PODCAST · science
A Shot in the Arm Podcast
by Ben Plumley
Welcome to A Shot In The Arm Podcast, where we take a deep dive into the heart of global health. Since our launch in 2019, we've released over 150 episodes that illuminate the intersection of innovation and equity in healthcare. Join me, your host Ben Plumley—a global infectious disease strategist and passionate HIV advocate, along with our expert team of co-hosts, as we engage in compelling, character-driven conversations with a diverse array of guests from around the world. Together, we explore the intricate connections between everyday lives and biomedical research, tackling pressing issues like pandemic preparedness, climate disruption, and the impact of conflict. Tune in as we uncover the stories and insights that shape our collective health narrative, making complex topics both entertaining and accessible. Let's embark on this journey to improve lives, one episode at a time!
Episodes
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chpt 6: Innovation in Global Health: Scaling responsibly, equitably, and faster
At the AIDS 2026 Global AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Ben interviews Dr. mike Reed about how global health technology succeeds or fails depending less on the tools than on governance, ownership, community co-design, and alignment with ministries of health and other relevant government...
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Beyond the Hype: Re-engineering HIV Diagnostics for a Resilient Future (recorded at AIDS 2026)
Recorded at AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro at the Roche Diagnostics booth, host Ben Plumley speaks with Professor Pedro Cahn (Fundación Huésped, Argentina) and Dr. Rupa Patel (Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC) about why diagnostics—often overlooked in the HIV continuum—are the essential entry...
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chapter 5: The Climate Crisis is a Health Crisis: Reframing the Global Health Agenda in an Era of Planetary Instability
Recorded at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, Ben and Dr. mike Reid discuss how climate disruption will exacerbate existing infectious diseases, enable emerging threats, and worsen non-infectious conditions, arguing global health must anticipate and mitigate climate-health impacts. They...
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chpt 4: Financing Global Health in an Era of Scarcity
In this episode of Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Ben chats with authors mike Reid and Eric Goosby about how funding shocks become life-and-death realities, starting with a case from Zambia after the January 2025 U.S. pause and cuts to PEPFAR that left many without antiretrovirals...
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Wrapping our Conversations with Youth Leadership at AIDS 2026
This episode was made in partnership with the International AIDS Society (IAS), Young Leaders Programme. ---- Host Ben Plumley wraps up the A Shot in the Arm Podcast from AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro with Zarawu Adams, a medical scientist from Salama Clinic in Accra, Ghana, reflecting on an...
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Communities & Treatment Access with ITPC at AIDS 2026
Host Ben Plumley speaks with Solange Baptiste Simon and Othoman Mellouk of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) about their packed treatment pre-conference and concerns that treatment is being sidelined amid heavy focus on PrEP and prevention. They argue the...
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Shuga Global discusses Creating HIV Prevention Media with Youth at AIDS 2026
At AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, host Ben Plumley speaks with Wame Jallow, Jerop Limo, and JulieBrenda Waweru about Shuga Global’s evolution from the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and why entertainment-education remains relevant for HIV prevention and youth health. They discuss how Shuga’s...
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Young Leaders, Big Ideas at AIDS 2026
This episode was made in partnership with the International AIDS Society (IAS), Young Leaders Programme. ---- Host Ben Plumley records from a windy Rio de Janeiro at AIDS 2026 with IAS Young Leaders guests Zarawu Adams (Ghana), Xandro Xu (USA), and returning guest Mengfei Li (Hong Kong). Adams...
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Science, Funding, and Young Leaders at AIDS 2026
On the first full day of AIDS 2026 in Rio, the A Shot in the Arm podcast (with the International AIDS Societies Young Leaders Program) captures excitement about new HIV science alongside anxiety over PEPFAR-related funding cuts and debate about reliance on a single donor. Guests include Florence…
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Youth Leadership and Prevention Innovation at AIDS 2026
From AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, host Ben Plumley talks with International AIDS Society Young Leaders Edmond Soko (Zambia, Grassroots Soccer) and Noah Mancuso (Atlanta, Emory/RTI) about where the HIV epidemic is heading. Edmond describes using soccer-based, play-focused curricula to deliver HIV...
