Charged Podcast Episodes
New episodes of Charged are released every other week. If you like what you hear, we hope you’ll download more episodes, subscribe, give us a rating and review.
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Racism Against the Asian American and Pacific Islander CommunityThe Stop AAPI Hate Organization released a staggering report in 2021: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have faced more than 6,000 hate incidents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is about a 149% rise since the previous year. The racially motivated incidents ranged from verbal harassment, including hateful rhetoric about the COVID-19 virus, to physical attacks, such as the March 2021 mass shootings in Atlanta, Georgia.
In this special episode of Charged, a panel of three guests discuss the history of racism against the AAPI community, how the pandemic has fueled it and why this group has been widely excluded from conversation, data and policy intended to foster racial equality.
Intimate Partner Violence & Brain Injury
Featuring Eve Valera, PhD, researcher with the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
The World Health Organization reports that almost one-third of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Yet, a lot about the relationship between intimate partner violence and traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unknown. Eve Valera, PhD, neuroscientist, has spent more than 20 years researching the prevalence of TBI resulting from intimate partner violence, as well as the impact these injuries have on cognitive and psychological function—a form of abuse that she says is a public health epidemic.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Valera explains the cognitive and psychological impairments that women endure due to TBIs resulting from intimate partner violence, the barriers she's faced in pursuing this research and how she is educating those who can make a difference in these women's lives, such as police officers and legal counsel.
Why Female Leadership Matters in Health Care
Featuring Rachel Sisodia, MD, gynecologic oncologist and surgeon
Rachel Sisodia, MD, gynecologic oncologist and surgeon, believes that it is critical to strike a balance between doing what is needed to treat someone's cancer and honoring what is most important to them. She sees it as her duty to understand each of her patient’s unique, personal goals, and embed them into the heart of their care to pursue the best possible outcomes for overall health and quality of life. She partners with each patient to fight cancer together as a team.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Sisodia talks about her experience caring for women with cancer, her efforts to promote women into leadership positions and ensure they have a seat at the table, and her work leading the Mass General Brigham patient reported outcomes program, the world's largest collection of measures that involve patients describing, in their own voices, the quality of the care they received.
Mother's Day 2021 Special EpisodeHappy Mother’s Day from the Charged team at Massachusetts General Hospital! In honor of this special day, we are celebrating the many amazing mothers at Mass General.
In this episode, we asked a few of our most recent guests to share their stories about parenting, the importance of having a community of support and how healthy habits can help to ensure that working parents (moms and dads!) do not miss the small moments of joy.
We hope you enjoy this special episode with the mothers of Charged!
A Systems Approach to Vaccine Design
Featuring Galit Alter, PhD, immunologist and virologist
When Galit Alter, PhD, immunologist and virologist, began her career during the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis, there were few researchers who were studying the immune system in the context of infectious diseases. She quickly became curious about how the human immune system fights different viruses and how uncovering this knowledge could significantly impact the way vaccines are developed.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Alter, a self-described "virus hunter," talks about the mechanisms by which the immune system fights disease, how she and her team created a novel serology tool that profiles the body's antibody response to both viruses and vaccines, and how this tool was employed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Restoring Life Through Transplant Surgery
Featuring Leigh Anne Dageford, MD, MPH, Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgeon
Dr. Leigh Anne Dageforde first realized her passion for transplantation surgery during a moment in her residency when she witnessed the immediate result a kidney transplant surgery provided to a patient. Over the course of her career, her dedication to the field has only grown. The field of transplant surgery is special to her because doctors can give their patients something new, and in turn, give them back their life.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Dageforde shares her experience working in a what is still considered a young field and learning from role models who have forged the path ahead for transplant surgeons like herself. She discusses the unique nature of the field, the personal connections she has with patient and donor communities and the collaborative nature of transplantation.
Migraines, Stroke and Gender
Featuring Andrea Harriott, MD, PhD, neurologist
Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is more likely to affect women than men. In fact, women make up 85% of migraine sufferers. Despite its prevalence and known associations with an increased risk of other health complications, there are many questions still unknown—ones that many researchers are working hard to understand.
In this episode of Charged, Andrea Harriott, MD, PHD, neurologist and clinician researcher, discusses the associations between migraine and other health complications like stroke and preeclampsia, the significant gender disparity amongst migraine sufferers, and her innovative work in the lab and at the bedside of patients with migraine disorders.
Social Media & Health Care
Featuring the women of Charged
As our world becomes increasingly virtual, the field of medicine has also followed suit. Today, more than 40% of health care consumers use social media as a source for important health care information—and this number is only expected to grow.
In this special episode of Charged, some of our past guests share their perspectives on social media’s place in medicine, its impact on patient care and how they use it personally and professionally.
Infertility & Environmental Impact on Reproductive Health
Infertility is more common than many people might think and, though it is often thought of as a woman’s problem, can affect both men and women. And yet, many people are hesitant to discuss their struggles and concerns. This is exactly why Irene Souter, MD, reproductive endocrinologist, has dedicated her career to helping couples facing infertility find the best way to grow their family. And outside of helping her patients, Dr. Souter has also worked to uncover the reasons for why infertility occurs in the first place which, she says, is an area that remains a mystery.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Souter discusses the various options for how to have a healthy baby as well as her participation in a groundbreaking 20-year study that investigates the impact of environmental, nutritional and lifestyle factors on fertility.
Black History Month 2021
To commemorate Black History Month, we are listening back to the Charged episodes that share the stories and perspectives of Black women at Massachusetts General Hospital. We hope you enjoy these episodes!
The Food-Mind Connection
Featuring Uma Naidoo, MD, director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry
Uma Naidoo, MD, developed a passion for food and cooking at a young age—a deep interest that persisted throughout her career as a practicing psychiatrist. Eventually, it led her to wonder if food and diet can somehow be used in mental health medicine. As the founder and director of the Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry Program at Mass General, Dr. Naidoo is a leading expert and pioneer in the field of nutritional psychiatry, a new area of research and clinical practice that looks at how food influences brain function.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Naidoo talks to us about how she built her career in this niche, how she helps patients foster healthy diets to improve their mental health and her experience implementing this knowledge in her own life.
The Patient as Your North Star Featuring Inga Lennes, MD, MBA, MPH,medical oncologist and senior vice-president for Service Excellence and Practice Improvement
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Lennes explains how she helped conceive her first role out of training, her approach to caring for patients with a serious prognosis and her dual passion for practicing medicine and evoking change as an administrator.
Bringing Cognitive Behavioral Skills to the CommunityFeaturing Luana Marques, PhD, clinical psychologist
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults in the United States lives with mental illness. And yet, when many people experience symptoms of mental illness, seeking medical help from a doctor may not be the first solution that comes to mind.
Luana Marques, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, believes that everyone, no matter what, should be equipped with the science-driven skills to help them manage and overcome mental health challenges. To do this, she has focused her career on working with community mental health providers to bring clinical and training initiatives to resource-restricted settings, addressing what she calls an “access-to-care crisis.”
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Marques shares the anxiety-management skills she learned while growing up under difficult circumstances in Brazil, what drove her to pursue a career in psychology and how cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to treat many mental health disorders.
Bonus Episode: Our New Year's Resolutions
Discipline and Diversity in Medicine FeaturingT. Salewa Oseni, MD, surgical oncologist
Dr. T. Salewa Oseni, breast surgical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, knows that when a team caring for patients of all backgrounds does not also reflect the same inclusivity amongst its members, the quality of care suffers. As the co-director of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the Mass General Department of Surgery, much of Dr. Oseni’s work is dedicated to changing the face of medicine, to become more reflective of the diverse patient population it serves.
On this episode of Charged, Dr. Oseni talks to us about her 13-year background as a surgeon in the Navy, her work to change the face of medicine and how to eliminate health care disparities.
Advancing Sports Medicine for Female AthletesFeaturing Miho Tanaka, MD,sports medicine surgeon and director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Program
Miho Tanaka, MD, a sports medicine surgeon, was 11 years old when she knew that she wanted to become a doctor who treats athletes. After a series of athletic injuries led to regular appointments with orthopedic providers, Dr. Tanaka routinely felt there was one thing lacking in her health care experience: a shared passion and motivation for her speedy return to the sports she loved. As a former athlete who understands what it is like to be in her patients’ shoes, Dr. Tanaka believes that the foundation of care, particularly with athletes, is rooted in evidence-based treatment and education to prevent injury before it occurs.
Designing Better Systems of CareFeaturing Emily Aaronson, MD, assistant chief quality officer and emergency medicine physician
When Emily Aaronson, MD, was a medical student, she quickly learned that she wanted to build a career both serving patients at the bedside and at a systems level in the hospital. Today, as an emergency medicine physician and associate chief quality officer at Massachusetts General Hospital, she works to ensure that patient safety and clinical quality are preemptively considered and implemented across all operations.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Aaronson discusses how she helped lead Mass General’s efforts to improve patient safety, her role integrating palliative care in the emergency department during COVID-19 and how communication makes all the difference in caring for patients with serious illnesses.
