CPH: Website, Instagram, X, FacebookFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

There are what seem to be rudimentary acts in our daily life that we do without a second thought, to the point that we refer to them as "second nature." Whether it's buttoning our shirts, turning a doorknob, or using a fork to eat, these are things that our body has already memorized, like taking a breath. However, what happens when we lose the ability and autonomy to perform the most mundane of skills due to sudden and unforeseen circumstances in life? According to a 2022 study by The Official Journal of the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, only 25% of severe stroke survivors recover from hemiplegia, the paralysis of one side of the body. And according to the Mayo Clinic, common incidences such as falls, motor vehicle accidents, and sports can all result in paralysis secondary to spinal cord injuries. The loss of function in performing activities of daily living from these occurrences can result not only in decreased quality of life but also in mortality. The field of Occupational Therapy is a beacon of hope that seeks to help restore this lost independence and ensure a capacity to return to one's normal life.We are joined in this episode by Milwaukee-based certified acute care occupational therapist Emily Longwell-Grice, also known by her renowned blog as That OT PhD Life. She received her first BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Delaware. After working as a newscast producer for a few years, she realized her passion for taking care of others. She returned to school and received her BS and MS in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she is also a PhD candidate for OT at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology. Having been an occupational therapist for a decade, Emily has worked in different clinical settings, including long-term acute care units, intensive care units, and skilled nursing facilities. Outside the clinical and into the classroom, she is a Physical Rehabilitation and Acute Care Lecturer for Master's OT students. She extends her love for expanding research and education within the field of occupational therapy through social media, where she educates the public about fine motor skills, adaptive equipment, home safety, and body mechanics for healthcare workers.Livestream Air Date: April 6, 2023Follow Emily Longwell-Grice, MS, OTR/L: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the 1964 Mary Poppins children's film, "just a spoonful of sugar" is said to make the medicine go down. But what if we say that those daily spoons of sweetness may actually result in the need for kids to take medication? According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 30 million people in the United States alone in 2021 were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, Types I and II combined, with 352,000 of these being under the age of 20. Diabetes is a chronic condition influenced by the body's inability to either produce the insulin hormone or effectively utilize it. Truly, hormones and their balance influence the optimal functioning of the human body, especially in the youth. According to the American Board of Pediatrics, if left untreated, diabetes and other leading chronic diseases influenced by hormones, such as obesity, can lead to detrimental health concerns, such as cardiovascular disease and mortality. Endocrinology is the complex field of hormones and their equilibrium, and there is no space for sugarcoating in this domain.We are joined in this episode by Dr. Sheila Pérez-Colón, a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist based in Puerto Rico. She received her BS in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, MD from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara with its pathway completion at New York Medical College (where she attained a #1 class rank), Pediatrics Residency at Maimonides Medical Center/Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn, and Pediatric Endocrinology fellowship at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University where she later served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine. Dr. Sheila became an attending physician in offices across the United States, having been the Diabetes Clinic Director at Kings County Hospital in New York City, Baptist Health South Florida, and Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles. Having moved back to Puerto Rico in 2020 to serve her homeland, she currently stands as the Owner of Elite Endocrine MD, a direct specialty care practice that focuses on pediatric diabetes, obesity management, thyroid disorders, and pubertal disorders. Dr. Sheila has over 15 publications on prediabetes, autoimmune thyroiditis, and adolescent obesity and has been featured on Yahoo! News and Everyday Health.Livestream Air Date: March 28, 2023Follow Sheila Pérez-Colón, MD: Instagram, FacebookFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

At first, the operating room and an art studio may seem to be the antithesis of settings and purposes. However, they could not be more alike and comparable: the stillness of focus of both operating on an organ and painting on a canvas, the vast array of sterile scalpels and paintbrushes, the richness of flowing bright red blood on the table and the maroon pigment dripping on the floor from the board, and the surge of adrenaline in the events of a crashing patient and a new creative idea in the spur of the moment. For our episode's expert guest today, this is definitely the case: the colliding worlds of brain surgery and the fine arts, the sacred space of the surgical room and the atelier. Truly, when she is not operating on a brain, she is painting one.We are joined by ambidextrous neurosurgeon and multimedia artist Dr. Kathryn Ko. She received her BA in Zoology and MD from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine, Neurosurgery residency at the University of Washington and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and MFA in Painting from the Academy of Arts University, where she graduated Cum Laude. Dr. Ko has been the Chief of Neurosurgery at MetroNeurosurgery since 2003, where she invented the patent for a method of performing decompressive craniectomy through a bone flap removal from a cranium in 2007. She is the author of The Survival Bible for Women in Medicine, published in 1998, and the creator of the blog post Neurosurgery Le Freak in 2015. Within the arts, Dr. Ko has been an artist and writer for The Neurosurgeon's Studio: American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) since 2016, curator of the American Medical Women's Association: Studio AMWA since 2015, and a member of the prestigious Society of Illustrators since 2015. She has been featured in The New York Times.Livestream Air Date: March 15, 2023Follow Kathryn Ko, MD, MFA, FAANS: Instagram, TikTokFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

Smiling is a universal symbol of happiness. However, there are instances when the ability to smile is taken away from a person, outside of mere saddening and heartbreaking life occurrences. There are situations when one chooses not to smile because of how it looks on them. In a 2019 survey of 2,000 Americans by Snow Teeth Whitening, 57% of people said they cover their mouths when they laugh because they were ashamed of their teeth' appearance, with 7 in 10 people admitting self-consciousness about their teeth due to lack of whiteness, crookedness, and gaps between teeth. However, beyond the sphere of dental aesthetics, there lies an array of dental issues that seep deeper than color and shade. The dental specialty of orthodontics focuses on the skeletal issues of the teeth, such as crookedness of teeth, malposition of the jaw, and misalignment of bite patterns, that are usually corrected by traditional braces, clear aligners like Invisalign®, and retainers that seek to correct these issues and restore one's confidence to smile.We are joined by Orthodontic resident dentist Dr. Vivian Chen. She received her BA in Biological Sciences from Columbia University, DDS from the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, and is currently completing her Orthodontics residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Previously, she was a Fulbright Research Fellow in Chengdu, China, where she was a research assistant to Dean Xue-Dong Zhou, the Director of State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases at Sichuan University for dental public health. She was also a research assistant at UCSF School of Dentistry's Department of Orofacial Sciences. Through her social media platform, she promotes oral hygiene and oral health, as well as academic guidance for prospective Orthodontics trainees.Livestream Air Date: March 5, 2023Follow Vivian Chen, DDS: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

It is so fascinating to think of how much the body can take before breaking. However, there are people who definitely engage in activities and sports that seem to take the body's limits and potential to the most extreme of environments and conditions. In this episode, we hear from a professional athlete who is constantly vulnerable to both physical injury and mental strain due to competitive human performance. We hear their opinions on attaining physiques and body ideals amidst the world of social media, promoting healthy nutrition amidst a generation of fad diets, and balancing other arenas of human health, such as sleep and exercise, through the amalgamation of their training and experiences both inside the laboratory and the gymnasium.We are joined today by published scientist, biomedical engineer, professional powerlifter, reality TV contestant, and author Emily Hu. She received her BS in Chemical Engineering from UC Irvine and MS in Biochemical Engineering from Duke University. Previously a Clinical Research Engineer at Myoscience, where she designed research protocols for FDA submission, Emily is now the Senior Director of Clinical Trials Management at Nutrafol and Zenflow, focusing primarily on medical device product development. She has also published a study on sensory nerve treatment approaches in the Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics. Outside the laboratory, Emily literally defied all odds of being a professional athlete for almost a decade. As a professional powerlifter, she has broken 4 All-Time World Records and was recruited by NBC to be on The Rock's "The Titan's Games." In 2022, Emily published her book The Smart Simple Guide to a Better Physique, which provides fitness, strength training, and nutrition tips she has learned throughout the years.Livestream Air Date: March 2, 2023Follow Emily Hu, MS: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

One shameless confession that I have is my love for watching the show "Hannah Montana" on Disney Channel as a kid. The concept of living two different personas as a normal student in the daytime and a rockstar at night spoke to my reality of wanting to be so many things as a child: an actor, a doctor, a dancer, a marine biologist (despite me not knowing how to swim), you name it. This is actually a running theme across our expert guests on the series, who are experts in medicine and science and, at the same time, creatives in their own arenas. Because it's the Holiday season, my gift of a guest to all of you is one truly like Miley Stewart to the pop star on stage. But she is no ordinary girl in the daytime; she actually saves lives and then literally catwalks to the runway and the camera flashes.We are joined in this episode by Emergency Medicine resident physician and signed fashion model Dr. Samantha Tall. She received her BA in Psychology and Linguistics at Emory University and her MD from Meharry Medical College. She is currently completing her medical residency in Brooklyn, New York. In 2019, she became a part of the Brigham and Women's Hospital STARS Program, where she helped find validation of ICD codes in cardiac amyloidosis. Outside of the trauma bay and triage rooms, Dr. Tall is a commercial and runway fashion model who has been featured in Picton Magazine, Your Williamson, and Mundane Magazine. She has also been seen in the 2018 film Hal King as a background actor.Livestream Air Date: February 13, 2023Follow Samantha Tall, MD: InstagramFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), medicine remains male-dominated, with women physicians making up only 37.1% of the workforce in 2021. However, a study that same year released by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that women are 32% more likely to die post-operatively if their surgeon was a man, relaying better health outcomes for both male and female patients with female surgeons. This echoes a 2017 JAMA study outside the surgical domain that also showed lower mortality and hospital readmission rates with care by female physicians. Additionally, according to a 2002 JAMA systematic review, 50% of women physicians are likely to spend 16 minutes or more with their patients compared to 42% of male physicians. Despite these studies favoring female-led care, so much gender bias and stigma still exist in the healthcare sphere. Recorded back in February during National Women Physicians Day, it was just fitting that this episode tackled the realities in the field of medicine that have been longstanding since its conception in the United States: patriarchy, sexism, pay gaps, and glass ceilings.I am beyond delighted to commence this season with my dear friend, double-board certified physician, and mother, Dr. Michelle "Shelly" Rockwell. She received her BS in English from New York University, postbaccalaureate pre-medical studies at Columbia University, MD from the University of Michigan Medical School, and residencies in both Family Medicine and Sports Medicine at the University of Utah. In 2017, she founded and currently stands as the CEO of The Doctor Mommy Group PLC, which serves as a community to help new mothers navigate the first year of motherhood. She has been featured in Women's Health Magazine, PopSugar, Business Insider, and the Los Angeles Times.Livestream Air Date: February 2, 2023Follow Michelle Rockwell, MD, CAQSM: Instagram, FacebookFollow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, FacebookFollow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTubeThankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers

AND WE'RE BACK! I am beyond excited to announce that the third season of the Friends of Franz Podcast is finally dropping every Friday morning at 5 AM EST starting this week on December 1st, on all streaming platforms worldwide!I am beyond grateful for the support you have granted this passion project I have produced and hosted for the past three years: streamed in 100+ countries, on 6 continents, and ranked Top 30% Most Followed and Top 5% Most Globally Shared on Spotify Podcasts. Thank you for joining me in fulfilling my visions for the series: to educate the public through expert guests by challenging scientific misinformation, humanize healthcare workers by sharing their life stories, and bridge chasms within medicine by highlighting the underrepresented.According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, only 17.1% of physicians in the United States are Asian, 5.8% Hispanic, 5% Black, 0.3% American Indian, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. The AAMC also reports that only 36% of physicians are women. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics says that women make up less than 30% of the world's researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Undeniably, the fields of medicine and science remain male- and white-dominated.It became my tangible mission to invite expert guests from minority groups within medicine to contribute to the much-needed representation the public and patients need to see. Over the past two podcast seasons, my podcast guests have been over 70% female and over 70% of Asian heritage, as an ode to my Asian identity. The third season will echo this endeavor across 31 guests over 24 episodes, with 87% being women and 60% of Asian heritage. In this batch, we also meet experts from the Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+ communities. I vow to introduce more members of underrepresented communities throughout the coming seasons.This season excites me even more because I have the honor of partnering with and sharing the stories of twelve Asian-founded brands that I personally love and adore. I cannot wait for you to hear more about their amazing products!I hope you join me in this adventure!