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U=U for the Masses at AIDS 2026
Ben launches the first of six daily A Shot in the Arm Podcast episodes from AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, produced with the International AIDS Society and its Young Leaders program. He interviews two young leaders: Mengfei, a Hong Kong–based PhD researcher in health communication who studies how…
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Humanity First at AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro
From AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, A Shot in the Arm Podcast hosts, Ben and Yvette, discuss why convening the global AIDS community still matters amid major financial challenges and shifts in U.S. aid. They emphasize “humanity first,” the need for African leadership, sovereignty in HIV financing,...
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AIDS 2060 Ep04: Climate Change as the Great Disruptor of the Global HIV Response (with Arthur Snell)
In this episode of AIDS 2060, Ben explores how the climate crisis may disrupt the global HIV response with diplomat, author, and podcaster Arthur Snell, marking the U.S. launch of Snell’s book Elemental: The New Geography of Climate Change and How We Survive It. They discuss climate-driven...
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chapter 3: Governing Global Health in a Multipolar World
In this episode of “Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century,” Ben speaks with authors Dr. mike Reed and Professor Eric Goosby about how COVID exposed the geopolitical ramifications of Global Health, using Serbia’s vaccine deals with China, Russia, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca as a case study.…
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AIDS 2060 Ep03: The Next Generation of Leaders in the fight against HIV: Teenage Girls & Young Women
HIV prevention advocate Siviwe Gaika urges policymakers, governments, and donors to expand the HIV prevention “choice basket,” emphasizing long-acting injectable PrEP (cabotegravir) as WHO-recommended, safe, and highly effective, and calling for funding, youth-friendly delivery, streamlined...
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Entropy, Trust & Pattern Discovery: Heidi Larson and Mark Anderson on Misinformation and AI in Global Health | A Shot in the Arm Podcast
Host Ben Plumley welcomes Professor Heidi Larson (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) and Dr. Mark Anderson (Pattern Computer/Strategic News Service) to discuss innovation and equity in global health through the lens of “entropy” as chaos in human and data systems. Larson reflects on...
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chapter 2: A New Epistemology for Global Health — Embracing Complexity and the "Both/And" Approach
Ben Plumley speaks with Dr. mike Reid and Eric Goosby about their new book Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, focusing on epistemology—how global health defines knowledge, evidence, and success. They argue global health has overprioritized biomedical metrics and donor-driven targets,...
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Undetectable, Then Detectable: Decoding the HIV “Viral Blip”
Why does an undetectable HIV viral load sometimes flip to “detectable” — and what does that actually mean for the patient? Host Ben Plumley talks with Ben LaBrot (Professor of Global Medicine, USC; Medical Affairs Lead, Roche Molecular Diagnostics) and Daniel Griffin, MD (Chief of Infectious...
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AIDS 2060 Ep 02 - African-Led Research for an African Epidemic
In this second episode of AIDS2060, Ben sits down with Dr Andrew Kambugu, Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Institute at Makere University in Kampala Uganda. They discuss the state of the clinical response to HIV in Africa, and Andrew sets out a research and implementation agenda that...
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, Chapter 1: The End of the Old Order – and What Comes Next
A Shot in the Arm Media in partnership with UCSF Institute for Global Health launched a nine-part series to explore the future of global health built around the book Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, co-authored by Dr. mike Reid (UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences) and…
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Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century: A New Series on Why Global Health Is at a Crossroads
A Shot in the Arm Media launches a new nine-part series produced in partnership with the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, built around the book Redefining Global Health in the 21st Century, co-authored by Dr. mike Reid (UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences) and Ambassador Eric…
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Episode 10 – Colon, Meet Cancer: Food Fight: The Impact of Cancer and Chemo on my Appetite
Another candid update from Ben Plumley on life with stage four colorectal cancer, focusing on one of the most under appreciated challenges of treatment: the daily battle to eat. Treatment Update — Ben is continuing maintenance chemotherapy and awaiting a PET scan at the end of June. The goal is...