Learning & Leading During COVID-19Featuring Erica Shenoy, MD, PhD,associate chief of the Infection Control Unit
As associate chief of the Infection Control Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Erica Shenoy, MD, PhD, focuses on infection prevention and control, with a special interest in preparedness and response to emerging infectious diseases.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Shenoy talks about what drove her to pursue a career in infection control, her unique experience of being a key leader and advisor in the hospital’s planning and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, what she and her team have learned since the first surge and how they are preparing for the future.
Improving Care for Older Adults Through Geriatric ResearchFeaturing Christine Ritchie, MD, MSPH, director of research for the Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine
Christine Ritchie, MD, MSPH, a geriatrician and palliative care specialist, has worked throughout her career to strengthen the quality of care for patients with serious illnesses and expand the breadth of research on aging and chronic illness in an effort to close the current gaps in care of older adults.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Ritchie discusses how her upbringing in South Korea ignited her passion for geriatric medicine and research, her experience as a personal caregiver to her parents and grandmother at the end of their lives and the impact of COVID-19 on the older population.
A Career Dedicated to Serving the Underserved and Driving Access to Health Care
Featuring Joan Quinlan, MPA, vice president for Community Health
Joan Quinlan, MPA, has dedicated her entire career to advocating for the underserved. As the current vice president for community health at Massachusetts General Hospital and founding director of the Center for Community Health Improvement, Joan has strived to improve the health status of underserved communities and their access to health care.
In this episode of Charged, Joan shares the unexpected way in which she developed her career in community health, the initiatives that she helped Mass General develop and the thread of social justice that has run throughout her career.
Mentorship, Imposter Syndrome and Inequities in Medicine
Featuring Nasrien Ibrahim, MD, associate director, Resynchronization & Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics Program
Nasrien Ibrahim, MD, cardiologist, has experienced firsthand the important role that mentorship plays in a person’s life and career. For Dr. Ibrahim, her approach to mentorship is built on transparency, vulnerability and a genuine belief in sharing her own challenges and mistakes in order to help other young woman and men of color who are considering careers in medicine know they are not alone.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Ibrahim talks about her mission to eradicate disparities in medicine, how she overcame—though continues to struggle with—Imposter Syndrome and the story of what she describes as her “lowest point” in her career and life
Addressing Inequality & Racism in Health Care Today
In the United States, people of color have long experienced inequalities in health care. And, throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, these disparities in health care, and the systemic racism that prevents underserved and underrepresented communities from accessing equal care, have been brought to light even more. In this special episode, the new Charged host, Kelsey Damrad, and three previous Charged guests— Gaurdia Banister, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Allison Bryant MD, MPH and Marcela del Carmen, MD — discuss inequalities and racism in health care.
Episode 46: Driving Toward a Cure for ALS
Featuring Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, chief of the Department of Neurology
For years, ALS appeared to be an uncurable disease, but when others lost hope, Dr. Merit E. Cudkowicz saw the challenges of curing ALS as opportunities for scientific collaboration. She spends her days leading clinical trials and working with patients to find effective treatments. By revolutionizing ALS clinical trials, she has inspired hope that we can find a cure.
Bonus Episode: Mother's Day Special Edition
Happy Mother’s Day from the Charged team at Massachusetts General Hospital! In this special episode, guests share stories about balancing motherhood and their careers, the challenges of building a career in medicine while raising a family and their parenting inspirations and role models.
Episode 45: Treating Obesity: Removing the Stigma and Improving Lives
Throughout her career, Angela Fitch, MD, has watched obesity treatment transform from an area of medicine rarely discussed to a dynamic, rapidly evolving practice. In this episode, Dr. Fitch discusses the importance of re-educating patients and providers to recognize obesity as a chronic disease in order to eradicate the stigma and misinformation surrounding obesity, as well as how developments in personalized medicine and a holistic, multidisciplinary approach are shaping the field of obesity medicine.
Episode 44: Battling Burnout: Thriving in Modern Health Care
Featuring the women of Charged
Physicians put in a tremendous amount of work into providing quality care for their patients, but sometimes the challenges that physicians face go unnoticed. Many physicians experience burnout, which leaves them feeling stress, exhaustion and less enjoyment in their work. More women than men report feelings of burnout. In this episode, we hope to spark discussion about the challenges that the women at Mass General face.
