On Becoming a People Doctor

This week on EMRA*Cast, Dr. Jay Kaplan shares compelling insights on the evolution of emergency medicine and the art of being a 'people doctor.' Join host Blythe Fiscella, MD, for a heartfelt conversation that's sure to inspire! Get tips on overcoming moral injury, finding your fit in medicine, and running a marathon instead of a sprint.

Dr. Sean Nordt is an emergency physician, toxicologist, pharmacist, and educator with deep expertise at the intersection of clinical toxicology, addiction medicine, and frontline emergency care. As a former Poison Center director, he brings a wealth of insight to a discussion with host Dr. Lauren Rosenfeld. Let's get into it! Tune in as Dr. Nordt explains an increasingly common—and often misunderstood—ED presentation: kratom.

The CDC and ACEP both recommend opt-out screening for HIV in most emergency departments, though this practice is far from widespread. Host Peter Lorenz, MD, sits down with Emory University's Emma Sizemore, MD, MPH, to discuss the nuances of implementing an opt-out HIV and HCV screening program in the emergency department.

Buprenorphine is well-known for opioid use disorder—but what about for acute pain? Drs. Terry Ahern and Jon Lee join host Maiya Smith to discuss low-dose buprenorphine for pain management in the emergency room, covering pharmacology, dosing, patient selection, and why it may be a safer, underused analgesic.  

One talk with Dr. Fred Kency, and you will appreciate not only a strong work ethic, but also ingenuity and a passion for all aspects of the field of medicine. Join EMRA*Cast host Dr. D'Monte "TP" Farley for a stimulating conversation on ways to stay inspired and motivated in your career.  Publisher's note: This conversation was recorded at the ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference 2025, where emergency medicine visits Capitol Hill en masse to advocate for patients and practitioners. The EMRA Representative Council will hold its Spring Representative Council meeting in conjunction with LAC in April 2026.

In this episode of EMRA*Cast's "Bridging Health and Humanity," host Natalie Hernandez interviews Dr. Jailyn Avila about the importance of gender-affirming care in the emergency department. Dr. Avila highlights the significant health disparities and challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ patients, including a reluctance to seek care in the ED due to fear of discrimination and past negative experiences. The conversation covers the critical aspect of treating trans patients with the same respect and care as cis patients, avoiding irrelevant medical questions, and implementing small changes in practice to create a supportive environment. Dr. Avila shares personal experiences as a transgender woman, emphasizes the necessity of advocacy, and provides actionable steps for clinicians to improve the care and trust of LGBTQIA+ patients. The episode also addresses the impact of recent restrictive policies on the health care of trans individuals and calls for education, advocacy, and systemic change to support this vulnerable population.

Whether you're days from becoming an attending or just trying to figure out how to get a BP on a pulseless patient, this episode will help you go from fear to confidence in managing LVADs in the emergency department. Join EMRA*Cast host Dr. Maiya Smith and guest Dr. Anna Ciullo as they review how to assess perfusion, manage complications, and decide on CPR. From pump thrombosis to GI bleeds, we help you stay calm and take control.

Laceration repair is not uncommon in the emergency department. In this episode, we get some expert tips for emergency physicians from a plastic surgery colleague. Join Dr. Kimberly Fiscella of Albany Medical Center and host Dr. Blythe Fiscella of ChristianaCare to pick up some essential pearls on suturing and skin/soft tissue injury management in the ER.

In this EMRACast episode, hosts Lauren Rosenfeld and D'Monte Farley sit down with Dr. Mel Herbert, emergency physician, educator, and writer/medical consultant for The Pitt, the hit TV drama inspired by life in the emergency department.

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.