The Medical Collective

Keisha Davis
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Alternative Health
  • Biweekly

The Medical Collective brings together diverse doctors to explore the intersections of medicine, wellness, and life. Join us for deep dives into medical breakthroughs, the art of healing, and real-life stories. With expert insights, personal triumphs, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into healthcare, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone curious about the stories and science shaping our health. Subscribe now to join this transformative journey.

  1. Oct 26

    The Plague Never Left: Should We Be Worried?

    When you hear the word plague, you may think of the Black Death centuries ago. But plague never disappeared—and recent reports surrounding the death of a young laboratory worker in Russia have renewed questions about the disease and occupational exposure. In this solo episode of The Medical Collective, Dr. Keisha Davis explains what is known—and what remains unconfirmed—about the case, why plague still occurs in the United States, and what happens inside the body when Yersinia pestis causes serious infection. She also takes listeners behind laboratory doors to discuss risks faced by pathology and laboratory professionals, including a personal experience from her first autopsy. Is the public facing a new plague epidemic? We discuss why isolated cases are not evidence of widespread transmission, and why rapid diagnosis, antibiotics, biosafety, and accurate public health reporting matter. In This Episode The reported death of Darya Shipilova in Russia—and why plague has not been confirmed as her cause of death - Bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague: three forms of infection caused by the same bacterium - How pneumonic plague can cause severe, rapidly progressive bacterial pneumonia and how bloodstream infection can lead to sepsis - Why plague persists in animal and flea populations, including in parts of the western United States - What laboratory and autopsy workers face when handling potentially infectious specimens - Why awareness and preparedness matter more than panic Resources World Health Organization — Plague fact sheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/plague CDC — Plague information https://www.cdc.gov/plague/ CDC — Plague maps and statistics https://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps-statistics/index.html Virginia Commonwealth University — Reporting on the Russian laboratory worker https://news.vcu.edu/article/pneumatic-plague-scare-in-russia Connect & Support Website: https://www.medical-collective.net Support the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/themedicalcollective The Medical Collective — Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

    The Plague Never Left: Should We Be Worried?

  2. Oct 12

    Who's Tracking All These Outbreaks?

    We can test for COVID, flu and other respiratory infections at home now — but many of those results never leave our kitchens. So when someone says an infection is rising, how do we actually know? In this solo episode, Dr. Keisha Davis breaks down how disease surveillance works today, from home and clinical testing to laboratories, emergency-department data, hospitalizations and wastewater monitoring. Using her own recent at-home COVID test as a starting point, Dr. Keisha explains why traditional case counts no longer tell the whole story, why wastewater has become an important public-health signal, and why two dashboards can appear to tell different stories without either one necessarily being wrong. She also looks at CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), WastewaterSCAN, and what these tools can — and cannot — tell you about what is circulating in your community. In This Episode - Why an at-home positive test may never become part of a traditional case count - Why MakeMyTestCount no longer accepts at-home COVID, flu, RSV or combination-test results - Why tracking outbreaks matters even when most infections are not severe - How home testing, clinical laboratories, emergency departments, hospitalizations and death data provide different surveillance signals - How wastewater can detect community transmission even when people do not seek medical care or testing - How CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) works and where its data come from - Why Dr. Keisha also recommends WastewaterSCAN as a consumer-friendly way to explore local trends - Why "high" wastewater activity is not the same thing as a COVID case count - Why wastewater, ER visits, laboratory positivity and hospitalizations can move differently without contradicting one another - How to use wastewater information as community context — not as an individual diagnosis Key Facts - CDC currently receives data from more than 1,000 wastewater monitoring sites across the United States each week. - WastewaterSCAN reports sampling at nearly 150 locations across 40 states, serving more than 39 million people. - CDC receives WastewaterSCAN data as one of the data sources used in its national wastewater monitoring program. - CDC wastewater dashboards currently include influenza A, COVID-19, RSV, measles, avian influenza A(H5), and mpox. - CDC's National Syndromic Surveillance Program receives near-real-time data from about 85% of U.S. emergency departments, often within 24 hours of a visit. - Wastewater activity levels are community-level surveillance measures; CDC cautions that they should not be used to estimate the exact number of infections in a community or diagnose an individual. Key Takeaway No single number tells us how much disease is circulating. Wastewater, laboratory testing, emergency-department activity, hospitalizations and other public-health signals answer different questions. Like a pathology diagnosis, the clearest picture comes from putting multiple pieces of information together. Resources & References WastewaterSCAN — Public Wastewater Dashboard https://data.wastewaterscan.org/ CDC — National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) https://www.cdc.gov/wastewater/ CDC — About Wastewater Data https://www.cdc.gov/wastewater/about-data/index.html FDA — At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests and Expiration Dates https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests MakeMyTestCount — Program Closure Information https://www.makemytestcount.org/ Recommended Episode If you want to go deeper into why surveillance and public-health infrastructure matter, listen to: When Healthcare Becomes a National Security Issue — Are We Prepared for the Next Health Emergency? Connect With Us The Medical Collective: www.medical-collective.net Support The Medical Collective: Ko-fi Dr. Keisha Davis, M.D. — Host Pathology / Laboratory Medicine Komi: Dr. Keisha Davis Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

