Explore every episode of the podcast Curbside Consults

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Andrew Dwyer, Director of Psychometrics at the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), joins Mridula Nadamuni, former editorial fellow, to discuss the process of creating and administering pediatric board examinations. Andy Dwyer holds a PhD in educational psychology and an MS in statistics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is responsible for the planning and oversight of psychometric activities including practice analysis, standard setting, scoring, and score reporting. He is also actively involved in research efforts consistent with the goals of the ABP, focusing largely on exam design and validation, longitudinal assessment, score reporting, test security, and small sample assessment.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Adriann Begay, member of the Navajo Nation, shares her journey into medicine. Dr. Begay is Tábaahi (Edge of the Water clan) and born for Bít’ahnii (Folded Arms People clan). Her maternal grandparents are Ta’néészahnii (Badlands People clan) and paternal grandparents are Tl’aashchí’í (Red Cheek People clan). While raising three children, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona and received a medical degree from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine through the Indians into Medicine program. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Arizona and has since worked for the Indian Health Service. She also serves as Senior Officer at the HEAL (Health, Equity, Action, and Leadership) Initiative, a global health fellowship program. Her career is dedicated to elevating healthcare for American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN).

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on Sarcoidosis. We are joined by one of its co-authors, Dr. Kevin Wilson, Chief of Guidelines and Documents at the American Thoracic Society and Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep & Critical Care Medicine at Boston University.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine an update on sleep-related infant deaths by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). We are joined by Dr. Rachel Moon, Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Pediatrics of at the University of Virginia and Chair of the AAP’s Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She is one of the authors of the AAP’s 2022 updated recommendations on sleep-related infant deaths.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we are joined by Dr. Cheri Blauwet, Chief Medical Officer at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, and retired Paralympian in the sport of competitive wheelchair racing. We discuss the evolving understanding of disability in the medical community, disability advocacy, and her experiences practicing medicine with a disability.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the diagnosis and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) by the American Thoracic Society (ATS). We are joined by Dr. Mary Strek, Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, Director of the Pulmonary Medicine Service, and Director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program. She is also one of the guideline authors. 

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest standards of medical care published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). We are joined by Bob Gabbay, who is Chief Science and Medical Officer at the American Diabetes Association, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and one of the authors of the ADA’s new 2022 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes document.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest recommendation statement on the use of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). We are joined by Michael Barry, who is Director of the Informed Medical Decisions Program in the Health Decision Sciences Center at...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we are joined by Dr. Clyde Yancy, Chief of Cardiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, past chair of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Heart Failure Guidelines Committee, and a senior member of the committee that authored the new 2022 Guideline for the Management of...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We are joined by Dr. Kimberly Workowski, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory, and one of the guideline authors.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss the intersection of climate change, health, and education with a group of residents and medical students who are leading initiatives to incorporate climate change into the curriculum at institutions across the country. We are joined by Dr. Jacob Fox, second year internal medicine resident at...

As Editor-In-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Eric Rubin is an authority on medical publishing, but he didn’t always know this was the job he wanted. In this special episode of Curbside Consults, we explore the highlights and challenges of being a physician editor at a medical journal, and the path to determining if it’s the right career...

On this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss current approaches, adverse effects, and management of complications associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We are joined by Dr. Kerry Reynolds, Clinical Director of Inpatient Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Director of Severe Immunotherapy Complications Service.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Barrett’s esophagus by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). We are joined by Dr. Nick Shaheen, a Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UNC Chapel Hill, and one of the guideline authors.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the diagnosis and management of pediatric osteomyelitis by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). We are joined by Dr. Samir Shah, a Professor of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Editor-in-Chief of...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the evaluation and management of well-appearing febrile infants 8-60 days old by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). We are joined by Dr. Benard Dreyer, a Professor of Pediatrics at NYU, the past president of the AAP, who is one of the guideline authors.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss the recently published guidelines on the management of venous thromboembolic disease by the American College of Chest Physicians. We are joined by one of the guideline authors, Dr. Lisa Moores, Associate Dean for Assessment and Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on reassessing the inclusion of race in eGFR equations from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and American Society of Nephrology (ASN). We are joined by one of the guideline authors -- Nwamaka Eneanya, Director of Health Equity, Anti-Racism and Community...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the management of Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) infection. This year, updated guidelines were developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, as well as the American College of Gastroenterology. Here, we...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the management of ANCA-associated vasculitis by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Vasculitis Foundation. In doing so, we review the major trials in vasculitis research published during the last 10 years with one of the guideline authors, Dr. Peter...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss the need for high-quality care to achieve global tuberculosis elimination. Increasingly, high-quality care is recognized as essential to reduce the global burden of TB. We are joined by Dr. Hannah Alsdurf, an infectious...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss how patients and physicians are using the latest technology to manage diabetes mellitus. We are joined by Prof. Derek O'Keeffe, Consultant Physician (Endocrinologist) at University Hospital Galway Ireland and Professor...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss thyroid disorders in pregnancy with Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Staff Physician at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, and...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the 2022 scientific statement from the American Heart Association on the management of acute coronary syndrome in the older adult population. We are joined by Dr. Abdulla Damluji, the lead author on the scientific statement. Dr. Damluji is an interventional cardiologist at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Welcome to another episode of Curbside Consults! As part of our series on Inclusivity in Medicine and to honor Women’s History Month, we are focusing on women in clinical trials. We are joined by Dr. Janine Clayton, an ophthalmologist and Director of the National...

