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The Nocturnists

The Nocturnists
Uncertainty In Medicine
Mental Health
Healthcare System
Healthcare
Emergency Medicine
Nursing
Storytelling
Patient Care
Chronic Illness
Transitions Clinic Network
Sedation
ICU Patients
Death
Uncertainty
Caregiving
Malpractice Litigation
Chronic Lyme Disease
Patient Mobility
Diagnostic Uncertainty
Medical Education

The Nocturnists is an award-winning medical storytelling podcast, hosted by physician Emily Silverman. We feature personal stories from frontline clinicians, conversations with healthcare-related authors and art-makers, and special podcast documentary series such as "Post-Roe America," "Shame in Medicine," "Black Voices in Healthcare," and "Stories from a Pandemic. Our mission is to humanize healt... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes223Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureMedicineHealth & FitnessPersonal Journals

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Latest Episodes

Cardiologist Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum tells the story of how her grandfather—a physician-writer whose experience as a patient transformed his view of medicine—influenced her sense of purpose, storytelling, and care. As she navigated her own path through me... more

YouTube

In this crossover episode with Remo Health, Kaylee Glenn of the Day By Day Project shares how a childhood moment playing violin in a memory care facility inspired her to create a music-focused nonprofit for people living with dementia.

This episode... more

YouTube

Historian Susan Wise Bauer tells the story of how, across centuries—from ancient civilizations to modern medicine—humans have tried to make sense of illness through evolving frameworks, from divine punishment to bodily imbalance to germs. Drawing on ... more

YouTube

Dr. Erika MacIntyre reflects on her path into critical care and chronic ventilation medicine, as well as the mounting pressures she faced during COVID-19—including professional strain, loss of personal outlets, and family challenges. Seeking change, ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Contact Information
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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

Kaylee Glenn
Founder and president of The Day By Day Project
The Day By Day Project
Episode: The Memory Disco with Kaylee Glenn (Crossover Episode with Remo Health)
Susan Wise Bauer
Historian, writer, and educator; author of The Great Shadow
Author/Academic
Episode: The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD
Dr. Erika MacIntyre
Pulmonary and critical care physician
Episode: Beyond the Shore with Erika MacIntyre, MD
Chris Carroll
Pediatric intensivist who treated a gorilla during a zoo outbreak
Jacksonville Zoo case (Jacksonville, FL)
Episode: Rounds at the Zoo with Chris Carroll, MD
Solange Madriz
Public health professional focused on maternal health and global health
Public health (Guatemala project)
Episode: Practice and Reality with Solange Madriz, MA, MS
Dr. Mike Reid
Infectious disease physician and global health leader
PEPFAR; UCSF connection mentioned
Episode: Failure and Grace with mike Reid, MD
Nikki Mittal
Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician
USC Medical Center, Los Angeles
Episode: Held in Prayer with Nikki Mittal, DO
Tiffany Chan
Optometrist and storyteller.
Episode: Choosing Home with Tiffany Chan, OD
Frances Southwick
Physician, writer, and storyteller
Episode: A Soft Place to Land with Frances Southwick, DO

Host

Emily Silverman
Host of The Nocturnists

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 758 ratings
  • Brought me to tears

    The episode with Tiffany Chan was so heart wrenching, but beautiful. It was so interesting to hear how she managed her academic journey during such a difficult time in her life. I also enjoyed listening to her speak on helping the veteran population. I am a veteran and I am aware that we are a unique population that physicians in all fields can often find challenging to help. Thank you, Tiffany, for being one of those who stepped up for the challenge.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dali21001
    United States5 months ago
  • Uncertainty

    I have savored the Uncertainty in Medicine set.

    As a family doc and an old philosophy major, this area of life is central to my mind.

    Thank you for making this.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    FMSS, DO
    United States9 months ago
  • Fantastic in all ways

    So great! The stories and the storytelling! I’m a ‘lay person’ but/and the stories are relatable, interesting and oh so authentic!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gr2323
    United Statesa year ago
  • Loved it from the beginning

    As a PA, this podcast makes me feel less alone. The stories are so relatable and remind me why I got into medicine in the first place. Thank you for creating it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PA-JBS
    United Statesa year ago
  • Brilliant

    A cinematic, penetrating, relevant, unexpected, human show. World-class storytelling, interviews, and audio documentaries that will rivet listeners far beyond the healthcare profession.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bzbm1875
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

A minority critique notes perceived political conversations at times, suggesting occasional alignment with specific viewpoints.
Reviews highlight high-quality storytelling and thought-provoking discussions across medicine and ethics.
Many note the show as a lifeline or source of community for healthcare workers.
Listeners value the intimate storytelling and medical authenticity that shine through guest experiences.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Memory Disco with Kaylee Glenn (Crossover Episode with Remo Health)
Q: How did you get the idea of practicing in a low-stakes setting to bring joy to people?
Starting with her mother inviting Kaylee to play at a memory care center, she saw a direct, meaningful impact as a non-threatening environment allowed genuine connection and reduced stage fright, which revealed music as a powerful tool for engagement and healing.
The History of Being Sick with Susan Wise Bauer, M.DIV, PhD
Q: So you have written many books. The one that we're focusing on today is a sweeping history of illness and how that interfaces with society and culture and politics. How would you describe it?
I describe it as a history of being sick, tracing how illness has shaped the world and how our responses to sickness reflect broader cultural and political contexts. It's a big-picture history that follows how different eras understood what it means to be sick and how that shapes behavior and institutions.
Rounds at the Zoo with Chris Carroll, MD
Q: How did you approach reintroductions of Kevin to his troop and manage the ethical complexities?
The guest explained the uncertainty, the care taken to minimize distress, and the balancing act between animal welfare and the zoo's social dynamics, including the decision to withdraw support when prognosis was poor.
Rounds at the Zoo with Chris Carroll, MD
Q: What was it like for you to tell your story on stage in front of peers?
The guest described it as an emotionally cathartic process, shaped by the coach's guidance and the family's participation, and he found meaning in sharing the experience with a professional audience.
Practice and Reality with Solange Madriz, MA, MS
Q: How did the PRONTO training approach differ from traditional simulation labs, and why was it effective in Guatemala?
It used real people as actors with low-cost props rather than expensive mannequins, emphasized facilitated discussion and context-sensitive learning, and connected traditional birth attendants with clinics to improve collaboration and patient outcomes.

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 The Nocturnists

What is The Nocturnists about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on intimate, first-person storytelling from frontline clinicians and health workers, pairing medical narratives with broader conversations about public health, ethics, and medicine's impact on personal lives. Episodes blend memoir-like reflections with rigorous clinical context, often exploring resilience, vulnerability, and the human side of care across topics like critical care, global health, obstetric emergencies, palliative care, and medical ethics. A notable strength is the consistent use of narrative storytelling to illuminate complex systems issues, from burnout and shame in medicine to care at the edges of society, while features like live storytelling and satellite-style interviews add theatrical and documentary ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Nocturnists?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Nocturnists:

1. The Moth
2. This American Life
3. Hidden Brain
4. Radiolab
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of The Nocturnists are there?

The Nocturnists launched 9 years ago and published 223 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 The Nocturnists?

Recent guests on The Nocturnists include:

1. Kaylee Glenn
2. Susan Wise Bauer
3. Dr. Erika MacIntyre
4. Chris Carroll
5. Solange Madriz
6. Dr. Mike Reid
7. Nikki Mittal
8. Tiffany Chan

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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