GLP-1s have taken the country by storm. Patients are losing and keeping off weight at levels previously only seen through bariatric surgery. Research trials have shown the drugs to be effective at reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. They protect the kidneys, reduce sleep apnea, and treat fatty liver and peripheral artery disease – all while being studied for a laundry-list of additional indications. The drugs originally designed for glucose control in diabetes are transforming lives — and raising big social questions.

Our guest on this episode is Dr. Marilyn Tan, clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University and chief of the Endocrine Clinic at Stanford Health Care. Dr. Tan focuses on diabetes management in both her clinical practice and research, and she is on the front lines of using GLP1-1s in patient care.

Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Tan provides a brief history of the development of GLP-1s and describes just how large a leap forward these medications are in weight management. We discuss the patient experience of being on GLP-1s for weight loss – and the stunningly wide array of other uses for the drug beyond weight loss and diabetes. Finally, we discuss the curious effect these medications seem to have on cravings beyond food, and reflect on the use of GLP-1s in the context of an addiction-saturated society.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

2:37 - Dr. Tan’s path to endocrinology and her work in the field

7:45 - The challenges and rewards inherent in treating a disease like obesity or diabetes that is strongly affected by factors beyond the control of the patient but still requires behavioral interventions

15:45 - The landscape of obesity treatment prior to GLP-1s

22:45 - How GLP-1s function and how they differ from the drugs that came before them

28:10 - Common patient experiences and treatment courses with GLP-1s

35:30 - The growing evidence that GLP-1s can be effective in treating addiction, and the complexity of medicating individuals to address issues with systemic roots

49:00 - Improving your overall health while living a busy life

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.

Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2026

The hospital can be a harsh backdrop to many of life’s most pivotal events. Alarms blare at inopportune times, rounding doctors intrude on delicate conversations, and vigilant nurses disrupt rare periods of rest. All the chaos can add to the stress of a patient’s hospital stay and create an emotionally discordant experience — seemingly out of step with the profound grief, joy, or intimacy one might expect to accompany the weighty moments that happen in the hospital. In the face of this challenging environment, what can be done to connect patients to the emotional threads of their lives — to invite meaning during these critical times? The answer, at least in part, may lie in music.

Our guest on this episode is Melanie Ambler, fourth-year medical student at Stanford and professional cellist. As an undergraduate at Brown, Melanie began researching the intersection of music and medicine. She then completed a Fulbright fellowship in France where her master’s work centered on the effect of music on patients with dementia. Once she got to Stanford, Melanie and her cello Shelby got to work bringing music to hospitalized patients. In 2024, she founded Musical Rounds – a music and storytelling project for patients in palliative care.

Over the course of our conversation, Melanie shares how her musical and medical journeys melded into one. We discuss the power of music to prompt reflection, draw out stories, and even transform the ugliness of the hospital into beauty. Best of all, Melanie plays for us live while sharing her early patient experiences that motivate her work at Musical Rounds — including the launch of her new Musical Rounds podcast.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

3:00 - How playing the cello became a central part of Melanie’s life

13:45 - Melanie play a piece that showcases the beauty of the cello

18:10 - How Melanie became interested in medicine

27:10 - How Melanie merged music and medicine in her research and in the hospital

46:00 - Reflections on the power of music in the lives of physicians

52:00 - How Melanie’s non-profit organization Musical Rounds is working to provide patients moments of reflection through music and storytelling

55:22 - A patient story that exemplifies the power of music at a patient’s bedside

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.

Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2026

Many patients interpret their illness through the lens of their religious tradition. Sometimes this process brings hope, comfort, or growth – but other times it compounds their suffering. What are patients supposed to do when they don’t see their lives reflected in the religious stories they cherish? And how can physicians recognize and respond to spiritual suffering that is layered on top of the physical?

Our guest on this episode is Dr. Jonathan Weinkle, clinical assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Weinkle practices Internal and Pediatric medicine at Squirrel Hill Health Center – a health center focused on overcoming economic, cultural, and logistical barriers to health care. He serves as a consultant to the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and as the medical director of the Physician Assistant Program at Chatham University. In 2025, he published his book From Illness to Exodus with the goal of helping patients and healers navigate illness – using one of the world’s oldest stories.

Over the course of our conversation, Dr. Weinkle shares insights from the story of the Jewish Exodus that may help patients feeling trapped in the “narrow place” of illness. We discuss the spiritual and emotional complexity faced by patients whose own illness stories don’t end with a miraculous escape. Finally, we reflect on the importance of healers who understand their patients’ “idioms of distress” and who can attune to their suffering.

On this episode, you’ll hear about:

2:45 - How Dr. Weinkle found his way to a career in Med-Peds, and the many hats he wears in his current work

9:00 - Dr. Weinkle’s views on balancing faith and science in medicine

16:00 - The cultural importance and traditions of Passover in the Jewish faith

21:30 - How the lessons of the Passover can be connected to medicine and healing

28:45 - Why Dr. Weinkle chose to write a book for healers

40:00 - Dr. Weinkle’s advice for identifying and responding to a patient’s taxonomy of distress

47:30 - Attending to suffering when it cannot be ‘fixed’

52:25 - How healers can use ritual to center themselves in their work

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.

Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2026