Explore every episode of the podcast The Host Response: A FirstcallID Podcast

“Diabetic foot infection” is deeply embedded in the medical literature. But should it be?

In this episode, Paul Bunce makes the case for retiring the term in favour of “diabetes-related foot infection”, and considers how the language we inherit shapes the way we describe disease and the people we care for.

He also has a request for journal editors, authors, and guideline committees: if we want medical language to change, the literature has to change with it.

When physicians retire, we often focus on how they leave practice. Less attention is paid to the physician who inherits their patients.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce reflects on the experience of assuming care from retiring colleagues and mentors. Patients aren't simply transferred from one chart to another. Many have spent years, even decades, building trust with a physician who guided them through major illnesses and life events.

Paul explores the challenges of stepping into established physician-patient relationships, managing expectations shaped by a predecessor's practice style, and earning trust that doesn't automatically transfer with a referral. He also reflects on the responsibility and privilege of continuing the work of physicians who carefully plan for their patients' future care.

A thoughtful discussion on physician retirement, continuity of care, professional stewardship, and the gradual rebuilding of trust.

Are superficial wound swabs really useless? In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce challenges the conventional wisdom around superficial wound cultures and explains when a swab from purulent drainage might actually provide a useful clinical clue.

The key is knowing when to ignore the junk that grows, and when a culture might help guide therapy in a patient who isn't improving.

A sexual history is about much more than deciding which STI tests to order.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores why taking a thoughtful, nonjudgmental sexual history remains an important part of infectious diseases care. Beyond guiding testing, these conversations can uncover opportunities for prevention and open the door to discussions about relationships, consent, substance use, stigma, and personal safety.

The goal isn't to catalogue someone's private life. It's to understand risk, provide better care, and build the trust that makes honest conversations possible.

Sometimes the hardest part of medicine isn’t knowing what to do, it’s recognizing when you need to do it now.

In this episode, Paul Bunce explores the clinical “window of opportunity”: that period when the diagnosis is still uncertain, but the opportunity to make a meaningful difference is beginning to close. Small delays in investigations, procedures, consultations, or treatment can accumulate, particularly in patients who are deteriorating. When does waiting for more information become more dangerous than acting? And how do we recognize when time itself has become part of the diagnosis?

What happens when a patient is clearly sick, but every specialist says, “It's not my disease”?

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores diagnostic uncertainty, specialist “not me” opinions, and the danger of becoming too certain when a patient doesn’t fit a familiar pattern.

How do we distinguish “unlikely” from “impossible”? How do we communicate uncertainty to patients hearing conflicting opinions? And when should we keep looking after our specialty has supposedly been ruled out?

Because sometimes “I don’t recognize this” is not the same as “this cannot be it.”

What is fever, exactly?

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores one of the most common (and often misunderstood) clinical findings in medicine. What distinguishes fever from hyperthermia? Is "feeling feverish" the same as having a fever? Why do fevers come and go? And why is fever best understood as a host response rather than a diagnosis?

Through practical clinical examples, this episode examines how Infectious Diseases physicians interpret fever, why context matters more than a single temperature reading, and how thinking differently about fever can improve clinical reasoning.

Whether you're a medical student, resident, or practicing clinician, this episode offers a practical framework for understanding one of medicine's oldest and most important diagnostic clues.

For many younger clinicians, HIV is now a well-managed chronic disease. But for many patients, it carries memories of a very different era.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce reflects on how his understanding of HIV evolved; from childhood memories shaped by television and the media, to caring for people living with HIV whose stories transformed his perspective. Along the way, he explores the "bad old days" before effective antiretroviral therapy, the devastating impact of stigma and political inaction, and the activism that forever changed medicine.

This is not a history of HIV. It is one clinician's reflection on what patients have taught him about illness, resilience, advocacy, and why remembering this history still matters.

How do we decide who the "great" physicians really are?