Episode 43: How to Overcome Loneliness & Build Stronger Relationships
Featuring Jacqueline Olds, MD, practicing psychiatrist
As a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Jacqueline Olds has spent decades working with patients of all ages and life stages, helping them through life’s challenges. And while no two people are the same, Dr. Olds has identified one common theme among her patients—loneliness. And while that feeling may not be permanent, it can have a serious impact on our lives.
Over the past 25 years, she and her psychiatrist husband, Dr. Richard Schwartz, have worked to bring loneliness out of the closet and help all of us build stronger, long-lasting relationships. She discusses ways to combat loneliness, the importance of building positive, supportive relationships, both romantic and platonic, and elements that help a relationship last.
Episode 42: HIV—Treating a Changing Epidemic
Featuring Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, chief, Infectious Diseases Division
Since beginning her career in the mid-1990s, infectious disease chief Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky has witnessed the transformation of the landscape for HIV and AIDS. Though new drugs have improved the outlook, the challenges of accessing and maintaining care persist. Dr. Walensky discusses how she works to expand access to care for HIV patients through research and a willingness to understand patients' struggles.
Episode 41: Restoring Life Through Transplant Surgery
Featuring Leigh Anne Dageford, MD, MPH, Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgeon
Dr. Leigh Anne Dageforde first realized her passion for transplantation surgery during a moment in her residency when she witnessed the immediate result a kidney transplant surgery provided to a patient. Over the course of her career, her dedication to the field has only grown. The field of transplant surgery is special to her because doctors can give their patients something new, and in turn, give them back their life.
In this episode of Charged, Dr. Dageforde shares her experience working in a what is still considered a young field and learning from role models who have forged the path ahead for transplant surgeons like herself. She discusses the unique nature of the field, the personal connections she has with patient and donor communities and the collaborative nature of transplantation.
Episode 40: How Meditation Changes the Structure of the BrainFeaturing Sara Lazar, PhD, Associate Researcher in Psychiatry
During her graduate studies in molecular biology, an over-training injury derailed Dr. Sara Lazar’s aspirations to run the Boston Marathon. During her recovery, she discovered yoga and, after a few classes, was surprised to find that she felt calmer, more compassionate and less reactive. She wanted to understand why, and that quest ultimately altered the course of her career. For over 15 years, she and her team in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital have investigated how meditation affects the brain and were the first to show the connection between meditation and cortical thickening in the brain. In this episode, she discusses her work and how to integrate meditation into a busy life.
Episode 39: The Importance of Community in Careers and Leadership
Featuring Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery
When Dr. Yolonda Colson passed her thoracic surgery boards in the early 2000s, just over 100 women had joined the field ahead of her, and she was the only woman in her department in her first attending role. But over the course of her career, she’s watched the number of women in the field grow steadily. Now, as the chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Mass General, Dr. Colson recognizes the value of diversity in the field. Dr. Colson talks about how she’s improving care for lung cancer patients, her career path and the important role that fostering community, seizing opportunities and breaking down perceived barriers have played along the way.
Episode 38: How to Overcome Loneliness & Build Stronger Relationships
Featuring Jacqueline Olds, MD, practicing psychiatrist
As a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Jacqueline Olds has spent decades working with patients of all ages and life stages, helping them through life’s challenges. And while no two people are the same, Dr. Olds has identified one common theme among her patients—loneliness. And while that feeling may not be permanent, it can have a serious impact on our lives.
Over the past 25 years, she and her psychiatrist husband, Dr. Richard Schwartz, have worked to bring loneliness out of the closet and help all of us build stronger, long-lasting relationships. She discusses ways to combat loneliness, the importance of building positive, supportive relationships, both romantic and platonic, and elements that help a relationship last.
Episode 37: Treating Cancer in the Era of the Opioid Epidemic
Featuring Helen Shih, MD, Medical Director of the Proton Therapy Centers
As the opioid epidemic has increased in severity, so has the number of patients diagnosed with cancer who are also facing substance use disorders. As a radiation oncologist specializing in brain tumors, Dr. Helen Shih is accustomed to treating patients with very serious prognoses. However, her experience treating two young patients with brain tumors who were also facing addictions tied to opioid use, shifted her perspective on this work and inspired her to learn more about the challenges for these patients. In this episode, Dr. Shih discusses how these patients motivated her to think more about specialized care for patients with this dual diagnosis.
