Podcasts about aamc

So last episode I made the case that medical student research should be banned, and I clearly touched a nerve. I got flooded with angry messages arguing against me, and honestly, I expected some backlash since it was a genuinely spicy take. But I want to be clear, I was being facetious, obviously nobody's going to actually ban med student research. What I actually want to unpack this episode is why this topic clearly struck such a nerve, and what's really driving the explosion in med student publications. I walk through some new data, including a study that found roughly a quarter of recent ophthalmology journal articles may contain AI-generated text, and another from Yale showing a real gap between the publications applicants claim on their residency applications and what's actually verifiable in PubMed. I also get into Goodhart's Law, the idea that when a measure becomes a target, it stops being a good measure, and how that applies perfectly to what's happened since Step One went pass-fail. I share some thoughts on what might actually help, including capping how many publications students can list, and I make it clear I'm not trying to lead some crusade here, I just think this conversation needed to happen. Takeaways: Since Step One became pass-fail, medical students have shifted their focus to research output as a differentiator, and reported publication numbers have risen sharply as a result. A recent study found that roughly 26% of ophthalmology journal abstracts and 22% of commentaries screened in 2025 scored as likely containing AI-generated text. A Yale-affiliated study found that applicants to ophthalmology residency claimed an average of 4.9 publications, while only 2.4 were actually verifiable in PubMed. Goodhart's Law suggests that once a measure like publication count becomes a target used for residency selection, it stops accurately reflecting research quality or applicant ability. Starting with the 2027 application cycle, the AAMC is renaming the ERAS publications field to "scholarly works" in an attempt to shift emphasis from quantity to quality. To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live  We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can't get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact.  For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 As a proud FIGS Ambassador, visit https://WearFIGS.com and use code DrGFIRSTFIGS to shop, stay updated on new launches, and learn more about FIGS advocacy projects. Check out FIGS on social platforms: @wearfigs -- A friendly reminder from the G's and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.EyelidCheck.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information.  Head to http://www.cozyearth.com and use my code KNOCKKNOCK for an exclusive 20% off. Produced by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Human Content⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A protein has no idea where it's going. So how does it end up exactly where it needs to be, inside the nucleus, in the mitochondria, or shipped out of the cell entirely?In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly pick up where cell biology left off. After breaking down individual organelles in the last episode, they now tackle the mechanism that connects them all: the endomembrane system and the secretory pathway. This is the process by which proteins get tagged, routed, folded, modified, and shipped to their final destination, and it's one of the most overlooked-yet-testable systems on the MCAT.Get started with our resources!

Sealed cans, mysteriously empty. A puddle that appears out of nowhere. What does any of this have to do with land ownership? Everything.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT CARS Podcast, Hunter and Molly break down a passage that starts like a supernatural mystery and ends as a sharp political and philosophical argument about land, ownership, and Indigenous belief in Papua New Guinea. They model exactly how to read a passage that shifts tone and topic mid-stream, without losing the thread.This passage covers anthropology and land rights, a topic combo that can feel unfamiliar, but the underlying skills (tracking contrast, spotting conclusions, separating detail from argument) apply to every CARS passage you'll see on test day.Get started with our resources!

Are you more bacteria than human? The answer might surprise you, and it's just the beginning of this deep dive into cell biology.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly go inside the cell. After covering membrane transport last episode, they now unpack everything happening on the other side of that membrane, from the nucleus outward into membrane bound organelles like the mitochondria (and its wild evolutionary story), while contrasting important features that differentiate eukaryotes and prokaryotes.Get started with our resources!

Can history replace literature as the way we tell the human story? A 1980s essay makes the case, and it's more entertaining than you'd expect.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT CARS Podcast, Hunter and Molly tackle a passage on history and literature, one of the topics students often dread, and prove it can actually be a blast to work through. They break down the full passage sentence by sentence, modeling exactly how to map an argument in real time so you can walk into test day with a repeatable strategy.Get started with our resources!

