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Second Opinion

KCRW
Mental Health
Healthcare
Public Health
Gratitude
FDA
Depression
Medical Education
Antidepressants
Medical Ethics
USAID
Prostate Cancer
Health
Medicare
H5N1
World Health Organization
Uganda
California
Psychology
CT Scans
Doctor-Patient Communication

An examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them. Sign up to receive the Second Opinion topics in newsletter form at kcrw.com/newsletters .

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes990Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

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Artwork for Second Opinion

Latest Episodes

I packed my bag, crossed the border, and eventually flew home to safety. The health care workers I left behind had no such option.

From the Uganda-Congo border: a firsthand account of an Ebola outbreak, a failing response, and the political decisions that made it worse.

America built the global health system that protects us all — and then walked away from it.

What if one of the most common surgeries performed in the world turned out to be no better than a fake one — and we kept doing it anyway?

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Amos Ane
Nurse and researcher working on disease outbreaks in Western Uganda
Episode: We Knew It Was Coming — We Just Didn't Care
Dr. Amanda West
Chair of Social Work at the University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific
Episode: Who Is Qualified to Fix Your Mind?
Charles McDonald
Radiologist
Sutter Medical Center, Roseville
Episode: Smarter Than Two Doctors: How AI Could Change Breast Cancer Screening
Martine Geary-Souza
Trauma survivor and expert on trauma-informed care
Episode: What Happened to Him? Why We Get Trauma—and Care—So Wrong
Myra Bennett
A former hospice nurse and end-of-life doula
National End of Life Doula Alliance
Episode: Why Dying Needs More Than Medicine
Dr. Rebecca Nkuma
Stanford-trained psychiatrist from Ghana
Stanford University
Episode: Blessed or Broken? Rethinking Mental Health Across Cultures
Gayatri Ganesh
Graduate student in environmental policy and management at the University of California Davis
University of California Davis
Episode: Where Goat Births and Human Births Meet
Carrie Kowalski
Clinician at Venice Family Clinic specializing in care for unhoused women
Venice Family Clinic
Episode: Rethinking the Pap Smear
Mohammed Sadiq
Executive Director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health at Public Health Initiative
Episode: Why Refugee Food Assistance Is an Investment, Not a Handout

Host

Dr. Michael Wilkes
Host of the show, introducing topics and guiding discussion; physician with focus on medical ethics and system-level analysis

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 115 ratings
  • Not that kind of doctor

    I’ve been listening for a long time and today’s was the first episode I found disappointing. In “not that kind of doctor”, Dr Wilkes describes an NP with a doctorate degree as misrepresenting herself as a doctor, without mentioning her exact degree. He ends it by saying “NPs are great but they

    aren’t doctors” .

    This is contradictory- in this example, the NP is a Doctor of Nursing Practice. So she may say that as long as she states her full title. In the current political climate where the DOE i... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Fernandina M
    United States6 months ago
  • Ticks and one health

    While I agree with the assessment of physicians and veterinarians should work together. Facts were wrong in the episode. Ticks require 3 blood meals over its life span, a blood meal at each stage larva, nymph, and adult. When a disease causing agent is ingested at an earlier stage, the tick can transmit it during the next stage, which is why ticks are a good transmitter of disease.

    Tapeworms are not directly transmitted from the pet to the person, therefore a physician would not need to k... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Sylverwylf
    United States4 years ago
  • One opinion, Lop sided, physician centric

    Podcast brings a single perspective to common problems with the US healthcare system. At a time when debate, dialogue and collaboration are necessary more than ever before, the 4-minute long episode is unable to bring dissenting voices to the table. I’d rather spend my time on spirited debate and innovative problem solving, than sign on to an agenda.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Auditory Aficionado
    United States4 years ago
  • Love it

    Love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lsmakarova1717b
    United States5 years ago
  • Underrated-long needed

    Concise and important. Leaves me wanting more

    Seriously, I cannot stress enough how great this podcast is

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pinpillage_ray
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Concise, easy-to-understand discussions on complex health issues.
Engaging host who pushes for transparency in medical decisions.
Well-delivered and informative with practical takeaways.
Thought-provoking critiques of how policy shapes patient care.
Insightful and evidence-driven commentary on tricky medical topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#217
Poland/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Happened to Him? Why We Get Trauma—and Care—So Wrong
Q: How should clinicians respond when a patient like Jamie misses appointments?
Clinicians should explore barriers—biologic, emotional, social—rather than assuming lack of care, recognizing that trust and safety are prerequisites for engagement in treatment.
What Happened to Him? Why We Get Trauma—and Care—So Wrong
Q: What is trauma-informed care and why does it matter in treating young people with depression and substance use?
Trauma-informed care is a shift from asking what is wrong with a patient to asking what has happened to them, emphasizing curiosity, listening, safety, and giving patients a voice; this approach helps patients engage with care and reduces re-traumatization.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Second Opinion

What is Second Opinion about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A medically oriented show that centers on ethics, evidence, and policy in real-world healthcare. Episodes consistently unpack how medical decision-making intersects with incentives, patient autonomy, and system-level challenges—from surgical effectiveness and trauma-informed care to AI in radiology and end-of-life support. The host frequently brings in clinicians, ethicists, and researchers to scrutinize practices, norms, and reforms that affect patient outcomes, access, and costs. Notable strengths include concise, case-driven discussions and a clear emphasis on translating complex topics into accessible lessons for practitioners, policymakers, and informed consumers. This approach probably appeals to listeners who want rigorous analysis w... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Second Opinion?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Second Opinion:

1. JAMA Clinical Reviews
2. Annals On Call Podcast
3. The Clinical Problem Solvers
4. JAMA Medical News
5. Health Check

How many episodes of Second Opinion are there?

Second Opinion launched 21 years ago and published 990 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Second Opinion?

Recent guests on Second Opinion include:

1. Amos Ane
2. Dr. Amanda West
3. Charles McDonald
4. Martine Geary-Souza
5. Myra Bennett
6. Dr. Rebecca Nkuma
7. Gayatri Ganesh
8. Carrie Kowalski

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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