In this reflective episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores how reputation changes with perspective. From keynote speakers and internationally recognized experts to the quiet clinicians who keep healthcare systems functioning, visibility and excellence are not always the same thing.

Drawing on experiences from Infectious Diseases and academic Medicine, Paul reflects on why proximity reveals humanity, distance amplifies performance, and time ultimately exposes substance. Along the way, he considers what truly earns lasting respect in medicine, and why trainees, educators, and practicing physicians alike should be cautious about confusing recognition with value.

Whether you work in infectious diseases, internal medicine, or academic medicine, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on leadership, mentorship, clinical excellence, and the people who quietly make medicine better every day.

In this installment, co-host Brooke Fraser returns as we discuss educational resources that have shaped our learning, including This Podcast Will Kill You, Febrile's infographic library, and a particularly memorable recent episode of Breakpoints.

From the literature, we review a multi-centre study examining ophthalmologic screening in candidemia and discuss the recent randomized trial of vancomycin tapering to prevent recurrent C. difficile infection.

Beyond the medical literature, Brooke reflects on The Elusive Body and the challenge of diagnostic uncertainty, while Paul revisits We Are All Perfectly Fine, a thoughtful exploration of medicine, identity, and resilience.

And in our "safe space" segment, we discuss cognitive bias in fever of unknown origin, the unexpected role of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole as a cause of drug fever, and the surprisingly unremarkable origin of the "G" in penicillin G.

As always, a mix of infectious diseases, medical education, clinical reasoning, and the occasional detour into the things that make us better clinicians.

Resources mentioned:

This Podcast Will Kill You

Febrile infographic library

Breakpoints podcast (June 5, 2026 episode on Streptococcuspyogenes)

OFID: Ophthalmologic Evaluation and Clinical Outcome inCandidemia

JAMA Network Open: Initial Vancomycin Taper for Preventionof Recurrent CDI

"The Paradox of Modern Medicine"

We Are All Perfectly Fine – by Dr. Jillian Horton

Enjoying The Host Response? Subscribe, share the show with acolleague or trainee, and visit FirstCallID.ca for additional infectious diseases teaching resources.

When a patient develops an infection without an obvious source, someone will eventually suggest a familiar explanation: translocation.

In this episode of The Host Response, we explore the biology behind bacterial translocation, why the concept is often invoked in Infectious Diseases, and how a plausible mechanism can sometimes become a substitute for finding the real source.

Using cases of E. coli bacteremia, abscesses, and other "mystery" infections, we examine the cognitive appeal of translocation, the risks of premature diagnostic closure, and why uncertainty is often more productive than a convenient explanation.

Key themes:

• Bacterial translocation and gut permeability
• Unexplained gram-negative bacteremia
• Diagnostic reasoning and cognitive bias
• Source identification in Infectious Diseases
• Avoiding premature closure

Sometimes the most important question isn't "Could this be translocation?"...it's "What else haven't we found yet?"

Discharge from hospital is often treated as a conclusion, but in practice, it frequently marks the start of a less clearly defined phase of care.

In this episode of The Host Response, we explore the concept of “holding the bag” in infectious diseases and internal medicine: what happens when responsibility for follow-up is not clearly assigned after discharge.

We discuss common real-world scenarios from consult and inpatient practice, including management of resolving infections requiring ongoing antibiotics, intra-abdominal abscesses with drains still in place, pending biopsy or microbiology results, repeat imaging requests, and medications started in hospital without a clear stop date (including anticoagulation, glucocorticoids, and antimicrobial courses).

When ownership of these elements is ambiguous, follow-up work often shifts to outpatient consultants, primary care physicians, or patients themselves, regardless of who made the original plan.

This episode focuses on practical challenges in transitions of care: discharge documentation, assignment of responsibility for results and procedures, and how unclear follow-up plans contribute to fragmentation in clinical care.

A discussion relevant to Infectious Diseases, hospital medicine, and anyone involved in post-discharge follow-up or consult-based care.