Episode 36: The Biology of Sleep
Featuring Richa Saxena, PhD, Associate Investigator in the Center for Genomic Medicine
Most of us know from experience that a good night’s sleep can make all the difference in our health and well being. In fact, tips and props to improve sleep have been promoted more and more in recent years. But despite all the attention that sleep gets these days, the biology of sleep and its function is still not well understood. Sleep researcher Dr. Richa Saxena is working to change that by studying the human genome, or all of the genetic information that makes up a person. To date her team has identified dozens of genes related to sleep and their connections to other health problems like cancer, psychiatric disorders and diabetes. In this episode, Dr. Saxena discusses her research and how she hopes it will change our relationship with sleep.
Episode 35: Battling Burnout: Thriving in Modern Health Care
Featuring the women of Charged
Physicians put in a tremendous amount of work into providing quality care for their patients, but sometimes the challenges that physicians face go unnoticed. Many physicians experience burnout, which leaves them feeling stress, exhaustion and less enjoyment in their work. More women than men report feelings of burnout. In this episode, we hope to spark discussion about the challenges that the women at Mass General face.
Bonus Episode: Our New Year's Resolutions
Happy New Year from the Charged team at Massachusetts General Hospital! In honor of the new year, we’ve asked some of our past and future guests about their resolutions for 2020. We hope this inspires you as you think about your own plans for the new year.
Episode 34: Saving the Breast Through Improved Breast Cancer Care
Featuring Barbara Smith, MD, PhD, director of the Breast Program and co-director of the Women's Cancers Program
In the United States, one out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime which, for many patients, can be a devastating thought. However, in the past two decades, treatment for breast cancer has come a long way, and breast surgeon Dr. Barbara Smith has been at the forefront of the movement to disrupt and improve care for these patients.
Dr. Smith has been a pioneer in nipple-sparring mastectomies, a technique that removes the breast tissue but leaves the skin and nipple intact. In this episode, find out how Dr. Smith broke the mold to give new hope and better outcomes to breast cancer patients.
Episode 33: Homelessness & Dermatology: Promoting Better Wellness Through Skin Care
Featuring Jennifer Tan, MD, joint staff member in the Department of Dermatology and Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
Since 1990, the number of people in Massachusetts experiencing homelessness has more than doubled. When most people think about the medical barriers this population faces, dermatology is probably not the first that comes to mind. But in reality, there is a great need for dermatological care that addresses a whole host of skin issues. Dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Tan has taken action to help this underserved population. In this episode, Dr. Tan discusses the dermatological challenges that someone facing homelessness may experience and her work with Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program to make this care available.
Episode 32: Living Well Through Palliative Care
Featuring Vicki Jackson, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine and co-director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care
When Vicki Jackson, MD, MPH, was an internal medicine resident, one particular patient showed her the transformative role that empathy can play in a patient’s life and care. She witnessed how the care team became a surrogate family for this young man who had been diagnosed with advanced HIV. This experience sparked her interest in palliative care and providing specialized support for people with serious illness. In this episode, she discusses her passion for the field and her experience helping patients navigate the uncertainty inherent to facing serious illness.
Episode 31: Personalizing Diabetes Care for Pregnant Women
Featuring Camille Powe, MD, co-director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program
Pregnant women have historically been excluded from clinical research due to an abundance of caution for the safety of them and their babies. But consequently, these women are often left out of medical advances. Endocrinologist Dr. Camille Powe is passionate about changing that for women with maternal diabetes. In this episode, she discusses her work to better understand diabetes and pregnancy, as well as how she hopes to develop more personalized treatments for these patients.
Episode 30: How Is Climate Change Related to the Human Brain?
Featuring Tina Duhaime, MD, director of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Human activity is changing the planet at a rate “unprecedented in human history.” For many of us, the massive scale of this problem makes finding solutions feel daunting—if not impossible. But for pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Tina Duhaime, it’s not hard to explain our struggle with climate change when you consider how the human brain works. In this episode, Dr. Duhaime discusses her work studying how the brain’s reward system might relate to our drive toward increasing consumption.
Episode 29: Improving Care for Rare Cancers
Featuring Cristina Ferrone, MD, surgical director of the Liver Program
As a medical student, the last thing Dr. Cristina Ferrone thought she would ever become was a surgeon. She was turned off surgery it was a male-dominated specialty that forced the few women in it to make hard lifestyle choices. However, when she entered her surgical rotation, she was surprised to discover how much she loved it. She has now become a leader in pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer. By focusing on work that excites her and honing in on a unique niche, she has found her identity and built a balanced career in a field that is still largely male.
Summer Roadtrip Playlist
Featuring the women of Charged
This summer we’ll be sharing some of our favorite episodes from the first season of Charged in our Summer Roadtrip Playlist. Listen along as we add new episodes each week!
Episode 28: Battling Burnout: Thriving in Modern Health Care
Featuring the women of Charged
Physicians put in a tremendous amount of work into providing quality care for their patients, but sometimes the challenges that physicians face go unnoticed. Many physicians experience burnout, which leaves them feeling stress, exhaustion and less enjoyment in their work. More women than men report feelings of burnout. In this episode, we hope to spark discussion about the challenges that the women at Mass General face.
Episode 27: Supporting Transgender Patients Through Multidisciplinary Care
Featuring Frances Hayes, MBBCh, BAO, associate chief of the Endocrine Division
For transgender people, finding health care providers knowledgeable about their unique needs can be challenging. One essential component of care for many is hormone replacement therapy which helps the body align more closely with their gender identity. Endocrinologist Dr. Frances Hayes has provided this care to transgender patients for many years, and today she is helping helm the Transgender Health Program at Mass General. In this episode, she discusses the importance of providing multidisciplinary care for transgender patients in a supportive and affirming environment.
Episode 27: From Sports Lover to Sports Medicine
Featuring Kelly McInnis, DO, sports medicine physiatrist, Sports Medicine Center
Kelly McInnis, DO, is a lifelong sports lover. After residency, the former Division 1 soccer player launched a new sports medicine training pathway that allowed her to spend time with orthopedic surgeons and non-operative sports specialists. At Mass General's Sports Medicine Center, she has demonstrated how her background in non-surgical care can complement the work of orthopedic surgeons. She discusses her passion for helping athletes recover and return to doing what they love.
Episode 26: Finding Solutions for Severe Depression
Featuring Cristina Cusin, MD, staff psychiatrist in the Depression Clinical and Research Program
Traditional treatments don't always help people who struggle with the most severe depression. Cristina Cusin, MD, has dedicated her career to working with patients with the most severe forms of depression. She is interested in ketamine, a drug traditionally used as an anesthetic that has shown promise for treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Cusin talks about what first drew her to this field, how she hopes to provide relief for her patients and why it’s important to support them in rebuilding their lives when they find a depression treatment that works.
Episode 25: Nurses Are Natural Innovators
Featuring Hiyam Nadel, MBA, RN, BSN, director of the Center for Innovation in Patient Care Delivery
True innovation comes from seeing the world differently. In nursing, something as simple as using tape to modify equipment can drives innovation in patient care. Hiyam Nadel, MBA, RN, BSN, a mentor for nurse-entrepreneurs at Mass General, wants to solve problems, improve patient care and advance new ideas. She discusses the pursuit of innovation within nursing and how it’s creating exciting opportunities to improve the quality of patient care.
Episode 24: Breaking the Mold to Improve Multiple Myeloma Treatment
Featuring Noopur Raje, MD, director of the Center for Multiple Myeloma
In 2005 Noopur Raje, MD, came to the Mass General Cancer Center with a plan to establish a new type of lab dedicated to the study of multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects the plasma cells and weakens bones. Like any uncharted territory, establishing this narrowly-focused lab required some tenacity. Noopur was up to the task, working hard to build a successful research program that has expanded our understanding of this cancer. Today, Dr. Raje directs the Center for Multiple Myeloma at the Mass General Cancer Center. In this episode, she discusses why she thinks risk-taking is important to success and how she draws inspiration from her patients to keep pressing forward.
Episode 23: Increasing Diversity in the Security Industry
Featuring Bonnie Michelman, MBA, executive director of Police, Security and Outside Services
While completing her master’s in criminal justice at Northeastern University, Bonnie Michelman, MBA, CPP, CHPA, became fascinated by the security industry. Over the years, she has worked hard within the industry, earning her extensive leadership experience, particularly within healthcare. In this episode, Bonnie discusses the importance of increasing diversity to enrich the functionality of the security industry.
Episode 22: Living Well Through Palliative Care
Featuring Vicki Jackson, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine and co-director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care
When Vicki Jackson, MD, MPH, was an internal medicine resident, one particular patient showed her the transformative role that empathy can play in a patient’s life and care. This experience sparked her interest in palliative care and providing specialized support for people with serious illness. In this episode, she discusses her passion for the field and her experience helping patients navigate the uncertainty inherent in facing serious illness.
Bonus Episode: Charged Honors Women's History Month
Featuring the women of Charged
March is Women’s History Month. In honor of the month, we are celebrating the women behind the innovations in health care at Mass General. We recognize their success stories, their strength in overcoming adversity and what keeps them charged to achieve their goals. In this special episode, we ask our guests from throughout the hospital to share stories about what drove them to pursue a career in medicine and what keeps them motivated to drive forward.
Episode 21: Making Surgery a More Sustainable Career for Women
Featuring Sareh Parangi, MD, director of the Endocrine Surgery Fellowship and Thyroid Cancer Research Laboratory
When Sareh Parangi, MD, witnessed her first operation in medical school, she knew immediately that she wanted to become a surgeon. Now years later, Dr. Parangi is one of the first women to become a full professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. However, she recognizes the challenges that a career in surgery can present to young women. Dr. Parangi discusses the seriousness of gender disparities that come with a career in surgery and why she has become an advocate to help female surgeons overcome barriers to do what they love, while also raising a family.
Episode 20: The Power of Discovery
Featuring Sylvie Breton, PhD, MSc, inaugural Richard Moerschner Endowed Chair in Men’s Health, Mass General Research Institute
Biophysicist Dr. Sylvie Breton has dedicated her career to studying the kidneys and the male reproductive tract, and her discoveries have the potential to change medicine. She has identified a method for predicting the onset of acute kidney disorder, which affects more than four million people yearly and is called the “silent killer.” She talks about why she enjoys research so much, and how each new discovery spurs her on to the next.
Episode 19: Solving the Problem of Gun Violence
Featuring Chana Sacks, MD, internist and instructor, Department of Medicine
Gun violence kills more than 35,000 Americans annually, yet funding for research is limited and most doctors are not taught how to approach the topic with patients. For Dr. Chana Sacks, gun violence became a personal reality when her cousin’s seven-year-old son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook. This tragedy spurred Dr. Sacks to establish the Mass General Gun Violence Prevention Coalition. She discusses why she has become a vocal advocate for gun violence prevention research and why she views gun violence as a solvable problem.
Episode 18: HIV—Treating a Changing Epidemic
Featuring Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, chief, Infectious Diseases Division
Since beginning her career in the mid-1990s, infectious disease chief Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky has witnessed the transformation of the landscape for HIV and AIDS. Though new drugs have improved the outlook, the challenges of accessing and maintaining care persist. Dr. Walensky discusses how she works to expand access to care for HIV patients through research and a willingness to understand patients' struggles.
Episode 17: Practicing Medicine as a Black Woman
Featuring Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, obesity medicine specialist, Mass General Weight Center
As an obesity medicine specialist, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford understands the implicit and explicit biases that her patients face. As a black female doctor, she’s also familiar with the biases she faces each day. But a recent Delta flight was a poignant reminder of these biases when flight attendants questioned her credentials as a doctor as she provided care to a fellow passenger. Dr. Stanford discusses this experience and why she's speaking out against biases and promoting diversity in medicine.
Episode 16: Bipolar Disorder and the Paradigm Shift in Pediatric Psychiatry
Featuring Janet Wozniak, MD, director of the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service and director of the Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Clinical and Research Program
25 years ago, psychiatrists believed that bipolar disorder only affected adults, and it was controversial to suggest otherwise. However, thanks to the pioneer work of Janet Wozniak, MD, we now know that bipolar disorder affects children. Dr. Wozniak discusses her drive to help children struggling with bipolar disorder by intervening early to diagnose and find treatments.
Episode 15: Why We Need More Diversity in Nursing
Featuring Gaurdia Banister, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, executive director of the Institute for Patient Care at Mass General and director of the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research
Gaurdia Banister, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, emphasizes the importance of increasing diversity in nursing. She believes that having more people of color in nursing will give voice to a diverse patient population and foster culturally sensitive care that will make the hospital environment welcoming to everyone.
Episode 14: Driving Toward a Cure for ALS
Featuring Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, chief of the Department of Neurology
For years, ALS appeared to be an uncurable disease, but when others lost hope, Dr. Merit E. Cudkowicz saw the challenges of curing ALS as opportunities for scientific collaboration. She spends her days leading clinical trials and working with patients to find effective treatments. By revolutionizing ALS clinical trials, she has inspired hope that we can find a cure.
Episode 13: Tackling Childhood Obesity
Featuring Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, chief of the Division of General Pediatrics and executive director of the Kraft Center for Community Health
Childhood obesity is on the rise among low-income racial and ethnic minorities. Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, is focused on preventing and treating childhood obesity along with reducing healthcare disparities that contribute to its rise. She discusses the importance of supporting underserved families and making them aware of ways to establish healthy habits for children.