I made sure to end this season with a loud and shiny BANG! Diamonds...the most coveted gemstones in all of its beauty and radiance. Yet, their journey into brilliance is borne out of intense pressure and melting heat. This is true of our special guest today: primordial stories of pain and questions that have materialized with hard work and determination into a narrative of power and splendid success for the whole world to see.We are joined today by Dr. Tiffany Moon, board-certified anesthesiologist, associate medical professor, multi-business CEO, and TV personality. She received her BS from Cornell University in 2004, MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2008, and Anesthesiology residency at UC San Francisco in 2012. She has been an associate professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at UT Southwestern Medical Center for over ten years, where she received the Faculty of the Year Teaching Award in 2014. She is a fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (FASA), a Board Director of the International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP), Oral Board Examiner of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), and was inducted into the prestigious Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) in 2019. She has also published more than three dozen original manuscripts, reviews, and book chapters and speaks internationally on topics related to her research, which focuses on thoracic anesthesia, pain perception, difficult airways, and neuromuscular blockade and reversal.Outside of medicine, she stands as the Founder and CEO of Aromasthesia, a luxury candle company, and Three Moons Wine. On the spotlight and big screen, she appeared on The Real Housewives of Dallas (RHOD)'s fifth season, which aired in 2021.Livestream Air Date: November 10, 2022Tiffany Moon, MD, FASA, D.ABA: IG @tiffanymoonmd & TikTok @tiffanymoonmdFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, and Twrl Milk Tea.

Over the past year, the tabloids and social media feeds have been flooded with so much discourse and opinions on obesity and its entailed weight loss medications, specifically injectables, such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy. Known as incretin gut-derived hormones, GIP and GLP-1, that regulate secreted insulin levels after food consumption, these diabetes medications have come under hot fire regarding their use and safety. Are those using incretins to target obesity stealing lifesaving medications from diabetics? What exactly is obesity: is it a chronic disease, and is it purely based on the BMI quantity? Whose fault is obesity: the person and their eating patterns or genetics? How safe are Ozempic and the other injectables? Do you still have to count calories or exercise while on these drugs? Will you gain back your lost weight once incretins are stopped?We are joined today by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, a double board-certified endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist and the Founder of New York Endocrinology. She received her MD from Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez in Mexico in 2001, Internal Medicine Residency at Jacobi Medical Center in 2008, and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Research Fellowship in Obesity Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2010. Currently standing as the Head Endocrinologist in her private practice, where she focuses on diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders (including in-office ultrasonography and nodular fine needle aspiration biopsy), and obesity, Dr. Rocio is also a clinical instructor at NYU Langone Hospital. Online, she provides education on obesity seeking to tear down myths about the chronic disease. She has been seen in The New York Times, TODAY Show, Daily Mail, POPSUGAR, Refinery29, INSIDER, Well+Good, and Eat This, Not That.Livestream Air Date: November 8, 2022Rocio Salas-Whalen, MD: IG @drsalaswhalenFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

July 1st is known across the United States as the day when medical school graduates start their first day as resident physicians in hospitals nationwide. As with all new beginnings, anxiety and fear are common and expected emotions in assuming these new roles and responsibilities. However, this trepidation does not end after one's first day of work. “Pre-shift anxiety” is a phenomenon seen in many new-graduate healthcare workers during their first few months, and even years, of starting in the workplace. This anxiety is usually an amalgamation of fear of making mistakes, imposter syndrome, comparison with others' improvements, "analysis paralysis," striving for impossible perfectionism and lack of belief in one's progress and skills. How can we build confidence as new graduates and new hires? Do self-affirmations help tackle pre-shift anxiety? How can we successfully debrief post-shift? How can we set boundaries from our jobs and maintain a healthy work-life balance?We are joined today by Diana Page, board-certified nurse practitioner and the founder and burnout prevention coach behind Self-Care Catalyst, which provides the signature program "Resilient Nurse Roadmap" that seeks to help nurses and NPs navigate their professional paths away from burnout and into confidence, freedom, and joy. She received her BS in Biology from Wheaton College Massachusetts in 2005 and MSN in Acute Care Nurse Practitioner from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in 2009. Diana currently stands as an outpatient neurology nurse practitioner in Maine and is a nurse well-being contributor to nursing platforms such as The Nursing Beat, Keener, and Nurse.org.Livestream Air Date: October 12, 2022Diana Page, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC: IG @catalystforselfcareFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to Insider Intelligence, 1 in 5 adult Americans cannot afford the lifesaving prescription drugs they need. And according to the American Hospital Association, approximately 3.5 million patients in the U.S. cannot receive the medical care that they need due to the absence of transportation access to their providers. This statistic does not take into account the reality of the lack of medical providers in itself in given communities across the nation. "Underserved populations" are groups who are disenfranchised due to limited or lack of access to resources, especially within the medical sphere (health insurance, presence of healthcare providers, and treatment modalities). Though often interchangeable, "vulnerable populations" often experience additional barriers to care access (not limited to racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and the socioeconomically disadvantaged). Truly, we see exacerbated health conditions in patients from underserved and vulnerable communities.We are joined today by Dr. Arunima Bera, a double board-certified pediatric critical care hospitalist physician with a focus on underserved populations in Madera County, California. She received her MD from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar in 2014, Pediatrics residency at University at Buffalo/John R. Oishei Children's Hospital in 2017, and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at UCLA/Mattel Children's Hospital in 2020. In 2019, Dr. Bera won the Young Investigator Research Award from the American College of Chest Physicians, focusing on the clinical outcomes of sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome in pediatric patients. She furthers her research on respiratory illnesses in children, such as bronchiolitis and asthma. Beyond medicine, Dr. Bera devotes herself to the arts through dances and vocal performances hosted by the Indian Embassy in Qatar.Livestream Air Date: October 3, 2022Arunima Bera, MD, FAAP: IG @nimanotes.mdFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to a 2022 Gallup World Poll, 60% of employees reported being emotionally detached from work, with 19% stating that they were miserable. Job dissatisfaction and unhappiness are truly multifactorial states brought about by several facets ranging from systemic-wide issues to extraneous phenomena that could occur in an employee's personal life. With the commencement of the pandemic, burnout and unhappiness in the workplace were evidently recognized within the medical sphere. In fact, in 2019, the National Academies of Medicine published "crisis" level burnout rates among healthcare professionals, specifically up to 54% of physicians and nurses. How can one tackle stress overload in the workplace? What do we do if we are no longer happy with our jobs? What are the signs of a toxic work environment? How can healthcare workers navigate their careers amidst the heightened rates of burnout and moral injury?We are joined today by Dr. Hamza Gaj, a board-certified dentist from Austin, Texas, and the Host of the Hanging Out With Hamza Podcast. He received his BS in Biology, Psychology, and Business Foundations from The University of Texas at Austin in 2012 and DMD from Midwestern University in 2018. With his previous experiences with job unhappiness, being subject to racism, and a lesson-filled heartbreak, we delve into a conversation discovering the importance of preserving our mental health, developing modalities of self-care, finding purpose in our careers and in the workplace, accepting emotions that we feel during painful life seasons, and expressing vulnerability to our patients as healthcare providers.Livestream Air Date: September 16, 2022Hamza Gaj, DMD: IG @mogajFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to Debt.org, the American household debt was calculated to be almost $17 trillion in 2022. Almost $2 trillion of this value is designated to be student loans, while approximately $1 trillion is due to credit card debt. Definitely, the accumulation of this debt, both on household and individual levels, can place such an emotional and psychological toll. It seems as if you are sinking in owed money while not being able to successfully swim up into financial freedom. In fact, a 2022 Capital One survey shows that 73% of Americans rank finances as their number-one cause of stress, preceding politics and even family. How can one navigate the foggy road of loan repayment, especially healthcare professionals that are known to accrue six-figure tuition debt? Should one save or pay off their debts first? Which retirement plan should one contribute to? We are joined today by Dr. Justin Jones, a pediatric critical care physician fellow who began his Simple Finance Community online platform to educate healthcare workers regarding money in order to have the tools and information necessary to help attain personal financial goals, with an emphasis on student loan repayment, emergency fund savings, creating budget plans, and retirement investment. We tackle refinancing direct subsidized versus direct unsubsidized versus PLUS loans versus private student loans, Roth IRAs versus Traditional IRAs and 401(k) versus 403(b), navigating compound interest calculations, and scrutinizing the profitability of term and/or whole life insurances and their policies. Livestream Air Date: September 13, 2022Dr. Justin Jones: IG @simplefinancecommunityFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

