More than you’d think.

In this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee are joined again by writer and comedian Joel Walkowski to break down two wildly different, but oddly connected, stories: the long-term consequences of head trauma in contact sports, and the surprisingly scientific world of human flatulence.

From new research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to the cultural machine behind football, this conversation dives into the cost of entertainment, masculinity, and systems that produce “broken bodies” for spectacle.

Then, in a sharp left turn: wearable “fart sensors,” digestion data, and what it reveals about the human body—and relationships.

This episode covers:

• New research on brain injury in football and combat sports
• The cultural and class dynamics behind the NFL
• Why harmful systems persist despite known risks
• What CTE actually does to the brain
• The science behind flatulence (yes, really)
• Relationship dynamics: how “comfortable” is too comfortable?

It’s medicine, culture, and chaos—exactly as intended.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Joel Walkowski

Connect with Joel: @joelwalkowski

Find his book, Honolulu Blues, available for pre-order now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Honolulu-Blues/Joel-Walkowski/9781637749043

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

In this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee sit down with writer, comedian, and sobriety facilitator Joel Walkowski to unpack a question most physicians never ask out loud: Do we all need an intervention?

From “forgetting juice” in residency to the normalization of heavy drinking, this conversation dives into how environment shapes behavior—and how easy it is to rationalize habits that might be quietly costing more than they give.

Joel shares a candid look at addiction, recovery, and the psychology behind behavior change, including why high-performing professionals are especially good at talking themselves out of a problem.

This episode covers:

• Why drinking is so normalized in medical training
• The line between “recreational” and problematic use
• How environment accelerates addiction patterns
• The concept of a personal “cost-benefit analysis”
• Why physicians struggle to recognize their own red flags
• Actionable ways to reassess habits without blowing up your life

If you’ve ever thought, “This is just what everyone does”—this one’s for you.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Joel Walkowski

Connect with Joel: @joelwalkowski

Find his book, Honolulu Blues, available for pre-order now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Honolulu-Blues/Joel-Walkowski/9781637749043

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What starts as required reading quickly spirals into a full-blown debate on utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and whether the system of medical training is justified simply because it “works” for most people. Along the way, we try (and struggle) to define what a hedon unit is, question whether residency is ethically defensible, and confront the uncomfortable reality that medicine may be built on competing moral frameworks with no clear answer.

We also get into:

• Why philosophy feels both clarifying and completely useless
• The ethics behind the Match and graduate medical education
• Whether outcomes alone justify suffering in training
• Aristotle’s “middle path” and what it means for modern physicians
• The Ship of Theseus and what it says about identity, change, and who we become in medicine

Equal parts thoughtful and unhinged, this episode lives in the tension between wanting answers and realizing there might not be any.

Subscribe, rate, and follow Social Rounds for more conversations at the intersection of medicine, culture, and everything we weren’t taught—but should’ve been.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Dr. Janet McMordie (now appearing on network medical drama Doc) and Friend-of-the-Pod, Dr. Ryan Montoya join Social Rounds for a wild, behind-the-scenes look at where medicine and entertainment collide.

This episode starts chaotic and somehow escalates:

Tony casually reveals he won $25,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire… Janet breaks down what it’s actually like being a real physician on a TV set… and Ryan brings stories from the edges of Hollywood that prove actors are, in fact, just as unhinged as the rest of us.

Janet shares how she transitioned from medicine into acting and what it’s actually like working on a major TV production. Along the way, the group unpacks the reality of medical storytelling, the limits of authenticity, and why even the most experienced actors still struggle with the basics of medicine.

In this episode:

– The truth about acting on medical shows (from an actual doctor)

– Why even veteran actors still struggle with medical jargon

– Tony’s game show past and the question that cost him more money

– Behind-the-scenes stories from TV sets (including when things go very wrong)

– Fame, ego, and the weird overlap between medicine and Hollywood

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Janet McMordie: @janetmcmordie

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Is it okay to be the bad guy?

After a chaotic start (April Fool’s, pranks, and moral debates on roasting vs. psychological warfare), we get into something deeper—leadership in medicine.