Can a cell control what gets in and what stays out? Here's how membrane transport actually works.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly break down one of the most tested concepts on the exam: how molecules move across the cell membrane. Building on last episode's dive into lipids, they explore what makes a membrane selectively permeable and why that matters for medicine as a whole.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Hunter and Molly! In this episode we walk through the August 12th daily CARS passage titled Television and Life, from Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, a media criticism passage about how television has stopped being just entertainment and quietly become the invisible architecture of modern culture.Fair warning: if you spend any time on a screen, this passage will make you feel deeply seen. Hunter and Molly had a lot of feelings about it too.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode was DNA techniques. This episode we finally give some love to the most underappreciated of the four macromolecules: lipids.Lipids do not get the same attention as proteins or carbohydrates on the MCAT, but Mike makes a strong argument in this episode that lipids are actually the macromolecule that defines the cell. Without them, there is no inside versus outside. Without them, nothing gets concentrated, nothing gets protected, and nothing gets separated from the environment.This episode covers everything from the chemistry of fatty acids to why fish in cold water have healthier fats than you do.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Hunter and Molly! In this episode we walk through the August 5th daily CARS passage titled Man the Hunter, an anthropology passage about whether early humans were primarily hunters or scavengers, and what the fossil evidence from Olduvai Gorge actually suggests.This is a great representative CARS passage: medium density, a clear competing theory structure, and plenty of hedged language that will absolutely trip up students who are not paying attention to tone and author confidence. Hunter and Molly show you exactly how to navigate all of it.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we covered DNA and RNA structure. Now we put that knowledge to work and answer the question that follows naturally: how do scientists actually study DNA, and how does the MCAT test those techniques?This is the DNA techniques episode, and it connects back to nearly everything you have already learned including amino acids, protein structure, hemoglobin, gel electrophoresis, blotting and central dogma.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode was hemoglobin. This episode we zoom out even further and ask the question that underlies everything: what is the blueprint that tells your cells what to make in the first place?This is the DNA and RNA episode. And yes, it connects to basically everything you have already studied.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! This episode is unlike any other we have done. We are focusing on just one protein.Hemoglobin is arguably the most important protein on the entire exam, and the reason is simple: it touches everything. Amino acids, protein structure, acid-base chemistry, electrostatics, metabolism, spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, chromatography, mass spec, muscle contraction and more.This is the episode that shows you what real MCAT studying looks like, finding connections instead of memorizing isolated facts.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we laid the foundation with absorption, emission and the electromagnetic spectrum. Now we finally get to use all of that to actually identify molecules.This is the episode most students dread. Spectroscopy diagrams, wave numbers, peaks, and graphs that look like complete gibberish. Mike and Molly break it all down so it actually makes sense, without the memorization spiral that trips everyone up.Get started with our resources!

Mass spectrometry and ¹H NMR can look intimidating but the MCAT does not expect you to approach them like a full organic chemistry lab exam.In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly break down the essential concepts you need to interpret mass spectra and proton NMR questions confidently. You'll learn how to focus on the information that actually matters, eliminate incorrect answer choices faster, and avoid getting distracted by unnecessary complexity.Mike and Molly also walk through ethanol as an example, showing how different analytical techniques can be combined to determine a molecule's identity.Whether these topics bring back stressful memories from organic chemistry or you are learning them for the first time, this episode will help you understand exactly what the MCAT expects you to know and what you can safely ignore.Next episode: Hemoglobin and the major biochemistry concepts connected to its structure and function.Get started with our resources!

Series Description Disclosure is a three-part podcast series from the Docs with Disabilities Podcast that examines one of the most personal and consequential decisions disabled healthcare providers make: whether, when, and how to disclose a disability. Through the voices of medical students, residents, practicing physicians, psychologists, nurses, researchers, legal scholars, and disability advocates, the series explores disclosure as an ongoing process shaped by identity, institutional culture, ableism, and power. Blending lived experience with research and policy, the series challenges assumptions about disability in healthcare while illuminating pathways toward more inclusive learning, training, and practice environments. Part 2: Medical Culture, Stigma, and What Prevents Disclosure Why does disability disclosure feel so difficult—and for many, unsafe—in healthcare? In the second episode of the Disclosure series, we move beyond individual disclosure decisions to examine the culture of medicine itself. Through the perspectives of physicians, researchers, allied health professionals, disability scholars, and trainees, this episode explores how the hidden curriculum, stigma, institutional practices, and everyday interactions shape whether disabled healthcare professionals feel they belong. Contributors reflect on the burdens of seeking accommodations, the impact of ableist assumptions, the complexities of partial disclosure, and the ways colleagues, mentors, and institutional norms influence identity safety. Together, these stories reveal that disclosure is never simply an individual choice—it is a reflection of the culture in which it occurs and a catalyst for reimagining a more inclusive future for healthcare. Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/103BYwMaTCBRYJB7IZU3UHfp6zMPIvBVF/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=104315301750264632478&rtpof=true&sd=true Keywords Disability disclosure Medical culture Hidden curriculum Ableism in medicine Disability stigma Psychological safety Identity safety Disability accommodations Physicians with disabilities Medical students with disabilities Healthcare workplace culture Health professions education Healthcare inclusion Disability justice Healthcare professionals Production Team Developer, Writer, Executive Producer: Sofia Schlozman Co-Producers: Rylee Betchkal and Lisa Meeks Co-Producer, Sound Selection and Editing: Gabe Abrams Sound Production: Next Day Podcast Digital Media: Katie Sullivan Citations Anderson, H. L. K., Konopasky, A. W., Bullock, J. L., Meeks, L. M., & Jain, N. R. (2025). The Call is Coming from Inside the House: Racism and Ableism in US Medical Education. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 0(0), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2025.2581621 Evans, H. D. (2017). Un/covering: Making Disability Identity Legible. Disability Studies Quarterly, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v37i1.5556 Jain, N. R. (2020). Political disclosure: Resisting ableism in medical education. Disability & Society, 35(3), 389–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2019.1647149 Graduation Questionnaire (GQ). (n.d.). AAMC. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/students-residents/report/graduation-questionnaire-gq Stergiopoulos E, Fernando O, Martimianakis MA. "Being on Both Sides": Canadian Medical Students' Experiences With Disability, the Hidden Curriculum, and Professional Identity Construction Academic Medicine. 2018;93(10):1550-1559. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000002300. Pereira-Lima K, Meeks LM, Ross KET, et al. Barriers to Disclosure of Disability and Request for Accommodations Among First-Year Resident Physicians in the US. JAMA Netw Open.2023;6(5):e239981. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9981  

Series Description Disclosure is a three-part podcast series from the Docs with Disabilities Podcast that examines one of the most personal and consequential decisions disabled healthcare providers make: whether, when, and how to disclose a disability. Through the voices of medical students, residents, practicing physicians, psychologists, nurses, researchers, legal scholars, and disability advocates, the series explores disclosure as an ongoing process shaped by identity, institutional culture, ableism, and power. Blending lived experience with research and policy, the series challenges assumptions about disability in healthcare while illuminating pathways toward more inclusive learning, training, and practice environments. Part 1: The Decision to Disclose What does it really mean to disclose a disability in healthcare? In the first episode of the Disclosure series, healthcare providers across the continuum—from students and trainees to practicing clinicians—share the personal, professional, and institutional factors that shape disclosure decisions. Drawing on stories from medical students, residents, physicians, researchers, disability scholars, and legal experts, the episode explores disclosure as more than a pathway to accommodations—it can be an act of identity, advocacy, community-building, and resistance. At the same time, contributors examine the risks of stigma, discrimination, and institutional betrayal that continue to make disclosure a deeply complex and often uncertain decision. Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IWxZcow_B9hSIGpvozadJ5pov4-Qmq97/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=104315301750264632478&rtpof=true&sd=true Keywords:  Disability disclosure Medical education Physicians with disabilities Medical students with disabilities Disability accommodations Ableism Disability inclusion Healthcare trainees Stigma Health professions education Production Team:  Developer, Writer, Executive Producer: Sofia Schozman  Co Producers: Rylee Betchkal and Lisa Meeks Co-Producer, Sound Selection and Editing: Gabe Abrams Sound Production: Next Day Podcast Digital Media: Katie Sullivan   Citations:  Anderson, H. L. K., Konopasky, A. W., Bullock, J. L., Meeks, L. M., & Jain, N. R. (2025). The Call is Coming from Inside the House: Racism and Ableism in US Medical Education. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 0(0), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2025.2581621 Evans, H. D. (2017). Un/covering: Making Disability Identity Legible. Disability Studies Quarterly, 37(1). https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v37i1.5556 Jain, N. R. (2020). Political disclosure: Resisting ableism in medical education. Disability & Society, 35(3), 389–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2019.1647149 Graduation Questionnaire (GQ). (n.d.). AAMC. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/students-residents/report/graduation-questionnaire-gq Stergiopoulos E, Fernando O, Martimianakis MA. "Being on Both Sides": Canadian Medical Students' Experiences With Disability, the Hidden Curriculum, and Professional Identity Construction Academic Medicine. 2018;93(10):1550-1559. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000002300. Pereira-Lima K, Meeks LM, Ross KET, et al. Barriers to Disclosure of Disability and Request for Accommodations Among First-Year Resident Physicians in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(5):e239981. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9981  