The fingers on my hands are not enough to enumerate the number of television shows and films I have watched since childhood where cancer is made to be the death sentence and the divider of the families of either the main or supporting character. The protagonist feels a certain pain, is shown inside the doctor's office, and the physician somberly states, "You have cancer" or "You have six months to live." There is something so draconian about cancer that a book about the disease was titled "The Emperor of All Maladies." But is cancer truly a death sentence? What is the actual definition of cancer? What makes it different from a tumor? What do the infamous four stages mean? Is there a way that we can now track cancer's origins and hopefully evade the ultimatums that most shows have set? How toxic is chemotherapy, and what other treatments do we have available in the current age?We are joined today by Dr. Sanjay Juneja (aka TheOncDoc), a board-certified hematologist and oncologist, to tackle all things about the emperor of afflictions. He received his BS in Biology, Chemistry, and Philosophy from Louisiana State University in 2009, MD from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport in 2013, Internal Medicine Residency at LSU Health Sciences Center in 2016, and Chief Hematology & Oncology Fellowship at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center in 2019. Dr. Suneja currently stands as an attending cancer specialist at the American Oncology Network in Louisiana, the Chief of Oncology Service Line at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, and the Assistant Medical Director of Hospice at The Carpenter Health Network. Online, he provides education on cancer and the importance of screening as the host of the Target: Cancer Podcast and has been seen in The Washington Post, Thrive Global, WebMD, and the PBS Louisiana Public Broadcasting Special.Livestream Air Date: September 7, 2022Dr. Sanjay Juneja: IG @theoncdoc, YT @TheOncDoc, TikTok @theoncdocFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to National Geographic, about ten nonillion (10 to the 31st power) individual viruses are said to exist on our planet Earth. Of these, biologists estimate that 380 trillion live on and in our bodies at a given moment. The common thought when it comes to viruses is disease and sickness. In fact, a recent pandemic owes its ravaging existence and plague to a virus. What exactly are viruses that they can uproot lives and nations? Are they dead or alive? What makes them different from bacteria? What enables a virus to cause pandemics (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) versus a common cold (i.e., rhinovirus)? How does our immune system protect us from these biological intruders? How do vaccines prevent the havoc that viruses seek to wreak?We are joined today by immunologist Dr. Azza Gadir. She received her BSc in Biochemistry and Immunology from King's College London in 2006, MSc in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2007, PhD in Autoimmunity from University College of London in 2011, and a postdoctoral research fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at Harvard Medical School/Boston Children's Hospital in 2018, where she delved into the role of the gut microbiome in disease protection conferment early in life. Dr. Gadir now stands as the Scientific Advisor and Director of Research and Development at microbial sciences company Seed and the Portfolio Manager at Orionis Biosciences. She was awarded the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Abstract Award in 2010 by University College London. She extends her immunologic expertise as an online science communicator, as seen in Digital Health Today, Women's Health Magazine, and Ember.Livestream Air Date: August 29, 2022Azza A. Gadir, PhD: IG @azzagadirFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

