The emergency department offers critical access to health care in our broken system. An important skillset of the modern emergency medicine physician is a set of low-risk, low-time commitment, high-benefit interventions for the management of chronic diseases. In this episode, we discuss the diagnosis and management of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma, alcohol use disorder, and tobacco use disorder from the emergency department.

Career-switching into medicine as a second profession might not be typical, but it’s not out of reach - just ask Dr. Rob Lowe, an aerospace engineer for 6+ years before trading in his flight simulator for a stethoscope. Dr. Lowe joins the show to detail his previous experiences, discuss commonalities between engineering and emergency medicine, and ultimately inspire any career-changers to keep pushing forward.

In this episode of “Bridging Health and Humanity,” hosted by Dr. Natalie Hernandez, the focus is on the effects of current immigration policies and enforcement tactics on the health of vulnerable communities. The discussion features Dr. Rose Diaz and Dr. Sarah Lopez, both advocates for immigrant health, who share their insights on changes in immigration policy, including the revocation of “sensitive location” protections and adjustments to the public charge rule. They delve into the broader impact of these policies on patient trust and public health, including delayed care and increased health care costs. The segment also explores how health care teams can support immigrant communities through advocacy, education, and understanding legal protections. The episode concludes with hopeful reflections and practical advice for medical professionals committed to supporting these marginalized populations.