What do clunky insurance networks and subscription-style doctor care have in common? According to Preston Alexander, they’re both part of the same fixable puzzle.

Healthcare advocate, writer, and author of The Healthcare Breakdown, Preston joins Dr. Michael Jerkins to explore where the U.S. healthcare system is broken and the quiet, practitioner-led shift already underway.

They dig into how insurance-driven incentives frustrate doctors and patients, why employers hold untapped power to change costs, and the growing appeal of subscription models like direct primary care. Preston shares how technology can make care more direct and transparent, how large health systems’ misaligned incentives hold progress back, and why physician voices are essential in decision-making.

From legislative barriers to the business skills doctors need to thrive, this conversation blends big-picture strategy with actionable ideas for building patient-centered, sustainable practices. Whether you’re a physician, employer, or simply curious about what’s driving healthcare costs, you’ll walk away with a clear-eyed view of what’s broken and what’s working.

What do boy bands, burnout, and bedside manner have in common? According to Dr. J Mack Slaughter—more than you think. In this episode, emergency medicine physician, musician, and social media creator Dr. J Mack joins Dr. Michael Jerkins to unpack his unlikely path from pop performer to practicing medicine, and how creativity still fuels his career today.

Dr. J Mack opens up about what led him to leave the entertainment industry, start over as a pre-med student, and ultimately find a way to merge both passions through his nonprofit, Music Meets Medicine. From the emotional toll of COVID-19 to his advocacy around EM residency reform and healthcare worker mental health, he shares how creating content online has helped him reclaim his voice and fight burnout, while educating the public along the way.

We explore the broken incentives in healthcare, how profit-driven systems are failing both doctors and patients, and why giving doctors the tools to speak out is more important than ever. Whether you're a clinician craving inspiration or just someone who wants to understand the person behind the white coat, this episode hits all the right notes.

Writer, advocate, and co-creator of the Glaucomflecken universe, Kristin Flanary joins the show to explore the unexpected intersections of humor, healthcare, and co-survivorship. Known online as Lady Glaucomflecken, Kristin shares her journey from casual Twitter banter to public advocacy after performing life-saving CPR on her husband, physician and comedian Dr. Will Flanary, during his sudden cardiac arrest.

In a system designed to center only the patient, where does that leave the partner who’s living through the trauma too? And what happens when caregivers are treated as accessories to recovery rather than humans navigating shock, PTSD, and grief of their own? Kristin reflects on the emotional toll of being a co-survivor, the role of humor in healing, and why changing the language we use in medicine is more powerful than we realize. We also unpack what it's like to build a life around a doctor’s schedule, how med school and training affects more than just the trainee, and why prestige in medicine is often overrated.

This episode shines a light on the forgotten patients, while challenging doctors to approach families with more intention and empathy. If you’ve ever struggled to be seen in the healthcare system or want to better understand the people who stand beside the patient, this one is for you.

Health policy researcher and advocate Dr. Jeral Self joins host Dr. Michael Jerkins to explore one of the most overlooked yet impactful forces in healthcare: policy. With over 17 years of experience, Dr. Self shares what most people, and even many doctors, misunderstand about Medicaid, and why that matters more than ever.

From school-based health initiatives and rural hospital struggles to the rapid rise of telehealth, this episode digs into the real-world effects of policy decisions and the importance of doctor involvement beyond the clinic. Dr. Self also opens up about how motherhood reshaped her perspective on care, and why advocacy can’t be something we only take on after burnout.

How do we make sense of a system as complex as Medicaid? Where can doctors make a difference without a policy degree? And how do we keep patients, especially the most vulnerable, at the center of all this? Whether you’re new to health policy or already active in advocacy, this episode is a thoughtful, personal, and practical look at how doctors can be agents of change in a system that desperately needs it.

The views expressed by Dr. Self in this podcast are solely her own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of her employer.

Pediatric cardiologist and educator Dr. Josh Daily joins the show to unpack one of the most pivotal and pressure-filled decisions in medicine: choosing your specialty. From the subtle influence of faculty feedback to the emotional weight of tough rotations, Dr. Daily shares how emotional and cognitive biases often shape career paths more than we realize.

In a system that expects clarity before exposure, how can students make informed, fulfilling choices? And what happens when a choice made under pressure leads to burnout later on? Dr. Daily reflects on his own journey, the power of mentorship, and why matching your specialty to your values matters more than chasing prestige. This episode dives deep into the hidden forces behind specialty selection; from confirmation bias and emotional fatigue to the role of coaching, aptitude testing, and systemic reform. We also explore how AI and wearable tech may influence the future of care and whether they’ll help or hinder the next generation of physicians.

If you’ve ever questioned your path in medicine (or are guiding someone through theirs), this one’s for you. Tune in for practical insights, candid reflections, and a conversation that challenges the status quo of medical training.

What’s it really like to train in medicine today? Internal medicine-pediatrics physicians Michael Jerkins, MD, M.Ed and Ned Palmer, MD, MPH dive into the results of the Panacea Financial 2025 Annual Residents and Fellows Survey, which captured the voices of nearly 500 medical trainees across the country. The findings? Over half of respondents reported feeling extremely financially stressed—and the stories behind that number paint a deeper picture of the challenges facing today’s doctors-in-training.

From rising living costs and ballooning student debt to the emotional weight of working long hours while living paycheck to paycheck, Drs. Jerkins and Palmer explore the toll this financial pressure is taking on the future of medicine. They unpack why student loan stress jumped 26% in just one year, what it means when 1 in 3 trainees wouldn’t choose medicine again, and how instability is hitting certain specialties the hardest.

What can we learn from the doctors who are still in the thick of it? How does financial stress impact patient care and what could a better training system actually look like? With data, personal insights, and a dose of realism, this episode is a candid look at what’s working, what’s broken, and why meaningful reform matters now more than ever. Tune in to hear what today’s residents and fellows really want you to know.

Internal medicine-pediatrics physician, educator, and Panacea Financial co-founder Dr. Michael Jerkins joins us as a guest to share his journey through medicine. From his early days in Memphis to residency in Cincinnati, Dr. Jerkins experienced firsthand the pressures of medical education, ballooning student debt, and the emotional toll of ICU rotations.

But what if the system could be different? What if medical school were shorter, more affordable, and designed for how we actually learn today? In this episode, Dr. Jerkins opens up about the parts of his training that now feel obsolete, the lessons hidden inside six-figure student loans, and why AI might just be the assistant doctors didn’t know they needed.

How do you stay human in a system that sometimes forgets you are one? What would you change if you had a magic wand—and what does ska music have to do with any of it? Dr. Jerkins shares honest reflections, practical ideas, and plenty of humor in a conversation that reminds us why medicine needs both heart and reform. Tune in for a thoughtful look at what it takes to practice with intention in a world that’s constantly evolving.

Dentist, practice owner, and entrepreneur Dr. Vu Kong joins us to share his remarkable journey into dentistry and business ownership. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Dr. Kong originally planned to pursue mechanical engineering before his father—a former dentist—encouraged him to consider a different path. After graduating amidst a financial crisis, limited opportunities led him from Michigan to Illinois, where he and a friend began conceptualizing a practice just six months out of school; one that would eventually become High Point Dentistry.

So how do you go from launching a practice to building a multi-location business? What lessons come from selling it all—and starting again? And how do you lead with purpose while raising a family? Dr. Kong opens up about growth, sacrifice, and what he’s learned about leadership, culture, and data along the way. Tune in for an honest look at what it takes to grow smarter, not just bigger.