Episode 12: Finding Variety in Longevity
Featuring Ann Prestipino, MPH, senior vice president
Ann L. Prestipino, MPH, began at Mass General as the assistant to the director of operations 38 years ago and has been here ever since. She's built a long, successful career with continued growth, all within the same institution.
Episode 11: Scientist, Mom, Leader
Featuring Sue Slaugenhaupt, PhD, scientific director, Mass General Research Institute
Sue Slaugenhaupt, PhD, has spent her whole career at Mass General focused on understanding two rare diseases. She also tackled the challenges of building a thriving scientific career at the same time she was building her family. She is now working to change the culture of scientific research for the better.
Episode 10: Why It Pays to Be Bold
Featuring Cathy Minehan, MBA, chair, Mass General Board of Trustees
Cathy E. Minehan, MBA, had a long career in the Federal Reserve Bank system that included many firsts. She discusses the importance of being your own advocate, how she broke gender barriers and how her success in banking led to a fulfilling career as a board member.
Episode 9: Why Quality Care Means Equitable Care
Featuring Allison Bryant, MD, MPH, maternal-fetal medicine specialist; vice chair of quality, equity and safety, OB/GYN Department
Allison Bryant, MD, MPH, spends her days caring for women with high-risk pregnancies and advocating for not just safety and quality of care, but also the equity of care. Dr. Bryant explains how we might go about improving equity in health care and why it’s important for us all to examine our own biases.
Episode 8: Forging a Path to Neurosurgery
Featuring Pamela Jones, MD, neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosurgery
Before becoming a neurosurgeon, Pamela Jones, MD, trained as a writer, and spent her free time in ballet. You might be surprised by how training as a journalist and a ballerina has helped her become a better surgeon.
Episode 7: Charting Your Own Path to Success
Featuring Aswita Tan-McGrory, MBA, MSPH, deputy director, Disparities Solutions Center
Aswita Tan-McGrory, MBA, MSPH, is the deputy director of the Disparities Solutions Center at Mass General. Beginning with the Peace Corps after college, Aswita has devoted her career to lifting disenfranchised groups. Hear how she’s also charted her own path to success and leadership along the way.
Episode 6: Finding Balance in Transition
Featuring Misty Hathaway, MIA, chief marketing officer & senior director for international and specialized services
Misty Hathaway, MIA, is Mass General’s chief marketing officer and senior director for international and specialized services and moved to Boston after 17 years at Mayo Clinic. Major transitions can be hard, but you'll hear her advice on bridging the gap between your past and your future.
Episode 5: Valuing Your Own Diversity
Featuring Marcela del Carmen, MD, chief medical officer, Mass General Physicians Organization
Dr. Marcela del Carmen is the chief medical officer at Mass General. She is now a leader in gynecologic oncology, but she started in a very different place when she fled Nicaragua with her family at age 10. Hear how experience inspired her to dedicate her career to reducing disparities in cancer care and promoting diversity in medicine.
Episode 4: Women and the Heart
Featuring Malissa Wood, MD, co-director, Corrigan Women's Heart Health Program, Heart Center
Cardiologist Dr. Malissa Wood is committed to improving women’s heart health. She helped found the hospital's Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program and has devoted her career to make sure women get the care they need, all while balancing the demands that come with being the mom of four.
Episode 3: Surgeon of Balance
Featuring Denise Gee, MD, bariatric surgeon, Department of Surgery
Dr. Denise Gee is a surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery. As you might imagine, being a surgeon and teaching the future generation is an intense job. But as the mom of three, she’s become a master in work-life balance so she can be a hands-on mom and surgeon.
Episode 2: Changing the Face of Addiction Treatment
Featuring Sarah Wakeman, MD, medical director, Substance Use Disorders Initiative
Dr. Sarah Wakeman is an addiction medicine specialist at Mass General and a national thought leader in treatment for substance use disorders. As the medical director for the hospital's Substance Use Disorders Initiative, she is committed to changing how addiction is understood by the public and how it is treated at Mass General.
Episode 1: Leading with Empathy
Featuring Katrina Armstrong, MD, physician-in-chief, Department of Medicine
Dr. Katrina Armstrong is Mass General’s physician-in-chief. In this role, she leads over 700 doctors, researchers and trainees in the Department of Medicine, one of the hospital’s largest divisions. Her first day on the job was April 13, 2013, the day of the Boston Marathon bombing. Hear what she learned that day and how that has helped her lead and teach at Mass General.
About Charged
Charged is a podcast devoted to uncovering the stories of the relentless daily pursuit at Mass General to break boundaries and provide exceptional care.