Hecklers, Med School, and the Mic That Changed Everything

I share how I ended up living a double life as an emergency medicine doctor and a stand-up comedian, even when people think it makes no sense. I trace the moments that pushed me from college jokes to DC open mics, Chicago stages, COVID Zoom sets, and finally starting Pitt to Punchlines to bring both worlds together. • getting hooked on stand-up after a rough college hosting set and an early heckler • writing my first joke that actually lands and learning why reps matter • medical school time pressure and third-year clinical burnout • taking a research year at the NIH and rediscovering comedy in DC • headlining for the first time by building a room from my own community • bombing in DC and Chicago and learning how failure sharpens timing • balancing emergency medicine residency with open mics in Chicago • performing sold-out shows at Steppenwolf Theater with the Outcasted Comedy Tour • COVID whiplash: ICU work, moving to LA, and doing Zoom comedy • rebuilding confidence with sets in France and Switzerland • producing Courtyard Common in LA and learning how hard showrunning is • embracing the unique angle of being an ER doc comedian and turning it into a podcast I hope you guys continue to watch me over time