  3. Sep 7

    Food Poisoning or Something Worse?

    "I think I have food poisoning" is something many of us have said after a bad meal or a sudden bout of vomiting or diarrhea. But the last thing you ate is not always the cause, and not every gastrointestinal illness is food poisoning. In this episode of The Medical Collective, Dr. Keisha Davis and emergency medicine physician Dr. Dan follow the patient from symptoms to the emergency department, laboratory testing, discharge and follow-up—and, when cases are connected, into the public-health system. They discuss how emergency physicians distinguish common gastroenteritis from more serious causes of abdominal pain, which symptoms should send someone to the ER, what blood work and imaging can actually tell clinicians, and when stool testing is appropriate. Dr. Keisha adds the pathology and laboratory perspective, including the difference between stool culture and modern molecular GI panels, why a negative test does not necessarily rule out every infectious cause, and why the specific test ordered matters. The conversation also covers pending test results after discharge, when antibiotics may help—or potentially cause harm—and how an individual patient can become part of a much larger outbreak investigation through laboratory reporting and public-health surveillance. In This Episode -Food poisoning versus viral gastroenteritis and other causes of abdominal pain -When GI symptoms can be managed at home—and when urgent care or the ER is appropriate -Red flags including bloody diarrhea, severe or localized pain, dehydration, persistent vomiting, high fever, fainting, confusion, and high-risk patients -What emergency physicians actually order in the ER and what those tests are designed to answer -When imaging or stool studies may be needed -Stool culture versus modern molecular GI panels -Why not every stool panel tests for every organism -Why a negative test only tells you about what was actually tested -What happens when stool or microbiology results are still pending after discharge -When patients should follow up with their physician and when they should return to the ER -Why antibiotics are not automatically appropriate for diarrhea or foodborne illness -How clinicians and laboratories help identify clusters of illness -How the chain moves from the ER to the laboratory, reportable disease systems, public health, outbreak recognition, and recalls Key Takeaway Most gastrointestinal illnesses improve without emergency treatment, but severe, persistent, unusual, or worsening symptoms deserve medical evaluation. Laboratory testing can be powerful, but the result only answers the question the test was designed to ask. Understanding what was tested, knowing which results are still pending, and recognizing when symptoms require reevaluation are important parts of navigating a suspected foodborne illness. Resources & References American College of Emergency Physicians — Food Poisoning: Know When to Go https://www.emergencyphysicians.org/article/know-when-to-go/food-poisoning Mayo Clinic — Foodborne Illness: First Aid https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-food-borne-illness/basics/art-20056689 Connect With The Medical Collective The Medical Collective: www.medical-collective.net Dr. Keisha Davis, M.D. — Host Pathology / Laboratory Medicine Komi: Dr. Keisha Davis Dr. Dan, M.D. — Co-Host Emergency Medicine Website: DocDanMD.com The Medical Collective — Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

  4. Aug 24

    When Public Health Fails National Security Is At Risk.