Inspired by a satirical Hippocratic Collective piece, Bad Guy’s Corner, we unpack:

• The difference between being tough vs. being cruel
• Why medicine still rewards “villain” leadership styles
• Whether fear actually makes people better or just more traumatized
• How to set high standards without losing your humanity
• What real leadership looks like when no one teaches you how to lead

We share stories from residency, the chiefs who got it right (and very wrong), and the subtle line between pushing people to grow… and breaking them.

Because the goal isn’t to be liked.

But it also isn’t to be feared.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Inspired by a Doximity op-ed telling students to “choose specialties based on their future selves,” we ask a more honest question:

What if that’s impossible?

We break down:

• Why “know yourself in your 20s” is fundamentally flawed advice
• The problem with choosing a specialty like it’s a lifelong identity contract
• How medicine traps people into decisions they’re not developmentally ready to make
• Why values change—and what that means for your career
• The real solution: mobility, not perfect foresight

And yes—what it actually feels like when your dreams do come true… and you’re still not satisfied.

This is not about leaving medicine.

It’s about having the freedom to evolve inside it.

Because the goal isn’t to choose perfectly.

It’s to stop building a life you’re not allowed to change.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

This week on Social Rounds, we’re talking about what actually matters after the envelope opens: moving, money, and the mistakes nobody teaches you to avoid. From renters insurance (non-negotiable) to the reality of the “30% rule,” we break down the practical advice we wish someone had given us before residency.

We also get into:

• Why financial literacy hits way too late in medicine
• The difference between salary vs. take-home (and why it matters)
• Starting over—geographically, financially, emotionally
• Why we don’t believe in shame (and why you shouldn’t either)

And in Outside Baseball: a real-life case from France involving a WWII-era artillery shell, a hospital evacuation, and a spokesperson who said… too much.

Plus:

Are you Team Tony (skydiving, speed, chaos) or Team Frances Mei (cozy gaming, weighted blankets, controlled environments)?

Because how you chase thrill might say more about you than anything else.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

From inappropriate comments to outright racism, they share real stories from training and practice, including moments that stayed with them for years—and how they learned to respond.

This episode covers:

1. What to do when a patient crosses the line
2. How power dynamics change from student → resident → attending
3. When to walk away vs. when to engage
4. The emotional calculus of “is this fight worth it?”
5. Racism in medicine—and how it actually shows up in real life
6. Building your personal “toolkit” before you need it

Plus, the return of Majority Minority—where the hosts unpack identity, race, and lived experience in and outside of medicine.

This is the hidden curriculum, out loud.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Ryan shares what it was like living with 27 artists from around the world—waking up to croissants and champagne in the French countryside while creating art all day. But what started as a dreamlike creative retreat quickly turned into something closer to a reality TV show, complete with personality clashes, generational conflicts, Instagram arguments, and a dramatic early exit.

The group unpacks what happens when big personalities, creative egos, and a little too much wine collide in a tiny town of 79 people.

Along the way, they explore bigger questions about identity, creativity, and why physicians should never abandon the parts of themselves that exist outside medicine.

Topics include:

• Life at an artist residency in rural France

• When creative retreats become interpersonal drama

• The generational divide between Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X artists

• Why creative identity matters—even for physicians

• The importance of keeping your artistic side alive

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when doctors, artists, and big personalities collide in a castle in the French countryside… this episode delivers.

Subscribe for new episodes of Social Rounds, where we give our unsolicited opinions on medicine, culture, and whatever else we find interesting.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Kate shares what happened after transferring programs, the culture shock of moving from a county hospital to a private practice environment, and how speaking up about resident conditions quickly labeled her a “problem resident.” What started as advocacy for fairness — from educational funding to work hours — eventually escalated into probation, retaliation, and a system increasingly determined to push her out.

This episode dives into the hidden curriculum of medical training:

1. the politics of residency programs
2. what “not a good fit” often really means
3. how institutions protect themselves
4. and why speaking up can come at a steep personal cost.

Kate reflects on the moment her residency ended, the emotional aftermath, and how she’s now rebuilding her career in medicine in a different way — while helping other trainees navigate similar experiences.

