From Pediatrician to Acting Surgeon General During COVID

Anxiety Is Not a Mind Problem, It's a Body Problem

Dr. Russell Kennedy grew up watching his father, who had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, deteriorate into psychiatric crisis, and spent decades trying to outrun the same fate. In this raw and wide-ranging conversation, the physician, neuroscientist, and former stand-up comedian shares how an LSD trip in 2013 cracked open what years of cognitive therapy couldn't: that anxiety lives in the body, not the mind. From a moment of accidental enlightenment on a rooftop in India to nearly losing himself when he left medicine, Dr. Kennedy walks us through his framework for healing, reconnecting with your younger self, breaking the alarm-worry cycle, and learning to sit with uncertainty through faith rather than force. Whether you're a healthcare worker running on empty or someone who's tried every coping strategy in the book, this episode offers a genuinely different way in.

Medicine Tamed the Me Out of Me

In this episode, Jessica McIntyre, MD shares the 2:00 AM moment during a 28-hour ICU shift when everything cracked. After intubating a critically ill baby, she walked into the call room and had her first panic attack. That moment forced her to confront a painful truth: medicine had disconnected her from herself. What followed was unexpected. A late-night Google search led her to the Wild Woman Project, a mountaintop retreat that changed the trajectory of her career and identity. She opens up about physician mental health, infertility, societal expectations placed on women, and why creating safe spaces for women physicians may be one of the most important forms of healing in medicine. This conversation is about vulnerability, burnout, identity, and reclaiming the parts of ourselves that medicine tries to tame. Want to share your story or launch your own medical podcast? Visit https://www.medstorystudio.com [https://www.medstorystudio.com/home] to learn how MedStory Studio helps physicians build their voice and expand their impact. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals speaking and do not represent the views of their employers. This episode is for informational and storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any personal medical concerns. Music Credits: Music for this episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions and the Descript Audio Library. Production Note: The MedStory Podcast is made possible by MedStory Studios and listeners like you.

From Pediatrician to Acting Surgeon General During COVID

In this episode, Dr. Devika Bhushan shares her journey from practicing pediatrician to serving as California’s Acting Surgeon General during one of the most turbulent periods in modern public health. Stepping into the role in the middle of COVID, she helped lead statewide efforts around trauma-informed care, crisis response, and rebuilding trust in health systems. She explains the science behind childhood trauma and stress biology, how misinformation erodes public confidence, and what it takes to communicate evidence with empathy. Dr. Bhushan also reflects on leadership, resilience, and why embracing our humanity may be the most important shift medicine needs right now. Want to share your story or launch your own medical podcast? Visit https://medstorystudio.com/ [https://medstorystudio.com/] to learn how MedStory Studio helps physicians build their voice and expand their impact. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals speaking and do not represent the views of their employers. This episode is for informational and storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any personal medical concerns. Music Credits: Music for this episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions and the Descript Audio Library. Production Note: The MedStory Podcast is made possible by MedStory Studios and listeners like you.

What Happens When a Patient Decides to Fix Women’s Health

What happens when a personal diagnosis changes the way you see medicine? In this episode of the MedStory Podcast, Dr. Basma Faris shares how being diagnosed with endometriosis and living through 9/11 in the same month reshaped her career and purpose. After starting as a dietician, she chose to pursue medicine, determined to make a deeper impact from inside the system. She opens up about not getting into medical school on her first attempt, entering the field later than her peers, and ultimately building a career that bridges OB-GYN, nutrition, and telemedicine. The conversation also explores why women’s health outcomes in the United States continue to lag, the rise of chronic disease in younger women, the silence surrounding menopause, and the realities of the supplement industry. This episode is about resilience, reinvention, and improving women’s health from the inside out. Want to share your story or launch your own medical podcast? Visit https://www.medstorystudio.com [https://www.medstorystudio.com/home] to learn how MedStory Studio helps physicians build their voice and expand their impact. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals speaking and do not represent the views of their employers. This episode is for informational and storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any personal medical concerns.Music Credits: Music for this episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions and the Descript Audio Library.Production Note: The MedStory Podcast is made possible by MedStory Studios and listeners like you.

“I Realized My Patients Needed a Senator”: The Moment Everything Changed

What happens when a pediatrician realizes the biggest threats to her patients are not medical problems at all, but policy failures? In this episode, we follow Dr. Annie Andrews as she reflects on years spent caring for children facing circumstances no child should ever experience. She treated gunshot wounds, watched families struggle to afford basic care, and saw how broken systems kept harming the same kids again and again. She never planned on entering politics, but the turning point came when she understood that the most powerful way to protect her patients might not be inside the hospital, but inside the Senate chamber. This episode shares the moment Dr. Andrews decided to step forward and fight for children through policy, advocacy, and a platform that could create change on a national level. 🎙️ Want to be a guest on the podcast? Click👉 ⁠⁠⁠https://medstorymedia.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Access free tools and downloads⁠. ⁠Click 👉 ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://medstorymedia.com/resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals speaking and do not represent the views of their employers. This episode is for informational and storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any personal medical concerns. Music Credits: Music for this episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions and the Descript Audio Library. Production Note: The MedStory Podcast is made possible by MedStory Studios and listeners like you.