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! We just finished chromatography and separation techniques. Before we dive into spectroscopy, there is foundational science that makes all of it make sense: how atoms absorb and emit light, why energy levels are quantized, and why some molecules are colored while others are not.This episode is the one most students skip and then regret when spectroscopy questions show up in their passages and nothing clicks.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast! In this episode we walk through the June 17th daily CARS passage titled Treason, a history passage about how English kings treated rebellion and how Edward the First transformed the legal definition of treason in medieval England.History passages can feel dense and full of unfamiliar names and dates. This episode shows you exactly how to cut through all of that and find the arguments that actually matter.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we tackled gels, SDS-PAGE and Western blots. Now we move into one of the most high-yield experimental technique topics on the MCAT: chromatography.If you have ever seen a chromatography question in a passage and had no idea where to start, this episode gives you a framework that works for every single type. No memorizing, just understanding.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 10th daily CARS passage titled Play, a surprisingly engaging read about the nature of play, why Americans crave it, and what professional sports have lost along the way.This one is a great example of a passage that draws you in naturally but still demands sharp critical thinking on the questions. If you have ever let your guard down on an interesting passage and paid for it on the questions, this episode is for you.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! We just finished amino acids and protein structure. Now it is time for one of the most feared topics in MCAT biochemistry: analytical and separation techniques.If you have ever stared at a Western blot figure in a passage and had absolutely no idea what you were looking at, this episode is exactly what you need. Mike spent years running these experiments in the lab and still has the PTSD to prove it. Together, Mike and Molly break down every technique you need to know, from the foundational logic of electrophoresis all the way to interpreting banding patterns on a gel.Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down all 20 amino acids. Now we take it to the next level and answer the question every biochemistry student eventually has to face: how do these amino acids actually come together to build the machines that run your entire body?This episode is a deep dive into all four levels of protein structure, why structure and function are completely inseparable, and exactly how the MCAT will test you on this material. Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin CARS Podcast with Usher and Molly! In this episode we walk through the June 3rd daily CARS passage titled Averoes, a philosophy passage about the 12th century Muslim thinker Ibn Rushd and his exploration of the relationship between faith and reason.If philosophy passages make you nervous, this one is a great study tool. It is dense, it builds slowly, and it rewards students who know how to track arguments across paragraphs without getting lost in the details. Get started with our resources!

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! This episode covers the single highest yield topic on the entire MCAT: amino acids. And no, memorizing structures is not enough. If you have ever known your amino acids cold and still gotten questions wrong, this episode is exactly what you need.Mike and Molly go way beyond the list. They break down every amino acid by category, explain what makes each one chemically unique, and show you exactly how the MCAT connects amino acids to neurotransmitters, protein structure, acid-base chemistry, lab techniques, enzyme regulation, and more.

