Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family LINKS: Dr. Rashid Buttar | Lies on CNN | Real Physician Reacts COVID Conspiracy Doctor Claimed He Was 'Poisoned After Interview' Just Days Before Death In this week’s episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we will be having a discussion about disinformation dozen members of Dr. Rashid Buttar, his recent death, and how before he passed away he continued to make sure his legacy of disinformation was still intact. In tonight's discussion, we talk about the recent passing of Dr. Buttar, a well-known conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaxxer who made an appearance on this series in 2021 after an interview on CNN. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today;

So let's talk about Mental Health... How’s your mental health these days? Too often, people misunderstand ‘mental health’ as the absence of mental illness, when in fact, people can have mental issues; it’s a matter of how we’re coping. But there rises another concern as people confuse coping and good mental health as a one-size-fits-all healing. They think everyone has to be able to operate the same way, to deal with stress and anxiety the same way; but that is just not the case. Sadly, lots of people still think that’s just the way it is, hence the misconceptions and repression of emotions that’s been so evident these days. So as we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month this May, I want to be able to discuss this repression as we recognize the importance of talking about our mental health. May this be a reminder to take better care of ourselves, because our mental health is a key component in the betterment of the life we’re giving ourselves? Why you need to check this episode: “Physical health is great. Financial health is great. But if your mental health isn’t balanced and isn’t on par with the rest, the other two don’t really matter.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “Those young boys who’ve been told to man up, who’ve been told to repress, who’ve been told to act like they shouldn’t be hurt because they can’t see Nana or they can’t see Auntie, those are the ones who oppress those types of feelings and don’t know how to express them when they get older.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “That stigma associated with your mental health, anxiety, depression, and everything else under the sun—we’re not here for that. We’re not here to have you hide it. We’re not here to have you repress it. We’re not here to have you find someone to talk to. We’re not going for that anymore.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “Just because the government has said ‘we’re done funding, we’re done putting the amount of support that we’re doing doesn’t mean that this is the end of the road because COVID is not just going to disappear on May 11th.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “You cannot do this alone. You should not do this alone. If you could do it alone, then you’d already be fine.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “If you want to get to a point where in 10 years you feel just as good as you felt in year one, you’re going to have to know how I am going to process the mental complexities of my life and make sure I can cope correctly, whatever coping correctly means.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family LINKS: Monkeypox cases rising in Chicago ahead of summer, IDPH reportsMonkeypox Virus Overview In this week’s episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we will be having a discussion on a recent outbreak of Monkeypox in Chicago, Il. In tonight's discussion, we talk about the 24 new cases of monkeypox in Chicago and what it means for the rest of the country. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today;

So let's talk about the recap of the Autism in Black conference... How important is it for us to build a community rooted in compassion and support, especially for our autistic and/or neurodivergent loved ones? As we conclude the third annual Autism in Black Virtual Conference, we are coming off a natural high coming fresh off the success of the event. It’s been a wonderful and loving weekend, and our hearts are fully grateful for all that’s been part of it. It is truly fulfilling to see how everyone’s been so consistent from its first to the very last day. But behind this great success, there lies stories, efforts, and hard work made by the organizer herself. Without her and her love for the community, this conference won’t even be an event. Each and every year, she puts her all to be able to provide this space. Because after all, she recognizes the need to empower people, and she’s decided to have that mission as hers to take. Join me as we do a recap on the third annual Black in Autism Conference, again with one of my favorite guests, obviously, with no bias—Maria Davis-Pierre, my beloved wife and CEO of Autism in Black. Why you need to check this episode: “We definitely want to make sure that the individuals in the community have the information, they have the support, they have the backup because it can also feel isolating and lonely when you don’t have anybody in your support circle who is raising an autistic child or any autistic family members so they’re not understanding these sorts of things. Having that community where you can have that space where you don’t have to explain as you are trying to get your support just makes it easier and more fulfilling.” – Maria Davis-Pierre Notable Quotes: “That’s one of the things we wanted to be able to do—to make sure we’re having the right information, make sure we’re well-equipped when we’re going to these meetings and advocating on behalf of ourselves or our children, and that we know what needs to be said to get things done, because a lot of times, we put our trust into the school system or the healthcare system, thinking that they have our best interests in heart or our children’s best interests in heart, and oftentimes, that’s not the case.” – Maria Davis-Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Autism in Black MembershipAutism in Black Conference 2024Autism in Black Website Autism in Black InstagramAutism in Black Podcast

