Doctors Are People Too

In this episode, Dr. Josh Belfer sits down with Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli - emergency physician, attorney, and Co-President/CEO of Cooper University Health Care - for a fascinating discussion on the present and future of artificial intelligence in medicine.While much of the conversation around AI has focused on ambient documentation and note-writing, "Dr. Mazz" argues that we're only seeing the beginning. From real-time clinical decision support and quality improvement initiatives to transforming medical education and physician workflows, AI has the potential to fundamentally change how healthcare is delivered.Together, they discuss:Why ambient scribes have been adopted so rapidlyHow AI may soon support clinical decisions at the bedsideThe role of Epic Cosmos and large-scale healthcare datasetsWhat AI means for residents, medical students, and physician trainingHow healthcare systems are using AI to improve quality and safetyWhy physician adoption may be a bigger challenge than the technology itselfThe three skills future physicians will need to thriveDr. Mazzarelli offers an optimistic but practical perspective on how clinicians can embrace these tools while preserving the human connection that remains at the heart of medicine.

In this conversation, Dr. Jason Fisher (Division Head of Emergency Medicine at SickKids | The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto) breaks down how artificial intelligence is already being implemented in the pediatric emergency department - and what it means for the future of care delivery. We explore real-world applications of AI across emergency department operations, including predicting patient volumes and admissions at triage, improving patient flow, identifying high-risk patients in real time, and enhancing both provider and patient experience. Dr. Fisher outlines a practical framework for thinking about AI in layers - from operations and workflow to clinical decision-making and longitudinal care. Looking ahead, we discuss the major challenges facing AI integration in pediatric emergency medicine, including regulation, safety, and the growing dependence on centralized AI platforms. Dr. Fisher also shares a compelling vision for the future physician, describing how roles may evolve into “pioneers, guardians, and stewards” in an AI-driven healthcare system. Check out the video conversation and additional AI and Pediatric Emergency Medicine content at www.HipPEMcrates.com

For many practicing pediatric emergency physicians, measles feels like a disease from another era. In fact, measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. But over the past several years, declining vaccination rates and increasing global circulation have pushed measles back into the clinical conversation. The reality is that many emergency clinicians today have never seen a true case of measles. Yet with outbreaks occurring across the country and internationally, the next febrile child with rash in your ED might not just have another viral exanthem. To help clinicians recognize and manage measles in the emergency department, I spoke with Dr. Danielle Daniels, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at SUNY Upstate, and Dr. Gregory Conners, pediatric emergency physician and Chair of Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate. Their recent review article in Pediatric Emergency Care walks through the key issues clinicians need to know – from early recognition and isolation to testing, complications, and practical ED management. measles-recording In the conversation below, we discuss:Why measles is resurgingThe biggest knowledge gaps among clinicians todayEarly clinical clues (including Koplik spots)Isolation and ED workflowTesting strategies and complicationsAnd the three key takeaways every ED clinician should remember when evaluating a febrile rash illness.Check out the video conversation and additional Pediatric Emergency Medicine content at www.HipPEMcrates.com

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from theory to the bedside in pediatric emergency medicine. In this episode, Dr. Selin Sagalowsky - Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine - joins the show to discuss how AI is already being used to support medical education and how it may soon reshape day-to-day clinical care in the pediatric emergency department.We explore how AI and educational informatics can help better understand trainee clinical exposure, personalize learning, and potentially link education to patient-centered outcomes. Dr. Sagalowsky also shares her vision of AI as a future “co-pilot” in the ED, offering real-time clinical decision support, while highlighting important risks around de-skilling, safety, validation, and the preservation of adaptive expertise and professional identity.This conversation kicks off a broader interview series with pediatric emergency physicians and educators exploring what AI means for the future of PEM - both the opportunities and the challenges as these tools become more integrated into clinical practice and training.Check out the video conversation and additional AI and Pediatric Emergency Medicine content at www.HipPEMcrates.com

🎙 Welcome back to Doctors Are People Too! In this powerful episode, we dive into the chaos, coordination, and critical decision-making behind mass casualty incidents (MCIs) — with the expertise of Dr. Matt Harris, a pediatric emergency physician at Cohen Children's Medical Center and nationally recognized leader in disaster preparedness.Episode Highlights:🔹 What is an MCI? Dr. Harris breaks down the pediatric lens of mass casualty events and what defines one in different hospital settings.🔹 Planning from the Ground Up – From trauma bays to blood banks, hear how top children’s hospitals prepare for large-scale emergencies — and what most people overlook.🔹 Pre-Hospital to Post-Event – Why your EMS partnerships matter before the sirens, and what happens after the adrenaline fades.🔹 What Actually Happens When the Call Comes In – A real-time walkthrough of the first 5 minutes after a school bus crash with dozens of injured kids.🩺 Key Takeaways:✅ The non-negotiables of a hospital MCI plan.✅ What it means to "set the tone" as a leader under pressure.✅ How drills, logistics, and even vest colors can save lives.📢 Whether you're a frontline clinician, an educator, or a medical student watching The Pitt — this episode will change the way you think about emergency readiness.#DoctorsArePeopleToo #MassCasualty #PediatricEmergency #DisasterPreparedness #HospitalLeadership #ThePitt #EmergencyMedicine #MCIs

