The Patient I’ll Never Forget | Dr. Tommy Martin

What makes medicine worth the sacrifice? Dr. Tommy Martin—a pediatric hospitalist at Boston Children’s Hospital, physician, endurance athlete, and one of medicine’s most influential voices on social media—shares the patient encounter that changed his life forever. After a long residency shift, Tommy was exhausted and simply wanted to get home to his wife and son. Instead, one final patient reminded him why he became a doctor. The next morning, he returned with one unforgettable meal. That single act of kindness reshaped how he practices medicine—and why he believes every patient deserves our full presence. In this deeply personal conversation, Dr. David Spiro and Dr. Tommy Martin discuss: • The patient who restored Tommy’s passion for medicine • Why medicine isn’t worth it without human connection • Caring for children with complex medical needs • Parenting a child with autism and a rare genetic condition • Finding balance between medicine and family • Authenticity, vulnerability, and physician burnout • Why love, presence, and compassion remain medicine’s greatest tools If you’re a physician, healthcare professional, student, patient, or simply someone who believes kindness still matters, this episode is for you. Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring the human side of medicine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices