Is Laughter the best medicine? We attempt to answer this and other pressing questions in Doctor Vs Comedian. Dr Asif Doja is a pediatric neurologist and Ali Hassan is a stand up comedian and actor (CBC‘s Laugh Out Loud, Designated Survivor, Goon) who are each fascinated by what the other one does. In each episode, Asif picks a topic for Ali from comedy and entertainment and questions Ali about it. Then Ali picks a topic from medicine and health and grills Asif on that subject. We talk about serious subjects in an unserious way. If you want to hear about comedy, entertainment, health and wellness and don‘t want to have to choose between being entertaining AND informed, then this show is for you.
Episodes
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Episode 35: ‘Use Your Illusion’ vs ‘The Black Album’ / Vitamins
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Today, in honour of the 30th anniversary of the release of Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Use Your Illusion 1 and 2’ and Metallica’s ‘Black Album’, the guys debate which album is better (and yes, we know UYI is 2 albums -- we’re counting them as one…) (1:41). Ali starts off by recounting the story of how he attended the infamous Metallica/Guns N’ Roses concert in the summer of 1992, which resulted in a massive riot in downtown Montreal. The guys discuss how big GNR were in the early nineties and recount how anticipated the double album release was. Then the guys talk about Metallica’s 1991 album, which has come to be called ‘The Black Album’. They discuss how the album was considered a major sonic departure from their previous albums and the influence of Canadian producer Bob Rock. Then Ali asks Asif about whether we need to take vitamins (33:59). In short, Asif says in general “no” we don’t, but he does talk about some specific medical situations where we may need to take vitamins. He then talks about examples of toxicities associated with taking too many vitamins. Finally Asif shout outs the true experts in the field, nutritionists and dieticians.
The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Instagram: doctorvcomedian
Show Notes:
- Why a Guns ‘N Roses and Metallica concert ended in a riot: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-1992-montreal-riot/
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Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CVD Prevention and Treatment: https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.04.020
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Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/0003-4819-159-12-201312170-00011
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Acute Selenium Toxicity Associated With a Dietary Supplement: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/415585
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Refractory hypercalcemia owing to vitamin A toxicity in a 4-year-old boy: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/25/E671
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Episode 34: Squid Game / Is it Ok for Doctors to Cry?
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Today, the guys discuss the hit Netflix Show ‘Squid Game’ (1:13) and the influence of Korea on popular culture (BTS, ‘Parasite’) . They talk about how it was developed by writer/director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Netflix and Ted Sarandos. They discuss how it became a global phenomenon and how it’s ‘The Prisoner’ and ‘The Hunger Games’. They mention the excellent acting by Lee Jung-jae, Kim Joo-ryoung and Anupam Tripathi. Ali points out the stress of Hwang being a writer-director on every episode and he had 6 teeth fall out because of stress. Then Ali asks Asif if doctors should cry in front of patients (25:39). Asif brings up papers that discuss how patients feel about doctors crying in front of them as well as how doctors feel about the topic. He then talks about his own personal views on crying in front of patients and some real life examples.
The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Instagram: doctorvcomedian
Show Notes:
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Saturday Night Live - ‘Squid Game’: https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/squid-game/757125868
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'Squid Game' director Hwang Dong-hyuk: 'This is a story about losers': https://www.cnn.com/style/article/squid-game-director-hwang-dong-hyuk-spc-hnk/index.html
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Translators, experts weigh in on 'Squid Game' subtitle debate: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/translators-experts-weigh-squid-game-subtitle-debate-rcna2568
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Squid Game: 15 Questions the Finale Left Us With — Plus, Grade Season 1: https://tvline.com/lists/squid-game-finale-recap-burning-questions/was-old-man-truly-confused/
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‘Some see crying in front of patients as unprofessional. Most see it as being human’: https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2017/oct/12/crying-healthcare-patients-unprofessional-being-human
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The Physician’s Tears: Experiences and Attitudes of Crying Among Physicians and Medical Interns: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10880-019-09611-9
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Today, Asif asks Ali about the controversial origins of stand up comedy (1:05). Ali explains that stand up comedy evolved from vaudeville and that vaudeville itself evolved from minstrel shows. With respect to minstrel shows, Ali specifically references Thomas Dartmouth Rice's blatantly racist song-and-dance number, "Jump Jim Crow". He also discusses how the Irish were surprisingly often complicit in performing in blackface. Ali then discusses the long term ramifications of the fact that stand up grew out of these racist shows. Then, Ali asks Asif about the ‘Hidden Curriculum’ in medicine (25:57). Asif contrasts the ‘Hidden Curriculum’ with both the formal and the ‘Informal Curriculum’ (on the job training). He then provides several examples of the ‘Hidden Curriculum’ in medical education. Then, Asif concludes by discussing ways to address the ‘Hidden Curriculum’. BONUS: Joe Everyman appears for the first time on the podcast!
