Second Opinion

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 know the pet had tapeworms. A human is most commonly infected with tapeworms by eating undercooked meat. Please get your facts right.

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 is stripping nurses of their “professional” distinction (an action which will affect student loans and further contribute to the nursing shortage) this is a really harmful take. FWIW, I am an NP. I introduce myself as an NP. I correct patients when they call me doctor. But they continue to call me doctor anyway. Not much I can do, and I’m sorry to say that many patients simply don’t care what your actual title is as long as you can help them. While I agree it is wrong for a DNP to simply introduce him/herself as a doctor, there is no reason they Should not be able to use their full title they worked so hard for.

Love it!

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.