In this fourth instalment of Bundles, Dr. Paul Bunce is joined again by Dr. Brooke Fraser to cover a mix of Infectious Diseases insights, useful resources, and ideas from beyond medicine that shape how we think and practice.

In this episode:

🧠 Teaching tools

• The Gorgas Course - Case of the Week - A practical, case-based tropical medicine resource from the Gorgas Course

• A visual, diagnostic reasoning approach with IDImages.org

📚 From the literature

• Updated 2026 Surviving Sepsis Guidelines and the case for prolonged beta-lactam infusion
• A recent JAMA Network Open study applying the AMBITION trial strategy for cryptococcal meningitis in a US setting

🌍 Beyond the PubMeds

• 99% Invisible: “Towers of Silence” - ecology, culture, and unintended consequences

• The Death of Expertise, by Tom Nichols - why mistrust of experts is rising, and where that argument falls short

🛟 Safe space

• Brooke’s segment challenges the idea of ‘infection seasons’, highlighting that ticks are active whenever temperatures are above ~4°C, and that Legionella doesn’t reliably follow the calendar we think it does.

• Severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis with necrotizing enterocolitis (historically termed “Shanghai fever”). What it is, who gets it, and why it matters.

You can find more episodes and teaching resources at www.FirstCallID.ca

If you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with a colleague or trainee, and subscribing on your preferred platform.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores a deceptively simple problem in infectious diseases: the clinical story you’re given isn’t always the story you need.

From “CSF was clear” to “ALL of the hardware is out,” small assumptions, missing details, and imprecise language can quietly shape major management decisions. In a field where treatment depends heavily on context, verifying the fundamentals matters.

Through real examples and practical reflections, this episode focuses on how to approach clinical information with a more critical eye: checking key details, asking more precise questions, and recognizing when something doesn’t quite fit.

This is not about mistrust. It’s about clinical responsibility.

Whether you’re an infectious diseases physician, trainee, or any clinician involved in complex care, this episode offers practical strategies to improve diagnostic clarity and decision-making.

More episodes and teaching resources are available at firstcallid.ca

When should you say everything you’re thinking...and when should you hold back?

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores a subtle but important aspect of clinical reasoning in infectious diseases: timing.

Consultants often carry multiple working diagnoses, contingencies, and “next steps” in mind, but not all of these need to be voiced immediately. Knowing what to share, when to share it, and what to hold in reserve is a skill that develops over time.

Topics explored include:

• Why not every thought needs to be documented or discussed upfront
• The concept of the “tomorrow thought” in evolving clinical cases
• How stepwise decision-making can reduce confusion and improve clarity
• The risks of being perceived as having “missed something”
• Real-world examples of pacing investigations and treatment

This episode is a reflection on how experienced clinicians balance transparency, uncertainty, and timing…and why silence is not the same as inaction.

🎓 More infectious diseases teaching resources: FirstCallID.ca

How do you choose the “right” antibiotic once cultures are finalized?

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce walks through one of the most deceptively complex steps in infectious diseases: selecting definitive (or “destination”) antibiotic therapy.

While it may feel like the easy part of the case, this decision involves balancing multiple competing factors and not just picking the narrowest drug on the susceptibility report.

Considerations include:

• Antimicrobial spectrum and when “narrower” isn’t always better
• IV vs oral therapy and when PO options are appropriate
• Dosing frequency and real-world feasibility
• Drug penetration, bioavailability, and site of infection
• Drug interactions and toxicity considerations
• Patient-specific factors (renal function, comorbidities, pregnancy)
• Cost, access, and healthcare system constraints
• Why efficacy still matters most — even when we may forget to prioritize it

Through practical examples and common clinical dilemmas, this episode highlights why there is often more than one “right” answer, and how to approach these decisions thoughtfully.

Whether you’re a trainee or a practicing clinician, this episode will help you build a structured, repeatable approach to antibiotic selection.

🎓 More infectious diseases teaching resources available at FirstCallID.ca

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr Paul Bunce reflectson the lasting influence of Mark Crislip, known to many as the Puswhisperer, and his infectious diseases podcasts Persiflager’s Infectious Diseases Puscast and Gobbet o’ Pus.

From 2007 to 2021, the Puscast offered a biweekly review ofthe infectious diseases literature, combining sharp critical appraisal with practical clinical insight. For many trainees and practicing ID physicians, it became essential listening and a way to stay current before infectious diseases had much presence on social media.

Gobbet o’ Pus delivered more than 1400 short clinical pearlscovering Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, candidemia, HSV detected in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, immunodeficiency screening in invasive pneumococcal disease, and much more. Many of these lessons remain deeply relevant despite evolving guidelines.

In this tribute episode, we revisit several classic Gobbetsand reflect on recurring themes that shaped a generation of infectious diseases clinicians, including the limits of anecdote, the perils of spiraling empiricism in antibiotic therapy, and the intellectual breadth required of ID consultants.

If you trained in infectious diseases in the late 2000s or2010s, this episode may feel familiar. If you did not, consider it an introduction to one of the foundational voices in digital ID education.

The Host Response is a FirstCallID podcast focused onclinical reasoning and practical infectious diseases teaching.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce explores a deceptively simple but powerful skill in medicine: using the insights of your colleagues when facing challenging cases. Drawing on a real life blastomycosis case and strategies for spotting blind spots in your own reasoning, Paul shows how mentally asking “WWJD?” what would your experienced peers do can guide decisions, clarify uncertainty, and improve patient care.

This episode is ideal for infectious diseases physicians, trainees, and any clinician navigating complex cases. It highlights the value of humility, collaboration, and integrating diverse expertise into your thinking.

Coomes EA, Bunce PE. Sickle Cough: A Case of Nonresolving Pneumonia. Am J Med. 2018 Sep;131(9):e369-e370.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29660349/

In infectious diseases, reading the radiology report is not enough. In this episode, Dr. Paul Bunce explains why looking at imaging yourself is a core part of a thoughtful ID consultation.

From abscesses that sound impressive on paper but are not actually drainable, to pleural effusions, pneumonias, postoperative collections, and liver abscesses, this episode explores how reviewing the images changes clinical decisions. We discuss how imaging helps assess severity, feasibility of intervention, trajectory of response, and realistic expectations for both procedures and antibiotic duration.

This episode is for trainees and clinicians who want to sharpen their consult skills, avoid overconfident recommendations, and understand why experienced ID physicians insist on opening the images rather than relying solely on the report.

Dr. Paul Bunce and Dr. Brooke Fraser (newly minted Adult IDspecialist), bring you the third episode in our “Bundles” series with fourquick-hitting topics blending infectious diseases and beyond.

Resources & Highlights:

• Sunnybrook Antimicrobial Stewardship AppA practical, user-friendly tool for antibiotic guidance, dosing, and special situations like pregnancy.
• Online TST/IGRA Interpreter (TSTin3D). Estimates individualized TB progression risk and helps guide preventive therapy decisions. https://www.tstin3d.com/
• Updated IDSA UTI Guidelines (2025)New criteria for complicated vs. uncomplicated UTIs and clear recommendations on empiric and step down antibiotic therapy.
• IV Iron During Infection – ASH 2025 Abstract: Challenging the dogma: IV iron may be safe and beneficial even during acute bacterial infections.

Safe Space:

• Antibiotic-associated rash in infectious mononucleosis: immune-mediated and usually transient.
• Kingella kingae as a stealth cause of pediatric bone and joint infections. https://communicable.transistor.fm/episodes/communicable-e44-top clinical-microbiology-papers-in-2025 https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jcm.00986-25

Why do some patients worsen after starting the right antibiotics?

In this episode, Dr. Paul Bunce breaks down the post antibiotic inflammatory crash, why it happens, how to recognize it, and how to manage deterioration without reflexively broadening therapy.

A must listen for trainees facing the unnerving moment when treatment appears to make things worse.

In this episode of The Host Response, infectious diseases physician Paul Bunce reflects on how clinical judgment, priorities, and perspective evolve over time in practice.

Drawing on advice he shared early in his career (and revisiting it a decade later) this episode contrasts three tips for new ID doctors then with three updated lessons now, highlighting what has changed and what has stayed the same.

Topics include:

• Early career reputation and professional identity

• Antibiotic overuse and unintended patient harm

• Clinical pacing, sustainability, and burnout prevention

• Collegial support, trusted second opinions, and work “buddies”

• Why some truths in infectious diseases never really change

This episode is not a checklist or a how-to guide. It’s a reflection on approaching competence, ongoing learning, and the realities of long-term practice in infectious diseases and internal medicine.

Relevant for infectious diseases physicians, fellows, residents, internists, hospitalists, and trainees thinking about early career development, clinical reasoning, and sustainable practice.

In this episode of The Host Response, Infectious Diseases specialist Paul Bunce flips the usual conversation about “favourite ID consults” on its head.

Instead of rare pathogens and diagnostic fireworks, this episode focuses on the consults many ID clinicians quietly dread and why they may be some of the most meaningful work we do.

Topics include:

• Recurrent urinary tract infections and lower urinary tract symptoms

• Recurrent Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections

• Persistent symptoms after treated Lyme disease

• Post–IV antibiotic follow-up and PICC line visits

• Refractory Helicobacter pylori infection

These are the consults that test patience, communication skills, and clinical judgment, often with no dramatic “save.” But they’re also opportunities to reduce harm, restore perspective, teach trainees, and meaningfully improve quality of life.

This episode is about reframing so-called “nuisance consults,” resisting the urge to defer or dismiss them, and recognizing where Infectious Diseases expertise adds value even when we aren’t prescribing antibiotics.

Ideal for:Infectious Diseases physicians, Fellows, Residents, Internists, Hospitalists, and trainees interested in the real work of ID consultation.

More ID teaching resources and short-form educational videos are available at FirstCallID.ca.

The Bundle 2.0 is here. In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce and returning guest Dr. Brooke Fraser take another rapid-fire tour through what’s catching their attention across infectious diseases and adjacent domains: teaching tools worth knowing, papers that may shift practice, ideas from outside ID that still matter, and the small-but-important clinical pearls that surface in everyday work.

We cover:

• ID teaching tools worth your time, including Open Evidence and the Breakpoints podcast.

  www.openevidence.com

  https://breakpoints-sidp.org/episodes/

• Literature we’re thinking about, from cardiac complications of Mycoplasma pneumoniae to whether immunosuppression really needs to be held during infection.

  https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaf453/8244960

  https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaf442/8232734?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false#google_vignette

• Reflections from beyond medicine, including writing on polarization in healthcare and why “giving” may actually be a strategic advantage.

  https://macleans.ca/society/health/a-doctors-plea-for-civil-discourse/

  
  

• Safe-space learning, featuring fluoroquinolone-associated tendinopathy and a practical look at divalent-cation interactions with dolutegravir and common antibiotics.

  https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/184

  https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcph.439

If you’re an ID clinician, general internist, resident, or simply ID-adjacent and curious, this one is packed with things you can actually use.

This episode explores the infectious diseases approach to rashes, skin lesions, and cutaneous manifestations of systemic illness. We review key diagnostic clues, high-yield dermatologic findings in infectious diseases, and life-threatening rash presentations clinicians must recognize early. Topics include erythema nodosum, Sweet syndrome, nodular lymphangitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, disseminated viral exanthems, necrotizing fasciitis, purpura fulminans, and ecthyma gangrenosum. Practical guidance is provided on describing skin lesions, identifying dermatologic signs of immunosuppression or acute infection, and differentiating benign from high-risk presentations in adult patients.

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce (Infectious Diseases specialist and clinician teacher) reflects on his complicated relationship with academic writing. From a fellowship project that refused to die to his mother’s psychic prediction that he’d one day be “published,” this episode explores what makes a medical paper worth writing.

He shares his personal criteria for taking on a writing project: lessons about mentorship, practicality, curiosity, and the occasional clever title that never made it past peer review.

Whether you’re a trainee, educator, or reluctant author, this episode offers a candid, funny, and ultimately hopeful take on publication in medicine, and how writing can still matter, even if it’s not your main metric of success.

In this episode of The Host Response: A FirstCallID Podcast, Dr. Paul Bunce explores a familiar phenomenon in medicine...when someone wields a freshly learned fact like long-held expertise. We unpack why “the vulgar display of recently acquired knowledge” happens, how it affects team dynamics and learning culture, and what it says about our relationship with uncertainty and expertise. With humor and honesty, this episode offers practical ways to recognize the behavior, respond gracefully, and avoid falling into the same trap.

This episode kicks off a new recurring series we’re calling Bundles — a grab bag of ID-adjacent topics we’re reading, noticing, and trying to make sense of. And for the first time, I’m not hosting alone. Joining me is Dr. Brooke Fraser, a general internist and newly minted infectious diseases physician.

Together we tackle four prompts:

• Educational tool: How ChatGPT can help organize and synthesize infectious disease knowledge and Indiana University ID Fellowship Bluesky account (https://bsky.app/profile/iuidfellowship.bsky.social)
• Recent literature: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Ontario/Quebec and RSV’s link to cardiovascular events
• Non-ID perspective: Books that shaped our thinking: Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green and How to Talk to a Science Denier by Lee McIntyre
• Something new we learned: Rabies risk from North American wildlife and TMP-SMX-induced thrombocytopenia

This episode ranges wide, but circles back to what matters in practice and education.

Sometimes the best next step in infectious diseases isn’t to add more antibiotics — it’s to stop, reset, and start fresh. In this episode, Dr. Paul Bunce reflects on the value of a “mulligan,” borrowed from golf but applied to patient care: the strategic do-over.

Through real-world cases, we explore when pressing reset can clarify confusing clinical stories, improve stewardship, and spare patients unnecessary risk — and when holding back is the safer choice.

🎙️ The Host Response — Episode 10: Out of Step

Ever had your careful, evidence-based plan shot down by your attending with little more than a shrug and a “let’s do the opposite”? You’re not alone.

In this episode, Dr. Paul Bunce unpacks the uneasy moments when trainees and attendings seem just a little out of sync — not wrong, just misaligned. He reflects on the subtle signals that shape trust, the risk of defaulting to “what the attending wants,” and the importance of sharing not just your plan, but your reasoning.

Whether you’re a resident trying to find your footing or an attending navigating the balance between correction and collaboration, this conversation explores how mismatched frames can quietly undermine learning — and how to get back in step.

The Host Response — Episode 9: Blame It on the Drugs 💊

Every drug has side effects—but which ones actually matter at the bedside? In this episode, Paul Bunce (infectious diseases and internal medicine specialist) shares his teaching framework for approaching medications:

• Anything can cause anything (clinical humility matters).

• The most common side effect (what your patient will ask about).

• The most dangerous side effect (for safety and informed consent).

• A curveball or trivia fact (the kind your attending might quiz you on).

From amoxicillin-clavulanate to vancomycin, TMP-SMX to fluoroquinolones, we walk through antibiotics with this four-part lens—highlighting what’s essential for both patient care and clinical teaching.

Whether you’re a trainee, a seasoned clinician, or just someone who’s ever wondered why metronidazole is…Flagyl, this episode will sharpen how you think about prescribing.

🎙️ Listen now, and check out more teaching resources at firstcallid.ca.

In this short bonus episode, Paul Bunce, an Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine specialist, reflects on bias and transparency in medical education. Where do our perspectives come from? How do personal values, training, and outside influences shape the way we practice and teach medicine?

Paul shares his own lenses — from minimalism in practice and antimicrobial stewardship to distancing from industry — along with financial disclosures and the background of the FirstCallID project. This episode is about honesty, trust, and making medical education just a little more transparent.

🎙️ The Host Response — Episode: This Email Could Have Been an Alphanumeric Page

Welcome to The Host Response, the FirstCallID podcast hosted by Dr. Paul Bunce, adult Infectious Diseases specialist and Internal Medicine physician.

In this episode, we dive into a surprisingly powerful but often overlooked tool in infectious diseases consultations: the humble email. Whether you’re advocating for your patient, collaborating across specialties, or course-correcting clinical decisions, effective email communication can make or break your consult experience.

Learn why well-crafted emails matter in ID practice — from clarifying complex clinical recommendations asynchronously to managing tensions before they escalate. Get practical tips on tone, structure, audience awareness, and common pitfalls to avoid, so your messages land with clarity and professionalism.

If you want to sharpen your communication skills as an ID consultant, trainee, or any healthcare provider involved in infectious diseases care, this episode is for you.

Tune in and master the art of consulting by email — a tool that’s low-tech but high-impact.

🔗 Check out firstcallid.ca for more podcasts and educational videos on ID consultation strategies.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and help spread the word!

In this episode of The Host Response, Dr. Paul Bunce dives into the art and science of writing infectious diseases consult notes that get read, understood, and acted upon.

Learn how to craft clear, concise recommendations that not only answer the clinical question but also reveal your clinical reasoning — all while fostering collaboration with the care team.

Whether you’re an ID trainee or a seasoned consultant, discover practical tips to:

• Focus your recommendations on the consult question
• Be explicit and precise with your suggested orders
• Organize your notes for maximal clarity
• Time your suggestions thoughtfully in complex cases
• Use your consult notse as a teaching tool and legacy for future care

Visit firstcallid.ca for more podcasts and educational videos.

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Why do some decisions in ID haunt us months later? In this episode of The Host Response, Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine specialist Dr. Paul Bunce explores the role of anticipated regret in Infectious Diseases consultations. From empiric TB therapy to culture-negative PJIs, learn how to navigate uncertainty, avoid common traps, and make decisions your future self won't curse you for.

Perfect for ID consultants, medical trainees, and clinicians interested in the art of medical decision-making.

Infectious diseases is a specialty built on inference, nuance, and—not infrequently—doubt. In this episode, Paul Bunce reflects on the uncertainty baked into ID practice, from ambiguous diagnoses to the risks of overconfidence.

Why are we rarely sure, even after years of training?
How do we keep moving forward without pretending we’re certain?

The practice of Infectious Diseases isn’t always about finding “the answer”—it’s about learning to work in the fog, and still make decisions that matter.

Antibiotics might be the headliners in ID—but there’s a whole supporting cast of medications quietly influencing outcomes. In this episode, Dr. Paul Bunce explores the non-antibiotic drugs that affect infection risk, immune response, and antibiotic safety. From warfarin and DOACs to steroids, biologics, QT-prolongers, and methadone, it’s a tour through the meds that should catch your eye on a medication list.

If you’ve ever glossed over a transplant patient’s meds or wondered how serious that QTc really is—this one’s for you.

Before you can treat an infection, you need to define the syndrome. In this episode, Paul Bunce unpacks the foundational ID skill of naming the clinical syndrome — the key that unlocks investigations, management, and meaningful recommendations.

Welcome to The Host Response, a FirstCallID podcast for clinicians navigating the uncertainties of infectious diseases. In this opening episode, Dr. Paul Bunce introduces the mission behind FirstCallID — to help clinicians feel more grounded, confident, and less overwhelmed when facing ID questions. Unlike the structured teaching tools on the website, this podcast offers space for reflection, clinical insight, and honest conversations about the messiness of real-life decision-making. Whether you're early in training or decades in, you're not alone in the grey zone.