Hosted by Michael Tetreault | Editor-in-Chief, Concierge Medicine Today Episode Overview In one of the most comprehensive episodes in DocPreneur Leadership Podcast history, host Michael Tetreault takes an honest, evidence-based, and encouraging look at the cash-pay and subscription-based primary care landscape — who it serves, how it works, where it's heading, and what every physician and advanced practice clinician needs to understand before making a career-defining decision. This episode doesn't take sides. It takes a clear-eyed look at the full picture — including the parts that don't always make it into the conference keynote. What's Covered in This Episode The Foundation Not all subscription-based primary care models are the same. Two models operating in this space share surface-level similarities but are structurally distinct businesses with different economic logic, different patient populations, and different long-term trajectories. Understanding which one you're considering — and why — changes everything about how you plan. A Lesson From Healthcare History Before committing to any practice model, it helps to understand what happened to the movements that came before it. This episode traces three instructive parallels: the micropractice and ideal medical practice movement of the early 2000s; the decades-long fight for healthcare price transparency and what happened when physicians finally got it; and the rise and reality check of retail health — what scaled, what didn't, and why. The common thread in every model that has achieved durable scale in American healthcare is the same: structural fit with the economic environment, not ideological purity. Two Pathways, One Brand Name The episode walks through both economic models in the cash-pay primary care space — the purist, cash-only, no-insurance model and the employer-integrated model — explaining how each works, who each serves, and what the financial picture actually looks like for physicians considering either path. The revenue math is done out loud. The sustainability data from peer-reviewed research is cited. The patient demographic fit for each model is examined honestly and specifically. Who Each Model Serves — and Where Other Models Fit Better A detailed breakdown of the patient populations each model genuinely serves well — and an honest, evidence-based look at the patient populations where other models may be a better structural fit. Including Medicare-eligible patients, patients with complex chronic disease, lower-income households, and employees of small and mid-sized businesses. The Overlooked Opportunity — NPs, PAs, and Advanced Practice Clinicians One of the most significant and underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery today is the direct-care model as a pathway for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other advanced practice clinicians. The evidence on NP and PA-led primary care outcomes is strong and peer-reviewed. The physician shortage projections make the need urgent. And the organizational infrastructure for advanced practice clinician-led direct-care practices is largely unbuilt — which means the opportunity belongs to whoever moves first. The Organizational Landscape An honest look at what the multiplicity of organizations, coalitions, and alliances in the cash-pay primary care space tells us — and what research on professional association dynamics says about the long-term implications of organizational fragmentation for legislative effectiveness and individual practice planning. One Brand, Two Directions Drawing on four documented historical parallels from the history of American medicine — the AMA and managed care, osteopathic medicine's identity divide, family medicine's emergence as a separate specialty, and the micropractice movement — the episode makes the case that two communities with genuinely different economic interests and regulatory priorities currently sharing a brand name may, consistent with historical precedent, find their own distinct professional homes over time. This is presented as pattern recognition grounded in verified historical evidence — and as practical planning context for physicians building practices today. The Tax and Structuring Update A clear, practical summary of the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act changes — effective January 2026 — and what they mean for HSA eligibility of cash-pay membership fees. What qualifies, what doesn't, and why legal counsel is essential before making any representations to patients about tax-advantaged payment options. Eight Questions Before You Commit A practical pre-decision checklist — eight specific questions every physician or advanced practice clinician should be able to answer clearly before committing to any cash-pay practice pathway. Key Takeaways Cash-pay primary care and concierge medicine are not the same model, do not serve the same patient populations, and should not be evaluated as interchangeable alternatives. The purist cash-pay model has grown from approximately 100 practices in 2009 to over 2,100 by 2023 — real and meaningful growth. The financial sustainability data, however, reflects consistent challenges that peer-reviewed research has documented specifically in lower-income markets and solo practice settings. The employer-integrated pathway has stronger structural sustainability — multiple revenue streams, embedded benefit relationships, and documented employer cost reductions of 12 to 20 percent over three to five years. A December 2025 Johns Hopkins study found concierge and cash-pay primary care practices combined grew 83.1 percent between 2018 and 2023. The employer-integrated model is the primary driver of that growth trajectory. Concierge medicine — particularly the PCM model — is not retreating. The global concierge medicine market is projected to surpass $34 billion by 2032 and is growing at a compound annual rate that outpaces most healthcare market segments. The National Academy of Medicine's 2021 Future of Nursing report, AAMC physician shortage projections, and peer-reviewed NP/PA outcomes research collectively point to advanced practice clinician-led direct-care models as one of the most significant underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery. Pattern recognition from healthcare history — price transparency, retail health, the micropractice movement — consistently shows that the distance between a compelling healthcare idea and durable scaled impact is longer and more complicated than early advocacy suggests. Models that have achieved durable scale in American primary care share one characteristic: structural fit with the economic environment, not independence from it. Sources and Citations All claims in this episode are supported by published, verifiable sources. Full citations below. Micropractice and Practice Model History Moore, G. (2002). "Accountability and Improvement in Physician Practice." Family Medicine. Moore, G. & Showstack, J. (2003). "Primary Care Medicine in Crisis." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org AAFP TransforMED Initiative. (2006). aafp.org Nutting, P.A. et al. (2010). "Initial Lessons From the First National Demonstration Project on Practice Transformation to a Patient-Centered Medical Home." Annals of Family Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. et al. (2009). "Primary Care and Accountable Care." New England Journal of Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. & Shortell, S.M. (2009). "The Patient-Centered Medical Home." JAMA. Price Transparency Research Pathak, Y. & Muhlestein, D. (2024). "Public Awareness and Use of Price Transparency: Report From a National Survey." West Health Institute / Gallup. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Parente, S.T. (2023). "Estimating the Impact of New Health Price Transparency Policies." Inquiry.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ScienceDirect. (2025). "Outcomes of Price Transparency Policies for Healthcare Services in the United States: A Systematic Review." sciencedirect.com Retail Health Fein, A.J. (2017). "Retail Clinic Check Up: CVS Retrenches, Walgreens Outsources, Kroger Expands." Drug Channels. drugchannels.net CNBC. (2024). "Why Walmart, Walgreens, CVS Retail Health Clinic Experiment Is Struggling." cnbc.com Healthcare Finance News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Seeing Utilization Soar, Popularity Grow." healthcarefinancenews.com MedCity News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Are Gaining Momentum." medcitynews.com Cash-Pay and Subscription Primary Care Market Data MedCity News. (March 2026). "DPC Is Scaling — The Financing Architecture Isn't Ready." medcitynews.com Johns Hopkins. (December 2025). Study on concierge and cash-pay practice growth 2018–2023. As cited in MedCity News, March 2026. Liaw, W. et al. (2024). "Direct Primary Care: Financial Analysis and Potential to Reshape the U.S. Healthcare Landscape." Journal of General Internal Medicine. springer.com Lujan, D.Y. (2025). "Why Direct Primary Care Models Fail." KevinMD. kevinmd.com Doan, L. et al. (2019). "Physician Perspectives on Direct Primary Care." Family Medicine. Eskew, P.M. & Klink, K. (2015). "Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Tseng, P. et al. (2018). 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"The Population-Based Physician Workforce." Health Affairs.healthaffairs.org Bodenheimer, T. & Pham, H.H. (2010). "Primary Care: Current Problems and Proposed Solutions." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Grumbach, K. & Grundy, P. (2010). "Outcomes of Implementing Patient Centered Medical Home Interventions." JAMA. Concierge Medicine Market Data Grand View Research. (2022). Concierge Medicine Market Size & Growth Report. grandviewresearch.com Precedence Research. (2023). U.S. Concierge Medicine Market Size and Forecast. globenewswire.com MDVIP. (2020). Personalized Primary Care Reduces ER Visits, Hospitalizations, and Outpatient Expenditures.mdvip.com AAPP / Software Advice. (2023). "Concierge Medicine Salary and Definition." softwareadvice.com Disclaimer The DocPreneur Leadership Podcast is produced by Concierge Medicine Today, LLC, an independent healthcare leadership publication. This episode and its accompanying summary are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this episode or summary constitutes medical, legal, financial, or accounting advice. The information presented reflects publicly available research, published data, and editorial observation, and is not intended to replace the guidance of qualified medical, legal, financial, or business professionals. All factual claims are supported by named, verifiable third-party sources, which are cited in full above. Concierge Medicine Today makes no guarantee regarding the completeness or currency of external sources cited and encourages listeners to verify information independently. References to specific organizations, publications, legal decisions, or market data are provided for educational context only. Mention of any organization, publication, or individual does not constitute endorsement, and no commercial relationship exists between Concierge Medicine Today and any source cited in this episode unless otherwise disclosed. 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Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! Last episode we broke down the neurobiology of language; Broca's, Wernicke's, split-brain patients. This episode we zoom all the way out and ask a question that's fascinated scientists for centuries:Does the language you speak actually shape the way you think?This is one of the most debated topics in MCAT psychology and one of the most fascinating. Mike and Molly break it all down, name by name, theory by theory.