This is a candid conversation about power, culture, and survival in medicine — and why losing your position doesn’t mean losing your purpose.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Kate shares her journey from growing up in suburban Illinois (not Chicago, according to Tony), to climbing hundreds of feet without ropes, to eating, sleeping, and breathing orthopedic surgery… and then not matching.

They talk about:

1. The identity crisis of not matching
2. What surgery demands of you — and what it takes back
3. The paradox of “putting all your eggs in one basket”
4. The culture of ortho
5. Whether ChatGPT in journal club is criminal or minimal
6. And why sometimes you just have to decide you’re not going to fall

This one is about ambition, ego, shame, calling, and what survives when your professional identity doesn’t.

Plus: apple-cracking intimidation tactics.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Kate Burhke, DO

Connect with Kate:

https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/kate-buhrke-do

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

First: a woman delivers her baby in the back of a Waymo robo-taxi. Is the surveillance state helping… or creeping us out? Then: doctors warn that your favorite claw clip could cause serious head injuries in a car accident. Fashion vs. safety — where do we draw the line? And finally: GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro are linked to surprise pregnancies. From slowed gastric emptying affecting oral contraceptives to PCOS cycles restarting after weight loss, we break down what’s actually happening.

Plus, one cool thing each — from a surprisingly great narrative video game (Dispatch) to the underrated luxury of a disciplined tea ritual (with valerian root, obviously).

Modern life is weird. We’re just here to process it.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

In this week’s Social Rounds, Tony and Frances Mei break down the residency Match—from the “big computer in the sky” to the chaos of SOAP week—and share what actually matters when you’re ranking programs.

Frances Mei opens up about not matching, the shame spiral that followed, and how trying to “game” the system can quietly shape your decisions long before you hit submit. Tony shares his own interview experience, why prestige is overrated, and what you should really be evaluating on interview day (hint: training volume, autonomy, and vibe).

They also talk about:

1. Why trying to predict how programs rank you is a trap
2. The myth of the “perfect” program
3. Leadership changes, hidden curriculum, and the unpredictability of residency
4. What happens if you don’t match—and why it’s not the end
5. The uncomfortable truth: you don’t control most of this

If you’re building your rank list right now, this one’s for you.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

In a special Social Rounds Book Club episode, Frances Mei Hardin sits down for a deliberately uncomfortable, occasionally inappropriate, and deeply revealing mock interview ahead of the release of her debut memoir, Surgeon on the Edge. What starts as a Groundhog Day cold open quickly devolves into brutal questions about shame, failure, race, crying at work, bystander silence in medicine, and whether writing a vulnerable physician memoir is brave—or just bad PR.

What unfolds is part satire, part media training, part cultural critique, and part love letter to anyone who has ever survived medical training and lived to tell the story (even imperfectly).

If you’ve ever wondered:

1. how authors actually prepare for press,
2. why likability is still weaponized against women in medicine,
3. or how to hold your composure when an interviewer is clearly trying to break you,

this episode is for you.

Pre-order Surgeon on the Edge now, and consider this your warning: the real interviews will be easier than this one.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://www.amazon.com/Surgeon-Edge-Frances-Mei-Hardin/dp/B0G3JWCCH4

In this episode of Social Rounds, we’re joined by Shay Taylor Allen, a fourth-year medical student at Howard University, class vice president, and future anesthesiologist—whose journey took her from working as a hospital janitor to interviewing for residency in the same system she once cleaned.

Together, we talk about the growing generational divide in medical training:

Why younger doctors are pushing back on brutal hours,

Why “that’s how we did it” isn’t a solution,

And how mental health, mentorship, and purpose are reshaping what it means to become a physician.

Shay shares her perspective on Gen Z and nontraditional medical students, the reality of burnout culture, and why healthier doctors make safer patients. We also dig into communication breakdowns between trainees and attendings, whether medicine mistakes resilience for suffering, and what real change could look like inside a system that resists it.

