The Nocturnists – Details, episodes & analysis

In our 50th The Nocturnists: Conversations episode, Emily speaks with Maggie Jackson, award-winning author and journalist, about her book "Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure." Maggie describes the neuroscience of uncertainty, the benefits of curiosity and slowing down, and findings from her interviews with physicians and surgeons about uncertainty in medical practice.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

Dr. Uché Blackstock, an emergency medicine physician and health equity advocate, discusses her book "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine." She shares personal stories about her family's journey in medicine, systemic racism and her work to create a more equitable healthcare. 

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association and donations from listeners like you.

The Nocturnists is back with Season 6 of its classic storytelling series, "Stories from the World of Medicine." We begin with Dr. Meghan Rothenberger, an infectious disease doctor in Minneapolis who had to lose her dog, her wallet, and her dinner, before she realized she'd also lost something more important: herself.

Meghan performed this story live at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis in April 2023, for an event on the theme of "REBIRTH" which The Nocturnists co-produced with the Center for the Art of Medicine.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

This season of "Stories from the World of Medicine" is supported by The Physicians Foundation. The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association.

More and more Americans are choosing to die at home in the care of a loved one. But who takes care of the caregiver? In today's episode, Emily talks to Dr. Jessica Zitter, a critical care and palliative care specialist, about her award-winning directorial debut film, Caregiver: A Love Story.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

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Emily sits down with Danielle Spencer to discuss her book Metagnosis: Revelatory Narratives of Health and Identity which, in identifying and naming the concept of "metagnosis," brings the study of healthcare into conversation with the discourse on identity. In doing so, this extraordinary new work in narrative medicine underscores the importance of narrative in healthcare in relation to concepts of self.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com. 

Our lungs connect us to our innermost selves, the outside world, and each other. In this episode, Emily talks to pulmonologist Dr. Michael Stephen, author of Breath Taking: What Our Lungs Teach Us About Our Origins, Ourselves, and Our Future. 

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

Emily talks to biographer Janice Nimura about her new book, The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women—and Women to Medicine, which examines the complicated and exceptional lives of Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell, the first and third female physicians in the United States, two women who profoundly influenced the medical profession.

Find show notes, transcript, and more at thenocturnists.com.

The Nocturnists Holiday Special looks back on a year like no other and celebrates the holiday season with creative contributions from healthcare workers.

Contributors include:

Alex Raines, Alina Kung, Brad Hunter, Brian Bobby Chiong, Catherine Forest, Dan Merriott , Dawn Marie Wadle, Elsa Alaswad, Emmeline Sun, Greta Peng, Theodore Peng, Jacqueline Flores, Jessica Briggs, John Danyi, Kathy Lin, Katie Brooks, Kimberly Manning, Lily Stern and brothers, Lori Edwards, Mariam Nawas, Marshall Fleurant, Mike Reid, Natasha Spottiswoode, Nick Iverson, Patrick McMurray, Raphaela Posner, Resa Lewiss, Syed Hoda , Teja Kompala, Tina Munjal, Tseganesh Selameab, and other healthcare workers who chose to remain anonymous.

Hosted by Emily Silverman.

Producers: Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, Raphae Posner

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound.

Original theme music by Janaé E.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

The Nocturnists Holiday Special looks back on a year like no other and celebrates the holiday season with creative contributions from healthcare workers.

Contributors include:

Alex Raines, Alina Kung, Brad Hunter, Brian Bobby Chiong, Catherine Forest, Dan Merriott , Dawn Marie Wadle, Elsa Alaswad, Emmeline Sun, Greta Peng, Theodore Peng, Jacqueline Flores, Jessica Briggs, John Danyi, Kathy Lin, Katie Brooks, Kimberly Manning, Lily Stern and brothers, Lori Edwards, Mariam Nawas, Marshall Fleurant, Mike Reid, Natasha Spottiswoode, Nick Iverson, Patrick McMurray, Raphaela Posner, Resa Lewiss, Syed Hoda , Teja Kompala, Tina Munjal, Tseganesh Selameab, and other healthcare workers who chose to remain anonymous.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Producers: Emily Silverman, Adelaide Papazoglou, Raphae Posner

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

Original theme music by Janaé E.

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.

Find show notes, bonus playlist, and more at thenocturnists.com. Follow @thenocturnists.

Pediatric critical care physician Cathy Humikowski tells the story of having a cardiac arrest the day she gave birth to her daughter. This story was originally told at The Nocturnists Transitions show in San Francisco on January 16, 2020.

Hosted by Emily Silverman

Illustrations by Lindsay Mound

Original theme music by Yosef Munro

Other music comes from Blue Dot Sessions

The Nocturnists is made possible by the California Medical Association, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and people like you who have donated through our website and Patreon page.