The Nocturnists

• 6 - Uncertainty in Medicine: Navigating Uncertainty with Admiral Mike LeFever

  When a 7.6 magnitude earthquake leveled entire villages in Pakistan, retired U.S. Navy Admiral Mike LeFever was thrust into the heart of the disaster with no playbook and a simple directive: provide humanitarian aid and strengthen U.S.-Pakistan relations. In this episode, LeFever recounts what it was like to lead a massive relief effort in the chaotic aftermath—coordinating aid, rebuilding schools, and navigating diplomacy in a country where his presence was politically charged. As his mission evolved from emergency response to long-term relationship-building, including during the fallout of the Bin Laden raid, LeFever shares hard-won lessons on leadership, humility, and decision-making in extreme uncertainty. Find show notes, transcripts, and more at thenocturnists.org, and subscribe to our substack. The "Uncertainty in Medicine" series is generously funded by the ABIM Foundation, by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by The California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you. Host: Emily Silverman, MD Uncertainty Correspondent: Alexa Miller Series Illustrations by Eleni Debo

  --------  

  18:01
• 5 - Uncertainty in Medicine: Leaps of Faith

  What happens when doctors have to make life-or-death decisions in an evidence-free zone — and patients are left to navigate the unknown? In episode 5 of “Uncertainty in Medicine", we bring you three gripping, real-life stories: a neurosurgeon weighing impossible risks in the operating room, a palliative care doctor facing a young man’s quiet resolve to die, and a patient whose long-awaited kidney transplant vanishes in a single phone call. These are high-stakes moments where instinct takes over, control slips away, and the only way forward is a leap of faith. Find show notes, transcripts, and more at thenocturnists.org, and subscribe to our substack. The "Uncertainty in Medicine" series is generously funded by the ABIM Foundation, by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by The California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you. This episode is sponsored by a new podcast that fans of the Nocturnists are sure to love. Unleashed: Redesigning Health Care features clinician-innovators who have changed care on the front lines. Their stories, their voices, their ingenuity. Learn more at unleashedpodcast.org. Host: Emily Silverman, MD Uncertainty Correspondent: Alexa Miller Series Illustrations by Eleni Debo

  --------  

  28:04
• 4 - Uncertainty in Medicine: Root Causes with Ronald Wyatt, MD

  What does uncertainty in medicine have to do with Chernobyl? According to patient safety officer Dr. Ron Wyatt, more than we might think. In the fourth episode of our "Uncertainty in Medicine" series, he draws a chilling connection between one of history’s worst nuclear disasters and the quiet, preventable tragedies that unfold in hospitals every day. In both cases, the warning signs were there. People sensed something was wrong. But no one spoke up—or if they did, no one listened. Through his work at the Joint Commission, Dr. Wyatt has spent decades investigating sentinel events, the most serious and avoidable medical errors. What he’s found is deeply unsettling: the root causes rarely come down to lack of knowledge. They come from cultures where fear, hierarchy, and silence override curiosity and caution. And time and again, he’s seen how racism and bias magnify that silence. Here, Dr. Wyatt reveals what truly makes healthcare safe—and what has to change to protect every patient, equally. Quick note: In this episode, Dr. Wyatt mentions his time at The Joint Commission. The correct length of his tenure is 5 years. Find show notes, transcripts, and more at thenocturnists.org, and subscribe to our substack. The "Uncertainty in Medicine" series is generously funded by the ABIM Foundation, by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by The California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you. This episode is sponsored by a new podcast that fans of the Nocturnists are sure to love. Unleashed: Redesigning Health Care features clinician-innovators who have changed care on the front lines. Their stories, their voices, their ingenuity. Learn more at unleashedpodcast.org. Host: Emily Silverman, MD Uncertainty Correspondent: Alexa Miller Series Illustrations by Eleni Debo

  --------  

  21:19
• 3 - Uncertainty in Medicine: Through Thick and Thin

  In episode 3 of the "Uncertainty in Medicine" series, patient Dana undergoes a routine knee replacement and expects a straightforward recovery. Instead, she’s plunged into a baffling and relentless illness—one that defies diagnosis and leaves her life in limbo. As her symptoms intensify and specialists write her off, Dana finds an unwavering ally in her primary care doctor, the one person who refuses to let her fall through the cracks. This episode traces their year-long search for answers, revealing the emotional cost of medical uncertainty and the rare power of a clinician who stays the course. Along the way, we visit Lewiston, Maine, where a small, intentional change to residents’ schedules is making the uncertainty of primary care more manageable and helping keep young doctors in the field. Find show notes, transcripts, and more at thenocturnists.org, and subscribe to our substack. The "Uncertainty in Medicine" series is generously funded by the ABIM Foundation, by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. The Nocturnists is supported by The California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you. This episode is sponsored by a new podcast that fans of the Nocturnists are sure to love. Unleashed: Redesigning Health Care features clinician-innovators who have changed care on the front lines. Their stories, their voices, their ingenuity. Learn more at unleashedpodcast.org. Host: Emily Silverman, MD Uncertainty Correspondent: Alexa Miller Series Illustrations by Eleni Debo

  --------  

  32:05
• BONUS: Behind the Scenes of The Pitt with Gemmill, Sachs, and Herbert

  On this episode of Conversations, Emily sits down with the creative team behind The Pitt—a gripping new medical drama on HBO Max that’s making waves in the healthcare world and beyond. Joining her are showrunner R. Scott Gemmill (ER, NCIS: LA), physician-writer Dr. Joe Sachs (ER), and emergency medicine educator and EM:RAP founder Dr. Mel Herbert. Together, they go behind the scenes of the show, discussing characters, medical cases, set design, and the creative team’s relentless pursuit of medical authenticity. Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.org. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

  --------  

  53:38

Altri podcast di Salute e benessere

Podcast di tendenza in Salute e benessere

Su The Nocturnists