So let's talk about the COVID-19 pandemic update... This week will mark the end of the public health emergency declaration from the United States government. On May 11, 2023, COVID-19 is no longer going to be a public health emergency. With this coming to an end, there will be a lot of changes that will soon come into effect. From having free vaccines, there will eventually come a time when we'll have to visit Pfizer, Moderna, and other companies and hope that our insurance can cover the cost that comes with protecting our life and health. But just because the government has said ‘We’re done funding, we’re done putting the amount of support that we’re doing’ doesn’t mean that this is the end of the road; because COVID is not just going to disappear on May 11th. It’s still going to be here. COVID-19 is still going to affect people. But as we move towards this stage of COVID-19 being endemic, the question that remains is how well are we prepared, knowing that we no longer have the government as the safety blanket. Join me again in this week's episode as we discuss the future that lies ahead. Why you need to check this episode: “I’m hoping that we don’t ever have to see what it’s like for our nation to operate as a community and show its community efforts to get better. I’m hoping that we recognize our mistakes and say, ‘Hey, you know what? I’m going to make sure I shore up the public health scene so they can deal with the threats before it gets to us.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “I’m hoping that we don’t ever have to see what it’s like for our nation to operate as a community and show its community efforts to get better. I’m hoping that we recognize our mistakes and say, ‘Hey, you know what? I’m going to make sure I shore up the public health scene so they can deal with the threats before it gets to us.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “When we talk about community building, not only are we talking about education; not only are we talking about prevention; not only are we talking about doing things together; but more importantly, empowering others to do so.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “Just because the government has said ‘we’re done funding, we’re done putting the amount of support that we’re doing doesn’t mean that this is the end of the road because COVID is not just going to disappear on May 11th.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “I do believe that as it continues to get further and further away from May 11, 2023, it’s going to be harder and harder for you to just get anything free associated with COVID-19.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “Understand that you are part of an ecosystem, whether that ecosystem is you and your family, you and your loved ones, you and your gym buddies. You are part of an ecosystem that needs to be addressed and taken care of.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this week’s episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we return with our miniseries - “Ask the Internist” where I field questions from our live audience. This week’s topic is how to become a Great Hospitalist physician. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today;

So let's talk about the importance of building a community... In everything that you are trying to achieve - be it in your business, your spirituality, or most importantly, your health - everything is a lot easier to do when you have a system that’s there to support you when you’re up and when you’re down. And if you already know me, you’d know that I love to call that system a “community”. Surrounding ourselves with people who are supportive enough to cheer for us and empowered enough to call us out when we’re not doing what we’re supposed to do plays a big factor in whether we will become successful or not; unfortunately, many still believe that doing things alone is the way to go. Truth is, many of us need that group of supportive people who will encourage us, lift us up, and hold us accountable for our actions or the lack thereof; we just don’t know or acknowledge it yet. So join me today as I shed light on why having that community around you is crucial to your success, and guide you on how you can build one for yourself. Why you need to check this episode: “You can’t be successful in your goals and aspirations if you do not have partners along the way who are going to be there when you’re up, and more importantly, going to be there when you’re down.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “We have to get rid of this myth that being by ourselves is what’s needed to get to the next level. That’s just not true. It’s never been true.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “You have to develop a community that encourages you and lifts you up when you need it, but are also able to say ‘Hey, you’re not doing what you need to do; get back on the path.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “For some people, having a good community or a bad community can be a life or death decision.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “We talked about making sure that we empower our community members with the support that they need to feel empowered and feel some sense of ownership within the community; because if they feel that sense of ownership, they’re ready to rock.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify

In this week’s episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we decided to open up the conversation and medical students and how to successfully manage the transition of going from medical student to resident physician. In a physician's career one of the biggest transitions they have to go through is becoming the physician they dreamed of being just several months after being just the medical student on the team. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today;

So let's talk about bioethical intervention... The medical community has a rich history of false information, and it even got to a point when the community itself was the perpetrator of fake news. Mis- and disinformation have become so prevalent that even in the age of the internet, it remains to be the most difficult challenge healthcare workers have to win against. But that doesn’t mean that we will and shall remain silent against all the misinformation and disinformation that’s been thrown our way, especially in the middle of the pandemic. That’s why for this episode, I invited Evan Thornburg, a bioethicist and TikTok content creator who aims to battle public health disinformation and misinformation by educating people on issues concerning public health. Do not become a victim of these social media “experts” and their unverified and mostly untruthful claims. Join Evan and me as we talk about the importance of acknowledging and understanding the roots of both mis- and disinformation in the medical field. Gather tips on how to effectively combat fake news both as a content creator and as part of the audience. Why you need to check this episode: “I don’t want to explain ‘why this is wrong’. What I want to explain is what someone is doing. What I want to explain is the technique they’re using. What I want to explain is how you can see this for yourself. Fortifying or sharpening everybody’s abilities to identify the problem means that I don’t have to be there every time a new concept comes out.” – Evan Thornburg Notable Quotes: “Misinformation has been a bit of a keystone in medicine when we start to look at it through the lens of the history of medicine, especially of black and brown bodies.” – Evan Thornburg “One of the things that I’ve learned in researching and trying to understand people’s consumption of disinformation and misinformation and conspiracy theories is that they experience an intensity of fear and anxiety around health and health information. And I think it’s fair to affirm that. I think the first place that a lot of folks go wrong is denying them that reality.” – Evan Thornburg “We’ve overbought into the marketplace of ideas. We’ve overdrunk that Kool-Aid too deep like the best idea will just naturally float on top. It doesn’t. The most exciting idea, the most promoted idea, the most beneficial financially idea does.” – Evan Thornburg “We don’t have a natural propensity towards integrity… Most people choose integrity when they think something has the integrity to it. But it’s not a natural propensity for us to just know what’s the thing with the most integrity.” – Evan Thornburg Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Evan's TikTok

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this week’s episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we decided to open up the conversation and start a miniseries - “Ask the Internist” where I field questions from our live audience. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today;

So let's talk about the Autism in Black conference... There are a lot of stigmas that’s been surrounding autism for a very long time now. And even today, in 2023, many people still lack compassion and understanding toward autistic people. On top of that, things get even trickier if you come from the black community. Being a part of the minority in America is already hard enough, but being part of the black community while dealing with the stigma that people have about autism just unlocks a whole new level of struggle. I know, for I, myself, am a father of two beautiful children who has autism, and I had to face its challenges when our first daughter was diagnosed at a very early age. This, exactly, is what inspired my wife, Maria Davis-Pierre, to start Autism in Black. Since its launch three years ago, she has dedicated herself to helping parents from the black community who have kids with autism by means of providing education and advocacy services. Part of this is the Autism in Black Conference, an annual event where we invite various experts and resource speakers who are also part of the black, neurodivergent community to educate and empower attendees by speaking about their personal and professional experiences on dealing with autism. Join us today as we talk you through our advocacy at Autism in Black, and how Autism in Black Conference might just be that one big support that you have been longing to have all this time. Why you need to check this episode: “[When] we started Autism in Black, we wanted to support parents raising black autistic children through education and empowerment, and we wanted to flip the game and go into organizations and train them on how to be less harmful to the black disability community.” – Maria Davis-Pierre Notable Quotes: “More than half of our speakers are either autistic or they fall under the neurodivergent umbrella… We are actually a conference that is talking about our lived experiences, in addition to our professional experiences. And I think that’s what makes us different.” – Maria Davis-Pierre “Anyone can come to our conference… However, understand that our content centers only on the black experience. We center our experiences at our conference because our experiences are oftentimes not valued and diminished in other environments and under other circumstances.” – Maria Davis-Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Website InstagramPodcastAutism in Black Conference