In 1973, through the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, women were given the right of access and privacy to abortion without federal or state-wide regulation. However, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned this landmark ruling with the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization case. Now, the right to abortion care and reproductive autonomy can be regulated at a state level. However, the resounding effect is not only fear for abortion rights but also reproductive care as a whole. "Personhood laws” that define life and humanity at conception and fertilization exist in certain states, creating an implication that interweaves more discussions regarding fertility and reproductive medicine, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg freezing, management of ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages, and criminalization of practitioners who facilitate such procedures.We are joined today by Dr. Serena H. Chen, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologist. She received her BS in Biology from Brown University in 1984, MD from Duke University School of Medicine in 1989, and OB/GYN residency in 1992 and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship in 1995 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She stands as the Founding Partner and Medical Director of The Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science (IRMS) and the Vice President of Doctors for Fertility, a physician-led organization with the mission to educate and inform policy on reproductive rights. She is also an Associate Clinical Professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and St. George's University School of Medicine. As seen in Wired, New York Magazine, and U.S. News & World Report, Dr. Chen provides online education about fertility treatments and access to reproductive help.Livestream Air Date: August 24, 2022Dr. Serena H. Chen: IG @drserenahchen & Web drserenahchen.comFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to a report by Yale University, a person's hair and hairstyle impact not only our self-image but also the impression of others about us. Throughout the decades, society and media have inculcated the image of "perfect hair" as free-flowing, shiny, and tangle-free. However, this is definitely a false presentation of the realities of hair. The American Hair Research Society explains that an array of hair disorders and issues plague the nation, including hair loss (such as autoimmune alopecia areata and stress-derived telogen effluvium) and hair shaft defects (fragile hair, frizziness, coarseness, split ends).We are joined today by JuE Wong, the CEO and President of OLAPLEX since 2020, a global senior executive, and a transformative beauty industry leader. Born and raised in Singapore, JuE received her BA in International Economics and Political Science from The Australian National University in 1987 with an exchange scholarship at UCLA. Throughout the years, she has then progressed to be the revolutionary Global Director and President of brands such as Elizabeth Arden, Moroccanoil, Obagi, StriVectin, Astral Brands, Murad, Perricone MD, ZO Skin Health, and PepsiCo. With all her experience, she also serves as the Board Member for companies like the American Heart Association, YMCA of Greater New York, Committee of 200 (C200), and Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW). She has been recently listed on Forbes 5o Over 50 and has been awarded the Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year, the Beauty Independent Beacon Award for Brand Builder of the Year, and the Innocos Leader of Change.Livestream Air Date: August 4, 2022JuE Wong: IG @juewong888 & OLAPLEXFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

Skin cancer has been named the most common cancer in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in five American people is estimated to develop skin cancer in their lifetime, with almost 10,000 diagnoses every day. Of the three major types of skin cancer being basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma, the highest rates of death are attributed to melanoma. With the vast majority of melanoma being due to excess ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight exposure and indoor tanning, it is imperative that we protect ourselves from UV radiation. But beyond cancer, UV rays have also been seen to assault the skin in ways such as sunburning and photoaging, as manifested by rhytides/wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. How can we protect ourselves from UV rays? What is the difference between UVA and UVB rays? What is Sun Protection Factor (SPF), and are higher SPF levels more beneficial? Do sunscreen ingredients cause cancer?We are joined today by Jamie Kim, a board-certified physician assistant from Los Angeles, California, specializing in Dermatology. She received her BS in Nutrition Science from UC Berkeley in 2005 and MS in Physician Assistant studies from Touro University Nevada in 2012. With over a decade of experience as a PA, she has worked at Kaiser Permanente and now at Skin and Beauty Center in Valencia, CA, where she practices medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. She generously promotes skincare education online by highlighting the importance of sun protection through sunscreen application and the benefits of a holistic approach to wellness, such as nutrition and relaxation activities, as influenced by her Korean background.Livestream Air Date: July 22, 2022Jamie Kim, MS, PA-C: IG @jamiekim.paFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

The beauty of the world can be appreciated with our eyes, but problems with our sense of vision can reduce the clarity and quality of this wonder, such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, dry eye, cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and complete blindness. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, over 150 million Americans wear glasses and about 37 million wear contact lenses to correct daily eyesight issues. In hopes of long-term treatment of refractive errors and achieving 20/20 vision, laser eye surgeries, such as Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) and Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), are performed.We are joined today by Dr. Dagny Zhu, a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained specialist in cornea, cataract, and laser refractive surgery. She received her BS in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology as Summa Cum Laude from UCLA in 2008, MD from Harvard Medical School in 2012, Ophthalmology Residency at the University of Southern California-affiliated Doheny Eye Institute in 2016, and Cornea and Refractive Surgery fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 2017, the #1 ranked eye hospital in the nation. Dr. Zhu currently stands as the Medical Director of NVISION's Hyperspeed LASIK in Rowland Heights, CA. In the academic realm, she is an admissions interviewer at Harvard College and an instructor of Ophthalmology and Optometry at USC Roski Eye Institute, Western University, and Marshall B. Ketchum University. She harnesses her medical expertise as a consultant and advisory board for Springer Nature Group, Radius XR, Eyesafe, Verywell, Alcon, LENSAR, and Visus Therapeutics. Dr. Zhu has been featured in over 200 scientific journal articles, book chapters, and national conferences, as seen in the Today Show, Huffington Post, Yahoo News, and CNN.Livestream Air Date: June 27, 2022Dagny Zhu, MD: IG @dzeyemdFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 50 million Americans are affected by acne annually, making it the most common skin condition. Defined as the clogging of hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells, acne usually begins in adolescence though it can extend up to adulthood. Beyond the overt physical pain and struggle of breakouts and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, acne - and all of its forms, whether pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, or cysts - also bring about emotional and psychological effects that are beyond skin deep. A 2008 study showed that acne significantly brought more depressive symptoms, greater feelings of uselessness, lower self-worth, and decreased body satisfaction. As a former victim of severe acne, I can personally attest to all of this.We zit down today with my Acne Big Cyster, Cassandra Bankson. A professional model, medical esthetician, skincare expert, and online social media personality from San Francisco, Cassandra was first known from her viral 2010 YouTube video where she stripped off her makeup to reveal her acne, now reaching 30 million views. Struggling with acne vulgaris from age 8 to acne conglobata by age 14, she relays her journey of seeking help from 16 different specialists across the United States and Western Europe, which proved futile. Today, with over 2 million subscribers, she shares her story of overcoming acne and societal beauty ideals while educating others about the different skin products and treatments. She has been named a "rising woman of power" by Forbes Magazine, a Teen Vogue Acne Awards judge, and featured in Good Morning America, Seventeen, Glamour, The New York Post, and much more!Livestream Air Date: June 7, 2022Cassandra Bankson: IG @cassandrabankson & YT Cassandra BanksonFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to the CDC, around 17% of American adults aged 20 and over were involved in a special diet on any given day between 2015-2018. Whether to lose weight, achieve a certain physical aesthetic, optimize health, or prevent chronic disease, the tricky world of food consumption (or the avoidance of it) plagues almost every community. From this arises an array of eating patterns and ideals that can sometimes cause more harm than good. The food and nutrition space is also one where a fountain of misinformation online usually arises. Is there an ideal diet for the American population? How harmful can the ketogenic diet become? Do you have to turn vegetarian or vegan to be nutritiously healthy? Does intermittent fasting actually work? What is a "heart-healthy diet"?We are joined today by Michelle Routhenstein from New York City, a registered dietitian nutritionist, preventive cardiology nutritionist, and certified diabetes educator with over ten years of experience. She received her BS in Nutrition and Dietetics, as Cum Laude, from New York University in 2010, where she also attained her MS in Clinical Nutrition in 2012. Michelle is the Owner and President of Entirely Nourished, a nutrition counseling private practice focusing on chronic disease prevention and management, specializing in heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. She has been the Chief Medical Officer of Oben Health and the Preventive Cardiology Specialist at Cardiatrics. Currently, she stands as one of the 2023 Forbes Health Advisory Board members.Livestream Air Date: May 17, 2022Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDN, CDE: IG @heart.health.nutritionistFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to a 2015 national data qualitative study, a group of sourced reasons why people avoid medical care were interpersonal causes: communication issues, lack of trust, perception of discrimination, and the belief that healthcare professionals do not actually care about them. These are concrete concerns as we often hear of patients' experiences of dismissal and invalidation of their questions and feelings. Despite these, nurses are ranked to be the Most Trusted Profession for the past 21 years in a row, according to a Gallup poll. What is it about the nursing profession and its workers that the public persistently marks them as trustworthy? Do nurses provide a safe space within the tumultuous field of healthcare? Are patients' sentiments about their care heavily influenced by nursing care?We are joined today by Clara Jones (known online as Nurse Clara), a board-certified gynecology nurse practitioner from Atlanta, nursing content creator, and founder of The Asian Care Unit (ACU), an online community for networking, mentorship, empowerment, and self-reflection within the Asian and Pacific Islander healthcare industry. She received her BS in Nursing from Mercer University in 2018 as Cum Laude and MS in Family Practice Nursing from Georgia State University in 2021, leveraging her background as a labor and delivery nurse. In this episode, we tackle all things nursing and its entailed complexities, pressures, and beauty.Livestream Air Date: May 9, 2022Clara Jones, MSN, APRN, FNP-C: IG @nurseclara & Web www.nurse-clara.comFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

