Inspired To Act

Guest: Patricia Donahoe, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD How does one go about crafting a pioneering medical career in practice as well as in research? Joining host Dr. Martin Samuels to discuss these themes in her own career is Dr. Patricia Donahoe, director of Massachusetts General Hospital's pediatric surgical research laboratories and chief emerita of pediatric surgical services.

Guest: Thomas Swift, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Is there a way that neurologists view the world that is different from other MDs? Are there lessons for all doctors based on this perspective? Host Dr. Martin Samuels talks with Dr. Thomas R. Swift, past-president of the American Academy of Neurology, about these and other topics.

Guest: Thomas Lee, MD, MSc Host: Martin Samuels, MD What change can we realistically expect of the national healthcare delivery system, given the existing institutions and agendas, the economy and the current presidential administration? Will the practice of medicine fundamentally change? To discuss these and other topics, host Dr. Martin A. Samuels welcomes Dr. Thomas H. Lee. Dr. Lee is an internist, cardiologist, and CEO of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc., founded by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Guest: Thomas Barr Graboys, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Dr. Thomas B. Graboys is clinical professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and former attending cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Host Dr. Martin A. Samuels discusses with Dr. Graboys the view from both sides of the medical equation. Together they explore a career in medicine, as well as what happens when the physician becomes the patient.

Guest: Jerome Groopman, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Is there any way for clinicians to avoid misdiagnosis and other 'thinking errors'? Host Dr. Martin Samuels discusses this important topic with researcher, physician, and author Dr. Jerome Groopman. Dr. Groopman explores some of the unintended consequences of targeted medical research and 'the Christopher Reeve effect.'

Guest: Paul Farmer, MD, PhD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Aside from pure altruism, is there any reason that an American doctor should care about healthcare elsewhere, particularly in parts of the world remote as Russian jails? Joining host Dr. Martin Samuels is Dr. Paul Farmer, medical anthropologist and founding director of Partners in Health, an international health and social justice organization, to discuss this and other important topics.

Guest: Joseph Murray, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Nobel Prize winner Dr. Joseph E. Murray discusses performing the first successful human kidney transplant, the value of teamwork, the future of the physician-scientist, and the patient side of the equation, in this far-ranging conversation led by host Dr. Martin Samuels.

Guest: Faith Fitzgerald, MD Host: Martin Samuels, MD Do physicians have time to be clinicians, or has their role shifted to that of technician? This far-ranging conversation between Inspired to Act host Dr. Martin A. Samuels and Dr. Faith Fitzgerald, noted internist, distinguished professor, and associate dean of humanities and bioethics at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, covers this topic and others, including simulated patients, medical errors and pay-for-performance.