Pediatric cardiologist and educator Dr. Josh Daily joins the show to unpack one of the most pivotal and pressure-filled decisions in medicine: choosing your specialty. From the subtle influence of faculty feedback to the emotional weight of tough rotations, Dr. Daily shares how emotional and cognitive biases often shape career paths more than we realize.

In a system that expects clarity before exposure, how can students make informed, fulfilling choices? And what happens when a choice made under pressure leads to burnout later on? Dr. Daily reflects on his own journey, the power of mentorship, and why matching your specialty to your values matters more than chasing prestige. This episode dives deep into the hidden forces behind specialty selection; from confirmation bias and emotional fatigue to the role of coaching, aptitude testing, and systemic reform. We also explore how AI and wearable tech may influence the future of care and whether they’ll help or hinder the next generation of physicians.

If you’ve ever questioned your path in medicine (or are guiding someone through theirs), this one’s for you. Tune in for practical insights, candid reflections, and a conversation that challenges the status quo of medical training.

What’s it really like to train in medicine today? Internal medicine-pediatrics physicians Michael Jerkins, MD, M.Ed and Ned Palmer, MD, MPH dive into the results of the Panacea Financial 2025 Annual Residents and Fellows Survey, which captured the voices of nearly 500 medical trainees across the country. The findings? Over half of respondents reported feeling extremely financially stressed—and the stories behind that number paint a deeper picture of the challenges facing today’s doctors-in-training.

From rising living costs and ballooning student debt to the emotional weight of working long hours while living paycheck to paycheck, Drs. Jerkins and Palmer explore the toll this financial pressure is taking on the future of medicine. They unpack why student loan stress jumped 26% in just one year, what it means when 1 in 3 trainees wouldn’t choose medicine again, and how instability is hitting certain specialties the hardest.

What can we learn from the doctors who are still in the thick of it? How does financial stress impact patient care and what could a better training system actually look like? With data, personal insights, and a dose of realism, this episode is a candid look at what’s working, what’s broken, and why meaningful reform matters now more than ever. Tune in to hear what today’s residents and fellows really want you to know.

Internal medicine-pediatrics physician, educator, and Panacea Financial co-founder Dr. Michael Jerkins joins us as a guest to share his journey through medicine. From his early days in Memphis to residency in Cincinnati, Dr. Jerkins experienced firsthand the pressures of medical education, ballooning student debt, and the emotional toll of ICU rotations.

But what if the system could be different? What if medical school were shorter, more affordable, and designed for how we actually learn today? In this episode, Dr. Jerkins opens up about the parts of his training that now feel obsolete, the lessons hidden inside six-figure student loans, and why AI might just be the assistant doctors didn’t know they needed.

How do you stay human in a system that sometimes forgets you are one? What would you change if you had a magic wand—and what does ska music have to do with any of it? Dr. Jerkins shares honest reflections, practical ideas, and plenty of humor in a conversation that reminds us why medicine needs both heart and reform. Tune in for a thoughtful look at what it takes to practice with intention in a world that’s constantly evolving.