Welcome back to the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast with Mike and Molly! In this episode, we're breaking down one of the most high-yield neuroscience topics on the MCAT, the biology of language and the brain areas behind it.Ever wonder why some people lose the ability to speak clearly after a stroke, while others speak fluently but make zero sense? That's not random, it comes down to specific brain regions, and the MCAT loves to test exactly this.

In this episode of the Jack Westin CARS Podcast, Usher and Molly tackle one of the trickier philosophy passages in recent memory, "Moral Relations" from May 6th. If philosophy passages make you nervous on the MCAT, this one's for you.Get started with our resources!

Is stress a bad thing? Not according to the science. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly flip the coin from last episode's neurobiology of emotion to the psychology of emotion and stress. They walk through the major theories of emotion, break down eustress vs. distress, explain cognitive appraisal, and connect it to the MCAT study experience in a way that might actually change how you approach test day.Get started with our resources!

Did chimpanzees domesticate us? And if wild chimps don't exploit each other, why do captive chimps exploit humans? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Chimpanzee Domestication" (April 29th), a surprisingly philosophical passage about the mutual relationship between humans and chimps that's way more nuanced than it first appears.Get started with our resources!

Why do you remember your most stressful moments so vividly but can't recall what you had for lunch last Tuesday? It's all about the limbic system. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down the biology of emotion and stress, covering every limbic system structure, the HPA axis, cortisol, and general adaptation syndrome, plus how all of it directly applies to surviving your MCAT prep without burning out.Get started with our resources!

What do you do when a CARS passage gives you a laundry list of examples in one paragraph and then repeats the same idea with a new layer in every paragraph after that? You learn to recognize the pattern and stop over-mapping.In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Ritual Failures" (April 22nd), an unusual passage that blends philosophy, anthropology, and speech act theory to explore why rituals go wrong. This one is packed with examples, parallel structure across paragraphs, and a rare gift-wrapped thesis statement that makes the main idea surprisingly clear if you know what to look for.Get started with our resources!

Alpha, beta minus, beta plus, gamma. Do you know which decay changes mass, which changes identity, and which changes nothing? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly finally cover the topic they've been putting off for over a year: atoms and radioactive decay. They build from the ground up, starting with atomic structure, isotopes, and stability, then walk through every type of decay and connect it all back to PET scans and carbon dating.Next episode: The limbic system, emotion, and stressGet started with our resources!

In part one of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with David Skorton, MD, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), for a candid look at a career defined by curiosity, openness, and unlikely pivots. Dr. Skorton traces his nontraditional journey from aspiring Los Angeles session musician to internist and cardiologist, to university president (Iowa and Cornell), to Secretary of the Smithsonian, and back to academic medicine at the AAMC. He shares lessons on saying yes to unexpected opportunities, seeking mentorship in all directions — including a charge nurse who guided him through his first night as an intern — and leading with a “beginner's mind.” Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

In the second episode of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, the conversation turns to the future of medical education in a world reshaped by AI, information overload, and eroding public trust. David Skorton, MD, discusses with host Chethan Sathya, MD, how academic medicine can responsibly integrate emerging technologies — from ambient listening tools to AI competencies — while ensuring curricula, faculty development, and assessments keep pace. He underscores the importance of ethical guardrails and continuous learning for students, as well as listening with humility and engaging communities as partners. Mentioned in this episode: The Fundamental Role of Arts and Humanities in Medical Education — FRAHME: www.aamc.org/about-us/mission-areas/medical-education/frahme Northwell is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Get the latest news and insights from our experts in the Northwell Newsroom: Press releases Insights Podcasts Publications Interested in a career at Northwell Health? Visit our career site and explore our many opportunities. Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube.  For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

What do you do when a CARS passage goes back and forth on the same idea for six paragraphs and only gives you the answer in the last sentence? You stay calm and trust the process.In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Philosophical Driving" (April 15th), one of the toughest and least interesting passages they've covered on the podcast. This episode is essential for anyone who struggles with dense philosophical CARS passages or who panics when the author doesn't take a clear stance until the very end.This is one of the best episodes for building your tolerance for uncomfortable, unclear CARS passages where the author makes you wait for the punchline.Get started with our resources!

There are only two scenarios in MCAT magnetism. That's it. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about magnetic fields, both right hand rules, the key equations, and how it all connects to how MRI machines actually produce those high-resolution images of your brain.Next episode: Atoms and radioactive decay (and how it connects to PET scans)Get started with our resources!

How do you find the main idea when every paragraph has a different argument? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Teacher's Merit Pay" (April 8th), a passage they've both taught many times in their CARS strategy courses. This one is packed with arguments, counterarguments, examples, and named individuals, making it the perfect passage to practice identifying what actually matters.Get started with our resources!

You probably had a psychoactive drug today and didn't even realize it. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down every major class of psychoactive drugs you need to know for the MCAT, including how each one hijacks your synapses, which neurotransmitters are involved, and why some are incredibly addictive.Next episode: Magnetism and how MRIs actually workGet started with our resources!

Why did humans invent the wheel when animals never did? And what does a running spider have to do with your CARS score?In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Wheels" (April 1st) sentence by sentence. This passage blends history, evolutionary biology, and a surprisingly entertaining argument about why human legs are, well, mid. Together they show you how to stay engaged with a fun passage without letting your reactions pull you off track.Get started with our resources!

You spend a third of your life doing it, but do you actually understand how sleep works? In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about consciousness, sleep stages, circadian rhythm, and dream theories for the MCAT, plus how all of it connects directly to optimizing your own study schedule.Get started with our resources!

70+ med schools now require or recommend the Preview exam. Do you know how to answer it?In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) gives a complete breakdown of the AAMC Preview Professional Readiness Exam. She walks through the format, scoring system, and decision-making framework, then applies it to real practice scenarios so you can see exactly how to rate responses on the four-point effectiveness scale.Get started with our resources!

Electrostatics doesn't have to be the topic you dread. In this Jack Westin MCAT Podcast episode, Mike and Molly break down everything you need to know about charge, forces, electric fields, potential energy, and voltage, then connect it all back to how EEGs and ECGs actually work.Whether electrostatics is your weakest topic or you just need a solid review, this episode gives you the conceptual foundation and equation relationships to handle any question the MCAT throws at you.Next episode: Consciousness, sleep stages, and psychoactive drugsGet started with our resources!

Can evolution explain why you love your family? In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly break down the daily CARS passage "Family Genes" (March 18th) sentence by sentence. This passage blends biology and philosophy in a way that feels familiar to pre-meds but still requires pure CARS reasoning to navigate.Get started with our resources!

What's the difference between a weak CASPer answer and one that lands in the top quartile? Structure.In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) walks through her exact 6-step framework for answering any CASPer question, then applies it to six real practice scenarios (three typed, three video) so you can see exactly what a strong response looks like.Get started with our resources!

Which brain imaging technique should you pick on the MCAT? In this episode, Mike and Molly break down every major brain imaging method you need to know: EEG, CT, PET, MRI, and fMRI. They cover what each technique actually measures (structural vs. functional), when to use each one, key limitations, and how to answer those tricky "which imaging method is most appropriate?" questions. Includes a rapid-fire quiz to test your understanding.Next episode: Electrostatics and how it connects to brain imaging.Get started with our resources!

In this Jack Westin CARS Reading Skills Workshop, Usher and Molly walk through a daily CARS passage about Quentin Tarantino's use of pop music in violent film scenes. Together they break down each paragraph in real time, showing you how to identify arguments, separate key ideas from supporting details, and build a passage map that actually helps you answer questions.In this episode, you'll learn:

Do you actually need to stress about CASPer and Preview? What do admissions committees really do with your scores? And how do you answer these situational judgment questions the right way?In this Jack Westin Pre-Med Admissions Podcast episode, Molly Kielty (Director of Instruction) hosts Dr. Anita Paschal (MD, double PhD, 35+ years on admissions committees) for a complete breakdown of both the CASPer and Preview exams. Dr. Paschal shares insider committee perspective on how these scores are actually used, walks through real practice scenarios with strong and weak responses, and gives you the exact framework to approach every question.In this episode, you'll learn:

A brilliant pre-med student. 521 MCAT — 98th percentile. 4.0 GPA. Published research. Primary author. Rejected by ten medical schools. If that résumé isn't good enough, what is?On The Real Story, I examine how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies are reshaping medical school admissions. Across the country, schools describe “holistic review,” equity mandates, and diversity goals as central to their mission. Academic metrics are no longer the primary standard and that merit is being subordinated to ideology.We break down AAMC data, LCME accreditation shifts, pass/fail grading trends, and looming physician shortages. Medicine is not a sociology lab. When you're on an operating table, credentials matter. Excellence is not negotiable. Thank you to our sponsor: Preserve Gold - text "ASK PHIL" to 50505 and go to https://DrPhilGold.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(00:00) — Curiosity in the halls of Mass General: Her mom's triple‑negative breast cancer and remission shape an early interest in medicine.(02:54) — Choosing a major without a premed major: From biochemistry to discovering neuroscience and why UMass ultimately fit.(06:04) — Double majoring without burning out: Overlap with prereqs, honest advising on dual degrees, and following interests.(09:13) — Make advising work for you: Meeting early, becoming a peer advisor, and hearing hard feedback you don't want to hear.(12:56) — Rethinking gap years: Fears about money give way to growth, responsibility, and better prep for med school.(17:23) — What went wrong on the first MCAT: Cramming, no plan, and taking it during senior year.(19:33) — The retake that worked: Six months, 3 hours a day, weekly full-lengths, and using AAMC practice tests.(22:52) — Lining up letters after graduation: Staying in touch with advisors and professors, and using undergrad resources.(25:34) — Clinical path: EMT to pediatric ER clinical assistant: Building skills during COVID, behavioral health work, and a role that cemented medicine.(32:05) — The application surprise: Not prewriting secondaries—and why she won't skip that again.(33:43) — First interview jitters and prep: Early invites, mock interviews, and centering fit.(35:52) — Eight interview invites: Why authenticity and geography beat obsessing over stats.(40:33) — Toughest interview prompt: Answering “Tell me about yourself” and a bartender curveball.(44:10) — The first acceptance: A full-circle moment at work and calling mom.(45:40) — Final advice to premeds: Keep an open mind—and be kind to yourself.Today's guest traces a clear, practical path from childhood curiosity in the halls of Mass General—while her mom underwent treatment and later entered remission—to a medical school seat built on consistency, flexibility, and honest self-reflection. She shares how starting at UMass in biochemistry, discovering neuroscience, and building an early relationship with her premed advisor shaped smarter decisions—like delaying the MCAT and embracing gap years she once feared.We dive into the first MCAT attempt that fell flat (no schedule, cramming during senior year, few practice tests) and the 15‑point turnaround that followed: six months post‑graduation, three hours a day, AAMC full‑lengths every Thursday, and a real study plan. She details lining up letters before leaving campus, keeping in touch after graduation, and why not prewriting secondaries became her biggest application headache.Clinically, she moved from EMT certification and campus EMS to behavioral health sitting and a clinical assistant role in a pediatric ER—experiences that cemented her desire to practice. Finally, we cover interviews (including a surprise bartender question), eight invites, the first acceptance at work, and her closing advice: keep an open mind—and be kind to yourself.What You'll Learn:- How to build a productive relationship with your premed advisor- A realistic MCAT retake plan: pacing, practice tests, and scheduling- Why gap years and nonclinical jobs can strengthen your application- Finding schools by fit and mission instead of fixating on stats- Timing letters and prewriting secondaries to avoid bottlenecks