    When we think about national security, we often think about the military, terrorism, cybersecurity, or protecting our borders. But what about the systems that protect us from the next major health emergency? In this episode of The Medical Collective, Dr. Keisha Davis sits down with emergency medicine physician Dr. Dan to examine healthcare and public health through the lens of national preparedness and security. Drawing from Dr. Dan's experience in emergency medicine, the military, and federal health-policy work, they discuss the infrastructure most people rarely think about until they need it—from emergency departments and laboratories to disease surveillance, public-health workers, hospital preparedness, and the Strategic National Stockpile. The conversation also asks a larger question: What happens when the systems we rely on during a crisis are already stretched before the crisis begins? They explore how preventable disease outbreaks can consume limited resources, why specialized public-health expertise cannot simply be rebuilt overnight, and how weaknesses in routine healthcare infrastructure may affect the country's ability to respond to emerging infections, biological or chemical threats, cyberattacks, intentional contamination, and misinformation during an emergency. Ultimately, preparedness doesn't begin when an emergency is declared. It depends on the people, laboratories, surveillance systems, hospitals, and public-health infrastructure already being in place when the unexpected happens. In This Episode What "health security" actually means Why healthcare and public health are part of national preparedness How one sick patient can become the first signal of a larger outbreak The connection between the ER, laboratory testing, disease reporting, surveillance, and public-health response How preventable outbreaks can consume healthcare and public-health resources Why experienced personnel and institutional knowledge matter during emergencies Whether public-health capacity can simply be "turned back on" after it has been reduced Hospital preparedness and the role—and limitations—of the Strategic National Stockpile Biological and chemical threats, intentional contamination, and healthcare cyberattacks The role of misinformation and public trust during a health emergency Whether laboratories, vaccination, surveillance, outbreak prevention, and the public-health workforce should be viewed as part of America's national defense Resources & References World Health Organization — Health Security https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-security CDC — Global Health Security https://www.cdc.gov/global-health/topics-programs/global-health-security.html Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — Biosecurity Is National Security https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/biosecurity-national-security   Connect With The Medical Collective For more episodes, resources, and conversations from physicians across specialties: www.medical-collective.net Host & Co-Host Dr. Keisha Davis, M.D. — Host Pathologist | Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology & Cytopathology Dr. Keisha Davis — Komi Dr. Dan, M.D. — Co-Host Emergency Medicine DocDanMD.com The Medical Collective — Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

    When Public Health Fails National Security Is At Risk.

  5. Aug 10

    What an Autopsy Can and Can't Tell Us

    What can an autopsy actually tell us—and where are its limits? In this solo episode of The Medical Collective, Dr. Keisha Davis takes listeners behind the pathology process to explain how autopsy findings become part of a much larger "death story." Following recent media conversations about the autopsy process, Dr. Davis steps away from speculation about any individual case and focuses instead on how pathologists evaluate evidence, why a single finding rarely answers every question, and why context matters. From hemorrhage versus postmortem change to toxicology, microscopic examination, scene investigation, second opinions, and the difference between evidence and interpretation, this episode explores why careful language and scientific humility are essential in pathology. It also explains why some deaths remain undetermined even after extensive investigation—and why that can represent scientific integrity rather than failure. In This Episode - What an autopsy can—and cannot—determine - Cause of death versus manner of death - Why an autopsy is only one part of the larger medicolegal investigation - Why red or purple discoloration does not automatically establish a bruise or traumatic injury - Hemorrhage, lividity, vascular congestion, decomposition, and the importance of context - Why one fracture, one hemorrhage, one microscopic finding, or one toxicology result should not be interpreted in isolation - Why postmortem toxicology requires nuance, including postmortem redistribution and the possibility of alcohol production during decomposition - Why negative findings can be diagnostically important - How clinical history, scene investigation, radiology, microscopy, toxicology, laboratory testing, and ancillary studies are integrated - Why pathologists use language such as "consistent with," "suggestive of," and "cannot exclude" - Why qualified experts can sometimes review the same evidence and reach different interpretations - How second autopsies and independent forensic reviews fit into the larger process - What surprises even physicians about autopsy and forensic pathology Key Takeaway An autopsy can provide powerful medical evidence, but it does not automatically answer every legal, investigative, or circumstantial question. Pathology requires integrating the findings with the history, scene, laboratory data, toxicology, microscopy, and other available evidence. One finding is never the whole story. Recommended Episode For listeners who want to learn more about independent second autopsies and access to forensic review, revisit The Medical Collective's episode featuring Nicole Martin discussing the Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative founded by Colin Kaepernick. The conversation explores why independent autopsies may matter for some families and efforts to expand access to those services. Resources & References National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) — A Guide for Manner of Death Classification https://name.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/MANNEROFDEATH.pdf Forensic Access — Forensic Pathology: Limitations in the Interpretation of Injuries https://www.forensic-access.co.uk/articles/forensic-pathology-limitations-in-the-interpretation-of-injuries/ PubMed Central — Forensic pathology resource https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8451910/ Journal of Forensic Sciences — Wiley article https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1556-4029.13322 Fourwaves — Forensic pathology conference abstract https://event.fourwaves.com/masters20/abstracts/a001b4b9-ba96-4d6e-924a-bd06189a3abc Connect With The Medical Collective The Medical Collective: www.medical-collective.net Dr. Keisha Davis: Komi Support The Medical Collective:  Ko-fi The Medical Collective — Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

    What an Autopsy Can and Can't Tell Us

  6. Jul 27

    Professionalism in the Age of Social Media: The White Coat Doesn't Come Off Online

    Social media has expanded the reach of healthcare professionals far beyond the clinic, hospital, laboratory, pharmacy, or therapy room. Patients now encounter clinicians and scientists online, sometimes before they ever meet them in person. In this solo episode, Dr. Keisha Davis explores how professionalism, ethics, free expression, influencer culture, misinformation, monetization, and public trust intersect in the digital age. The discussion acknowledges the growing tension between healthcare professions online without turning the episode into a physician-versus-nurse debate. Instead, it asks a broader question: What responsibilities come with being a trusted healthcare professional when every post can reach the public? This conversation applies across healthcare, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, scientists, therapists, and other licensed professionals. It is not about policing personalities or demanding perfection. It is about understanding how our words, conduct, disclosures, disagreements, and corrections can either strengthen or weaken public trust. In This Episode - Why the white coat represents public trust rather than simply workplace clothing - How social media changed the audience without removing professional responsibility - Why growing online tension between physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, and other professionals matters to patients - The difference between legal free speech rights and professional or ethical obligations - When personal opinion, scientific disagreement, and health misinformation begin to overlap - Whether a professional license and ethical responsibilities effectively end when someone logs off - How patients evaluate judgment, civility, honesty, humility, and integrity online - Healthcare influencer culture, sponsorships, product promotion, monetization, and conflicts of interest - Why transparency matters when education, personal branding, and business interests intersect - How healthcare professionals can disagree publicly without demeaning colleagues or confusing patients - What professionals owe the public beyond the exam room - Why correcting mistakes can preserve credibility rather than destroy it Key Takeaway The white coat may come off at the end of the day, but professional responsibility does not disappear when a healthcare professional goes online. Professionalism is not about never making mistakes or never expressing an opinion. It is about recognizing that credentials create influence, influence carries responsibility, and public trust is shaped by how professionals communicate, disagree, disclose conflicts, and respond when they are wrong. Join the Conversation Where do you believe the line should be drawn between personal expression and professional responsibility for licensed healthcare professionals online? Can healthcare professionals disagree publicly without weakening trust in one another or in the healthcare system? Share this episode with a healthcare professional, student, educator, or patient who has been thinking about how social media is changing medicine and public trust. Connect With Us The Medical Collective https://www.medical-collective.net Support The Medical Collective https://ko-fi.com/themedicalcollective Host Dr. Keisha Davis https://drkeishadavis.komi.io Resources and Professional Guidance American Nurses Association - Code of Ethics for Nurses https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only Federation of State Medical Boards - Social Media and Electronic Communications https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/policies/social-media-and-electronic-communications.pdf National Council of State Boards of Nursing - Social Media Guidance https://www.ncsbn.org/nursing-regulation/practice/social-media.page American Psychological Association - Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct https://www.apa.org/ethics/code Federal Trade Commission - Disclosures for Social Media Influencers https://www.ftc.gov/influencers Recommended Episode Why Doctors Can Disagree - And Both Be Right A companion discussion about clinical judgment, uncertainty, evidence, and respectful disagreement in medicine.

    Professionalism in the Age of Social Media: The White Coat Doesn't Come Off Online

  7. Jul 13

    Cyclospora: The Medical Mystery Teaching Us How Outbreaks Are Solved.