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AIDS 2060 Ep 01 - Lessons from the Frontlines: San Francisco
This is the first episode of AIDS 2060, a special multimedia mini-series of podcasts and Substack articles devoted to understanding what is needed to bring the HIV epidemic under control, how long that will take, and why the world has been unable to do so to date, notwithstanding overly ambitious...
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Emily Bass on PEPFAR’s Data Spin, What South Africa’s Oral Histories Reveal & the future w/ AIDS2060
Investigative journalist and public health expert Emily Bass returns to A Shot In The Arm with the most consequential update on the global HIV response in months. Drawing on a brand-new report from Physicians for Human Rights and South African partners — built from 40 oral histories — Emily walks...
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AIDS 2060 — An Exciting New Project from A Shot In The Arm Media
What the hell has gone wrong with the global HIV and AIDS response? Does it matter? And what do we need to do to fix it? Ben Plumley introduces AIDS 2060, a new project from A Shot In The Arm Media asking the questions the global health community has been quietly dodging for a decade. With 40.8...
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PEPFAR’s Dr. mike Reid Resigns on Substack: Equity, Authoritarianism, & the Future of Global Health
Ben Plumley is joined by Ambassador Eric Goosby, and by Dr. mike Reid to react to Reid’s recently announced resignation from PEPFAR on Substack. Reid describes his growing moral dissonance with an administration he characterizes as authoritarian, citing concerns that lifesaving HIV services could...
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Episiode 09 - Colon, Meet Cancer: Up and Down
Ben discusses living with stage IV colorectal cancer, noting fluctuating wellbeing and chemotherapy side effects including pain, nausea, fatigue, itchy skin, brittle nails, and poor appetite. He mentions infusion logistics, new pains and temperature swings, as well as anxiety about his PET scan.…
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HIV: Rethink, Rebuild and Rise Up - With the IAS’ Birgit Poniatowski
Ben talks with Birgit Poniatowski, the Executive Director of the International AIDS Society (IAS), about the role of professional associations in the HIV movement and IAS’s convening power. Poniatowski describes IAS’s origins in 1988, its 13,000-member multidisciplinary base including people…
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Episode 08 - Colon Meet Cancer: Side Effects
Welcome to a new episode of 'Colon, Meet Cancer' from A Shot in the Arm Media. In this first episode of 2026, Ben shares his experiences of treatment side effects while living with stage four colorectal cancer, and how these impact his ability to live as near a normal life as possible. Also…
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Trans Life: How to Survive Trump’s 2nd Administration | Dr. Tatyana Moaton
In this powerful episode of A Shot in the Arm podcast, host Ben Plumley discusses the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States under a hostile federal government with Dr. Tatyana Moaton, the Director of Strategic Innovation and Partnership at the San Francisco Community Health Center....
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Why We Need a World AIDS Day More Than Ever - with Emily Bass and Ben Plumley
In this special World AIDS Day episode, Emily Bass and Ben Plumley delve into the current and future state of the global AIDS response. Join them as they discuss the rise of Emily's influential Substack, the impact of recent US administration policies, and the essential roles played by...
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Reflecting on Global Health’s Many Eras with WHO's Andy Seale
In this episode of 'A Shot in The Arm Podcast,' host Ben Plumley reconnects with his longtime friend and colleague, Andy Seale from the World Health Organization. The conversation spans decades of their personal and professional journeys across global health, with a primary focus on HIV, TB, and...