This conversation is about more than medicine—it’s about who gets to belong, who gets heard, and how one person’s story can expose what’s broken in an entire profession.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Guest: Shay Taylor Allen

Connect with Shay: @shayy.taylor

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

First up: a much-needed PSA on flu shots, herd immunity, and why “you can still get sick” is not the dunk anti-vaxxers think it is. From there, Tony dives into one of medicine’s most unhinged origin stories — how William Halsted’s cocaine addiction helped shape modern residency training — sparking a serious (and hilarious) debate about whether doctors should experience more of what patients actually go through.

Then, Joan takes us deep into the cultural phenomenon of Heated Rivalry: why gay hockey romance has taken over the internet, why the sex scenes actually matter, and why sometimes what burned-out clinicians really need is a well-written, deeply horny escape with a guaranteed happy ending.

Come for the public health facts. Stay for the medical ethics, pop culture analysis, and elite-level yapping.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Joan Chan, MD: @joanchanmd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

They start with a deceptively simple question — what’s on your feet? — and unpack how bad shoes, bad posture, and worse training habits quietly wreck physicians’ bodies over time. From Dansko regrets to sneaker conversions, this is the advice no one gives you early enough.

Then things escalate.

The duo breaks down internet relationship dilemmas involving:

1. “Work wives” and why emotional intimacy absolutely counts
2. Sleeping in another woman’s hoodie (hard no)
3. Wedding photo body-shaming disguised as “aesthetics”
4. Grown men missing real-life commitments for MMO leadership roles

Along the way, they talk emotional cheating, boundaries, aging out of bad systems, and the difference between being technically allowed to do something and it actually being okay.

As always, no medical advice — just honesty, humor, and the perspective of two former surgeons who’ve seen enough to call it like it is.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Is it ever okay?

And why do residents have less mobility than college football players?

On this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee are joined by a very special guest: Frances Mei’s partner (and longtime behind-the-scenes editor), Colin. Together, they unpack:

1. Patients getting too familiar with their doctors
2. Professional boundaries in medicine (and how to hold them without being cold)
3. Why some patients choose doctors based on attractiveness 👀
4. Dating invites from patients (yes, really)
5. And a surprisingly compelling idea: a residency “transfer portal” inspired by college football

If athletes can change programs, why can’t resident physicians?

This episode blends humor, honesty, and structural critique of medical training—covering everything from awkward patient encounters to why lack of mobility keeps residents trapped in unhealthy systems.

🎙️ Social Rounds is where medicine, culture, and real life collide—no institution spared.

👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes

⭐ Rate & review if this one hit close to home

🔗 More shows and writing at hippocratic-collective.com

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

The conversation starts with a surprisingly brutal EHR statistic—what it means to be in the zero percentile (or the 99.97th)—before spiraling into a sharp, necessary discussion about social media in medicine. Should medical students and residents be influencers? Is authenticity worth the professional risk? And why does the medical establishment still punish visibility while quietly profiting from it?

The trio breaks down the uncomfortable truth: the internet is written in ink, medicine is deeply unfair, and “just being yourself online” can have real-world consequences—especially for trainees navigating competitive specialties and institutional gatekeeping.

Later, they shift to medical news, unpacking the FDA approval of a non-hormonal medication for low libido in menopausal and post-menopausal women, why it took so long, and what it reveals about whose discomfort medicine takes seriously.

The episode wraps with a lighter—but still thoughtful—final segment on solo travel, unconventional relationships, music recommendations, and the surprisingly dark origins of the words “cliché” and “stereotype.”

Unfiltered, funny, and honest—this is Social Rounds doing what it does best: saying the quiet part out loud.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

From phone detoxes and small daily creative rituals to reading fantasy novels in secret and hiding cultural lunches in elementary school bathrooms, this conversation moves from playful chaos to deeply personal territory. The trio also debuts a new segment, Majority / Minority, unpacking the first moments they realized they were “different” and how those moments shape identity, ambition, and survival in medicine.

Funny, uncomfortable, and unexpectedly tender, this episode is a reminder that joy isn’t frivolous—it’s protective.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

From there, he and Frances Mei unpack why rational health conversations feel so hard to come by, especially in the U.S.—and why community matters more than ever. The episode winds down with real-life holiday talk: family traditions, work-life tension, vision boards, and how people actually reset for the year ahead.

Instead of offering tidy answers, they share real stories, ask better questions, and explore what it means to build relationships that can hold two full, complex people. It’s a sharp, honest conversation about money, ego, partnership, and the freedom that comes from refusing to shrink.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat  

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd  

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

They unpack the unwritten rules of hierarchy — the quiet calculations trainees make to stay safe, the way questionable comments get brushed aside, and how all of this chips away at psychological safety and moral clarity. Along the way, they swap stories, compare notes, and even draw parallels between medical trainees and AI: two systems trained to please instead of push back.

It’s honest, a little uncomfortable, and very on-brand for Social Rounds — a conversation about power, integrity, and whether medicine is finally ready for a culture where people can say the quiet truth out loud.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat  

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd  

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What starts as a simple Thanksgiving check-in becomes a masterclass in disastrous feedback stories, violent revenge fantasies in hospital hallways, and the single worst metaphor ever uttered on this show (“Plantation Rock”… yeah, we go there).

We debut a new segment — Friendly Fire — where Ryan grills the hosts with increasingly deranged rapid-fire questions.

Superpowers, worst movies, seat-choice ethics on airplanes, January 6 alibis, and which specialty you want in your pandemic bunker… it only gets more unhinged.

If you’ve ever wondered how doctors actually talk to each other, or what happens when three people with no business podcasting together decide to do exactly that, this is the episode.

Chaos, confession, loyalty tests, and a little holiday peacekeeping. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat  

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd

Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art  

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

We talk openly about the real risks: contamination, harmful substances, and the absence of public health protections. But the larger question is the one no one wants to touch—why do women have to rely on unregulated networks in the first place? This episode pulls back the curtain on a growing public health crisis and asks what it would take to build a society that actually cares for mothers and infants.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat  

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd  

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Then, the conversation turns to stigma in medicine—how weakness is weaponized, how shame gets baked into training, and why physicians are conditioned to hide anything that looks like vulnerability.

Finally, Tony shares a rare, raw story about a capital-F failure from med school—walking at graduation with an empty diploma folder after failing a rotation during a major depressive episode—and how it reshaped his understanding of shame, resilience, and what failure actually looks like in medicine.

Oh—and yes, they absolutely cover the Kentucky woman who opened a package full of severed fingers (???), because of course they do.

Topics:

– The science behind postpartum depression

– Why stigma still controls medicine

– Failure as a doctor: the stories people never tell

– Cadaver-lab scandals & severed-finger delivery nightmares

– How to stop letting shame run your life

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat  

Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd  

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

00:00: The First Week of Residency

04:17: Debunking the Myth of 10,000 Steps

15:59: Health Scares and Life Changes

20:19: Understanding Food Relationships and Coping Mechanisms

34:21: Navigating Professional Ethics: Alcohol and Responsibility

37:31: Navigating Patient Relationships

45:21: The Heist Theme: A New Direction for Social Rounds

In true Social Rounds fashion, they tie it all back to medicine — what surgeons can learn from jewel thieves about staying cool under pressure, why residency interviews bring out everyone’s inner weirdo, and whether charisma can actually be taught (spoiler: Frances Mei thinks it can, Tony isn’t so sure).

Stay for the unfiltered advice for medical students, residents, and attendings — and maybe a few tips for your next great escape.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Chapters:

0:00 Halloween stories & hangovers

5:00 Inside Baseball: short sleepers and residency PTSD

14:50 Outside Baseball: the Louvre heist

25:30 Social Rounds: how to survive interview season

42:00 Why charisma can (maybe) be learned

In Episode 9, Frances Mei is back from her sabbatical in Europe with tales of foreign travel and a mysterious new hat! Tony then delivers a fascinating deep dive into the winners of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, breaking down the revolutionary discovery of Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and the key role they play in autoimmune diseases and cancer treatment. They also discuss their own personal ambitions for a Nobel Prize (Peace vs. Literature).