    Most people hear about foodborne outbreaks only after they make the headlines. In this solo episode, Dr. Keisha Davis takes listeners behind the microscope to explain how pathologists, laboratorians, epidemiologists, and public health professionals solve disease outbreaks using the current Cyclospora outbreak as a real-world case study. From the parasite's life cycle to laboratory diagnosis, outbreak investigations, and public health surveillance, this episode reveals why seemingly simple foodborne illnesses can become remarkably complex medical mysteries. Rather than simply explaining one parasite, this episode teaches listeners how medicine follows clues—from a single organism under the microscope to protecting entire communities. In This Episode - Why Cyclospora outbreaks are uniquely difficult to investigate - Every outbreak leaves clues: incubation periods and epidemiology - How Cyclospora cayetanensis infects the small intestine - Understanding the parasite life cycle and prolonged symptoms - Why routine stool testing may miss Cyclospora - Modified acid-fast staining, molecular testing, and laboratory diagnosis - Why a negative test may simply be the wrong test - Why Bactrim works against Cyclospora - The FDA Cyclospora Task Force and outbreak investigations - Why fresh produce outbreaks are difficult to trace - What patients can do to reduce risk - Five lessons Cyclospora teaches us about medicine and public health Key Takeaway Medicine solves mysteries one clue at a time. Understanding how physicians, laboratories, and public health professionals work together helps us become better partners in our own healthcare. Connect With Us The Medical Collective Website: www.medical-collective.net Support: https://ko-fi.com/themedicalcollective Host: Dr. Keisha Davis, M.D. https://drkeishadavis.komi.io Resources Referenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) FDA Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan College of American Pathologists (CAP) CIDRAP Mayo Clinic Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Recommended Episodes What Patients May Be Missing Right Now: Supplements, 'Natural' Medicine, and Hidden Risks What Patients May Be Missing Right Now: The Return of Preventable Disease Why Doctors Can Disagree — And Both Be Right Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

    Cyclospora: The Medical Mystery Teaching Us How Outbreaks Are Solved.

  8. Jun 30

    What Patients May Be Missing Right Now: The Return of Preventable Disease

    Prevention is one of medicine's greatest success stories—but only if people trust it enough to use it. In Part 2 of our series, What Patients May Be Missing Right Now, Dr. Keisha Davis is joined by Dr. Atoosa Kourosh and Dr. Sharon Smith for an honest conversation about vaccines, Vitamin K, measles, community immunity, and the growing challenges surrounding trust in preventive healthcare. Rather than focusing on fear or judgment, this episode explores why prevention has become more difficult to discuss, how misinformation has changed patient conversations, and why rebuilding trust may be one of the most important public health challenges of our generation. From newborn Vitamin K prophylaxis to measles outbreaks and community immunity, our physicians explain not only what prevention does—but why it matters before illness ever begins. In This Episode -Why vaccine conversations have changed over the past decade -Questions versus distrust: understanding vaccine hesitancy -The influence of social media and declining institutional trust -Why Vitamin K is given to newborns -Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB): risks and consequences -Why prevention often becomes a victim of its own success -Understanding measles transmission and why it remains one of the world's most contagious viruses -Community immunity and who depends on it -Measles complications, immune amnesia, and SSPE -Why infants, cancer patients, transplant recipients, and immunocompromised individuals remain especially vulnerable -Can trust in preventive medicine be rebuilt? -Practical ways physicians and patients can work together moving forward Key Takeaway -Prevention works best when it happens before disease occurs. Building trust through honest conversations, transparency, and evidence-based medicine helps protect not only individuals, but entire communities. Connect With Us The Medical Collective Website: www.medical-collective.net Support: https://ko-fi.com/themedicalcollective Host Dr. Keisha Davis, M.D. https://drkeishadavis.com Co-Host Dr. Atoosa Kourosh, M.D. https://www.doctoratoosa.com/ Co-Host Dr. Sharon Smith, M.D. Resources Referenced American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) KFF Vaccine Integrity Project CIDRAP Johns Hopkins Mayo Clinic World Health Organization (WHO) National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) Recommended Episode What Patients May Be Missing Right Now: Supplements, "Natural" Medicine, and Hidden Risks Diverse Doctors. One Mission.

    What Patients May Be Missing Right Now: The Return of Preventable Disease
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Trailer

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The Medical Collective brings together diverse doctors to explore the intersections of medicine, wellness, and life. Join us for deep dives into medical breakthroughs, the art of healing, and real-life stories. With expert insights, personal triumphs, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into healthcare, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone curious about the stories and science shaping our health. Subscribe now to join this transformative journey.

Information

  • Creator
    Keisha Davis
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    The Medical Collective

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