🎙 Welcome back to Doctors Are People Too! We’re back with an exciting episode featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into MAX's The Pitt, the gripping new medical drama that’s taking over television and the medical world.Episode Highlights:🔹 The Realism of The Pitt – Why this show stands out from traditional medical dramas, breaking down an ER shift hour by hour.🔹 Fan Reactions – Dr. Bob Belfer, a pediatric emergency medicine physician, and Gail Belfer, a social worker, share their thoughts on what The Pitt gets right.🔹 Interview with Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah – A pediatric emergency physician and medical consultant for The Pitt discusses her role in shaping the show’s authenticity. Hear about the medical cases she pitched to the writers that made it into the series!🔹 Behind the Scenes with Actor Patrick Ball – Patrick Ball, who plays Dr. Frank Langdon, talks about his journey to the role, his medical training for the show, and the emotional impact of filming high-intensity scenes.🩺 Key Takeaways:✅ How The Pitt is setting a new standard for medical dramas.✅ The importance of accurate medical representation in Hollywood.✅ The real-life challenges emergency physicians face every day.📺 If you're already a fan of the show, you’ll love these exclusive insights. And if you haven’t watched yet, you will after this episode!💬 Follow us for more engaging discussions on medicine, media, and pop culture!📲 More about our guests:Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah on Instagram and TikTokPatrick Ball on Instagram#DoctorsArePeopleToo #ThePitt #MedicalDrama #Podcast #EmergencyMedicine #BehindTheScenes #HollywoodMedicine

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks to one of his closest friends in medicine (and outside of it) Dr. Kinjal Desai. Dr. Desai is a pediatric cardiologist, and is finishing her training in pediatric intensive care. Josh and Kinjal speak about their journeys from medical school to fellowship. They discuss the important mentors they had throughout their medical training, and the qualities that make a great medical student, resident, and physician. Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram!

We are back with the first episode of SEASON 2! Dr. Josh Belfer speaks to one of his role models and greatest influences - his dad! Dr. Robert Belfer is a pediatric emergency medicine doctor and the host of the CHOP PEM Podcast. Josh and his dad talk about their decisions to go into medicine, the strong influence of Josh's mother and grandparents, and what it is like working in a busy pediatric emergency room. Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer continues his discussion with his high school classmate and good friend Dr. Levi Mulladzhanov, an anesthesiologist in Philadelphia. In part two of an ongoing series of discussions between the two, the pair talk about Dr. Levi's path to anesthesia, how they manage the pressures of high intensity medical situations, and begin to explore the challenges of residency. Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram and TikTok!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with his high school classmate and good friend Dr. Levi Mulladzhanov, an anesthesiologist in Philadelphia. In part one of an ongoing series of discussions between the two, the pair reminisce about the beginnings of their friendship, why they chose to go into medicine, and the hardships of medical school.Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram and TikTok!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Olga Kudinenko, founder and chair of the board of the Tabletochki Charity Foundation. Tabletochki is the biggest childhood cancer charity in Ukraine, and helps to support pediatric patients and their families through every aspect of cancer treatment. Olga describes why she created the foundation, how it has grown exponentially over the last 10 years, and how the war in Ukraine has impacted the work that the foundation is doing. Learn more about Tabletochki, including opportunities to donate, here.Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram and TikTok!This week's episode is presented by FIGS. Use the code DAPT at wearFIGS.com for 15% off your first order.

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Julie La Barba, pediatrician and host of the Paging Dr. Mom podcast. Dr. La Barba speaks about her unique path to medicine (spoiler: it includes a stint in France!), her own experience as a patient, and how she has established a community of physician mothers supporting each other through her podcast!Check out Dr. Julie La Barba on the Paging Dr. Mom podcast. Check out more of the Doctors Are People Too podcast on Instagram and TikTok!This week's episode is presented by Mommabear Organics. Use the code SPRING15 at www.mommabearusa.com for 15% off.

