Episode 1: We start this season by discussing some of the major health policy changes that have occurred in the past 4 years of the Trump administration. We also take a detailed look at the four recent executive orders signed by the President with the stated intent of lowering healthcare costs.
Episode 2: Due to the high cost of prescription drugs in the U.S., lowering the cost of pharmaceuticals is a common rallying point for parties interested in making healthcare more affordable for Americans. However, how did we get to this point? Do Americans takes medications at rates greater than other nations? What even determines the price of a drug?
Episode 3: The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted large public interest in research. However, the pace and quantity of research being published has often outpaced the quality. We take a brief look at the history of the Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) and the current progress of the major COVID vaccine trials.
Episode 4: Rural Americans interact with health and healthcare far differently from their urban counterparts. We start by discussing what makes a place 'rural' and then highlight some of the unique issues facing rural Americans and health policies aimed at addressing them.
Episode 5: We review the history of medical education in the United States, focusing on how a foundation laid over 100 years ago has gone largely unchanged and contributed to some of the successes and disparities within modern medical education. These discussions take place while considering whether medicine is primarily a theoretical or practical field.