Épisodes

  • Med Students Take the Hot Nugget Challenge

    Med Students Take the Hot Nugget Challenge
    Jan 22 2026
    [Content warning: Dave did his best to remove sniffles.] Spicy chicken nuggets, bad decisions, and what happens when medical students test their heat tolerance on mic What happens when medical students, extremely spicy chicken nuggets, and microphones collide? Regret. M1s Reed Adajaar, Trever Maiers, Ben Cooper, and Matt Taylor assigned themselves a Hot Ones–style challenge featuring progressively hotter sauces on chicken nuggets. Confidence is high at the start. That does not last. As the Scoville units climb, so do the sweating, the panic, and the chaos at the table. Milk appears. Milk fails. Conversation continues anyway—exploring their goals for a new semester, their knowledge of anatomy, and how their past experiences are serving them as they go through med school. Things start off mostly coherent, move towards entertaining attempts at coherence, and finally devolving into incoherence as the magnitude of their error in suggesting this episode becomes truly apparent. This episode is light on medicine, heavy on heat, and fully committed to the bit. If you’ve ever said “How bad could it be?”—this episode has an answer. Episode credits: Producer: Trever MaiersCo-hosts: Ben Cooper, Matt Taylor, Reed Adajaar The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
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    57 min
  • Tips and Tricks for Crushing it in Clerkships

    Tips and Tricks for Crushing it in Clerkships
    Jan 15 2026
    What to expect for med students moving from classroom to exam room The beginning of clerkships mark a medical student’s progress from theoretical learning to practical application of what they’ve been taught. This past week, our M2s received a 4-day long orientation to clerkships (we call it “transitions week”), and M2s Samantha Gardner and Alexis Baker were joined by M3s Fallon Jung and Zach Case to talk about this important milestone. What are clerkships like? How will students know what to actually do? Who will they be working with? What are residents and attendings looking for when they evaluate a clerkship student? How should they react when a patient says something out-of-pocket? There’s so much to be learned in clerkships…including that they really are prepared to enter the real world, even if they don’t yet feel it! Episode credits: Producer: Fallon JungCo-hosts: Zach Case, Samantha Gardner, Alexis Backer The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
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    1 h et 5 min
  • They Way Most Docs are Paid Doesn’t Lead to Healthier Patients (Recess Rehash)

    They Way Most Docs are Paid Doesn’t Lead to Healthier Patients (Recess Rehash)
    Jan 8 2026
    [ICYMI, here’s a rerun of a show released earlier this year. We’ll be back with new shows starting next week!] How the system pays doctors can change healthcare outcomes—sometimes in scary ways. The way docs are paid can make patients sicker…or can lead to healthier ones. The payment schemes most docs work under incentivize them to fix patients, while others motivate them to prevent illness—and geriatrician Dr. Jonathan “Nathan” Flacker is here to explain why. This episode rips the curtain off RVUs, fee-for-service traps, and the real reason your doc is rushing through your visit (hint: it’s not personal, it’s math). We dig into ChenMed’s wild idea: what if clinics got paid to keep you out of the hospital? Turns out, when money flows toward health instead of procedures, everyone wins. Except maybe the $400M proton beam facility (for the record, we love proton beams, but you might not need them if you can avoid cancer altogether). Is concierge-style medicine only for the wealthy? What happens when you build “rich person care” for low-income seniors? And how many patients can a doc see well before it all breaks? If you’re dreaming of a career where you actually help people instead of just clicking boxes—this one’s a wake-up call. Also: Love calls, RVU debt, and why pajama time should be illegal. Episode credits: Producer: Jeff GoddardCo-hosts: Riley Behan-Bush, Zach Grissom, Alex NiggGuest: Dr. Jonathan “Nathan” Flacker, ChenMed We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you. Music provided by Argofox. License: bit.ly/CCAttributionDOCTOR VOX – Heatstroke: youtu.be/j1n1zlxzyRE Catmosphere – Candy-Coloured Sky: youtu.be/AZjYZ8Kjgs8Hexalyte – Wandering Hours: youtu.be/FOAo2zsYnvA
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    1 h et 12 min
  • Demand to Be Called ‘Doctor,’ or Let It Slide (AITA)? (Recess Rehash)