The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Instagram: doctorvcomedian
Show Notes:
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Probing Question: What are the roots of stand-up comedy?: https://news.psu.edu/story/141330/2008/09/12/research/probing-question-what-are-roots-stand-comedy
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Beyond curriculum reform: confronting medicine's hidden curriculum: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9580717/
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Trash talk and childish pranks: Canadian study sheds light on the hidden culture of medicine: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/trash-talk-and-childish-pranks-canadian-study-sheds-light-on-the-hidden-culture-of-medicine
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Opinion: Getting the diagnosis right isn't enough: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/national/opinion-getting-the-diagnosis-right-isnt-enough
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Observations of the hidden curriculum on a paediatrics tertiary care clinical teaching unit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30374218/
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The hidden and informal curriculum across the continuum of training: A cross-sectional qualitative study: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/0142159X.2015.1073241?journalCode=imte20
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"What Do They Want Me To Say?" The hidden curriculum at work in the medical school selection process: a qualitative study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1472-6920-12-17
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Debiasing the hidden curriculum- Academic equality among medical specialties: https://www.cfp.ca/content/57/1/e26.short
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Longitudinal training models for entrusting students with independent patient care?: A systematic review: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/medu.14607
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Professional identity formation within longitudinal integrated clerkships: A scoping review: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/medu.14461
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Episode 32: ‘Seinfeld’ Top 5’s / Body Odour
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Today, the guys start off the pod with a bit of banter about ‘banter’. Then, in honour of ‘Seinfeld’ being released on Netflix this month, Asif and Ali discuss their thoughts and memories of the sitcom. Then they both debate their top 5 ‘Seinfeld’ episodes of all time. Then Ali asks Asif about body odour, and the guys use the ‘Seinfeld’ episode “The Smelly Car” as the perfect transition. Ali recounts a story about having to tell someone in one of his classes about their BO. Asif talks about the differences between men and women with regards to body odour and why people only get it after puberty. Then Asif talks about what people can do about it, and debunks some myths about antiperspirants.
The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Instagram: doctorvcomedian
Show Notes:
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All 169 Seinfeld Episodes, Ranked From Worst to Best: https://www.vulture.com/best-seinfeld-episodes-ranked.html
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Armpit Psychology: The Science of Body Odor Perception: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/bering-in-mind/armpit-psychology-the-science-of-body-odor-perception/
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Dear Science: Why can’t I smell my own body odor?: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/11/07/dear-science-why-cant-i-smell-my-own-body-odor/
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Is Deodorant Harmful for Your Health?: https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/june/deodorant
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Episode 31: Life on Set / Unconscious Bias in Healthcare
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Today, the guys start off the pod by discussing 2 new television shows: Sandra Oh in ‘The Chair’ and FX’s ‘Y: The Last Man’ (0:43). Then Asif asks Ali about what life is really like on television and movie sets (8:53). Ali talks about the first set he was on and how he learned the “rules” of being on set. Ali then talks about the food on sets including craft services and catering as well as trailers on sets. Finally, Ali talks about his star-studded interactions with actors on set such as John Larroquette, Kiefer Sutherland, Dave Bautista and Eugene Levy. Then (37:35) Ali asks Asif about the concept of unconscious bias in healthcare. Asif explains how stereotypes about minority groups can result in poorer health care for certain individuals. He talks about how everyone in medicine is susceptible to unconscious bias and discusses ways in which to address it.
The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Instagram: doctorvcomedian
Show Notes
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Joyce Echaquan's death lays bare, once again, problems in Quebec's health-care system: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-joyce-echaquan-reaction-1.6044631
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Nunavut woman claims mistreatment in Ottawa hospital: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nunavut-woman-ottawa-hospital-mistreatment-1.5801844
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Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: a systematic review: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333436/
- The Impact of Unconscious Bias in Healthcare: How to Recognize and Mitigate It: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz214