Guess what?! I am officially halfway through my first summer semester of PA school! It’s just crazy to me, because it both feels like it has flown by and it feels like I’ve been here for 6 months, not 6 weeks.
But this means 6 more weeks (plus one day) of really hard work. I’ve heard that this next gross anatomy exam is the worst of the bunch, and it’s messing with my head a little bit. Cranial nerves are hard, ya’ll! So once I’m done here, I’m headed off to the library for the rest of the day.
One of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about is my mental sanity. Studying this much information this quickly has a way of turning you into a caffeine-fueled stress-monster. In the past, I may have taken a night (or, honestly, a full day) off to just relax and binge-watch Netflix, there just isn’t time for that anymore. So I’ve been trying to working in other small self-care tactics into my day that will help me relax and re-focus without losing time.
Each day, I have to take a bus home from the last building where I have classes because it’s too far to walk. During that time, I’ve been listening to some of my favorite podcasts. Not only does it make the commute more enjoyable, it gives me time to A) not look at a screen and B) think about something other than school. Then when I get home, I’ll keep listening on a speaker while I make dinner, do my dishes or prep my lunch for the next day.
So, here’s a list of some of my favorite podcasts (in no particular order) that I thought you might enjoy! Got any favorites I should know about? Leave it in the comments!
MODERN LOVE
About: “Modern Love features top actors performing true stories of love, loss, and redemption. It has included performances by Kate Winslet, Uma Thurman, Angela Bassett, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sterling K. Brown, and more. A collaboration between WBUR and The New York Times.”
Why I like it: Admittedly, I’m a hopeless romantic. Plus, I am captivated by the ways in which different people navigate the world, and I think when we’re discussing love and human connections, we can learn a lot about ourselves.
CRIME JUNKIE
About: “Crime Junkie is a weekly podcast dedicated to giving you a true crime fix. Every Monday, Ashley Flowers will tell you about whatever crime she’s been obsessing over that week in a way that sounds like you're sitting around talking crime with your best friends. The storytelling is straightforward and free of rabbit holes so the cases stay suspenseful and are easy to follow. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’re a Crime Junkie! You’ve found your people.”
Why I like it: I’m going to just say it – I’m fascinated by true crime. True crime documentary on Netflix? I’m watching it. Podcast about it? I’m tuning in. I can’t exactly put my finger on why I find this stuff so interesting (maybe because it’s just straight up crazy?!) but I’m pretty obsessed. Crime Junkie picks great stories (oftentimes less popular ones that you haven’t already heard about) and I think these ladies are great story tellers.
THE NOCTURNISTS
About: “The Nocturnists is a live show and podcast where doctors tell stories from the world of medicine. Based in San Francisco and hosted by physician Emily Silverman, our show is animated by a deep-seated curiosity about health, disease, and human connection. Welcome to the family.”
Why I like it: I haven’t listened to many episodes yet, but I’ve loved what I’ve heard so far. For people working in health care, it really humanizes things. Gives you some new perspectives, as told by some really awesome story tellers.
DR. DEATH
About: “We’re at our most vulnerable when we go to our doctors. We trust the person at the other end of that scalpel. We trust the hospital. We trust the system. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. He claimed he was the best in Dallas. If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. But soon his patients started to experience complications, and the system failed to protect them. Which begs the question: who - or what - is that system meant to protect? From Wondery, the network behind the hit podcast Dirty John, DR. DEATH is a story about a charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system. Reported and hosted by Laura Beil.”
Why I like it: SO BINGE-WORTHY. I literally don’t think I took out my earbuds until this whole series was over, that’s how good it was. And if that description above doesn’t have you hooked, I don’t know what will. It’s like the perfect combination of healthcare drama and true crime – my two favorite things!!
TRUE CRIME GARAGE
About: “Each week Nic & The Captain get in the garage and talk true crime and drink beer.”
Why I like it: Again, I have a thing for true crime. This one does more popular crimes than Crime Junkies (think, Casey Anthony and Tupac Shakur). Pro tip though? The beginning is boring. Fast forward through the first 2-3 minutes to get to the good stuff.
DIRTY JOHN
About: “Debra Newell is a successful interior designer. She meets John Meehan, a handsome man who seems to check all the boxes: attentive, available, just back from a year in Iraq with Doctors Without Borders. But her family doesn’t like John, and they get entangled in an increasingly complex web of love, deception, forgiveness, denial, and ultimately, survival. Reported and hosted by Christopher Goffard from the L.A. Times.”
Why I like it: Just like Dr. Death, this one is totally cringey and binge-worthy. And not to give anything away, but the last episode may be the greatest plot twist of all time! I think that whole last episode my jaw was on the floor.
THIS AMERICAN LIFE
About: “From WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, This American Life podcast gives listeners touching, humorous and often unexpected vignettes of life in America. Hosted by Ira Glass, these weekly short stories are an on demand version of the popular radio show and available in Stitcher's Society & Culture station. Consistently ranked #1 Podcast in the US. New episodes available on Mondays.”
Why I like it: I love a good story. While I don’t listen to all their topics, I have really enjoyed a lot of these episodes. Wonderfully curated content that has, on many occasions, given me a more open mind, deeper appreciation for things, and enlightened perspective. Highly recommend.
S-TOWN
About: “S-Town is a new podcast from Serial and This American Life, hosted by Brian Reed, about a man named John who despises his Alabama town and decides to do something about it. He asks Brian to investigate the son of a wealthy family who's allegedly been bragging that he got away with murder. But when someone else ends up dead, the search for the truth leads to a nasty feud, a hunt for hidden treasure, and an unearthing of the mysteries of one man's life.”
Why I like it: If you love a good twist, you’ll love this. But be ready for things to get surprisingly emotionally deep. I don’t want to say too much and give anything away, but have the tissues ready. A really excellent podcast.
SAWBONES
About: “Join Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin for a tour of all the dumb, bad, gross, weird and wrong ways we've tried to fix people.”
Why I like it: Okay, full disclosure, I haven’t actually listened to this one yet. However, it was a recommendation from a fellow podcast-loving PA student, so it’s on my list! Plus, it sounds funny and entertaining and it’s about medicine, so what more could I ask for?!
The descriptions of these podcasts were borrowed from Stitcher.
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