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Fair Doses: Towards A Future of Vaccine Equity and Innovation with Dr. Seth Berkley
In this episode Ben Plumley catches up with Dr. Seth Berkley, founder of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, former CEO of GAVI and amongst other responsibilities, now a senior advisor at Brown University's School of Public Health's Pandemic Center. Seth has recently published a new book...
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Episode 07 - Colon, Meet Cancer: Cos You Gotta Have Faith
Ben’s journey of battling stage four colorectal cancer with chemotherapy brings him to a fairly predictable pit stop; what significance does faith have in spiritual and physical care? , Whether its unravelling deeper issues of self-acceptance and self-faith., the episode explores faith from…
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Episode 06 – Colon, Meet Cancer: Is it Assez Merdique Yet?
In this episode of 'Colon Meet Cancer,' Ben recounts the surprising success story of Henrik Gretzky's Symphony Number Three, how badly it was initially received by the musicology world and draws a surprising parallel to his chemotherapy journey. He shares the complex experience of managing an...
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Prescriptions for an American Public Health Revolution: Countering the Trump Administration’s Disastrous Assaults on our Health
It’s a Paul Revere moment, “RFK Junior is coming!” Ben is joined by author and journalist Emily Bass and UCSF Professor Eric Goosby, co-host of the Global Health Diplomats podcast to diagnose and propose solutions to the Trump Administration’s assault on US public health. From the hollowing out…
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To End a Plague… Again: A Conversation with Emily Bass
In this episode of A Shot in the Arm Podcast, host Ben Plumley engages in a comprehensive discussion with journalist and author Emily Bass about the current state of global health, specifically focusing on HIV/AIDS. Recorded in sunny Sacramento, they reflect on the extraordinary events of the…
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Episode 05 – Colon, Meet Cancer: Finding Chemo
As Ben starts his first chemotherapy cycle, he explores the controversial yet essential role of chemotherapy in cancer treatment. He looks at its historical roots and tries to understand the scientific mechanisms of various chemotherapies. He shares an intimate look at the highs and lows of his...
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State of AIDS: Moment of Crisis or Transformation with UNAIDS’ Winnie Byanyima
Ben and Yvette catch up with Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, as the joint UN program on HIV and AIDS launched a global AIDS update report entitled “AIDS, crisis and the power to transform”. They explore what levers are left to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, including...
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Biomedical Innovation Needs Local Community Participation with Solange Baptiste (ITPC) & Rosemary Mburu (WACI)
In this episode of A Shot in the Arm podcast, host Ben Plumley discusses the Kigali International AIDS Society Conference with guests Solange Baptiste from ITPC and Rosemary Mburu from WACI Health. They explore the importance of community voices in global health innovations, the challenges of...
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Episode 04 - Colon, Meet Cancer: Ouch!
Ben delves into the multifaceted experience of pain, beginning with a literary reference from Margaret Atwood. He shares personal anecdotes about blood draws, the insertion of a chemotherapy port, and the challenges of effectively communicating pain levels to healthcare professionals. Ben…
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Young Advocates from APHA’s Force on the Ground Discuss HIV Prevention at IAS 2025 Conference
In this special episode of the podcast, host Yvette Raphael and a panel of young female advocates take over the discussion at the IAS 2025 held in Kigali, Rwanda. The episode features insightful conversations with Sinehlanhla Gogela, Sihle Magwentshu, Siviwe Gaika, who are active members of the...
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Dr. mike Reid’s 7 Dead Ideas in Global Health and What Comes After
In this episode of A Shot in the Arm Podcast, host Ben Plumley welcomes Dr. mike Reid, Associate Director of Global Health Delivery and Economics at UCSF. The discussion centers on Reid's analysis of the 'seven dead ideas' in global health, criticizing outdated approaches such as the overreliance...