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we a video making the rounds by a pediatrician when asked why he doesn’t wear a mask in his practice anymore. Now this isn’t a new phenomenon within healthcare facilities. Many doctors have elected to go back to a time when masks were not a part of the wardrobe. The discussion today highlights the rock and hard place many physicians find themselves when deciding on how to move along with this pandemic. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today; Links Tik Tok Video

So let's talk about your second-quarter goals... Before the beginning of the year 2023, we did an episode wherein I told you my goals and plans for this year. In that same episode and in the ones that followed, I also told you the importance of taking responsibility for why things that you have planned go one way or another. Now, three months have already passed and we are officially in the second quarter of this year. And as anyone who knows me knows, if I do not teach you the importance of tracking, assessing, and taking accountability for how you are achieving your goals, I’d be remiss. That’s why for today’s podcast episode, I’ll be talking to you about how my first quarter went, how things are going, and how I plan to do things in the second quarter of this year–all while also sharing how you can do better for your own plans. Why you need to check this episode: “I see a lot of tweets and posts like, ‘Wow, the calendar’s moving’. No, it’s moving the same as it moves every year. The question is, how intentionally are we moving while the calendar is moving?”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “A lot of us’ biggest hurdle is we will not ask for help when we need help. We will just rack up our brains and sit in the same position we’re in for days, weeks, and months because of our pride in not asking for help. I don’t want y’all to do that” – Dr. Berry Pierre “We got three more quarters to go, which means that we have three more opportunities to improve upon what was good; but more importantly, to improve on what is bad.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “When I stress about the good stuff, I don’t want you to just do the good stuff one time and then not think of it again. I want you to keep doing the good stuff over and over and over again. That’s really the name of the game” – Dr. Berry Pierre “You are never going to improve upon yourself if you don’t acknowledge the things that need to be improved upon or things that you need to do less of.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this episode of the Real Physician Reacts series, we draw on inspiration from the lawmakers in Tennessee who decided that because members of their congress chose to protest on behalf of the mass shooting that occurred in Nashville, those members were worthy of being expelled from their elected positions. So I figured that if the same thing could happen in medicine who would I vote to kick out of healthcare? Today's discussion has comedic overtones but highlights a terrible problem in this country where even seeing kids get murdered isn’t enough to make those in power act. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today; Links Tennessee House votes to expel 2 of 3 Democratic members over a gun protest. What we know about the deadly shooting at a Nashville elementary school

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this episode of the Real Physician Reacts series the topic is yet another mass shooting in this country with the latest being in Nashville, Tennesee. The discussion today is against bringing medicine & public health to the crossroads while we contemplate how in this country the number 1 killer for kids continues to be gun violence. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today; Links What we know about the deadly shooting at a Nashville elementary school

So let's talk about moving on from COVID-19... Quite often, during these past three years, a question that I would get is “Dr. Berry, when is this pandemic over? When can we move on with COVID-19?” As I always say, what I would like to see before I can actually say that it’s over are these three: 1) death counts going down, 2) case rates going down, and 3) as many people who can be vaccinated to actually get vaccinated. Unfortunately, nowadays, all three are still going on opposites, with cases and deaths still going on and lots of people still unvaccinated. But then here we are – moving on with COVID-19. It’s sad and disheartening how there could be a slogan of “Hey, we are moving on. Move on with us or get left behind” here in the United States when a lot of people from other areas/countries are still dealing with the effects of COVID-19. But then again, the writing’s been on the wall already, especially with our current government lacking in so many ways. Why you need to check this episode: “You heard the numbers. They’re still there; the deaths are still there. People still need to be vaccinated; people still need to be boosted. If you fall into that category, do so today.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “Remember, good information out starts with having good information in. So if you’re not receiving that good, timely information, if you’re not receiving that information that is likely going to be life-saving to someone if you’re not receiving it, there’s no way you can give it out.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “One of the biggest issues here in this country is just the lack of public funding, the lack of support for public health in dealing with all everyday issues… We just did not have the proper infrastructure from a public health perspective to deal with that.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Goodbye, Johns Hopkins COVID trackerPresident Biden to end COVID-19 public health declarations

