The Sett

Episode 16: Dr. Andrea Hayes-Jordan Dr. Andrea Hayes-Jordan is the Byah Thomason Doxey-Sanford Doxey Distinguished Professor, and Chief of the Division of General Pediatric Surgery at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She is also the surgeon-in-chief at the North Carolina Children’s Hospital, as well as the first board-certified Black female pediatric surgeon in the United States, and the first person to perform pediatric HIPEC surgery for sarcomatosis. She joins Dr. Mezrich to share her journey through these accomplishments, her experience as an aspiring Black female surgeon, and how she prioritizes the many elements of her life. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 15: Chancellor Rebecca “Becky” Blank Rebecca “Becky” Blank has been the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2013. It only takes a glance at her Curriculum Vitae to understand that her journey to the position is one of great impact and innovation. Before becoming the chancellor at UW-Madison, Blank was the deputy secretary and acting Secretary of Commerce under President Obama, a member of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton, dean and professor of public policy and economics in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and served on the faculty at Northwestern and Princeton Universities–just to scratch the surface. She joins Dr. Mezrich to discuss her history in economics and academia, her experience as chancellor at UW-Madison, and her perspective on some of the larger questions her role pushes her to ask herself. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 14: Dr. Allan Kirk Dr. Allan Kirk of Duke University is the David C. Sabiston, Jr. Professor of Surgery, chairman of the department of surgery, a professor of immunology and pediatrics, among many other accomplishments (including his former career as a tuba player). He joins Dr. Mezrich to discuss his history in transplant surgery, the first time he met his wife in sixth grade, how innovation itself has changed over time, and the future of transplant. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 13: Dr. Rana Awdish At the end of her medical training, Dr. Rana Awdish suffered a sudden critical illness that nearly killed her. From this experience as a dying patient, Dr. Awdish’s perspective shifted and translated to her practice in crucial ways. She learned the importance of acknowledging the humanity of patients, of nuance in how doctors discuss pain, of relinquishing the pressure to be a “good patient,” and much more. She was able to implement these ideas and form the CLEAR (Connect, Listen, Empathize, Align, Respect) program, which teaches faculty and trainees relationship-based communication skills through workshops involving improvisational actors. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 12: Dr. Layton “Bing” Rikkers Dr. Bing Rikkers was born in a small town in Wisconsin, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his undergraduate career, and now holds a special place in the University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery’s history as a prominent past chairman. Dr. Rikkers shares how he overcame his fear of blood, the pioneering days of heart transplant, his lengthy experience as a chairman, his insecurities, and serendipity. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

