9 episodes

Game Changers in Medicine is a groundbreaking medical history podcast about the serendipitous events, chance encounters, and unlikely heroes and heroines behind some of the world’s most significant medical discoveries. Through oral histories, memoirs, and other first-person accounts, we get to know the scientists whose curiosity, innovation, and dogged determination contributed to game-changing medical discoveries that almost didn’t happen—and which continue to define patient care today.Created by Dramatic Health co-founder Sean Moloney, who serves as executive producer, with host Dr. Rubin Pillay, Professor of Medicine and Business, Assistant Dean for Global Health Innovation, School of Medicine, and Chief Innovation Officer at UAB Health System, University of Alabama at Birmingham. New episodes monthly.

Game Changers in Medicine Dramatic Health, Inc.

    • Science
    • 5.0 • 26 Ratings

Game Changers in Medicine is a groundbreaking medical history podcast about the serendipitous events, chance encounters, and unlikely heroes and heroines behind some of the world’s most significant medical discoveries. Through oral histories, memoirs, and other first-person accounts, we get to know the scientists whose curiosity, innovation, and dogged determination contributed to game-changing medical discoveries that almost didn’t happen—and which continue to define patient care today.Created by Dramatic Health co-founder Sean Moloney, who serves as executive producer, with host Dr. Rubin Pillay, Professor of Medicine and Business, Assistant Dean for Global Health Innovation, School of Medicine, and Chief Innovation Officer at UAB Health System, University of Alabama at Birmingham. New episodes monthly.

    The personal EKG and the dawn of life-saving medical devices in your pocket

    The personal EKG and the dawn of life-saving medical devices in your pocket

    This episode marks the end of season one of Game Changers in Medicine, and we felt there was no better way to wrap up the show than interviewing a modern-day game changer. In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Dr. David Albert, inventor of AliveCor’s KardiaMobile, the personal EKG. Small enough to fit in a pocket, this game-changing medical device pairs with any smartphone to capture a medical-grade EKG in 30 seconds. Now, patients can monitor their heart health as often as necessary and directly transmit the results to their doctor. This device is just the beginning of medical technologies that increasingly give patients power over their own healthcare. Hear Game Changers in Medicine host and medical futurist Dr. Rubin Pillay and Dr. Albert discuss the twists and turns of the development of KardiaMobile, and hear Dr. Albert’s predictions about where we’re likely to see game-changing medical technologies of the future.

    Show Notes
    Watch the single-take, unscripted video that started it all - LINK
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    • 33 min
    Insulin: The bonus episode

    Insulin: The bonus episode

    Last month's episode focused on the incredible twists and turns that resulted in Dr. Frederick Banting’s discovery of insulin in the early 1920s. Today, we’ll hear more from our expert panelists.
    Dr. Jay Skyler of the Diabetes Research Institute shares anecdotes from the early days of his medical career running a summer camp for children with diabetes and updates us on the search for a cure for diabetes. Toby Smithson, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, shares more of her deeply personal story of living with Type 1 diabetes from the age of eight. We’ll also hear from Dr. H. Franklin Bunn. He is the co-discoverer of the hemoglobin A1C measurement—a breakthrough that was instrumental in developing the test now routinely used to diagnose diabetes, prediabetes, and to monitor blood sugar.
    We hope you enjoy this episode.
     
     
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    • 36 min
    Insulin: The lucky coin toss and improbable partnership that led to this life-saving elixir

    Insulin: The lucky coin toss and improbable partnership that led to this life-saving elixir

    Currently, more than 460 million people have some form diabetes. However, what was once a life-threatening disease is now a manageable condition thanks to the discovery of insulin.
    In today’s episode you’ll meet the young Canadian surgeon, Dr. Frederick Banting, and learn how the three sentences he scribbled in the middle of the night changed the course of medical history: “Diabetes. Ligate pancreatic ducts of dog. Keep dogs alive till acini degenerate leaving islets. Try to isolate the internal secretion of these and relieve glycosuria.”
    What do these words mean, exactly, and how was it that Banting and his unlikely team of collaborators managed not only to discover life-saving insulin, but to do it in record time?
    Listen to find out.
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    • 45 min
    X-Rays: This invisible diagnostic light was born in the dark 125 years ago

    X-Rays: This invisible diagnostic light was born in the dark 125 years ago

    Photographs. Sometimes they capture a moment. Sometimes they tell a story. And sometimes, a photograph can change the world. This month, join us as we revisit the discovery of the x-ray and how it would change patient care forever.
    How do x-rays work? And how did the world react when we could finally see inside our bodies? Listen to find out.

    Shownotes:
    Thank you to Kathy Joseph of the YouTube series, Kathy Loves Physics and History. Watch her show now. LINK

    For graphics associated with this episode please visit www.gamechangersinmedicine.com.
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    • 26 min
    Warfarin: How a rat poison became one of the world’s most widely prescribed drugs

    Warfarin: How a rat poison became one of the world’s most widely prescribed drugs

    In the 1930s, an unknown disease was killing cattle across the Midwest. One Wisconsin farmer traveled 200 miles through a blizzard to the University of Wisconsin, desperate to find a solution. To emphasize the dire nature of the situation, that farmer brought the evidence with him, loading up his truck with bales of spoiled hay, a milk can of uncoagulated blood, and a dead cow. Quite by chance, he crossed paths with a sympathetic scientist and medical history was made.
     
    Learn how that chance meeting set off a series of medical discoveries that resulted in a one-time rat poison saving President Eisenhower’s life and becoming one of the world’s most widely prescribed drugs. This is the story of warfarin.
     
    Warning: This episode contains the description of an attempted suicide and may not be suitable for all audiences. If you or someone you know needs help call 1-800-273-8255 or visit www.suicidepreventionhotline.com.
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    • 32 min
    Smallpox Vaccine: The bonus episode

    Smallpox Vaccine: The bonus episode

    In our recent episode on the discovery of the smallpox vaccine, we were fortunate to hear from several noted doctors and virologists. They shared their expertise on how vaccines work and offered predictions for when we might have a vaccine for COVID-19.
    They were very generous with their time. So generous, in fact, that we couldn’t contain all of their big ideas in that one episode. Thus is born this bonus episode.
    It is a privilege to share more of their expert commentary on the coronavirus and the search for a COVID-19 vaccine.
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    • 18 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

Marie98765 ,

Highly Recommend

This is a fascinating and informative listen, definitely give it a listen

k_pubez ,

Thoroughly entertaining and educational, a must listen

This is an amazing podcast! In a world full of boring podcasts, this one is exciting and interesting. It bridges the gap for both medical professionals and the general public to understand some huge moments in the advancement of medicine and science. Definitely give this one a listen!

Deewiegs ,

Fascinating Podcast!

I really enjoyed the Warfarin episode. The interest Karl Link had in helping mankind is inspirational.

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