The ability to communicate with others, in whatever mode or form, is truly such a gift. Whether it's through spoken words, written language, signs made by the hands, or through the use of devices, our thoughts, feelings, needs, and wants can be expressed to others. Unfortunately, this is not the truth for everybody. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 5-10% of Americans may have difficulties in communication, ranging from speech disorders (the inability to correctly or fluently produce voice and sounds) and language disorders (impairments with understanding and sharing ideas with others). Additional statistics, such as about 5% of children having noticeable disorders with speech and over 3 million Americans who stutter, present the sad truth that there are those who cannot fully voice out both the joy and the pain they experience.We are joined today by Joanne Cazeau, a certified pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) by The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), early interventionist, and a private practice director in Bergen County, New Jersey. She received her BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology and a Minor in Public Health from The George Washington University in 2015, and MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Howard University in 2017. She has worked as an SLP clinician at Kennedy Krieger Institute, where she assessed, diagnosed, and treated speech, language, oral motor, and swallowing disorders. In 2021, she founded Koze Speech Therapy, specializing in infants, toddlers, and children with communication delays and disorders.Livestream Air Date: May 4, 2022Joanne Cazeau, MS, CCC-SLP: IG @beyondbabblesFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to a 2021 systematic review by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, members of the LGBTQ+ community have higher rates of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and suicide, compared to the cis-heterosexual population. Beyond mental health, physical health was also seen to be compromised through a higher prevalence of cancers, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. Though multi-factorial, the nuances of these statistics definitely have a root in the diminished quality of and access to healthcare among the queer community. Persistent stigma and discrimination and the fear of being subject to these from healthcare providers and institutions continue to bar members of the LGBTQ+ community from receiving and seeking the care that they need.We are joined today by Asia Sullivan, a board-certified physician assistant (now physician associate) working in the field of primary care, specializing in LGBTQ+ healthcare. Previously a professional model, she received her BS in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2015, where she also received her Masters of Public Health and Physician Assistant studies in 2018, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She began her blog, Couture in Clinic, to document her journey through the amazing field of medicine. She now works closely with the queer population of Los Angeles, being a part of the community herself, where she provides education, treatment, and care of HIV/AIDS and PrEP/PEP, sexual health, and immunization as we do in this episode.Livestream Air Date: April 30, 2022Asia Sullivan, PA-C, MPH: IG @coutureinclinic & TikTok @coutureinclinicFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to the American Psychological Association, smiling - even if forced - can help boost one's mood. But what if you cannot seem to smile in public? The CDC states one-quarter of adults over 65 have severe tooth loss. Missing, misaligned, and discolored teeth can truly impact one's ability to freely smile and have self-confidence. We see the public's endeavor to combat these through the rise of utilizing the dental technologies of teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, braces, implants, and Invisalign®. But many myths online surround the world of dental health and oral hygiene. Are yellow teeth normal? Do whitening strips work? Is there irreversible teeth misalignment? Are veneers worth it, and do they require shaving down teeth? Should I opt for braces or clear aligners?We are joined today by Dr. Joyce Kahng, a cosmetic dentist and founder of Orange + Magnolia Dental Studio in Costa Mesa, CA. She received her BS in Biology from the University of the Pacific in 2007, where she also received her DDS at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2010 and her General Practice Residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2011. She was a former assistant clinical professor at the Department of Restorative Dentistry at USC Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry for five years, where she was awarded 2018's Outstanding Faculty. Known online as Joyce the Dentist, she has amassed a total of almost 600,000 followers, several accolades (such as Forbes Next 1000), and features on BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, VICE Magazine, Insider, PopSugar, and Well+Good.Livestream Air Date: April 14, 2022Joyce Kahng, DDS: IG @joycethedentist & TikTok @joycethedentistFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to American Library Association, around 22,000 children's books were published in 2009 alone. A myriad of papers and storylines arrive in people's homes every day, ranging from magical worlds to scientific pamphlets. However, only a small fraction of these books are targeted at kids who have developed an interest in the sciences of the human body. Due to an extensive list of medical terms, organ systems, and anatomical parts, the pool of children's books that satiates the interest in learning about the inner workings of people's bodies is very poor and sometimes inaccessible. The newest Amazon book series, "The Medical School for Kids," seeks to change all of this.We are joined today by physician couple authors, Dr. Betty Nguyen and Dr. Brandon Pham. Betty is a new-graduate physician, receiving her BS in Biology from UCLA in 2017 and MD from UC Riverside School of Medicine in 2023. She received a mentorship grant from the American Hair Research Society in 2021 that guided her to be a research fellow at the University of Miami's Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery in 2022 and was rated by Doximity in the Top 10% Most Published Clinician of 2022. Brandon is an Ophthalmology resident physician at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the #1 ranked eye hospital in the nation. He received his BS in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA in 2017 as Summa Cum Laude and MD from Stanford Medical School in 2021. He also received the prestigious National Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 2016 and Gina M. Finzi Student Fellowship in 2017, focusing on lupus research. Together, they have written a charming introduction to the medical world filled with illustrations and simple explanations, teaching kids about the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the human body.Livestream Air Date: March 23, 2022Dr. Pham & Dr. Nguyen: IG @brandomphammd & IG @betty.nguyenFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to Mayo Clinic, about 50% of women suffer from urinary incontinence, the inability to control urination voluntarily. However, only 25-61% of affected women discuss this problem with their healthcare providers. The resistance to sharing these urologic issues, both men and women, stem from shame and fear of judgment. This also stands true for other medical issues confined within the intimate parts of our bodies, including sexual dysfunction (whether it be low libido and premature ejaculation) and anatomical conditions (like uterine prolapse). Today, with empathy and compassion, we bring to light the pertinent issues "down there" that one may usually hide and fear.We are joined today by Dr. Fenwa Milhouse, a board-certified urologist, pelvic surgeon, and sexual health specialist. She received her BA in Biology from The University of Texas at Austin in 2003, MD from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in 2008, Urology residency at the University of Chicago in 2014, and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) fellowship at Metro Urology in 2020. She currently stands as the attending physician and CEO of Down There Urology, PLLC, and has been appointed to the board of the Chicago Urological Society. Dr. Milhouse also utilizes social media to destigmatize sexual conditions and demonstrate the importance of representation in medicine, on which she has garnered over 100,000 followers. She has also been featured in articles by Insider, WebMD, and The American Urological Association.Livestream Air Date: March 21, 2022Olufenwa Famakinwa Milhouse, MD: IG @drmilhouse, TikTok @yourfavoriteurologist, & Web www.yourfavoriteurologist.comFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to a 2015 cross-sectional research study, psychological burden was seen in many patients suffering from skin diseases. As someone who suffered from severe acne, I truly understand the anxiety of having to face the world. This is where skincare saved my and others' lives: ensuring skin health alongside mere peace as a ritual. But the skincare world is so complex and can be overwhelming, with hundreds of brands and products. Many opinions and tips also fly around the web from different experts and critics. Is there a universal basic routine that everyone needs? Are luxury names better than drugstore brands? Can we train our skin to tolerate irritating ingredients? Which skincare product is a scam?We are joined today by renowned skincare and beauty writer Jude Chao, also known as Fiddy Snails, the words behind the blog Fifty Shades of Snail, which receives over 150,000 monthly views, digital marketing director of skincare company Holy Snails, founder of Love, Jude Skincare sheet masks, and author of the 2021 book "Skincare for Your Soul." Jude is truly a jumpstarter, being one of the first to tie skincare with self-care with her 2015 essay "How My Elaborate Korean Skincare Routine Helps Me Fight Depression," which appeared on Fashionista. She has received notable titles in the press, such as "the reigning queen of skincare" by New York Magazine's TheStrategist, "must follow Korean beauty experts" by W Magazine and Vogue Magazine, and "cool beauty bloggers to watch" by ELLE.Livestream Air Date: March 13, 2022Jude Chao: IG @fiddysnailsFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

Pet animals and their human owners (or, as our expert guest likes to call them, "pet parents") truly share a special connection that transcends species and biology. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, over 80 households in the United States owned dogs, cats, birds, and horses back in 2017-2018. Why are we so inclined to consider animals as part of the family, so much so that it is a genuine heartbreak when they leave us? What are the most common diseases pet parents should look out for in their pet's breed and age? Are the anatomy and physiology of animals truly different from humans?We are joined today by Dr. Zonram Liao, a board-certified general practice veterinarian and the Founder and CEO of Wellnergy Pets, the only pet product company fully staffed by actively practicing veterinarians and veterinary nurses. He received his BS in Biology from UC San Diego in 2011 and DVM from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017, fulfilling his clinical studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Zonram currently practices in multiple small animal clinics throughout Southern California regions, hoping to give back to the community that helped raise him. He appeared on national television in 2021, where the Wellnergy Dental Wipes and Water Additive won "America's Big Deal" on USA Network, making it now available for purchase at Lowe's retail company nationwide. Dr. Liao has also been featured in multiple articles and press, including Fox 40 News, Shoutout LA, and Vet Candy.Livestream Air Date: February 28, 2022Dr. Zonram Liao: IG @dr.zonramliaoWellnergy Pets: IG @wellnergypets & Wed www.wellnergypets.comFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