Let's Connect: Instagram TikTok Lunch and Learn Patreon Family In this episode of the Real Physician Reacts series the topic of whether becoming a physician is too toxic. The discussion today stems from a series of tweets from user that1MedStudent talks about the decision to forgo going into residency which is the typical path after residency for those who are looking to specialize in a particular specialty. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today; Links Tweet Thread That1MedStudent Twitter

So let's talk about taking action against colon cancer... Many of us seem to downplay or even completely ignore our risks of getting colon cancer because of the popular belief that it is an “old man’s disease”. While it is partly true that the “older” populace is at a higher risk of getting it, it does not mean that the “younger” generations are completely safe. It has been found in recent studies that the chances of people as young as 40 getting colon cancer have significantly increased in the previous years, and it continues to do so in the present. And it is not solely about age either, as there are other important factors that help tell whether or not you’re going to get colon cancer. Join me today as I discuss why colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States in line with colon cancer prevention month. Why you need to check this episode: “Once you get your minds around colon cancer, it will help you understand just why we think it’s so important that we need a whole month to talk about it. And even though we’re going to talk about it during this month, this is a topic that I will touch on every single year.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “This disease is no longer a disease of the old people which we used to think about.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “That is our biggest issue. We are catching colon cancer way too late to the point where it should not be the second leading cause of death in our country.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “It [colon cancer] is definitely something that we cannot take lightly… Understand that this disease is not going away, and the likelihood that you in your lifetime are either going to be directly or indirectly affected by it is so high.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Colon Cancer with Dr. Berry

In this episode of the Real Physician Reacts series we discuss the recent news from the US Department of Energy that gives a low-confidence assessment about the origin of the coronavirus that started the pandemic. Later on in the discussion, we talk about how this “news” continues to drive a wedge on the message of covid-19 and its treatment. Click here to watch the full video on YouTube Several discussion points today; Links Covid-19 Assessment

So let's talk about the intersection of African-American history and medicine... Today’s episode is more than just medicine; today, we will talk about something that many people fail to recognize. Something that is written in the records, yet many people ignore or refuse to acknowledge. Today, we will talk about history – the history between medicine and the African-American community in particular. When we talk about chronic diseases, African Americans are always at a higher risk than any other community. The same is the case when talking about lack of trust in the healthcare system; only 3% of Black Americans believe that doctors will do what is best for them, and 50% of them believe that the healthcare system as a whole is racist. It is sad, but that’s the reality, and there’s no way we can address the health disparities and the distrust if we don’t understand why the disparity and distrust are there to begin with. That’s why in line with Black History Month, we will be talking about the connection between medicine and African-American history. Join me as I shed light on why we can’t discuss the advancements of modern medicine without mentioning all the atrocities, deceit, and exploitation that it did on the African-American community. Why you need to check this episode: “We couldn’t and we shouldn’t talk about how great medicine has gotten without talking about how bad medicine used to be, especially to a particular community.”– Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “When you have that study. [Tuskegee Syphilis Study] being such a significant study that it has been deemed one of the most infamous biomedical research studies of all time, then you can’t fast forward into 2023 asking ‘Hey, why doesn’t this community trust us, doctors?’...The proof is in the pudding. It’s in the history” – Dr. Berry Pierre “If we’re going to talk about Black History month, and if you’re going to be talking on a medicine show like this one, you better talk about all the atrocities, you better talk about how this history of medicine does not get here without African-American history.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “You can’t improve the health disparities if you don’t understand why the health disparities are there; you can’t improve the lack of trust if you don’t understand why the lack of trust is there” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: The legacy of medical experimentation on African Americans: The Tuskegee Syphilis StudyThe Henrietta Lacks caseThe exploitation of African American bodies for medical research Health disparities faced by the African American community Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - African American Health Health Affairs - Health Disparities among African AmericansJAMA - Racial Bias in Pain Assessment and Treatment Recommendations JAMA Internal Medicine - Addressing Racism to Advance Health Equity