A Tribute to Dr. John Daly Dr. John Daly, the dean of Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021 at the age of 73. Dr. Daly touched the lives of so many in and out of the world of surgery. In this tribute, Dr. Mezrich provides a window into his life through an interview he had with Dr. Daly a couple of years ago, as well as his own experiences with him. Our hearts go out to Dr. Daly’s family, and all affected by passing. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 11: Dr. Gretchen Schwarze Dr. Gretchen Schwarze is a vascular surgeon and medical ethicist here at the University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery. Dr. Schwarze has a deep background and interest in how surgeons communicate treatment decisions and recommendations to patients. Dr. Schwarze has made it her mission to better equip surgeons in their disclosure of treatment so that it most aligns with the values, preferences, and goals of their patients. In this episode, she discusses how her purpose of changing the world brought her to surgery, the life of a resident, and the many components of surgical ethics...oh yeah, and what it’s like to be married to Josh. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 10: Dr. Jeff Matthews Dr. Jeff Matthews is the chairman of surgery at the University of Chicago, and serves as a leader in many organizations in the surgical world. He joins Dr. Mezrich on the podcast to discuss how to set up a research lab, the progress of surgical training, the direction of surgical science, truth and truthiness regarding evidence-based practice, and his experience in making music! Dr. Matthews provides insight and advice for those invested in the future of surgery, and anyone who is trying to find their place in the world. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 9: Dr. Bruce Gewertz Dr. Bruce Gewertz is the Chair of the Department of Surgery, Surgeon-in-Chief, Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs, and Vice-president for Interventional Services at Cedars-Sinai Health System. In realizing the value of emotional intelligence, Dr. Gewertz has made it his mission to share the impact emotional intelligence can have in the hospital. However, Dr. Mezrich knows Dr. Gewertz best as an inspiring and warm soul who supported his development as a surgeon. Dr. Gewertz shares what emotional intelligence looks like, and how his unique path in the field forced him to learn such difficult lessons. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 8: Dr. Robert Montgomery It is difficult to choose an accolade that best describes Dr. Robert Montgomery. Some might say he is the director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. Some might point to his many awards, including being in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most kidney transplants performed in one day. Today, however, he sits down with Dr. Mezrich to discuss his own heart transplant, and his resilience in the face of familial dilated cardiomyopathy. Despite the hurdles of this rare disease, he has found a way to achieve his dreams by staying calm to avoid arrhythmias...which he has technically died from twice. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 7: John Gadau In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the feeling of sitting in a booth with your loved ones to enjoy a meal and share a laugh has become borderline nostalgic. Despite the obstacles, many in the restaurant industry have found ways to successfully overcome and adapt, while others have been forced to close their doors for good. John Gadau is a master of his craft. He is the owner of three restaurants in the Madison area: Marigold Kitchen, Gates & Brovi, and Sardine. He sits down with Josh to discuss his lengthy experience in the industry, what restaurants will look like in the future, and the similarities between being a chef and being a surgeon. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 6: Angela Saini Angela Saini is an award-winning British science journalist, broadcaster, and author who most recently wrote Superior: The Return of Race Science in 2019. Superior traces the history of race science and uncovers how, to the detriment of people of color, it has stood the test of time. In this episode, Josh and Angela explore these themes, and discuss how using race as a biological factor in medical science is misguided and dangerous. By understanding and analyzing the nuances of race in the context of science, lives can be saved. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 5: Dr. Ben Marcus Dr. Ben Marcus went into medicine because he feared wasting his life. After navigating this field that he had stumbled into, he is now the director of facial plastic surgery at the University of Wisconsin, as well as a professor for the department of surgery. But, his story is far more complicated than that. Ben was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2016. As he faced what he thought could be the last months of his life, time slowed down. He realized that living in the moment isn’t about lofty goals, that being joyful is the outward sign of being grateful, and that he wanted to climb to Mount Everest base camp. He shares the perspective this experience gave him, what he learned while facing his multiple myeloma, and how he finds himself more happier than ever despite this disease. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 4: Dr. John Alverdy Dr. John Alverdy is a highly-acclaimed surgical scientist who currently serves as the executive vice chair for the University of Chicago Department of Surgery. His research in life-threatening infections after trauma and surgery is greatly improving preoperative testing. As Josh would argue, his most momentous achievement has been mentoring the host of this very funny and impressive podcast. John reminisces about his life, his research, his hilarious memories with Josh, and shares some advice for those looking to do research of their own. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 3: Garet Hil One of the most notable names in transplant innovation is Garet Hil. After his daughter lost her kidney function, Garet was faced with a tough, turbulent journey in finding her a new one. With a background in entrepreneurship, Garet mobilized to create the National Kidney Registry to facilitate the pairing of those in need of a kidney and matching donors. In this episode, he joins Dr. Mezrich to discuss his path to this innovation, how it impacted the field, and his entrepreneurial spirit. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Grab a drink, find a nice leather booth to slide into, and get ready to laugh with Dr. Mezrich's set! If you want to know more about the man behind The Sett, then you’re in the right place. In this set, Dr. Mezrich answers one of medicine's toughest questions: what do you do when you drop your pager in the toilet? Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 2: Dr. Michael Englesbe The United States of America is the only wealthy country on Earth that has a declining life expectancy. There are many contributing factors, such as a lack of focus preventative care and addiction, as well as the economics of our healthcare system. Dr. Michael Englesbe is incredibly sensitive to these issues, and is constantly finding ways to help negate the consequences of this system, from within this system. He joins Dr. Mezrich to discuss opioid addiction, the healthcare system, dealing with complications, and the importance of mental health care. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Grab a drink, find a nice leather booth to slide into, and get ready to laugh with Dr. Mezrich in his first set! If you want to know more about the man behind The Sett, then you’re in the right place. In this first set, Dr. Mezrich shares why it’s important to always correct your own name, how not correcting your name can lead to borderline identity theft, and how to perform social gymnastics when you’ve been called “Joel” for a month in your surgery rotation (we promise, there is a way out of this horribly uncomfortable nightmare). Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Episode 1: Ben Mezrich In this first episode of The Sett, Dr. Mezrich invites his brother Ben Mezrich on. Ben is an author who wrote the books behind the critically acclaimed films The Social Network and 21. He shares his journey to becoming an author (with live commentary by Josh), Bitcoin, the story behind The Accidental Billionaires, UFOs, and how to realistically achieve your goals in life...we may have jumped the shark. Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery

Welcome to The Sett with Josh Mezrich! What ended with The Surgery Sett begins anew with a slightly different focus, and a totally different host: Dr. Josh Mezrich, author, occasional stand-up comedian, and...oh yeah, transplant surgeon. Whether you're new here, or you've been listening to The Surgery Sett since day one, we hope you'll stay with us on this journey in storytelling that stitches together the threads of humor, human nature, and surgery. Don't miss our first episode--subscribe! Follow us on Twitter: @WiscSurgery Give our Facebook page a like: @WiscSurgery Follow us on Instagram: @WiscSurgery