As part of our Curbside Consults series on Inclusivity in Medicine, we are joined by Dr. Sarah Kimball to discuss the relation among healthcare systems, social distance, and migrant patients. Dr. Kimball is an Internist and Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Medicine...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss the diagnosis and management of primary, secondary, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism with Dr. O.P. Hamnvik, who is an endocrinologist and educator at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and the NEJM Group...

As part of our “Inclusivity in Medicine” series of Curbside Consults, we are joined by Dr. Samantha Meints, Clinical Pain Psychologist in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, to discuss racial disparities in the assessment...

Inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) are known to improve cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Until recently, less was known about the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on heart failure. In this episode of Curbside Consults, we...

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the magnitude of health inequities that exist today. In this Curbside Consults as part of our “Inclusivity in Medicine” series, Dr. Jim O’Connell, President of the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program joins us to discuss how the...

Patients who clinically deteriorate on medical and surgical wards suffer substantial morbidity and mortality. Identifying patients who are at risk for clinical deterioration provides an opportunity for early intervention. Complex automated models that use the vast data...

Obesity is a major cause of morbidity in the United States and many other high-income countries. Its association with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and ultimately reduced life expectancy is well known. A healthy diet and regular exercise can prevent...

In this special episode of Curbside Consults, we interview Dr. Elissa Falconer, the team leader of the NEJM Resident 360 QI Challenge winning submission. Dr. Falconer is a general surgery resident at Atlanta VA Healthcare System. The title of their quality improvement...

The coronavirus pandemic has meant that for one of the first times ever, the entire world is experiencing the same thing at the same time. It has given me pause to think though, isn’t this exactly what climate change has been trying to highlight all along- that climate...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Jaclyn Albin, MD and Milette Siler, RD share their passion for food as medicine and talk about their experiences at The Culinary Medicine Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Jaclyn believes food as medicine delivers a unique opportunity to integrate the clinical, educational, research, and public health aspects of Culinary Medicine into the training of future healthcare professionals, delivery of innovative patient support in lifestyle behavior change, and high-quality research that uplifts the health of communities. Milette is focused on advancing Culinary Medicine in both the professional student and community settings.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced innovation in health care in many ways, one of which is putting to test advances in digital health. There has been no better time to test its value than in this environment of social distancing, reduced contact, and heightened health...

In this episode of Curbside Consults: Statistical Review, we explore the interpretation of secondary outcomes in clinical trials using the following two articles recently published in NEJM: Bonaca MP et al. Rivaroxaban in Peripheral Artery Disease after Revascularization...

In today’s podcast we are joined by Dr. Marc Bonaca to discuss the findings of the recent VOYAGER PAD trial and the use of low-dose rivaroxaban in peripheral artery disease after revascularization.

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we continue our exploration of the prescription and use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain. We hear a patient’s point of view, exploring how a patient with chronic pain manages his relationship with his provider, pharmacy, and...

In this statistical review episode of Curbside Consults, we explore descriptive epidemiology studies of the COVID-19 outbreak using an article by Guan and colleagues published online in NEJM on February 28, 2020. To help explain the approach to outbreak study analysis...

Managing patients with chronic pain is a constant challenge for physicians. We frequently receive questions from clinicians about handling these complex situations. Questions about prescribing opioids include when to use opioids and how to monitor their use. In this...

In this special episode of Curbside Consults, this year’s NEJM Editorial Fellows discuss Quality Improvement (QI) in residency and the launch of the NEJM Resident 360 QI Challenge.

The winter peak in respiratory tract infections adds considerable pressure to pediatric emergency departments and intensive care units across the country. In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Phoebe Yager, pediatric intensivist and Chief of the Division of...

Survival data are central to the analysis of clinical trials, with many journal club discussions anchored around the tables and graphs used to display these outcomes. In this episode of Curbside Consults, we are joined once again by Dr. David Harrington, statistical editor...

In the summer of 2019, the medical community was faced with a mysterious series of acute and severe lung illnesses linked to e-cigarette use. In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. John Brownstein, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, discusses how...

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the Endocrine Society’s 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline on management of hyperglycemia in hospitalized adults in non-critical care settings. We are joined by Dr. Mary Korytkowski, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and one of the guideline authors.

Together with Dr. David Harrington, 2018/2019 NEJM Editorial Fellows Angie, Angela, and Amanda summarize and wrap up the NEJM experience. 

Missing data are common in randomized, controlled trials. Why does this happen? How do we interpret these missing data? In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. David Harrington, statistical editor at the NEJM, joins us for a discussion on missing data and how to interpret missing data in studies.

Osteoporosis affects more than 10 million people living in the United States. Although a number of medications are available for treatment of osteoporosis, it remains undertreated. In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Clifford J. Rosen, Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and Associate Editor at the NEJM, joins us to...

Although randomized controlled trials get much of the attention in journal club, observational studies allow researchers to ask questions that may not be possible with RCTs. In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss the strengths and limitations of large observational studies and how to critically appraise them.