Tomás, Christian and Rosny interview Michael, an emergency physician and healthcare administrator who founded a major public sector physician union in California. Emphasizing the contrast between public and private legal frameworks, Michael outlines what a union is, the history of unionisation in the US and argues for the advantages of joining one as a physician.

The conversation highlights how physician unions agitate for better working conditions with patient care in mind. The doctors discuss the tensions between professionalism and unionism as well as public perception of unions, citing the Committee of Interns and Residents’ 1970s patient care fund and the 2026 nurses’ strike in New York. They also cover the ethics of strike action and predict growing physician unionization efforts amid the twin economical landscapes of corporate medicine and private equity.

“The meaning of professionalism evolved over the past two centuries, from sacred vocation to secular occupational identity. During the 19th century and most of the 20th centuries, taking up a profession was a socially approved route to middle class status. Samuel Haber puts it this way – a profession in the 18th century was an occupation that a gentleman could take up ‘without demeaning himself and, more wondrously, an occupation that might make someone a gentleman simply by his taking it out’”. – Grace Budrys - When Doctors Join Unions (Cornell University Press, 1997)

This episode was recorded remotely in March 2026. Presented by Christian, Tomás and Rosny. Music by Nylonia. Produced by Ilia Rogatchevski.

Follow Doctor Friends on Instagram @doctorfriendspodcast

Or write to us on doctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do people turn to chatbots when seeking medical advice? Is it due to cost, out-of-hours access or simply wanting to feel heard? Christian, Tomás and Grace discuss why patients and clinicians are increasingly using Large Language Models (LLMs) in medical contexts and what that means for the American healthcare system.

The doctors examine how certain attributes of LLMs such as sycophancy and engagement incentives can amplify anxiety, delusions or unrealistic expectations. The lack of accountability by big tech can also undermine trust for patients and healthcare practitioners alike. They raise concerns about training data quality (medical journals mixed with sources like Reddit) and the need for citations, transparency and regulation comparable to healthcare quality oversight. They also ask ChatGPT what it thinks about guardrails and risk controls!

This conversation is spurred on by two New York Times articles (What OpenAI Did When ChatGPT Users Lost Touch With Reality; Empathetic, Available, Cheap: When A.I. Offers What Doctors Don’t).

If you or someone you know needs help, in the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. If you’re listening in another part of the world, international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.

The episode was recorded remotely in November 2025. Presented by Christian, Tomás and Grace. Music by Nylonia. Produced by Ilia Rogatchevski.

Follow Doctor Friends on Instagram @doctorfriendspodcast

Or write to us on doctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Doctor Friends, emergency physicians Rosny, Christian, Tomás and Grace are joined by Dr. Taylor Nichols, MD – an addiction medicine specialist. The discussion covers substance use disorders and the concept of harm reduction. Taylor shares insights into the impact of drug use on medical practice, his experiences in emergency medicine and the importance of approaching substance use with empathy and evidence-based practices. The doctors also unpack some of the stigma around harm reduction and propose policy-level solutions like overdose prevention sites and medically-assisted treatment.

This episode was recorded remotely in January 2026. Presented by Rosny, Christian, Tomás, and Grace. Music by Nylonia. Produced by Ilia Rogatchevski.

Follow Doctor Friends on Instagram @doctorfriendspodcast

Or write to us on doctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com

Follow Taylor on TikTok @tnicholsmd and make sure to check out his podcast Recovery Reform, which is available on your favourite podcast app and YouTube.

Substance abuse and mental health services administration SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

Safespot Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.