The American Heart Association relayed that the 1960s saw the first rise of coronary care units (CCU) in response to heart attacks. Today, cardiac ICUs, both medical and surgical, provide intensive care to a breadth of fatalities, ranging from arrest to post-open heart surgeries. The CVICU is seen to be a home for a "special breed" of nurses with its required list of complex skillsets, such as the titration of vasopressors drips and management of life support and assistive devices (e.g., ventilators, chest tubes, LVAD, ECMO, IABP, CVVH). How true is the "toxic" environment of surgical ICUs? What is the main reason for extended patient stay in the ICUs? Why are CVICU nurses usually given a bad rep on social media?We are joined today by Dr. Danielle LeVeck, a dual board-certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist. She received her BA in Communications from Purdue University in 2007, second degree of BS in Nursing from Indiana University in 2011, and DNP from the University of Maryland in 2018, with her doctoral research focusing on implementing palliative care for patients with end-stage heart failure. Working bedside in various cardiac ICUs for almost a decade, Dr. LeVeck is now a CVICU nurse practitioner and stands as one of the Healthcare Advisory Board of the medical apparel line FIGS. Beyond the hospital, she empowers all generations of nurses through her blog and online platform, Nurse Abnormalities, which she began in 2015 and has garnered over 170,000 subscribers. She has also contributed to several magazines, including The Strategist, Glamour, The Daily, and Board Vitals.Livestream Air Date: February 24, 2022Danielle LeVeck, DNP, ACNPC-AG, CCNS: IG @nurseabnormalitiesFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to the CDC, cardiovascular disease remains to be the leading cause of death worldwide across all gender, race, and ethnic groups. In fact, one person in the United States dies from it every 34 seconds. Cardiac pathologies are sometimes seen to be “silent killers,” only recognized during the actual critical moment. Are there recommended diet and exercise levels to avoid a heart attack? How can one lower their blood pressure? Should we be scared of high cholesterol levels? Can extreme stress really "break" the heart?We are joined today by Dr. Ali Haider, a board-certified interventional and structural cardiologist. He received his BS in Biology and Neuroscience from Wesleyan University in 2000, MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2005, Internal Medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center in 2008, General Cardiology fellowship at North Shore LIJ Health System in 2011, and Interventional Cardiology fellowship at Weill Cornell Medical College/NYP in 2012. Dr. Haider is currently an attending physician at NYP Queens. Outside the hospital, he was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School for a decade and has contributed to medical textbooks and journals, such as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine. He continues to permeate cardiology education on social media, where he has amassed 170,000 followers, and on national television, having been featured on Fox News, NJ. com, and WWLP-22News.Livestream Air Date: February 15, 2022Ali Haider, MD, FACC, FSCAI: IG @yourheartdoc, YT Ali Haider MD, & Twitter @yourheartdoc1Friends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the hospital ward where no new parents ever hope to be. Though a safe haven for babies, the NICU becomes a temporary home to those who require immediate medical care, such as preterm or premature babies (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy), congenital anomalies (i.e., birth defects), and infections. According to the March of Dimes, a non-profit organization championing the fight against preventable maternal, preterm, and infant death, around 19.5% of babies are collectively born preterm in a given week in the United States. Premature birth can result in developmental delays and impairments in respiration, hearing, and vision, with data showing that it accounts for almost 36% of infant deaths from 2017-2019. Meanwhile, 3% of babies are affected by birth defects, accounting for 20% of infant deaths. What are the risk and preventable factors for preterm birth? What are the most frequent birth anomalies seen? How does the NICU team support babies and their parents and/or guardians when they leave the hospital?We are joined today by Dr. Kate Rubey, a board-certified neonatologist, NICU attending physician, and neonatal research fellow. She received her BA in Microbiology from Miami University in 2009, MA in Medical Science from Loyola University in 2010, MD from Rush Medical College in 2014, Pediatrics residency at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in 2017, and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in 2020. Outside the hospital, Dr. Kate is a current NIH-funded research scientist fellow focusing on pulmonary nanomedicine and a fount of pediatric education on social media, as recently featured on In the Know by Yahoo.Livestream Air Date: January 27, 2022Kate Rubey, MD, FAAP: IG @drkaterFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea

According to the American Cancer Society, about 14,000 cases of invasive cervical cancer in the United States are said to be diagnosed. This statistic can bring so much fear, which warrants education on screening and preventative modalities. Within the gynecologic realm, another root of wary comes from the terms sexually transmitted disease, STD, or STI. When uttered, the room usually goes quite silent. Behind these words, spells of stigma and prejudice remain, which can result in the avoidance of these topics. However, when pertinent things are unspoken, mayhem usually arises due to the lack of knowledge and necessary precaution. This is why we tackle these polarizing topics today: human papillomavirus, the Gardasil vaccine, herpes, safe sexual practices, reproductive anatomy, cervical cancer, colposcopy, and Pap smears. Can men get HPV? Does HPV affect the ability to get pregnant? How can we screen for cervical abnormalities? What does an abnormal Pap smear mean?We are joined today by Dr. Shieva Ghofrany, a board-certified OBGYN physician and a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists with over two decades of experience. She received her BS in American Government from Georgetown University in 1992, MD from the Sackler School of Medicine/Tel Aviv University in 1999, OB-GYN residency at Stamford Hospital in 2013, and Integrative Health training at The Graduate Institute in 2016. Harnessing her past battles with ovarian cancer, six miscarriages, three births, and endometriosis, she co-founded the virtual woman's health online education platform "Tribe Called V." She has been awarded as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and has featured on the PBS show "Human: The World Within" on Netflix and on the Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, Parents, WebMD, and Self Magazine.Livestream Air Date: January 12, 2022Shieva Ghofrany, MD, FACOG: IG @biglovefiercejuju & @tribecalledvFriends of Franz: IG @friendsoffranzpod & FB @friendsoffranzpodChristian Franz (Host): IG @chrsfranz & YT Christian FranzThankful to the season's brand partners: Clove, BETR Remedies, Eko, Lumify, RescueMD, Medical School for Kids, Your Skincare Expert, Twrl Milk Tea