Freakonomics Radio

The U.S. has a physician shortage, created in part by a century-old reform that shut down bad medical schools. But why haven’t we filled the gap? Why are some physicians so unhappy? And which is worse: a bad doctor or no doctor at all?   * SOURCES: * Karen Clay [https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/faculty-research/profiles/clay-karenb/], professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University. * Rochelle Walensky [https://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/rochelle-walensky-md-mph], physician-scientist and former director of the CDC.   * RESOURCES: * "Medical School Closures, Market Adjustment, and Mortality in the Flexner Report Era [https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w33937/w33937.pdf?utm_campaign=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&%3Butm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&%3Butm_source=PANTHEON_STRIPPED]," by Karen Clay, Grant Miller, Margarita Portnykh, and Ethan Schmick (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2025). * "Application Overload — A Call to Reduce the Burden of Applying to Medical School [https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMp2414572]," by Rochelle Walensky and Loren Walensky (New England Journal of Medicine, 2025). * "Challenges to the Future of a Robust Physician Workforce in the United States [https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr2412784]," by Rochelle Walensky and Nicole McCann (New England Journal of Medicine, 2025). * "The first step to addressing the physician shortage [https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/15/physician-shortage-gme-residency-specialties-setting-limitations/]," by Rochelle Walensky and Nicole McCann (STAT, 2025). * "Physician Workforce: Projections, 2022-2037 [https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/data-research/physicians-projections-factsheet.pdf]," (National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, 2024). * “Projected Estimates of African American Medical Graduates of Closed Historically Black Medical Schools [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2769573],” by Kendall Campbell, Irma Corral, Jhojana Infante Linares, and Dmitry Tumin (JAMA Network, 2020). * "Medical Education in the United States and Canada [https://ia803109.us.archive.org/32/items/carnegieflexnerreport/Carnegie_Flexner_Report.pdf]," by Abraham Flexner (The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1910).   * EXTRAS: * "Is the Air Traffic Control System Broken? [https://freakonomics.com/is-the-air-traffic-control-system-broken/]" series by Freakonomics Radio (2025). * "Are You Ready for the Elder Swell? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/are-you-ready-for-the-elder-swell/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2025). * "Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/are-private-equity-firms-plundering-the-u-s-economy/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2023). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For the 20th anniversary of Freakonomics, Debbie Millman of Design Matters interviews Stephen Dubner about his upbringing, his writing career, and why it's important to “swing your swing.” Plus: a sneak peek at a new project.   * SOURCES: * Debbie Millman [https://debbiemillman.com/], writer and host of Design Matters with Debbie Millman.   * RESOURCES: * "Stephen J. Dubner [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stephen-j-dubner/id328074695?i=1000726877218]," by Design Matters with Debbie Millman (2025). * Turbulent Souls: A Catholic Son's Return To His Jewish Family [https://www.amazon.com/Turbulent-Souls-Catholic-Return-Jewish/dp/B000HXDKAM], by Stephen Dubner (1999). * "Choosing My Religion [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/31/magazine/choosing-my-religion.html]," by Stephen Dubner (New York Times, 1996).   * EXTRAS: * "In Search of the Real Adam Smith [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/in-search-of-the-real-adam-smith/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Arthur Brooks, an economist and former head of the American Enterprise Institute, believes that there is only one remedy for our political polarization: love. In this 2021 episode, we ask if Brooks is a fool for thinking this — and if perhaps you are his kind of fool?   * SOURCES: * Arthur Brooks [https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/arthur-brooks], professor of public and nonprofit leadership at Harvard University.   * RESOURCES: * “Vital Statistics on Congress [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/vital-statistics-on-congress/],” by Molly Reynolds and Naomi Maehr (Brookings Institute, 2024). * Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/152474672X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=152474672X&linkId=f3e4efe17effdb1fa75042c3b2335d06], by Anna Lembke (2021). * “Reading Too Much Political News Is Bad for Your Well-Being [https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/10/reading-too-much-political-news-bad-happiness/616651/],” by Arthur Brooks (The Atlantic, 2020). * Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062888021/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0062888021&linkId=4417e8fc2b17d946d38d4153e2b70eae], by Arthur Brooks (2019). * “This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life [https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/want-a-life-of-fulfillment-a-75-year-harvard-study-says-to-prioritize-this-one-t.html],” by Melanie Curtin (Inc., 2017). * The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062319760/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=freakonomic08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0062319760&linkId=f16090fc7752c73546e13ab17073c0e0], by Arthur Brooks (2015). * “Grin and Bear It: The Influence of Manipulated Facial Expression on the Stress Response [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797612445312],” by Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman (Psychological Science, 2012).   * EXTRAS: * “Why Is U.S. Media So Negative? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/american-culture-negative-media/]” by Freakonomics Radio (2021). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Soccer leagues around the world use a promotion-and-relegation system to reward the best teams and punish the worst. We ask whether American sports fans would enjoy a similar system. (Part two of a two-part series [https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/the-merger-you-never-knew-you-wanted/].)   * SOURCES: * Domonique Foxworth [https://x.com/foxworth24?lang=en], sports analyst and former N.F.L. player. * Stefan Szymanski [https://www.kines.umich.edu/directory/stefan-szymanski], professor of sport management at the University of Michigan. * Victor Matheson [https://www.holycross.edu/academics/people/victor-matheson], professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross.   * RESOURCES: * "'Root, root, root for the home team" did TV kill minor league baseball in the 1950s? [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5579610]" by Stefan Szymanski (University of Michigan, 2025). * "European and North American Sports Differences (?): A Quarter Century on [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-68479-1_8]," by Stefan Szymanski (Principles and Paradoxes of Sports Economics, 2024). * National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Soccer [https://amzn.to/48mlSQ8], by Stefan Szymanski and Andrew Zimbalist (2006).   * EXTRAS: * "When Is a Superstar Just Another Employee? (Update) [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/when-is-a-superstar-just-another-employee-update/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2025). * "The Longest Long Shot [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-longest-long-shot/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2016). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The N.F.L. is a powerful cartel with imperial desires. College football is about to undergo a financial reckoning. So maybe they should team up? (Part one of a two-part series.)   * SOURCES: * DeMaurice Smith [https://turfwarsbook.com/about-the-author], former executive director of the National Football League Players Association. * Domonique Foxworth [https://x.com/foxworth24?lang=en], sports analyst and former N.F.L. player. * Jeffrey Kessler [https://www.winston.com/en/who-we-are/attorneys/kessler-jeffrey-l.html], partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn. * Oliver Luck [https://uacfootball.com/staff.aspx?staff=1], sports executive and consultant. * Victor Matheson [https://www.holycross.edu/academics/people/victor-matheson], professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross.   * RESOURCES: * Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America's Game [https://amzn.to/3Kt43ot], by DeMaurice Smith (2025). * "Is there a Case for Subsidizing Sports Stadiums? [https://media.clemson.edu/economics/data/sports/Stadiums%20and%20Econ%20Impact/Matheson-2019-Journal_of_Policy_Analysis_and_Management.pdf]" by Victor Matheson (Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2018).   * EXTRAS: * "America’s Hidden Duopoly [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/americas-hidden-duopoly-2/]," by Freakonomics Radio (2018). * "Should the U.S. Merge With Mexico? [https://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-the-u-s-merge-with-mexico/]" by Freakonomics Radio (2014). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.