    Demand to Be Called ‘Doctor,’ or Let It Slide (AITA)? (Recess Rehash)
    Jan 2 2026
    [It’s winter break, and everything has come to a halt here, including podcasting. We’ll be back soon, promise!] Reddit’s “Am I the Asshole?” makes us question everything Reddit’s “AITA?” brings out the best and worst in people—and this week, we’re analyzing some choice cases through the lens of med school. M1s Srishti Mathur, Sahana Sarin, Maria Schapfel, and Mahaasrei Ghosh debate whether people in these scenarios are truly in the wrong or just victims of someone having a very bad day. We break down the pressure on pre-meds and med students to do research, the value of publications, and the “gunner” mentality. Is bench research a necessary evil, or are pre-meds wasting their time? When is it appropriate to insist on being called ‘Doctor?’ Is it okay to go nuclear to take someone down a notch when they need it? Is a degree in design and marketing as important as an MD? It’s a chaotic mix of ethics, egos, and existential crises—so strap in. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you. Music provided by Argofox. License: bit.ly/CCAttributionDOCTOR VOX – Heatstroke: youtu.be/j1n1zlxzyRE Catmosphere – Candy-Coloured Sky: youtu.be/AZjYZ8Kjgs8Hexalyte – Wandering Hours: youtu.be/FOAo2zsYnvA
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    1 h et 7 min
  • Another Path to Med School: Masters of Clinical Anatomy

    Another Path to Med School: Masters of Clinical Anatomy
    Dec 26 2025
    An alternative to postbac programs? Postbac programs are okay, but what if there was another path to medical school? M2s Sarah Upton, Alec Marticoff, and Kevin Gubner host the program directors of the Carver College of Medicine’s Masters of Clinical Anatomy Program. Interestingly, each co-host decided to get a MCA to make up for some shortcomings in their med school applications, whether it was soft a GPA or a lack of applicable hard science education. To do that, they could have done any number of things–like an expensive post-baccalaureate program that offers no degree–but instead they chose to seek an MCA degree to pave their way to medical school. Co-directors Marc Pizzimenti and Emma Handler visited with The Short Coat to discuss the program, what it’s like for students, and the additional skills that they got, including instruction in teaching…something they wouldn’t have gotten in a postbac program. In the end, the MCA program not only taught them anatomy–something they’d definitely need as physicians someday–but also helped them fix their undergrad shortcomings, readied them for the rigors of studying medicine, and built their teaching skills–all with an incredible student-faculty ratio they wouldn’t have gotten in many other degree programs. Plus they get to tack on some sweet letters after their names! Episode credits: Producer: Sarah UptonCo-hosts: Alec Marticoff, Kevin GubnerGuests: Marc Pizzimenti, PhD, MA, BEd; Emma Handler, PhD The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
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    1 h et 10 min
  • The Unexpected Power of Student Doctors (Recess Rehash)

    The Unexpected Power of Student Doctors (Recess Rehash)
    Dec 18 2025
    [We weren’t available to record a new show for you this week, so enjoy this rerun instead!] Clinical students are sometimes the only ones who have time to listen In the clinic, med students can feel like bystanders, but they can make all the difference for patients. M3 Jeff Goddard, M3 Tracy Chen, M2 Alex Nigg, and M4 Matt Engelken recount stories of the patients that stuck with them—some painful, some beautiful, and some just plain awkward. From OB-GYN to peds to the ER, they share how student doctors—who can often feel like tagalongs—can often be the ones offering emotional support, catching critical miscommunications, or just being the one person with time to care. We reflect on the pressure to look competent, the sting of lukewarm evaluations, and how one med student realized a patient wasn’t constipated—just heartbroken. Also in this episode: talking to dying patients, babies are scary, and what not to say when to overwhelmed family. Episode credits: Producer: Dave EtlerCo-hosts: Matt Engelken, M4; Jeff Goddard, M3; Tracy Chen, M3; Alex Nigg, M2 We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you. Music provided by Argofox. License: bit.ly/CCAttributionDOCTOR VOX – Heatstroke: youtu.be/j1n1zlxzyRE Catmosphere – Candy-Coloured Sky: youtu.be/AZjYZ8Kjgs8Hexalyte – Wandering Hours: youtu.be/FOAo2zsYnvA
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    1 h et 10 min
  • How to Survive The First Semester of Med School

    How to Survive The First Semester of Med School
    Dec 11 2025
    These M1s say it wasn’t easy…but it was FUN? You know medical school is hard, but what does that mean? That idea has no emotional connection to anything until you are IN IT, and these M1s definitely were. Jonah Albrecht, Trever Maiers, Alex Johnson, and Chris Ceplecha review the M1 semester and how they survived it. You’ll hear about what habits they had to drop, and which of their experiments in learning were a waste of time. Who did they lean on? What made it possible? What did they trip over, and how did right themselves? Their stories should give hope to future students that while medical school is tough in ways that are unpredictable, by working together–whether teaching each other, admitting when they needed help, and taking advantage of the resources available to them–it’s not only possible, but “fun!” Episode credits: Producer: Jonah AlbrechtCo-hosts: Trever Maiers, Alex Johnson, Chris Ceplecha The views and opinions expressed on this podcast belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa, the Carver College of Medicine, or the State of Iowa. All discussions are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional, legal, financial, or medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. Always seek qualified professional guidance for personal decisions. We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
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    1 h et 7 min
  • Family expectations, culture clashes, and career priorities: Who’s the A-Hole? (Recess Rehash)

    Family expectations, culture clashes, and career priorities: Who’s the A-Hole? (Recess Rehash)
    Dec 4 2025
    [Due to Thanksgiving break, we have no new episode this week for you, but here’s a good one from our back catalog!] When your boyfriend’s an OB/GYN and your friends can’t chill We’re passing judgment, because someone has to. This week’s Reddit-fueled medical panel takes on uncomfortable questions that your group chat definitely isn’t ready for: Is dating an OB-GYN inherently weird? Should your partner be your #1 even when you’re literally delivering babies at 3 AM? And what happens when your parents think taking three days off is career suicide? We drag a few well-meaning but very misinformed relatives, unpack how culture collides with medicine, and dissect how med students actually keep their relationships alive. Plus, one brave listener dares to ask: “Can I move out of my family’s one-bedroom and still be a good daughter?” Expect spicy, real talk, and a few questionable ideas we’re choosing not to redact. Episode credits: Producer: Holly HemannCo-hosts: Srishti Mathur, Samantha Gardner, Kate Timboe, Alexis Baker We Want to Hear From You: YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We welcome your feedback, listener questions, and shower thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with something we said today? Did you hear something really helpful? Can we answer a question for you? Are we delivering a podcast you want to keep listening to? Let us know at https://theshortcoat.com/tellus and we’ll put your message in a future episode. Or email theshortcoats@gmail.com. We need to know more about you! https://surveys.blubrry.com/theshortcoat (email a screenshot of the confirmation screen to theshortcoats@gmail.com with your mailing address and Dave will mail you a thank you package!) The Short Coat Podcast is FeedSpot’s Top Iowa Student Podcast, and its Top Iowa Medical Podcast! Thanks for listening! We do more things on… Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshortcoatYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theshortcoat You deserve to be happy and healthy. If you’re struggling with racism, harassment, hate, your mental health, or some other crisis, visit http://theshortcoat.com/help, and send additions to the resources there to theshortcoats@gmail.com. We love you.
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    1 h et 6 min