Dr. Josh Belfer continues his discussion with Dr. Tiffany Moon, an anesthesiologist, entrepreneur, and star of Bravo TV's The Real Housewives of Dallas. Dr. Moon talks about how she thinks it's time for a reality show about the world of anesthesia. She also speaks about her entrepreneurial pursuits and the secret to her success!Follow Dr. Moon on Instagram and TikTok.Use the code DAPT at checkout for a discount on Dr. Moon's Aroma-sthesia candles!Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Tiffany Moon, an anesthesiologist, entrepreneur, and star of Bravo TV's The Real Housewives of Dallas. Dr. Moon speaks about her decision to pursue anesthesia and reflects on being a frontline worker during COVID. She also speaks about how she decided to join The Real Housewives, and how her experience on reality television has impacted her medical career.Follow Dr. Moon on Instagram and TikTok.Use the code DAPT at checkout for a discount on Dr. Moon's Aroma-sthesia candles!Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Wesley Greenblatt, a pediatrician at Boston Children's Hospital and PhD candidate at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Dr. Greenblatt tells us the story of the Yellow Berets, a group of medical researchers who trained during the Vietnam War at the National Institute of Health's Associate Training Program. After an unexpected discovery of notecards detailing the names of applicants who were not accepted into the program, Dr. Greenblatt and his team were able to compare the careers and accomplishments of those who were trained in the program with those who were not. Their results will both surprise and fascinate you! Read more about the Yellow Berets here and here. Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer continues his discussion with Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, cardiologist and evolutionary biologist, about the concept of One Health. They discuss how we can learn about mental illness from animals, and why medical students are spending more time learning about medicine at the zoo. Read more about Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and her work here. Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, cardiologist and evolutionary biologist, about a species-spanning approach to health. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz explains the concept of One Health, and how studying animal health can help shed light on how we treat medical and psychiatric disease in humans. She provides countless examples of the health connection between humans, animals, and their shared environments. Read more about Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and her work here. Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Malinda McPherson, a postdoctoral associate in the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and member of this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Dr. McPherson studies pitch perception and the interpretation of sound, and has set out to answer the question of whether we interpret sound and combination of notes in the same way as other cultures. Read Dr. McPherson's study here, and watch the visual abstract here. Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Joel Fish, Director of the Center for Sport Psychology. Dr. Fish, a nationally renowned sports psychologist, discusses his experience working with athletes of all ages and levels. He sheds light on the mental side of sport, how athletes become elite, and the impact of fans on professional athletes. Find out more about Dr. Joel Fish and the Center for Sports Psychology at https://www.psychologyofsport.com/Follow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Iryna Kyporenko, a journalist currently reporting from Ukraine. She talks about the reality of the situation in Ukraine. Read Iryna's article on the children's hospital in Kyiv here.Help the children of Ukraine by contributing here.

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Dmytro Ishchenko, a neurosurgeon at Kyiv's Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital. He describes the devastation that is taking place in his home country, and his efforts to take care of patients at the hospital. Help the children of Ukraine by contributing here.

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Susan Landau, professor in cybersecurity and policy at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Dr. Landau discusses the utility of contact tracing apps in public health efforts around the COVID-19 pandemic, and the important questions around equity and privacy that need to be considered.Check out Dr. Landau's book titled "People Count: Contact-Tracing Apps and Public Health" HEREFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Joseph Maroon, the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dr. Maroon discusses what the NFL has done to make the game of football safer, and the changing perceptions of concussions and mental health in professional football. Follow Dr. Maroon on Twitter: @DrJosephMaroonFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Joseph Maroon, a neurosurgeon who serves as the medical director of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Dr. Maroon discusses his path from youth athlete to neurosurgeon, the unique challenges that WWE wrestlers pose as a patient population, and what the WWE is doing to protect the health and safety of their wrestlers. Follow Dr. Maroon on Twitter: @DrJosephMaroonFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Natasha Sheybani, PhD, a scientist who studies focused ultrasound technology for the treatment of cancer. Dr. Sheybani explains her unique path from working in a college laboratory at 14 years old to having her own lab and being named one of Forbes Magazine's "30 Under 30." She describes how ultrasound can be used to treat cancer, the promising future of this technology, and what mentorship means to her! Follow Dr. Sheybani on Twitter: @ndsheybaniTo learn more about focused ultrasound, click hereFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer continues his discussion with Dr. Oren Gottfried, a neurosurgeon who serves as a medical advisor and writer for medical television shows. They speak about Dr. Gottfried's foray into acting, his thoughts on medical television shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs, and play a game of "Explain Your Tweet!"Follow Dr. Oren Gottfried on Twitter: @OGdukeneurosurgFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Dr. Josh Belfer speaks with Dr. Oren Gottfried, a neurosurgeon who serves as a medical advisor and writer for medical television shows. In part 1, we talk about Dr. Gottfried's work on shows like The Good Doctor and Chicago Med, the similarities between an operating room and a writers' room, and the craziest questions he's been asked on set!Follow Dr. Oren Gottfried on Twitter: @OGdukeneurosurgFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? Message us on Instagram!

Josh continues his conversation with Dr. Michael Harrison, an aerospace medicine specialist. We talk about the challenges of doing CPR in space, astronauts using ultrasound, and how commercial space travel will impact aerospace medicine.Follow Dr. Michael Harrison on Twitter: @AeroDocHarrisonFollow the podcast on Instagram: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendation? DM us on Instagram!

Josh speaks with Dr. Michael Harrison, an aerospace medicine specialist. In part 1, we talk about the unique challenges of taking care of astronauts in space, what happens when a space traveler becomes ill, and what going to Mars means for astronauts' health. Follow Dr. Michael Harrison on Twitter: @AeroDocHarrisonFollow the podcast on Instagram at: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastHave a question, comment, or guest recommendations? DM us on Instagram!

Welcome to the Doctors Are People Too podcast, where Dr. Josh Belfer takes you on a journey exploring the intersection of medicine, sports, and pop culture!Follow on Instagram at: @doctorsarepeopletoopodcastEmail questions or feedback to: [email protected]