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Faith Communities and Public Health Strategies with Professor Heidi Larson and Dr. Nduku Kilonzo
In this episode of A Shot in the Arm podcast, host Ben Plumley is joined by Professor Heidi Larson, co-founder of the Global Listening Project, and Dr. Nduku Kilonzo, managing director of Yemaya Health Advisory. Recorded in during IAS 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda, the discussion centers on the…
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Long-Acting Injectibles’ Halo Effect on all HIV Prevention Options with Yvette Raphael and Gilead Sciences, Dr. Alex Kintu
In this episode, host Ben Plumley, along with co-host Yvette Raphael, reports from the International AIDS Society Scientific Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. They discuss significant advancements in HIV prevention, particularly the recent FDA approval of Lenacapavir, with Dr. Alex Kintu from Gilead...
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Reimagining the Global HIV Response: The Kigali Call to Action
In this episode of A Shot in the Arm Podcast, host Ben Plumley is joined by Dr. Judy Auerbach, Dr. Jirair Ratevosian, and Dr. Mumbi Chola to discuss the 2025 Kigali Call to Action, a call to action for the global HIV response. The conversation highlights the need for meaningful partnerships,...
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Country Leadership To Transform Global AIDS Responses: Insights from Dr. Nduku Kilonzo and Dr. Thembisile Xulu
The sudden termination of US overseas funding jolted AIDS programs in countries hardest hit by the epidemic. Yet the leaders of national AIDS programs had already been preparing for the day when donor funding ended. The HIV Leadership Forum, a community of practice of Directors General of…
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Strengthening the Health Ecosystem with the GLP’s Heidi Larson & GSK’s Susie Barnes
Ben Plumley is joined by Professor Heidi Larson, Co-founder and Chair of the Global Listening Project (GLP), and Susie Barnes, Senior Vice President of Global Medical Affairs for the Vaccines Division at GSK to discuss the importance of building trust and motivating awareness about new…
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Episode 3 - Colon, Meet Cancer: Hurry Up and Wait
A quick trip to the surgeon reveals that all is not as it seems, and Ben’s colon cancer journey takes a sharp turn almost as immediately as it starts. Multiple tumors during a surgery initially meant to remove a single cancerous mass lead to a diagnosis of metastasized colorectal cancer. And the...
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Episode 2 - Colon, Meet Cancer: Should I Be Worried?
Ben has a routine colonoscopy and comes out with an unexpected diagnosis – an ulcerated mass in his ascending colon. The gastroenterologist gives him his first tattoo ever, which is sadly visible only to the surgeon who will remove it. Ben has been living with Crohn’s Disease since he was a...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to A Shot In The Arm Podcast, where we take a deep dive into the heart of global health. Since our launch in 2019, we've released over 150 episodes that illuminate the intersection of innovation and equity in healthcare. Join me, your host Ben Plumley—a global infectious disease strategist and passionate HIV advocate, along with our expert team of co-hosts, as we engage in compelling, character-driven conversations with a diverse array of guests from around the world. Together, we explore the intricate connections between everyday lives and biomedical research, tackling pressing issues like pandemic preparedness, climate disruption, and the impact of conflict. Tune in as we uncover the stories and insights that shape our collective health narrative, making complex topics both entertaining and accessible. Let's embark on this journey to improve lives, one episode at a time!
HOSTED BY
Ben Plumley
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does A Shot in the Arm Podcast have?
A Shot in the Arm Podcast currently has 208 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is A Shot in the Arm Podcast about?
Welcome to A Shot In The Arm Podcast, where we take a deep dive into the heart of global health. Since our launch in 2019, we've released over 150 episodes that illuminate the intersection of innovation and equity in healthcare. Join me, your host Ben Plumley—a global infectious disease strategist...
How often does A Shot in the Arm Podcast release new episodes?
A Shot in the Arm Podcast publishes regularly with 208 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to A Shot in the Arm Podcast?
You can listen to A Shot in the Arm Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts A Shot in the Arm Podcast?
A Shot in the Arm Podcast is created and hosted by Ben Plumley.
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