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A few things on the agenda today. First, RFK Jr. and the MAHA crew want medical schools to dedicate around 40 hours, roughly 20% of preclinical training, to nutrition education. I have some thoughts. We already have dietitians, med school is already a fire hydrant, and the Krebs cycle had it coming, but this isn't the way. Then a Mark Cuban appreciation segment, because he's out there on X dragging the entire healthcare system toward transparency. His latest pitch: someone buy a hospital, charge Medicare rates for every single thing, expose every dollar in and out, and prove whether Medicare for All can actually work. In theory, I'm in. In practice, you can't slash physician pay without first addressing the $500,000 in debt that gets people into the door. The Australian model, a real public safety net coexisting with a private system, makes more sense to me, but only if we fix the training pipeline first. After the break, ophthalmology. A young man got a bamboo shoot to the eye six months ago. Healed up fine. Now he's waking up at 2 AM in excruciating pain, no trauma involved. That's a recurrent corneal erosion. I walk through why it happens, why CPAP can make it worse, and the whole treatment ladder, ointment, bandage contact lenses, superficial keratectomy, corneal micropuncture. Also: don't let your cornea melt. That's the headline. Takeaways: RFK Jr. and MAHA are pushing medical schools to dedicate around 40 hours, or 20%, of preclinical training to nutrition, a shift that ignores the existence of dietitians and would crowd out essential physiology and disease education Mark Cuban has floated a real-world test case for Medicare for All: buy a hospital, charge only Medicare rates, and operate with complete financial transparency to show whether the model is sustainable Any serious move toward Medicare for All or an Australian-style public-private hybrid will require addressing the roughly $500K in training debt physicians carry; otherwise the math doesn't work and recruitment collapses Recurrent corneal erosion happens when an old abrasion never fully reattaches to the underlying stroma, patients typically wake up in severe pain because the eyelid scrapes loose epithelium across a dry cornea overnight, and CPAP without a good seal makes it worse Treatment escalates from aggressive nighttime lubrication (erythromycin ointment, Genteal gel) to a bandage contact lens, and in stubborn cases to a superficial keratectomy or corneal micropuncture to create a smoother, more firmly attached corneal surface 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we sit down with Dr. Chris Allen, board-certified sleep medicine physician, board-certified pediatric neurologist, and a man who has been on CPAP therapy for 22 years. We cover how a sleep study actually works, the real misconceptions around sleep apnea, why CPAP isn't the only treatment option, and what the difference is between a home sleep test and a full in-lab polysomnogram. Oh, and we get into parasomnias, which is the fancy medical word for "doing things in your sleep you shouldn't be doing", a category that, as Kristin helpfully reveals, includes me putting on dress pants in the middle of the night and getting back into bed. We also go deep on kids and sleep. Turns out a lot of children diagnosed with ADHD actually have undiagnosed sleep apnea, and treating it can change everything. Plus night terrors , revenge bedtime procrastination, neurodivergent sleep challenges, and why your brain isn't actually out to get you, it just really needs you to stop scrolling. Chris also has a children's book called Sweet Dreams, which is his personal story adapted for kids, and it's exactly the kind of advocacy that makes this stuff actually land. Takeaways: Snoring is never normal, it always means your airway is partially obstructed during sleep, and while it doesn't automatically mean sleep apnea, it's always worth asking the questions. Sleep apnea isn't just a "big guy" problem, anyone can have it regardless of body size, it affects women at the same rate as men after menopause, and in children it often shows up as inattention, hyperactivity, and moodiness that gets mistaken for ADHD. CPAP is great but it's not the only treatment, there are multiple ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea depending on your anatomy, age, and situation, so don't let the Darth Vader mask reputation scare you away from getting evaluated. Parasomnias like sleepwalking, night terrors, and confusional arousals are all under one umbrella, they're common, they're often made worse by other untreated sleep disorders, and there are actual medications that can help if they're disruptive enough. Revenge bedtime procrastination is real and your brain chemistry explains it, caffeine blocks adenosine (your sleep hunger signal), screens suppress melatonin, and cortisol from daily stress keeps your fight-or-flight response lit, which is why 11 PM you keeps doing laundry instead of going to bed. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I just watched The Backrooms and now I can't stop thinking about hospital liminal spaces. The basement. The pathology lab. The OR at 2 AM when you're going in for an open globe. We start there. Then a great Spotify question pulls me into ophthalmology boards, what the written test is like, the oral exam I took inside an examiner's actual hotel room (with their luggage in the corner) during a hotel workers' strike in San Francisco, the $2,000 fee, and why the whole recertification industry feels like a money grab. Also a quick rant about why physicians start their careers $400K in the hole and a decade behind everyone else. The main event is a tale of two health systems. You already know PeaceHealth in Eugene, where the emergency physicians fought back, used Oregon's corporate practice of medicine law, and took it to court. Now meet Valley Health in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where CEO Mark Nance just cancelled the contract for EMBER (Emergency Medicine of Blue Ridge) and handed it to SCP Healthm a private equity outfit backed by Canada's Onex Corporation. Same Apollo MD playbook. Same damage. But Virginia has no corporate practice of medicine law, no physician union, and no nurses' union, and Valley Health is flush with cash while blaming Medicaid cuts. I'm fed up, and I'm going to keep making this content as long as people keep sending it to me. Takeaways: Valley Health in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley cancelled its 20-plus-year contract with EMBER (Emergency Medicine of Blue Ridge) and handed it to SCP Health, a private equity-backed corporation owned by Canada's Onex Corporation, mirroring the Apollo MD/PeaceHealth situation in Eugene Despite blaming Medicaid cuts from the "Big Beautiful Bill," Valley Health holds over $1 billion in assets, $700 million in cash reserves, and reported $100 million in net profit in 2024 and continues to build new facilities Valley Health has also forced out Front Royal Family Practice under CEO Mark Nance, revealing a broader pattern of consolidating independent groups and eliminating physician autonomy Virginia has no corporate practice of medicine law, no physician union, and no nurses' union, leaving healthcare workers without the legal and organizational protections that allowed the Eugene physicians to fight back successfully Ophthalmology board recertification, board exam fees, and roughly $400K in training debt mean most physicians don't start meaningful earnings until age 31 or later, a financial reality often missing from broader debates about physician pay 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Heather Gatcomb, a clinical radiation oncologist at Emory, who immediately humbles me by explaining that her job involves a lot more than drawing circles on a screen, it involves medical physics boards, cancer biology exams, and oral evaluations with the world's leading subspecialty experts. I'm putting radiation oncology in my "insanely smart doctors" tier, effective immediately. But Heather isn't just here to talk about contouring tumors. When her son was in second grade, his teacher noticed he couldn't move half his body and called 911. By the time EMS arrived, he seemed fine. Thus began a five-year diagnostic odyssey involving genetic testing, a muscle biopsy, a "variant of unknown significance," and ultimately a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, a mutation that disrupts the body's ability to produce energy at the cellular level and can affect, well, pretty much every organ system you've got. We get into all of it: what metabolic strokes actually are (an energy failure, not a clot), how heat, fasting, and illness can trigger a crisis, why the average time to diagnosis is a decade, and what happened when Heather's son arrived at the ER during COVID in acute heart failure and ended up on ECMO within 10 hours. He was 12. He received a heart transplant. He's now 17, knows his own body better than most doctors in the room, and asks for naps between soccer and his SATs. We also talk about what clinicians and patients can actually do to change the odds, including the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation's mini-fellowship program at umdf.org. And yes, I finally admit the Krebs cycle is useful. The sad medical geneticist at the lunch table was right all along. Takeaways: Mitochondrial disease is a mutation that disrupts cellular energy production, affecting about 1 in 4,000 people, capable of impacting virtually any organ system, and taking an average of 10 years to diagnose in adults because it presents so differently in every patient. A metabolic stroke is an energy failure, not a vascular event, a part of the brain simply runs out of fuel and shuts down, and it's treated with dextrose-containing IV fluids and IV arginine rather than clot-busting drugs. For patients with mitochondrial disease, managing triggers is everything, fever, fasting, dehydration, heat, certain anesthetics, and even intense cognitive or physical stress can all precipitate a metabolic crisis or stroke. Even having two physician parents and strong institutional connections didn't speed up the diagnosis, it still took five years, and for families without those resources, the average wait is closer to a decade, especially outside the Northeast where most of the 19 certified mitochondrial care centers are located. There's a critical shortage of mitochondrial disease specialists, and the UMDF is working to fix it, their mini-fellowship program at umdf.org is open to residents and fellows PGY3 and above across all specialties, because mitochondria are in every cell and every kind of doctor needs to know what to look for. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're dropping this bonus episode because something genuinely historic happened in oncology and we couldn't wait until our regular schedule to talk about it. Dr. Mark Lewis, GI medical oncologist, pancreatic cancer survivor, and one of our absolute favorite guests. He just got back from ASCO, the Super Bowl of oncology, where a new drug called daraxonrasib received one of only about six standing ovations in the conference's history, including applause that broke out mid-sentence when researchers showed the survival data on-screen. The drug targets a mutation that drives the vast majority of pancreatic cancer and has been considered "undruggable" for decades and it works not by attacking the mutation directly, but by cutting off the downstream signals it sends, like snipping the wire instead of fighting with the switch. The results are remarkable. In patients who had already received standard chemotherapy, daraxonrasib roughly doubled survival time and delivered it in pill form rather than an IV every two weeks, a meaningful quality-of-life difference for people who are already facing the hardest year of their lives. Mark walks us through the science, the side effects (rash, because RAS proteins live in skin too), the path to FDA approval, and what this means beyond pancreatic cancer, the same KRAS mutations show up in about 30% of lung cancers and 40% of colon cancers. Takeaways: Pancreatic cancer has been devastatingly hard to treat, 85% of patients are incurable at diagnosis because it spreads silently and there's no good screening, leaving most patients with a median survival of about a year on IV chemotherapy. KRAS, the mutation driving nearly all pancreatic cancer, was long considered "undruggable", the protein was so smooth and spherical that no drug could bind to it, and researchers were actively discouraged from pursuing it as a target. Daraxonrasib works by cutting the power rather than fighting the switch, instead of binding to the KRAS protein itself, it uses molecular glue to interrupt the downstream growth signals the mutation sends, an approach that took decades to develop and wasn't taken seriously until now. The trial results roughly doubled survival and the treatment is a daily pill, not an IV, patients who had already been treated with chemotherapy gained approximately an additional year of life with improved quality of life, which represents one of the most significant advances in pancreatic cancer treatment in decades. This breakthrough has implications far beyond the pancreas, KRAS mutations drive about 30% of lung cancers and 40% of colon cancers too, and proving the target is druggable opens the door to a new generation of treatments across multiple cancer types. Want more Dr. Mark Lewis? X: @marklewismd 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm back from a whirlwind speaking tour where I realized my entire social media presence might just be a long-con ruse to get a captive audience of 1,000 electrophysiologists to look at my genetic testing report. I officially "locked the doors" at the Heart Rhythm Society in Chicago until someone could tell me if my phospholamban mutation actually means anything. Spoiler alert: I met the guy who literally mapped the gene, and he reassured me it's a "variant of no significance," which is way more comforting than "uncertain significance". I also had a run-in with a couple at a pool in Florida who were dreading the "entertainment guy" with the weird name, only for me to lean over and put them out of their misery. The real drama this week, though, is in the courtroom: corporate medicine is on trial in Oregon. I'm breaking down the "dummy LLC" loophole that allows out-of-state corporations to replace local, physician-owned groups with locums who don't know the community. We dive into the PeaceHealth fiasco in Eugene, where a CEO is currently on administrative leave following whistleblower emails that suggest clinical decisions were being influenced for profit. It's a messy look at hospital contract shenanigans and why having doctors invested in their own community actually matters for patient safety. Takeaways: The "Dummy LLC" legal maneuver corporations use to bypass state laws meant to keep medicine physician-owned. How I used a 20-foot screen and a captive audience of specialists to get a second opinion on my own genetic mutation. The "cardiology confident" reassurance I received about my heart from the man who mapped the phospholamban protein. Why the CEO of a major Oregon hospital is on administrative leave following whistleblower emails about clinical interference. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Victor Wembanyama, the 7'5" alien playing for the Spurs, apparently refuses to look at blue light after 9pm, which allows me to get into my love-hate relationship with blue light glasses, the misinformation campaign that has them treating everything from dry eye to macular degeneration, and the one claim that actually holds up: sleep and circadian rhythm. Then a great Patreon question drops me into retinopathy of prematurity. What it is, why preemies are vulnerable, and how oxygen, vascularization, and laser treatment all fit together. From there, the bigger problem: 90% of U.S. counties don't have a single pediatric eye specialist. Four states, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, have zero pediatric ophthalmologists. And surprise, this comes right back to private equity, because every Knock Knock Eye episode does. Takeaways: Blue light blocking glasses have one evidence-based benefit: improving sleep by helping regulate circadian rhythm. Claims about reducing dry eye, eye strain, or preventing macular degeneration are not supported by the data. Retinopathy of prematurity is caused by a mismatch between an underdeveloped retina and the oxygen exposure premature infants receive — too much supplemental oxygen damages fragile capillaries and can lead to neovascularization, retinal detachment, and blindness. 90% of U.S. counties have no pediatric eye specialist, and New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont have zero pediatric ophthalmologists at all, driven by low reimbursement rates and consolidation that deprioritizes the subspecialty. Private equity-owned ophthalmology practices aren't expanding into pediatric care because it isn't profitable, kids need Medicaid coverage, not cataracts and LASIK, leaving rural and Medicaid families with the fewest options. A 2025 JAMA Ophthalmology study on AI screening for ROP found the model was sensitive but not specific, it can flag disease, but it still can't determine which babies actually need laser treatment, so human ophthalmologists remain essential. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm stepping away from the slit lamp this week to talk about a different kind of eye emergency. The ones happening on the front lines of protests across the country. I've been seeing way too many videos of people losing their vision to "non-lethal" force, so I invited Adam Rose, the Deputy Director of Advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, to help us navigate this. Adam has 20 years of journalism under his belt and spends his time making sure the people documenting history don't end up as patients in my clinic. Whether you're a journalist, a protester, or just a citizen with a smartphone, this episode is a crash course in exercising your First Amendment rights without losing an eyeball. Takeaways: Why a build-up of food gases in an old Thermos can pop a lid with enough force to cause a "ruptured globe" injury. The difference between a "Democratic physician-owned group" and a "Contract Management Group" staffing your local hospital. How a doctor living in Illinois can technically "own" an emergency practice in Oregon through a legal loophole. Why Will thinks "home call" in residency is just a clever way to skirt work-hour restrictions. The "Glock Flecking Fodder Ability Scale" for determining which medical specialties are the easiest to make fun of. — 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 -- 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 cozyearth.com and use my code KNOCKKNOCK for up to 30% off — but only for a limited time. This exclusive offer runs from May 18th through June 1st only, so don't wait. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm not in a great mood and I'll tell you why. A mini fridge in our family room sprang a slow leak, and before I knew it I was $5,000 deep in a restoration black box with no idea whether any of those numbers were real. Which, of course, got me thinking about healthcare cost transparency, because everything eventually does. From there I get into Oregon's SB 951, the strongest corporate practice of medicine law in the country, and what it might mean in 2029 for the private equity firms (and one suspiciously friendly-sounding Canadian pension fund) currently buying up ophthalmology. After the break I cross over into veterinary land to talk about the cow eye dissection I ran with about 50 middle schoolers at my kids' school. The tapetum lucidum, the onion-layered lens, why goats have rectangle pupils, and the brand-new respect I now have for teachers. We finish up in the animal vision spectrum, where the mantis shrimp absolutely embarrasses the rest of us. Takeaways: Oregon's SB 951 requires all medical practices in the state to be physician-owned and free of outside investor influence by 2029, a potential turning point for private equity in ophthalmology NVISION Eye Centers is majority-owned by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, a $250 billion Canadian fund that functions, in effect, like a private equity firm The Central Africa Ebola outbreak is unlikely to become a pandemic, but reduced WHO funding after the U.S. withdrawal weakens global surveillance and rapid response The tapetum lucidum is a reflective layer behind the retina in cows, dogs, cats, and many other mammals that bounces light back through the photoreceptors, dramatically improving night vision and explains the glowing-eyes phenomenon Humans have three color cones; mantis shrimp have 12 to 16 plus UV, infrared, and polarized light detection; dogs and cats see dichromatic blues and yellows; whales and dolphins see only in monochrome 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're diving into a heavy topic that's been making the rounds on medical TikTok, the soul-crushing feeling of "wasting your twenties" in medical training while your non-medical friends are out buying houses and going to clubs instead of living in squalor with five roommates. Kristin and I look back at our own unusual twenties, including the "Sock on the Pager" move which Kristin officially is claiming as a romantic peak of my residency years. Then we get into some "pajama patient" ophthalmology talk because Kristin refuses to take a "contact lens holiday". I explain the nightmare fuel of people who layer contacts until they have dozens stuck under their eyelid, and why a corneal abrasion can actually feel worse than childbirth. From the hidden chemistry required to be a dermatologist to the reason you can't get eyelid mites from your poodle, this episode is a mix of deep reflection and my ongoing quest to save Kristin's corneas. Takeaways: Why comparison is the "thief of joy" for medical residents watching their friends enter the workforce while they live with five roommates and uncleaned dishes. The specific sensory "imprints", like the smell of spring air, that can make a medical anniversary a recurring trauma years later. Why Kristin claims putting a sock under a vibrating pager is one of the most romantic gestures of my medical training. The "Bandaid Effect": why wearing contact lenses for too long can actually mask the pain of an open wound on your eye. Why you should never fact-check Will on whether the highest concentration of nerve endings is in the cornea or elsewhere. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today is a day for celebration and a little bit of "I told you so." We finally have a resolution in the saga of the Eugene Emergency Physicians (EEP). Just as final arguments were about to begin, PeaceHealth completely rescinded its contract with Apollo MD and restored it to the local doctors who have served the community for 35 years. I'm breaking down the federal judge's scathing remarks, including some casual accusations of perjury against corporate leadership, and why this victory proves that Oregon's new corporate practice of medicine law actually works. Later, I'm putting on my clinical hat to give you the "Glaucomflecken Dry Eye Regimen." I'm talking to you like a patient who's tired of blurry vision and gritty eyes: we're cutting through the marketing noise to discuss why hot compresses and baby shampoo are often better than expensive in-office procedures. We'll cover the new drops on the market, the danger of generic recalls, and why you should steer clear of anything labeled "homeopathic." Takeaways: The EEP Victory: How a courageous group of local doctors defeated a corporate giant and what this means for physician autonomy nationwide. The Perjury Warning: Why a federal judge suggested that corporate executives were "clearly lying under oath" during the PeaceHealth trial. The 2029 Deadline: Why every medical practice in Oregon must be 100% physician-owned within three years or face legal oblivion. MGD vs. Tears: Understanding the difference between oil gland dysfunction and aqueous deficiency, and why no single drop can fix both. The Generic Risk: Why Will recommends sticking to brand-name lubricants for your eyes to avoid the history of contamination seen in some generic and homeopathic brands. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm opening up this week with a bit of a public service announcement: please stop pointing stuck containers at your face. We're diving into a bizarre and honestly terrifying recall of 8 million Thermos bottles that have been essentially turning into high-pressure gas bombs in people's kitchens, causing some devastating eye injuries. I try to explain "blunt force blindness" to Kristin, who, like many medical spouses, is mostly just trying to find a way to tune out the gross ophthalmology details. The main event this week is a deep dive into why "Corporate Medicine" is currently on trial, well, a federal hearing, anyway. I'm obsessively following a courtroom drama in Oregon where a local, physician-owned emergency group is fighting back against a giant corporate firm from Atlanta that's trying to take over their contract. We break down the confusing world of "Management Service Organizations" and how private equity is trying to find loopholes in brand-new state laws designed to protect patient care from out-of-state corporate interests. Takeaways: Why a build-up of food gases in an old Thermos can pop a lid with enough force to cause a "ruptured globe" injury. The difference between a "Democratic physician-owned group" and a "Contract Management Group" staffing your local hospital. How a doctor living in Illinois can technically "own" an emergency practice in Oregon through a legal loophole. Why Will thinks "home call" in residency is just a clever way to skirt work-hour restrictions. The "Glock Flecking Fodder Ability Scale" for determining which medical specialties are the easiest to make fun of. — 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 -- 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 cozyearth.com and use my code KNOCKKNOCK for up to 30% off — but only for a limited time. This exclusive offer runs from May 18th through June 1st only, so don't wait. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Put down the "Standard of Care" manual for a second, this week I'm talking to you like a med student watching a corporate train wreck in slow motion as we break down the "rigged" request for proposals (RFP) process. I'll show you how a local group with 35 years of perfect staffing was given a "0.1" score for call coverage just so a corporate giant could swoop in. We'll also discuss a federal judge's incredible "low-wattage" insult and why two Apollo MD doctors are now facing accusations of lying under oath. After we finish our lesson on corporate retaliation, we're pivoting to some "legitimate" science that sounds like a skit: Pig Semen Eye Drops. I'll explain a recent study, yes, in an actual scientific journal, about using exomes from pig semen to shrink retinoblastoma tumors in mice by 98%. It's a perfect confluence of my two professional loves: medicine and comedy. Takeaways: The "Rigged" Scorecard: How Eugene Emergency Physicians were given a near-zero score for "transition planning" despite already being the ones doing the job. The MSO Loophole: Why companies like Apollo MD create "shell" clinical entities to circumvent state laws meant to protect local medicine. The Judge's Admonishment: Why "evasive" testimony and "obfuscation" led a federal judge to suggest that corporate executives were lying under oath. The "Rodent" Breakthrough: How a basic science study used pig semen to reduce rare childhood eye tumors to just 2% of their original size. Aged Urine vs. Science: Why the new retinoblastoma research is a major step up from the "aged urine" eye drop groups Will fought as a resident. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We dragged the kids across the country for a mix of family time and a high-stakes meeting at the Capitol with Senator Elizabeth Warren. I'll admit, I was a nervous wreck trying to record a skit in a Senate hallway in under five minutes, but the Senator had her lines down and even brought a bit of upbeat energy to my usual comatose resting face. We're pushing the "Breakup Big Medicine Act" because it's time to turn insurance companies back into insurance companies instead of corporate conglomerates. Between museum marathons and fancy-pants galas, I also got a crash course in the "Pink Tax" after paying $72 for my daughter's nails, which apparently is the price of admission for women to be "socially presentable" in a patriarchal society. I even got shamed by my own teenager into renting a tuxedo because she was genuinely worried I'd be a stain on the family name if I showed up in a regular suit. It turns out I looked reasonable enough to pass for tailored, and I only slightly regret my 20-year-old stained athletic gear. Finally, we're diving into the latest medical TikTok drama involving Dr. Iggy's decision to take a break from surgery for content creation. It sparked a massive debate about whether doctors "owe" the public a clinical career, but I'm sticking to my guns: you don't owe anyone a job that drains your fulfillment. We also chat about a fascinating study on how AI might actually be more moderate and less polarizing than our current social media hamster wheel. Just please, for the love of everything, stop having heated emotional arguments with the LLMs—it's the ultimate "touch grass" moment. Takeaways: Why I was convinced Senator Elizabeth Warren would cancel our meeting due to global events, only to find her more prepared than I was. The "Pink Tax" breakdown: Why being a woman in society involves a hidden financial and time-consuming "upkeep" that most men completely ignore. My daughter's brutal honesty about my "embarrassing" fashion choices and how she successfully forced me into a tuxedo. The "Doctor Iggy" controversy: Is leaving clinical medicine for social media a betrayal of the profession or just a smart career pivot?. Why AI might actually be the "moderating force" we need to escape the extreme polarization of today's social media algorithms. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Put down the hospital cafeteria coffee because today I am diving into a "barbaric" problem in American hospitals that I can't believe I haven't addressed yet: ED Boarding. I'm talking to you like a med student in the trenches to explain why patients are stacking up in hallways for days and why it's not because we've run out of beds, but because the incentives of hospital administration and insurance companies are fundamentally broken. Later, we're tackling the new Netflix documentary Caterpillar about eye color change surgery. I'll break down the "laser-guided" sales pitch for keratopigmentation and why injecting ink into your clear cornea is an ethical nightmare that can lead to permanent inflammation, infections, and "unnatural" results. We wrap up with a terrifying masquerade syndrome: a cancer that looks exactly like a common stye until it starts making your eyelashes fall out. Takeaways: The Boarding Crisis: Why hospitals "concentrate the unhappy" in the ER to keep their inpatient satisfaction scores high elsewhere. The Profit Filter: How the aging Medicare population is treated as a "non-profitable" nuisance compared to high-margin outpatient surgeries. Iris Implants vs. Tattoos: The mechanical reason silicone discs are failing and why "eye tattoos" are actually just a layer of ink trapped in your cornea. The "Spontaneous" Color Myth: Why you should be wary of any surgeon claiming they can "naturally" change your eye color. The Masquerade Cancer: How Sebaceous Cell Carcinoma fools doctors for years by pretending to be a run-of-the-mill eyelid bump. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm feeling a bit reflective this week as we head into Mother's Day, a holiday that used to be a real bummer for us. It turns out that having a cardiac arrest the day after Mother's Day imprints some pretty weird sensory triggers, like the specific way a tree buds or the smell of spring air. Joining Kristin and I to talk about motherhood, medicine, and the messy "long view" of family life is Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson. Dr. Thompson is a family physician who took the concept of a memoir and turned it into a massive, 10-year collaborative project called Held Together. She didn't just write her own story; she captured the voices of 21 other women to explore how families are sustained through pregnancy loss, rare diseases, and the general chaos of raising kids. We also dive into the "all-you-can-eat buffet" of compassion and why grief shouldn't be treated like a contest. Becca shares the "painfully poetic" story of how she became "20 minutes pregnant" right as she started a surprise second residency, which she only got because another intern saw the hospital on a hill and decided to bail. It's a fiercely optimistic conversation about finding meaning in the "in-between moments" of life. Takeaways: Why Dr. Thompson believes Public Health and Preventive Medicine should be at the very bottom of Will's "specialty respect ladder". The concept of a "shared memoir" and why hearing the first-person perspective of 21 different women is more powerful than a standard anthology. The "Spaceship" hospital in Oregon that allegedly scared a resident so badly they turned their car around and quit on the spot. Why Will and Becca agree that "compassion is not a pie" and there is plenty of room for everyone's grief at the table. How Becca managed to write a full-length book over 10 years by utilizing 20-minute chunks of time in car pickup lines. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm feeling a little run down today—it's peak "conference season," and I've been bouncing between recording studios and speaking gigs. But I couldn't wait to give you an update on the situation in Eugene. We've moved past simple contract disputes and into "administrative meddling," with leaked emails showing a hospital CEO attempting to influence clinical decisions in real time without a license to practice. I'm breaking down the retaliation claims, the latest administrative leave, and why I'm heading to a fundraiser to support the local physicians fighting this corporate takeover. Later, we have a fascinating mystery case involving a 55-year-old man who lost his ability to see the moment the sun went down. It wasn't cataracts or inherited genetics; it was a rare side effect of a prior bowel surgery that turned his eyes into a diagnostic puzzle. We wrap up with Thing I Love, Thing I Hate, featuring the miracle of "chemotherapy for the eye" and my legendary soapbox rant about why vision insurance shouldn't even exist Takeaways: The CEO's Electronic Eye: How leaked emails revealed a hospital administrator "monitoring" orders and questioning doctors on why they weren't discharging patients. The Rod vs. Cone Mystery: Why a 55-year-old with 20/20 daytime vision needed an ERG to prove his "rod" photoreceptors were failing. The 10th-Century Deficiency: Why we're still seeing Vitamin A deficiency in the US, and how a month of oral supplements can restore vision that seemed permanently gone. The Anti-VEGF Revolution: How an injection originally designed for chemotherapy totally changed the game for wet Macular Degeneration. The Vision Insurance Trap: Why being 70 years old with "vision insurance" is a recipe for confusion when you actually have medical cataracts. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This we're joined by one of the few people whose medical comedy I actually enjoy: Dr. Paul Tran. Dr. Tran is a pediatric gastroenterologist who has mastered the art of playing a perpetually anxious med student on TikTok, but in real life, he's an attending who actually cares about things like "ethics" and "professionalism". We get into the "fodder ability" of different specialties, basically my internal scale of who I can make fun of without getting a strongly worded letter from a board of directors. We also dive into the high-stakes world of "Flaming Hot Ketosis". It's a real thing where kids eat so many spicy snacks that their poop turns red, sending parents into a total tailspin thinking it's a GI bleed. Dr. Tran's face literally lights up when he talks about constipation, and he explains the "PTSD" that causes kids to withhold stool while standing behind a curtain—which, as he points out, is an impressive feat of physics that most adults can't pull off. Finally, Kristin and I unveil our new "Tdap-C" framework to help medical professionals navigate the wild west of social media. From disclosing financial conflicts to avoiding the "social media mob," we're trying to give people a path to success that doesn't involve losing their license. Plus, I find out that even a GI doctor can fail a "fiber audit," so I feel significantly better about my own diet of goldfish crackers Takeaways: Why Dr. Paul Tran is "banking on Vietnamese genes" to keep his med student character believable as he ages. The "Flaming Hot" snack that creates a fake medical emergency for parents across the country. Tdap-C: Our new 5-rule framework for medical professionals to stay ethical on social media. Why you should never trust a child standing perfectly still behind a couch or a curtain. The "Fiber Audit": Why even the experts are likely only getting half of the fiber they actually need Want more Dr. Paul Tran: @alimentaryschool — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I just got back from Puerto Rico, where I attended my very first gynecology oncology conference. It turns out that even though we're at opposite ends of the body, ophthalmologists and gynecologists actually share a lot, mostly a love for speculums and organs that dilate. I'm also diving into the terrifying news of a Florida surgeon recently indicted on manslaughter charges after removing a patient's liver instead of their spleen. We'll discuss why this level of negligence is so rare and why it often stems from a "Dr. Death" style failure in the medical training system. After the break, we return to our Thing I Love, Thing I Hate series. I'll explain why I'm a sucker for toddlers in massive "coke bottle" glasses and how those lenses are actually straightening their eyes and training their brains to see. Then, we move to the "Thing I Hate": Giant Cell Arteritis. It's a terrifying vascular disease that has been haunting patients since the 10th century, and I'll explain why a five-minute "blackout" in vision is the ultimate red flag for ophthalmologists. Takeaways: One Degree of Separation: How Will found connections between ophthalmology and everything from gynecology to orthopedic bone fractures. The Manslaughter Precedent: A look at the "egregious" negligence of the Florida spleen-vs-liver case and why criminal charges for doctors remain so rare. Hyperopic Cutness: Why the "massive eyes" look in kids' glasses is actually a sign of corrective refractive power helping an eye that is too small. The Amaurosis Red Flag: How a very specific three-to-five-minute "gray out" of vision can signal a stroke or systemic inflammation. The Steroid Buzz and Burn: Why treating Giant Cell Arteritis requires a brutal, long-term steroid taper that can wreak havoc on a patient's life for years. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, we tackle the emotional roller coaster of Match Day and the precarious "new frontier" of medical professionalism on social media. Kristin and I reflect on my Match experience, including the moment Kristin cried after finding out we were moving to Iowa, and offer a heartfelt word of encouragement for students navigating the heartbreak of not matching. We discuss why "it can always get worse" is only a comforting thought to those without medicated anxiety. The conversation then shifts to the "prehistoric" social media guidelines currently governing the medical profession. With the AMA's code of ethics last updated in 2017, the Glaucomfleckens argue that modern doctors are operating without a roadmap in an era of TikTok, viral comedy, and AI. We explore the ethical minefield of medical influencers, from the exploitation of med students by predatory brands to the dangers of ridiculing patient conditions online. Finally, I get "worked up" over the slow pace of academia when it comes to addressing private equity in healthcare. While organizations wait years for data, corporate interests are "swallowing up everything," leaving physicians and patients to fight the battle one bite at a time. Takeaways: Why Kristin believes her "impeccable memory" was finally defeated by a combination of kids, medical trauma, and perimenopause. The "Med Student in Therapy" skit that Will reposts every year to support those who didn't find their name on a Match list. Why the AMA's social media guidelines are essentially "dinosaurs" that haven't kept pace with the rise of the medical influencer. The specific financial offers being sent to med students that prove they are being exploited by corporate sponsors. A "Glock Talk" perspective on why science and academia need to move faster than their current "Medieval" pace to combat private equity. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Put down the study guides for a second because I'm taking you back 20 years to my own medical school application, back when the MCAT was still paper and pencil. I'm breaking down my 4.0 GPA, my "31S" test score, and why I spent my interviews pretending to be passionate about the phylogenetics of North American fruit bats just to check a box. We're also diving into the high-stakes Department of Justice investigation into diversity initiatives at major med schools and why turning admissions into a "pure numbers game" is a massive mistake for the future of compassionate medicine. After the break, we're back with Thing I Love, Thing I Hate. I'll explain why I'm obsessed with OCT imaging, technology that lets us see all nine layers of the retina at a microscopic level. Then, we tackle the "Thing I Hate": the history of "Radial Keratotomy" (RK). It was the precursor to LASIK that involved cutting 80% through the cornea with a knife, and it serves as a cautionary tale for why I'm a "slow adopter" of the latest, most expensive surgical fads today. Takeaways: The Sliding Doors of Dartmouth: How a last-minute application and a persistent string of update letters changed Will's life and eventually saved it. The Wealth Gap in Admissions: Why expensive prep courses and the ability to study without working are creating a homogenous group of doctors that doesn't reflect America. Retinal Micromapping: A look at Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and how imaging a 500-micron tissue allows us to prevent blindness before it starts. The RK Mistake: Why a surgery that seemed like a "miracle" for myopia in the short term ended up destabilizing corneas for thousands of patients years later. The "Wait and See" Philosophy: Why Will chooses to avoid being an early adopter of $5,000 "light-adjustable" lenses until the long-term data is undeniable. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, we are talking about the busiest "real estate" in the human body, the neck. Dr. Tali Lando, a pediatric otolaryngologist who spends her days (and many terrifying nights) operating on the tiny, fragile airways of babies and children, joins us to talk about being chased by police while rushing to an emergency to the precision required to remove a peanut from a toddler's lung, Dr. Lando shares what it's really like to live on the brink of medical catastrophe. The conversation dives into the "turf wars" of emergency intubation and why Dr. Lando has zero hubris about telling everyone else to get out of the way when a child can't breathe. She also reveals the inspiration behind her new book, Breathless, including the bizarre Saturday night case of the "cocaine condom" and the structural parallels between a surgery "timeout" and the life lessons learned in the OR. Beyond the high-stakes surgeries, we discuss the heavy toll of the "surgeon's psyche". Dr. Lando opens up about her personal battle with stage 3C breast cancer and why the medical system's tendency to prioritize risk management over physician mental health is a systemic failure. Takeaways: The specific reason Dr. Lando once encouraged a police officer to chase her all the way to the hospital. Why the "Pants Patient" is the most feared phrase in a consultant's vocabulary. The "Eureka moment" in a shower that led to a surgical book structured like a medical "timeout". Why Dr. Lando believes surgeons should stop "compartmentalizing" and start practicing "emotional regulation". The miracle of nebulized TXA and how it's turning surgical "murder scenes" into stable recoveries. Want more Dr. Tali Lando: @drtalilando — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We need to talk about the "Doomsday Scenario" currently haunting the radiology department. A prominent CEO of a major public health system recently went on record saying he is ready to replace radiologists with AI "at this moment". As someone who spent my pre-med days doom-scrolling on StudentDoctor.net twenty years ago hearing these same rumors, I can tell you the fear is real, but the reality is much more complicated. We're diving into why the tech world's view of radiology as simple "pattern recognition" is dangerously reductive. A radiologist doesn't just look at a picture; they synthesize a patient's entire clinical history, prior surgeries, and complex diagnoses. I'm breaking down the terrifying shift in liability that could happen if hospital administrators get their way: a future where a tiny handful of "safety check" physicians are on the hook for thousands of AI-generated reports just to keep the throughput moving Takeaways: The Reductive Trap: Why viewing radiology as mere "image interpretation" ignores the vital clinical synthesis that AI currently can't replicate. The Liability Weasel: How AI companies and hospital systems might dodge the legal "hook" for missed cancers and strokes. The 20-Year Echo: A look back at the original AI panic of 2006 and why today's momentum feels different to the medical community. Skeleton Crew Medicine: The pessimistic future where a few radiologists are forced to sign off on an exponential number of studies they didn't actually read. The Standard of Care Question: Why the medical community is still waiting for a high-quality, head-to-head study that proves AI is an adequate substitute for a physician. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, the Glaucomfleckens are feeling a bit "spicy" as they navigate the grogginess of daylight savings and the fallout of their recent trip to New Orleans. Will shares a harrowing story from a recent live show where an ad-libbed joke about sperm banking and "the sisters" nearly cost him the audience, only to be saved by the laughing nuns in the front row. Between beignets and redfish, the conversation turns to the high-stakes world of healthcare policy. The gloves come off as Will discusses his recent viral collaboration with Senator Elizabeth Warren regarding the "Breakup Big Medicine Act". He addresses the social media backlash from universal healthcare advocates, offering a "realist" perspective on why incremental progress and bipartisan bills are necessary in a capitalist-minded country. It's a candid look at the friction between utopian ideals and the legislative grind. Finally, the discussion hits home with an update on the Eugene Emergency Physicians in Oregon. Will recounts his trip to the state capitol to support local doctors fighting a corporate takeover by an Atlanta-based firm. From the "moral weaponization" used to prevent doctor strikes to the PR nightmares that keep hospital administrators up at night, this episode is a call to action for patients and providers alike to be "loud and obnoxious" in the face of corporate greed. Takeaways: Why a front row of nuns ended up being Will's favorite audience for jokes about testicles. The bipartisan bill in 2026 that aims to stop giant conglomerates like Optum from taking over your local doctor's office. Will's "spicy" take on why demanding "Universal Healthcare or nothing" might actually be hindering medical progress. The "David and Goliath" battle in Eugene, Oregon, where local legislators found their hands tied by a 2,000-mile-away corporation. Why your doctor is likely terrified to tell you what's actually happening behind the scenes at their hospital. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today, I'm putting on my "career counselor" hat to address the latest medical social media drama: a spine surgeon who decided to take a break from clinical practice just six months in to become a full-time content creator. While the internet is full of opinions, I'm sharing why I choose to stay in the game, even when YouTube decides to reclassify my skits and slash my ad revenue. For all you med students and residents watching, I'm breaking down why medicine is the ultimate "safety net" that gives you the freedom to create without the pressure of the algorithm. After the break, we're starting a new series called "Thing I Love, Thing I Hate." I'll tell you why a simple stool in the OR convinced me to become an ophthalmologist and why cataract surgery remains the most rewarding 10 minutes of my day. Then, we'll dive into the "Thing I Hate": Neurotrophic Keratitis. It's a degenerative disease where your eye loses the ability to feel pain, which sounds like a superpower, but is actually a dangerous nightmare that can lead to permanent damage. Takeaways: The Illusion of Digital Freedom: Why relying on "owning" an audience on TikTok or YouTube is a risky bet compared to the stability of a medical degree. The "Sitting Down" Advantage: How a single stool during a med school rotation can change the entire course of your career. The 50+ LASIK Trap: Why you should be wary of "LASIK mills" and why cataract technology can actually do more for older patients than laser surgery. The Danger of Comfortable Eyes: Why a lack of pain during a corneal infection is actually a red flag for a "sensitive" organ like the eye. Cutting-Edge Nerve Repairs: How surgeons are experimenting with transplanting leg nerves into the eye to restore vision and feeling. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, the Glaucomfleckens connect with a fellow "co-survivor" whose Christmas morning took a harrowing turn from opening presents to performing life-saving chest compressions. Ellie Breach, a D1 goalkeeper for the Pittsburgh Panthers and NC State, shares the intense story of her father's sudden cardiac arrest and the specific athletic training that kept her calm when "shit hit the fan" in her own basement. The conversation dives deep into the "living wake" experience of the ICU, where Ellie discovered her reserved ER-nurse father was secretly the "grandpa of the ER" with two full sleeves of tattoos and a reputation for legendary patient tranquilizing. It's a fascinating look at the clinical and emotional parallels between being a top-tier athlete and a medical professional, including why some specialties are famously described as "40 minutes of boredom followed by five seconds of terror". Finally, Ellie discusses her new mission with "Hands on Hearts" and Project Adam, raising money to ensure that having an AED in the building actually matters. Takeaways: Why a D1 goalkeeper might be the most qualified person in the world to perform high-quality CPR. The specific literary trivia point that proved to Ellie her father's brain was "still in there" during recovery. What a "Lucas device" is and why it might leave a patient with a broken back—even while saving their life. The surprising reason why being a "terrible patient" actually makes you a better hospital visitor. How a superstitious theory about the family dog and "medical demons" might explain Will's recent health streak. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Usually, I'm teaching you about the finer points of ophthalmology, but today we're looking at a real-world case study in "how to tank a hospital's morale". We are heading to my home state of Oregon to discuss the PeaceHealth system and their decision to fire a group of 41 local emergency physicians who have served the community for 35 years. I'm breaking down why this isn't about money or performance, since the CEO admits those are fine, but looks a lot like retaliation for doctors who dared to speak up for their patients. We'll look at the "contract management groups" moving in, why they smell a lot like private equity, and how the Oregon Corporate Practice of Medicine Act might be the only thing standing in their way. After we finish our lesson on hospital politics, we'll move to the clinic for a new series: "Eye Conditions I Hate". First up is Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome, a "snow globe" disease that turns a standard cataract surgery into a high-stakes obstacle course. Takeaways: The Retaliation Curriculum: Why a 98% "no confidence" vote from nursing staff is the ultimate red flag for hospital leadership. Decoding the "Med-Corp" Loophole: How out-of-state companies use "dummy corporations" to bypass local regulations and push out local doctors. The Oregon Precedent: Why a 2025 state law might be the secret weapon doctors across the country need to fight corporate takeovers. The "Snow Globe" Anatomy: A look at the fibrillar white flakes of Pseudoexfoliation and why they make your eye's drainage system fail. Pseudo vs. True Exfoliation: The rare history of "glassblower's eye" and why we gave a common age-related disease such a confusing name. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on Knock Knock, Hi, Will and Kristin stumble into one of the more unexpected parenting moments yet: discovering their teenager might want to become an astronaut. That leads to a surprisingly deep dive into what it actually takes to make it to space and the answer is… a lot. Think extreme environments, elite training, and possibly even medical school. Naturally, Will immediately begins researching astronaut pathways while Kristin begins quietly calculating the odds. Then the conversation pivots to something even stranger: the science of smell. Researchers are now experimenting with devices that could restore the sense of smell using electrical stimulation in the nose. Yes, that means scientists are literally shocking people's noses in the name of research. The idea is to help people who lost their sense of smell from head injuries, infections, or COVID. Along the way, Will explains how smell actually works, why losing it is more serious than most people realize, and why scientists are now trying to build the sensory equivalent of a cochlear implant… but for your nose. Takeaways: Astronaut training is even more intense than you think and there are surprisingly few paths that actually get you there. Losing your sense of smell can dramatically affect quality of life, including mental health. Scientists are experimenting with artificial smell technology, using electrical signals to help people detect odors again. Some medical devices sound brilliant on paper… and very uncomfortable in real life. Sometimes the most interesting conversations happen when kids start asking big questions about their future. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pull up a chair and grab your notebooks, because today I'm talking to you like it's your first day of medical school. We're seeing more "med-fluencers" than ever before, but our medical education system hasn't quite caught up to the reality of TikTok and social media ethics. I've seen too many students and residents trip up lately, so I'm laying down the "Glaucomflecken Guidelines" for a successful, ethical career online. We're covering the "Number One Rule", which is a lot more than just avoiding HIPAA, and why you should never leave your jokes open to the audience's interpretation. I'm even sharing a personal story about a video I had to delete after offending the DO community, because part of being a professional is knowing when to own your mistakes. Later, we'll move from the classroom to the clinic to discuss a "good-bad" TV show portrayal of a rare surgical complication called Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. It's a heavy case, but as future physicians, you need to know how to stay in a patient's corner even when the clinical news is devastating. Takeaways: The "First Day" Curriculum: Why Will is stepping in to teach the social media professionalism that med schools are currently missing. Avoid the "Hollywood Ending": Why medical content creators should never be subtle and how "beating people over the head" with your point prevents misinterpretation. The "Where There's Smoke, There's Fire" Rule: How to recognize when a piece of content isn't landing and why a sincere apology is better than "backpedaling". Research as a Professional Habit: Why accuracy in your skits is just as important as accuracy in your charts to protect your medical reputation. The Resident's Burden: Lessons from a difficult patient conversation at the VA about the "uncommon but devastating" reality of post-surgical vision loss. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Will and Kristin sit down with Dr. Jen Lincoln, OB-GYN, educator, advocate, and author of The Birth Book, for a conversation that goes way beyond the usual pregnancy advice. Together, they unpack the internet's favorite birth myths, from epidurals and exercise in pregnancy to IUD fearmongering and the idea that eating the “right” foods can somehow control how big a baby gets. Dr. Lincoln explains where so much of this misinformation comes from, why outdated practices still hang around, and what pregnant people actually deserve instead: context, evidence, and honesty. They also get into the bigger picture, how little time patients often get in real appointments, how easily fear fills that gap, and why advocacy inside medicine can come with a real cost. Along the way, Dr. Lincoln shares stories from her own training, her experience speaking out during Oregon's Providence strike, and what pushed her to write a book focused entirely on labor and delivery. Takeaways: Not all “common wisdom” about birth is actually backed by evidence and some of it should've been retired a long time ago. Epidural myths are still everywhere, even though the real story is a lot more nuanced than the internet makes it sound. Pregnant people are often expected to make huge decisions with incomplete information and that gap gets filled fast by fear. IUD misinformation is still thriving online, even when the data says something very different. Advocacy in medicine matters, but sometimes speaking up comes with consequences most people never see. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I saw a video from a dermatology resident asking people to stop making fun of dermatologists… and it got me thinking. Why do certain specialties get roasted more than others? So in this episode, I present something I've been mentally building for years: the medical comedy ladder. A hierarchy that explains who can make fun of who in medicine without accidentally starting a professional civil war. Using three highly scientific criteria—ego, respect, and compensation, I rank specialties from the bottom of the comedy ladder to the very top. Along the way we talk about why primary care is the universal donor of medical jokes, why cardiologists have surgeon energy, and why dermatology might just be the safest target in medicine. And yes… neurosurgeons are exactly where you think they are. Takeaways: The three surprisingly simple factors that determine where a specialty lands on the medical comedy ladder. Why some specialties can joke about anyone above them, but not the other way around. How compensation, public respect, and ego quietly shape the way doctors joke about each other. Why dermatology ended up near the top of the ladder and why that actually proves the point. The one specialty that sits firmly at the very top of the hierarchy (and probably won't argue about it). 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After my recent pepper spray video unexpectedly hit 5–6 million views, we break down what actually happens to your eyes when exposed to pepper spray, what to do immediately, whether baby shampoo is your new best friend, and why milk absolutely does not belong anywhere near your corneas. We also talk contact lenses (don't wear them into situations where pepper spray is possible), corneal abrasions, how permanent scarring can happen, and why irrigation is the universal ophthalmology answer to almost everything. Then we pivot into Southwest Airlines abandoning open seating and why apparently no one knows how to behave on planes anymore. Assigned seats, overhead bin warfare, and whether sitting in the back of the plane is actually safer. And finally, we workshop a potentially revolutionary idea: what if after-visit summaries had jokes in them? Could AI make medical paperwork funny enough to actually read? Or are we just asking for dad-joke malpractice? Takeaways: Irrigation Is Everything: When it comes to pepper spray exposure, rinse early, rinse often, and please stop rubbing your eyes. Milk Is Not an Eye Treatment: Even if it helps spicy food, it does not belong in your corneas. Contacts Make Things Worse: Remove them after irrigation, not during peak panic. Public Behavior Is Changing: Whether it's protests or plane boarding, social norms feel… fragile. Boring Medicine Might Need Humor: If patients don't read after-visit summaries, maybe the problem isn't the summary, maybe it's the delivery. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After reading your very disturbed (and very funny) comments, I briefly explore whether a large “package” might negatively affect figure skating rotational velocity. Then we pivot to the eyeballs. The Pitt keeps delivering ophthalmology cases, so I break down gonorrhea conjunctivitis (yes, that's a thing), what really happens when someone super-glues their eye shut, and why trimming eyelashes is sometimes the most heroic act in medicine. Finally, we get into something far more serious: a routine clinic visit that revealed a pressure of 55 and one of the most devastating diagnoses in glaucoma, neovascular glaucoma. It's a masterclass in ischemia, abnormal blood vessels, and when the goal of care shifts from saving vision to preserving comfort. Takeaways: Why gonorrhea causes “hyperacute” conjunctivitis and how it looks dramatically different from viral pink eye. The reassuring truth about super glue in the eye (it's the eyelashes, not the eyeball). Why adenovirus still scares ophthalmologists more than most bacteria. How a central retinal vein occlusion can quietly set the stage for neovascular glaucoma years later. When a pressure of 55 isn't a surgical emergency and why sometimes the right answer is comfort, not intervention. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we sit down with Dr. Claire Brandon, one of only a handful of GI psychiatrists in the country, to talk about something most of us learned in med school and then promptly never thought about again: the gut-brain axis. Why does stress wreck your stomach?Why do chronic GI conditions come with anxiety and depression attached?Why does “it's all in your head” miss the point entirely? We talk about serotonin living in your intestines, inflammation affecting mood, why doctors struggle with gray areas, and how radical acceptance might actually be more powerful than another test. We also get into what happens when medicine can't “see” the problem and why that makes everyone uncomfortable. Then, in true Knock Knock Hi fashion, we pivot from neuroscience to fecal transplants… and somehow land on a heated (but respectful) discussion about whether people should have kids. Takeaways: Your Brain and Gut Were Connected From Day One: Literally from embryology. This isn't a trendy concept. It's foundational biology we're finally paying attention to. Inflammation Doesn't Stop at the Intestines: Autoimmune conditions, chronic GI disease, and mood disorders are more intertwined than most patients (and doctors) realize. Invisible Symptoms Create Real Anxiety: When medicine can't “see” the pathology, everyone feels unsettled, including physicians. More Testing Isn't Always the Answer: Sometimes decreasing hyper-focus on symptoms can actually reduce suffering. The Gut Microbiome Is Just Getting Started: From depression to Parkinson's research, we're only beginning to understand how bacteria influence the brain. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode starts with something that makes me very angry and ends with something that makes me genuinely happy. First, we talk about what's happening in Eugene, Oregon, where a nonprofit hospital system decided not to renew a 35-year contract with its locally rooted emergency physicians and instead hand the ER over to a large corporate staffing group based thousands of miles away. Wait times went up, morale collapsed, doctors spoke up and admin responded by replacing them. If you've ever wondered how corporate medicine quietly dismantles community care, this is a textbook example. Then, to save my sanity (and yours), we pivot to something fun: medical magic. The things ophthalmologists do every day that would absolutely get us burned at the stake a few hundred years ago: instant pain relief, artificial lenses, and the quiet miracle of glasses. Takeaways: How a nonprofit hospital replaced its local ER doctors with a corporate staffing group and why it's happening all over the country. Why closing one emergency department predictably overwhelmed another and how admin blamed the wrong people. The hidden cost of replacing community physicians with rotating, nonlocal staff. The ophthalmology treatment that turns 10/10 pain into 0/10 pain in seconds and still feels like magic. Why cataract surgery and artificial lenses might be one of the greatest medical miracles of all time 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode starts with TikTok's updated Terms of Service, specifically the part where apps want to know where you are at all times, and quickly spirals into a much bigger question: did we accidentally sign up for the surveillance state… or was it always inevitable? Kristin and I debate privacy, inevitability, pessimism, preparedness, and whether refusing to participate actually protects you, or just makes life harder. Somewhere in there, we revisit COVID lockdown memories, the great toilet paper shortage, and why Kristin still believes in go-bags… everywhere. Then things get personal. We talk about Milo, our very large, very inbred standard poodle, and his recurring seizures. I do what every human doctor does best: Google outside my scope, panic quietly, and admit I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to dogs. We walk through idiopathic epilepsy, toxins, brain issues, genetics, and the complicated question of when a dog actually needs lifelong seizure medication. Finally, we crack open First Aid and land on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — collagen, hypermobility, bruising, joint issues, blood vessels, aneurysm anxiety, and what it's like to live with a genetic condition that medicine still doesn't fully understand. It's nerdy, personal, and surprisingly validating. Takeaways: Digital Privacy Isn't Theoretical: Location tracking, data collection, and why opting out isn't always realistic. Preparedness vs Panic: Go-bags, pessimism, and how couples balance very different risk tolerances. Dog Seizures Are Terrifying: Idiopathic epilepsy is common, but deciding when to treat isn't simple. Pet Insurance Confusion: Why even doctors don't know what's actually worth paying for. Ehlers-Danlos Reality: Collagen types, hypermobility, bruising, and living with a condition medicine still struggles to define. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We start this episode exactly where you'd expect: Olympic penis drama. From pole vault mishaps to ski jumpers allegedly injecting hyaluronic acid for aerodynamic advantage, we briefly explore how far humans will go for gold. Then we pivot to the eyeballs. First, a patient with sudden, painless loss of half their vision walks into the ER. What sounds like a retinal detachment turns out to be something far scarier: a branch retinal artery occlusion, essentially a stroke of the eye. I walk through the differential, the workup, and the hardest part of the job, telling someone their vision will never be the same. Then, a second case: weeks of foggy vision, a strange rash on the palms and soles, and a diagnosis that still earns its nickname as the great masquerader. Neurosyphilis shows up in the retina, reminding us why ophthalmologists never stop respecting infectious disease. Takeaways: How a branch retinal artery occlusion presents and why it's essentially a stroke localized to the eye. Why sudden painless vision loss still deserves a full stroke workup, even when imaging looks clean. How to talk to patients when vision loss is permanent, but not yet fully defined. Why syphilis earns its reputation as a medical chameleon and how it can inflame the retina and optic nerve. The good news: why neurosyphilis caught early can still have excellent visual outcomes with IV penicillin. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The glue of any good DJ set, bridge or transition tracks, are our focus on this week's episode of the podcast. We're each picking five song we use to bridge different moods, tempos, and genres in the club as seamlessly (?) as possible. This ended up being a really fun discussion which got us thinking consciously and attentively about something which often feels instinctual in the moment; we hope you enjoy it.
This week, Kristin and I unpack what really happened after Step 1 went pass/fail and why medical students are now under more pressure, not less. We talk about how Step 2 quietly became the new make-or-break test, why students are leaving clinical rotations early just to study, and why calling this generation “less dedicated” completely misses the point. We also zoom way out and ask a bigger question: are we solving the right problem… or just reacting downstream? From residency application overload to imposter syndrome to the arms race of research publications, this episode is a deep dive into how medical training drifted here and why quick fixes keep creating new problems. Then, because this is still Knock Knock Hi, we pivot into something surprisingly joyful: baby vision. We break down how ophthalmologists figure out a baby's glasses prescription without asking a single “one or two,” why eye crossing matters, how retinoscopy works, and why those viral videos of babies getting glasses for the first time hit so hard. Takeaways: Step 1 Fallout: Pass/fail didn't remove pressure; it just moved it to a more dangerous point in training. Clinical Trade-Offs: Med students aren't disengaged, they're being forced to choose between learning medicine and securing a residency. Upstream Thinking: Fixing downstream symptoms won't work if the system itself keeps creating the same pressures. Imposter Syndrome Everywhere: Even high-achieving students assume they're one misstep away from failure. Baby Vision Magic: How retinoscopy works, why hyperopic babies need big glasses, and why those first-glasses videos never get old. — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Let's talk about something deeply unsexy but incredibly important: pre-op clearance for cataract surgery. After watching a colleague get sent to their own primary care doctor for a seven-minute procedure under minimal sedation, I realized how far we've drifted from common sense. Cataract surgery is one of the safest, most routine operations in medicine, yet we're still funneling millions of patients into unpaid, unnecessary pre-op visits. In this episode, I break down how we got here, why ophthalmologists end up looking like the bad guys, and how liability culture, not patient safety, is driving a lot of these decisions. Then we pivot to something more personal and more complicated: chronic eye pain after LASIK, why it's so hard to treat, and why psychiatry might need to be part of the care team more often than we're comfortable admitting. Takeaways: Why requiring universal pre-op H&Ps for cataract surgery is more about shifting blame than reducing risk. How liability fear has quietly reshaped outpatient surgery policies and strained relationships with primary care. The uncomfortable truth: ophthalmologists are trained to assess surgical risk and shouldn't outsource it by default. Why chronic neuropathic eye pain after LASIK is rare, devastating, and incredibly hard to explain, especially when exams look normal. How reframing psychiatry as a collaborator, not a last resort, might help patients whose pain lives at the intersection of eye and brain. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode opens with an extremely serious debate about whether buying a $5,000 air hockey table is financially irresponsible… or medically necessary for eye-hand coordination. From there, we read listener feedback from our EMS episode, including why dispatchers are absolute heroes, how CPR instructions actually work over the phone, and the big difference between fire-based and non-fire-based EMS funding. Then we get into ChatGPT Health, which sounds helpful, exciting, and slightly terrifying. We talk about uploading medical records, data privacy, whether AI should talk directly to patients, and why pattern recognition without clinical judgment can get very dangerous very fast. We wrap things up with a Heart Month appropriate deep dive into stroke, including what actually causes one, how different brain arteries affect symptoms, why vision loss can end someone's ability to drive overnight, and why posterior circulation strokes are especially brutal. Yes, it gets nerdy. Yes, ophthalmology still sneaks in. Takeaways: Air Hockey Economics: Why high-quality air hockey tables are weirdly expensive and surprisingly dangerous to fingertips. EMS Reality Check: Dispatchers save lives long before ambulances arrive, and not all EMS systems are funded equally. AI & Healthcare Anxiety: ChatGPT Health raises big questions about privacy, accuracy, and what patients do with unfiltered medical output. Disney Ethics Debate: Roller-coasters, implanted defibrillators, and whether a white lie shifts liability (or guilt). Stroke 101 (Without the Jargon): How blocked arteries affect different brain regions, why posterior circulation strokes are terrifying, and how vision loss changes everything. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is a tough one. I start by talking about the killing of Alex Preti and Renee Good in Minneapolis and why it's been sitting so heavily with me as a physician, a parent, and a human being trying to make sense of what's happening in this country. Then I focus on something concrete I can do: explain what pepper spray and tear gas actually do to your eyes and how to protect yourself if you're exposed. From corneal abrasions to scarring and vision loss, I walk through what ophthalmologists see after chemical exposure and what actually helps in the moment. It's a heavy episode, but it's also a practical one, focused on safety, science, and how we take care of each other when things feel out of control. Takeaways: What pepper spray actually does to the cornea and why most people recover, but some don't. Why oil-based chemicals change how you should wash your eyes after exposure. The safest way to irrigate your eyes in the real world when saline and medical tools aren't available. Why putting milk, yogurt, or random substances in your eyes can make things worse, not better. The emerging, conflicting data on GLP-1 medications, higher risk for ischemic optic neuropathy, but a lower risk of dry macular degeneration and why medicine lives in the gray. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's Heart Month, so we went straight to the top and invited Dr. Stacy Rosen, Volunteer President of the American Heart Association, to help us answer one simple question: What actually keeps your heart healthy… and what's just noise? We talk about why 80% of heart attacks and strokes are preventable, what the AHA's Life's Essential 8 really looks like in real life (spoiler: you're still allowed to eat cookies), and why sleep, movement, and food matter way more than internet “biohacks.” We also break down cholesterol confusion, what LDL actually does, why statins aren't the villain they're made out to be, what LP(a) is, and why “just eat better” isn't always enough. Along the way, I get gently scolded for occasionally forgetting my statin. Fair. Then we dive into women's heart health, why medicine was built around male bodies, how heart disease shows up differently in women, and why pregnancy history, menopause, and hormones matter more than most people realize. And finally, we talk CPR and why bystanders save lives, why cardiac arrest so often happens at home, how kids are affected more than we think, and why learning CPR is one of the most powerful things a regular person can do. Takeaways: Most Heart Disease Is Preventable: Small, consistent habits beat extreme overhauls every time. Cholesterol Isn't Simple: LDL matters most, statins work, and LP(a) is the genetic risk more people should know about. Women Aren't Small Men: Heart disease presents differently, and women have been under-studied for decades. Sleep Is Not Optional: Chronic sleep deprivation quietly raises your risk for heart disease and stroke. CPR Saves Lives: Especially at home, where most cardiac arrests actually happen. Want more Dr. Stacey Rosen? https://www.facebook.com/AmericanHeart https://www.instagram.com/american_heart/ https://x.com/American_Heart https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-heart-association https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-e-rosen-md-faha-4a693074/ — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode we get into a new JAMA Ophthalmology study takes a hard look at pickleball-related eye injuries, and the numbers are… not great. Retinal detachments, hyphemas, orbital fractures, and even open globes are showing up more and more, especially as the sport explodes in popularity among older adults. I break down exactly how these injuries happen, which ones are true emergencies, and why I am once again begging you, politely, but firmly, to wear eye protection while playing pickleball Takeaways: Why pickleball-related eye injuries have surged dramatically in the last few years and why 2024 alone accounted for a huge chunk of them. How a single blunt hit from a pickleball can lead to retinal tears, detachments, or bleeding inside the eye. The most common orbital fracture caused by blunt eye trauma and why age actually changes how dangerous it is. When blood in the eye (hyphema) turns from “watch and wait” into a full-on pants-on emergency. The simplest, cheapest way to avoid becoming an ophthalmology case study: wear safety glasses, especially if your reaction time isn't what it used to be. 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kristin and I read through listener comments, including theories about how I can create characters without an inner monologue, and real-world ophthalmology stories that lead me to beg you, once again, to call your eye doctor before going to the ER. We also talk about scrubs, fashion, and the fact that someone published a real scientific paper about what patients think doctors should wear. Then we play a game where Kristin has to guess what medical procedures are, when they were invented, and which ones humanity probably regrets, from trepanation and lobotomies to CPR, anesthesia, dialysis, vaccines, C-sections, and appendectomies. Takeaways: Plane Etiquette Is a Minefield: Leg contact, armrests, and the silent rules no one agreed on. Brains Are Loud: Why some people can't turn their thoughts off, and why meditation advice often backfires. Eye Emergencies: When floaters mean “call now” and why your ophthalmologist wants you to skip the ER if possible. Research Reality Check: How mandatory med-student research may be diluting science instead of advancing it. Medicine's Wild History: From trepanation and lobotomies to vaccines, dialysis, and CPR, proof that progress is messy. — 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 -- 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. Go to Cozy Earth now for a Buy One Get One Free Pajama Offer from 1/25-2/8! Yes, go to cozyearth.com they are doing a BOGO pajama promo. Just use my Code: KNOCKKNOCKBOGO Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode we tackle something a lot of people are quietly worried about: virtual residency interviews. Are they here to stay? Are they fair? And how exactly are programs supposed to deal with applicants using AI to help answer questions in real time? Then we get into the eyeballs. A young woman with hair growing where hair absolutely should not exist. A 78-year-old with “sudden vision loss” that turns out to be anything but. And two diagnoses that are oddly satisfying, very treatable, and a reminder that not every scary presentation ends in disaster. Takeaways: Why virtual residency interviews save enormous time and money, but introduce brand-new problems no one anticipated. How AI-assisted interview answers are becoming the newest ethical headache for program directors. The telltale clue that turns a “chalazion” into a congenital dermoid cyst hiding in plain sight. How a patient can suddenly realize they've had major vision loss for months and why it's more common than you think. The single pupil exam finding that separates a true eye stroke from a very fixable cataract. 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode we head to North Dakota, a place that is extremely flat, very windy, and filled with some of the kindest humans I've ever met, including Dr. Erik Heitkamp, a hospitalist in Fargo, and Courtney Koebele, the Executive Director of the North Dakota Medical Association. Together, we dig into what physician advocacy actually looks like at the state level, not the cable-news chaos, but the real work: drafting bills, educating legislators, protecting hospital workers, fighting bad vaccine legislation, improving prior authorization laws, and making sure evidence-based medicine still has a seat at the table. We talk about why doctors often feel hesitant to get involved, why advocacy doesn't actually require that much time, and how telling one patient's story can change policy faster than a stack of statistics. We also get into recording patients, AI charting consent, scope-of-practice battles, rural medicine realities, and why state medical associations might be one of the last places healthcare progress is still happening. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the state of healthcare, this episode is your reminder that wins are still happening… just closer to home than you think. Takeaways: Advocacy Isn't Politics: It's education, storytelling, and showing up when legislation affects patient care. State-Level Wins Are Real: Prior authorization reform, hospital worker protection, and evidence-based vaccine policy actually passed. Stories Beat Statistics: One patient story can change a law faster than a spreadsheet. Modern Threats to Trust: Recording doctors, AI charting, and social media are reshaping clinical encounters. Getting Involved Is Easier Than You Think: Sometimes it's just joining your state medical association and speaking up once. Want more Dr. Erik Heitkamp & Courtney Koebele? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NDMEDASSN Twitter: https://x.com/NDMedAssn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-dakota-medical-association Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndmedicalassn https://www.ndmed.org/ — 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 -- 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. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After surviving Disney motion-simulator rides that nearly ended me, I dive into a question that's been rattling around my brain all break: if AI replaces doctors… who gets sued when something goes wrong? We talk AI hype, liability, tech companies discovering malpractice culture the hard way, and why replacing physicians isn't as simple as Silicon Valley thinks it is. Then we get back to basics: how to actually take an eye history, what matters when someone says their vision is blurry, and how to tell when double vision is a big deal versus just dry eye. And finally, a real patient with sky-high eye pressure, surprisingly little pain, and a diagnosis I haven't seen since residency. It's a “welcome back” episode that somehow covers Disneyland, AI ethics, and Posner-Schlossman syndrome, because of course it does. Takeaways: Why AI replacing doctors raises a question no one wants to answer: who's legally responsible when it fails? The two history questions that instantly change how worried you should be about blurry vision. How to quickly tell monocular from binocular double vision and avoid an unnecessary stroke workup. Why flashes, floaters, and “curtains” deserve very different levels of urgency. A rare glaucoma syndrome that causes eye pressures in the 50s… with surprisingly little pain — and why it made this patient memorable. 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 -- 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. Go to http//www.cozyearth.com and use code KNOCKKNOCK for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more. Trust me—you'll feel the difference the very first night. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode starts with the important questions, like whether I'm emotionally prepared to return to my ancestral homeland of Big Bend National Park, and whether Kristin would rather share a cabin with a venomous snake or a tarantula. From there, things take a turn into real life: a med student driving for Uber and Lyft just to make ends meet. That story opens up a bigger conversation about medical school debt, why med students somehow aren't paid anything, and how it makes zero sense that people training to become doctors are expected to survive without income, or time to work. Then we crack open First Aid and let Kristin pick our fate. That leads us into adult primary brain tumors, specifically meningiomas and hemangioblastomas, including why meningiomas can be sneaky, asymptomatic, and surprisingly common, and how hemangioblastomas connect to Von Hippel–Lindau disease and renal cell carcinoma. Takeaways: Big Bend Reality Check — Cabins, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, and unresolved marital fear negotiations. Med Student Money Math — Why driving Uber during medical school should not be the solution. Meningiomas Explained — Common, usually benign, often asymptomatic… until they're not. Hemangioblastomas & VHL — Rare brain tumors tied to a genetic syndrome and kidney cancer. Still Googling Medicine — A reminder that even doctors sometimes stare at First Aid wondering where their tuition money went. — 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 -- 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. Go to http//www.cozyearth.com and use code KNOCKKNOCK for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more. Trust me—you'll feel the difference the very first night. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fantasy Football show for Oct 30, 2025. It's football time! Matchup previews and Week 9 start/sit decisions on today's episode! Plus, Starts of the Week, injury updates, and more! Get prepped and set your fantasy football lineups for Week 9. Manage your redraft, keeper, and dynasty fantasy football teams with the #1 fantasy football podcast.(00:00) Intro(08:50) NFL News(16:05) Starts of the Week(16:15) QB Starts of the Week(21:00) RB Starts of the Week(24:00) WR Starts of the Week(26:35) TE Starts of the Week(32:55) Fantasy Forecast(34:00) Bears at Bengals(39:15) Vikings at Lions(45:00) Panthers at Packers(50:10) Chargers at Titans(01:00:05) Falcons at Patriots(01:04:25) 49ers at GiantsConnect with the show:Subscribe on YouTubeVisit us on the WebSupport the ShowFollow on XFollow on InstagramJoin our Discord Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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