Finally, the gloves come off in a rapid-fire pop culture segment as Frances Mei delivers her brutally honest take on Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Show Girl! Did the superstar break her own mythology? Tune in to find out!

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

00:00

Intro and Welcome to Social Rounds

00:48

Frances Mei is Back!Sabbatical Reflections and the Story Behind the Hat

02:48

Shoutouts to Devoted Listeners and Guest Hosts (Ryan Montoya, Joan Chan, Janet McMordie)

05:02

The Machiavellian Threat to Guest Hosts: "You come for the king you best not miss."

06:41

Sabbatical Takeaways: Travel, Culture, and the Value of Time Alone

10:36

Looking Ahead to the Social Rounds Halloween Episode

10:48

News Segment: The Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

10:59

The 2025 Nobel Laureates: Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi

11:15

Tony's Science Corner: The Immune System as an Army (Helper T's, Killer T's, and the Thymus Boot Camp)

13:25

The Discovery of Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) and the FoxP3 Gene

14:38

The Impact: Treating Autoimmune Disease, Preventing Organ Rejection, and Fighting Cancer

15:20

The Big Question: If You Won a Nobel Prize, Which Field Would It Be In? (Frances Mei: Peace, Tony: Literature)

25:09

Pop Culture Segment: Taylor Swift's New Album

25:31

The Global Phenomenon and Frances Mei's Critique of The life of a show girl

26:40

Taylor Swift "Broke Her Own Mythology" and the Joe Alwyn/Jack Antonoff Dynamic

28:49

The "No One is Telling Her No" Theory and Director Christopher Nolan

29:13

Discussion of the Song "Wood" (The Travis Kelce/Redwood Penis Analogy)

33:04

The "Writing for Travis's Reading Level" Theory

35:28

Frances Mei's Defense of the Song "Father Figure" (George Michael Sample)

36:31

Is This the Start of the Taylor Swift Fall Off?

39:30

Social Rounds Segment: Predatory Relationships in Medicine

40:49

What Training Level Difference Makes a Relationship "Officially Predatory?"

43:20

Frances Mei's "Five-Year Differential" Rule

43:51

The Med Student/Senior Resident Scenario and the Power Dynamic

47:17

The Importance of Perceived Power (Interns as "Superstars")

49:30

The Advice Paradox: Just Get Out Now (But You'll Do It Anyway)

51:43

Tony's Advice: Look Past the Status and Ask Deeper Questions

53:21

The Litmus Test: "Would I date this person if they weren't a doctor?"

54:50

Wrap-up and Outro (Next Week: Halloween Episode)

Together, they dive into what it really means to reinvent yourself in medicine and beyond — from Olympic doctor to actor, from scrubs to screen. They talk about the art of quitting without regret, how image and confidence intersect for women in medicine, and why how you present yourself still matters (even post-call and half-asleep).

Janet also shares her take on sobriety, finding joy in ritual, and the unexpected ways medicine and acting overlap. Plus: Tony’s confession about lying to his piano teacher, why everyone should wear earplugs at Metallica, and a heartfelt defense of the Early Birds Club — a dance party for those of us who just can’t stay up past 10.

Whether you’re a med student, a creative, or just figuring out your next act, this episode is about showing up for yourself — inside and outside the hospital.

🎧 Subscribe to Social Rounds for more stories from doctors who took the scenic route.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/tony-chin-quee-md

Janet McMordie: https://www.janetmcmordie.com/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cevz13xkxpro

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/21/nx-s1-5529316/earlybirds-club-dance-party

In this episode of Social Rounds, we unpack the internet’s favorite story of medical training meets wild animal rescue. From moonshine to moral philosophy, we explore what makes someone spring into action when others freeze, and how compassion sometimes looks like mouth-to-mouth on a raccoon.

It’s part comedy, part chaos, and part case study in what it means to care - no matter who (or what) needs saving.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/tony-chin-quee-md

Ryan Montoya: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/ryan-montoya-md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpearl/2025/07/07/in-the-ai-revolution-medical-schools-are-falling-behind-us-colleges/ 

https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/letcher-county-nurse-revives-drunk-raccoon-found-in-dumpster-with-cpr

From laughing about bad habits to debating whether AI scribes can actually save medicine from burnout, this episode is equal parts funny and thought-provoking. And if that’s not enough, we also dive into one of the wildest medical scandals you’ve probably never heard of - featuring a vascular surgeon, amputations, and a whole lot of ethical questions.

It’s candid, irreverent, and just the right amount of unhinged.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/tony-chin-quee-md

Joan Chan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/joan-chan-md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://time.com/7310911/ambient-ai-doctor-burnout-health-care/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2837847?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=082125

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yvpx20le2o

But that’s not all, because medicine isn’t just about kidneys and CRISPR. We also get into the all-too-real problem of doctors forgetting that patients are, in fact, people. Spoiler: dignity matters as much as dialysis.

It’s part science, part roast, part therapy session. Grab your stethoscope and your sense of humor - things are about to get weird.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/tony-chin-quee-md

Joan Chan: https://www.hippocratic-collective.com/members/joan-chan-md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/08/health/pig-kidney-transplant-human-trial-fda

https://nypost.com/2025/09/04/us-news/california-healthcare-staff-fired-after-posting-dehumanizing-tiktok-mocking-patients-in-exam-room/ 

CLUB FM Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2TpZEtQF8g2sOrNbTybtjO?si=u6duA___Tyqq8gLJntvVkA

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://coloradosun.com/2025/08/11/university-of-colorado-medical-residents-collective-bargaining/

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K_u6A3BLvVBDo5Vsqhdm7qAS91KHtyhtzbyAFZWWL_M/edit?tab=t.0

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/tooth-in-eye-surgery-canada-1.7470626 

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

https://time.com/7303692/alice-walton-school-of-medicine-new-medical-school/

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/alpha-gal-syndrome-virginia-to-track-tick-borne-meat-allergy-aug-17-2025

https://www.cdc.gov/alpha-gal-syndrome/about/index.html   

https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/

In this episode, we cover:

– Inside baseball: Can doctors really “find joy” in medicine, or is wellness just another way to gaslight trainees?

– Outside baseball: Nitrous oxide is the new party drug — but should you really trust something called Galaxy Gas?

– Florida man: Credit card fraud, Chuck E. Cheese, and why reading the mouse his Miranda rights might be the greatest story of 2025.

– Social Rounds: Life advice no one asked for, featuring dirty scrubs, three-baths-a-day coping strategies, and the importance of minding your vaginal pH.

– Call Room Confessions: If he wanted to, he would… even if it means removing a hospital bunk bed to make the call room the official “sex room.”

This is not your average doctor podcast. After the notes, charts, and doctor’s lounge sandwiches — it’s time for Social Rounds.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

2:00 - https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMms2311042

11:00 - Gottman Institute and positive/negative bids https://www.gottman.com/blog/want-to-improve-your-relationship-start-paying-more-attention-to-bids/

16:00 - Being Well by Doing Well  https://surg.me/sites/default/files/nejm%20Being%20Well%20while%20Doing%20Well.pdf

16:00 - Colin's Response https://rethinkingresidency.com/wellness/distinguishing-necessary-from-unnecessary-think-pieces/

In our debut episode, we cover:

– Inside baseball: the hidden costs of residency and why a $10K stipend isn’t enough

– Outside baseball: NASA + Google are building an AI doctor for astronauts (and Frances Mei volunteers as tribute to Mars)

– Pop culture rounds: Taylor Swift’s new album, Travis Kelce, and why dating a guy who can’t spell “squirrel” might be a red flag

– The eternal debate: is there ever a reason to wear scrubs in public?

– Surgeons read mean tweets (spoiler: it’s mostly Frances Mei’s mentions)

This is the start of something fun and irreverent. After you're done with pre-rounding, rounding, notes, charting, doctor's lounge sandwiches...it's time for Social Rounds.

Hosted by:

Tony Chin-Quee: https://www.instagram.com/wheyouat/

Frances Mei Hardin: https://www.instagram.com/francesmeimd/

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective