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Public Health
SNAP
Hepatitis B Vaccine
Iran
Healthcare Access
Food Insecurity
Wealth Inequality
RFK Jr.
Election
Vaccine Misinformation
CDC
Relationships
Billionaires
Malnutrition
Welfare Programs
Poverty
Child Welfare
Economic Consequences
Epstein Files
Government Shutdown

Society’s running a fever, and two sharp-witted physicians are on the case. Surgeon-scientist Arghavan Salles dives into social media’s wildest trends, while anesthesiologist-bioethicist Alyssa Burgart follows news and legal cases for their ethical twists. Together, they examine the cultural, political, and public health symptoms of our time with scalpel-sharp analysis, unflinching questions, and ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes38Founded9 months ago
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Society & CultureMedicineHealth & Fitness

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Artwork for The Present Illness

Latest Episodes

It’s the second Pride Month of this Trump administration, and things are rough. San Francisco Giants’ pitchers anti-Pride stunt; gender as a weapon; Rainbow washing and corporate backstabbing.

Note: Dana White is the president and CEO of UFC

Summar... more

The Birth Book with OB-GYN Dr Jennifer Lincoln. Pro-autonomy! Pro-Consent! Pro- vitamin K for babies! Anti-shame and coercion! She hopes folks name their babies "OG" Anunoby.

The Birth Book

• Get your copy of The Birth Book

• Resources for The Birt... more

YouTube

Flesh eating flies (disgusting!); Project 2025 budget cuts (despicable!); sterile flies; non-standard healing crystals from a crystal scientist; Hunter Biden is a natural poster

Note:

• New data from ASCO regarding melanoma indicate those with Stag... more

YouTube

Pope Leo takes on AI in first encyclical; Ashley St. Clair spills hot MAGA tea; UFC fight at the White House; Ronnie Chieng commencement speech

• RFK Jr and snakes

• Preparations for the UFC fight at the White House

• Ebola updates from the WHO

• US... more

YouTube

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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

Lara Jones
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, pediatric advocate
San Francisco medical community
Episode: Shut Down Dilley Detention Center with Dr. Lara Jones
Kaveh Hoda
Special guest, longtime podcaster
The House of Pod (guest appearance)
Episode: Persian Politeness with Dr. Kaveh Hoda

Hosts

Arghavan Salles
Surgeon-scientist and doom scroller in residence; co-host focusing on clinical and scientific perspectives.
Alyssa Burgart
Anesthesiologist and bioethicist who tracks news and health law; co-host providing ethical and policy context.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 24 ratings
  • Give it a listen

    Really enjoyed this last episode with Dr. Kaveh! Always fun to hear him and Arghavan chat

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Trillest567
    United States3 months ago
  • One of my favorite new podcasts

    Drs Salles and Burgart are informative and funny and appropriately disgruntled/enraged. If you’re interested in the intersection of science, healthcare, and politics, check this one out.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Not Seeing It
    United States4 months ago
  • The Doctor is in

    The Doctor is in! The hosts help digest difficult issues and bring to light some of the lesser known health and political issues in modern day America.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Wuzer Bruzer
    United States6 months ago
  • Just what the doctor(s) ordered!

    The hosts grace us with insightful commentary, delightful banter and incisive wit. The Present Illness shines a light on what’s ailing us with just the right mix of seriousness, compassion and levity. A real treat to listen to!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    funkdrmephd
    United States8 months ago
  • A sharp perspective

    The Present Illness brings together two physicians with diverse perspectives to talk about healthcare in our society in a way that is equally intelligent while also feeling like you are gossipping with your healthcare best friend. It is both informative and refreshing. Highly recommend listening!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MorganLevy
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The hosts' chemistry makes tough topics approachable and engaging.
The show often ties current events to larger systemic health issues, making it informative and timely.
Listeners appreciate the thoughtful critique of health policy and ethics.
They balance medical rigor with accessible storytelling and humor.

Chart Rankings

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

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Present Illness

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

Two physician hosts consistently dissect how society, health, and policy intersect, delivering sharp takes on topics from medical ethics and public health to politics and misinformation. Episodes blend rigorous analysis with humor, often drawing connections between current events and broader systemic issues in healthcare, equity, and governance. The show stands out for its direct, medically informed perspectives from a surgeon-scientist and an anesthesiologist-bioethicist, appealing to listeners who want thoughtful critique and practical implications for health policy and medical ethics.

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How many subscribers and views does The Present Illness have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Present Illness has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Present Illness?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Present Illness:

1. The House of Pod
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. The MeidasTouch Podcast
4. Main Justice
5. What Now? with Trevor Noah

How many episodes of The Present Illness are there?

The Present Illness launched 9 months ago and published 38 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Present Illness?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Present Illness?

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What guests have appeared on The Present Illness?

Recent guests on The Present Illness include:

1. Lara Jones
2. Kaveh Hoda

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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