Advertise on podcast: Social Rounds

YouTube Description For the final episode of Social Rounds, Tony Chin-Quee and Frances Mei Hardin ask one last question as your unsolicited life attendings: How do you say a good goodbye? From Irish exits and leaving toxic jobs to ending relationships, finishing residency, and figuring out what comes next, Tony and Frances reflect on the many ways we move on, and why some endings require closure while others are best handled by simply walking away. They also look back on nearly a year of Social Rounds: the candid conversations, complicated questions, strange detours, incredible guests, and small but mighty community that made the show what it was. In this episode: How to leave a party without saying goodbye Quitting a job without burning every bridge What physicians owe the people replacing them Why relationship endings are rarely clean Leaving residency and other difficult chapters Planning your next chapter before the current one ends Tony and Frances Mei reflect on Social Rounds A final thank-you to everyone who listened Social Rounds may be ending, but Tony, Frances Mei, and Ryan will continue creating, collaborating, and sharing their perspectives through the Hippocratic Collective. Thank you for being part of the ride. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Is small talk actually necessary, or are we all just pretending to enjoy it? In this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Ryan Montoya take over the show while Tony Chin-Quee is away, diving into the psychology of awkward conversations, people pleasing, media training, and why some of the best insults are the ones delivered with perfect timing. They discuss the art of conversation, surviving uncomfortable social situations, why authenticity beats networking, and how physicians often carry people-pleasing habits long after training ends. Along the way, they trade favorite insults, debate whether small talk serves any purpose, and explore how media training changed the way Frances approaches difficult conversations. Topics include: The funniest insults of all timeWhy doctors struggle with people pleasingEscaping awkward conversationsMedia training for physiciansAuthenticity vs networkingSocial anxiety and professional relationshipsCommunication psychologyLife after medicineThe return of Social Rounds without Tony Subscribe for new episodes every week exploring medicine, psychology, creativity, and the culture surrounding healthcare. Hosted by: Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Family medicine is one of the most misunderstood specialties in medicine. In this episode of Social Rounds, Tony Chin-Quee, Frances Mei Hardin, and Ryan Montoya tackle the biggest myths surrounding primary care—from physician salaries and burnout to diversity in medicine, side hustles, chronic disease management, and what family medicine is actually like in practice. They also play a new game, "Scroll or Troll," debating the state of medical social media and whether doctors should be making day-in-the-life videos, get-ready-with-me reels, medical rap songs, and residency application content. Plus, Tony shares a major life update as he prepares to leave the show temporarily for his move to Canada. If you're a medical student, resident, physician, or simply curious about how medicine really works behind the scenes, this episode offers an honest—and often hilarious—look at one of healthcare's most essential specialties. Topics include: Is family medicine really underpaid?Why primary care physicians burn outDiversity and representation in medicineThe realities of chronic disease managementMedical student stereotypesPhysician influencers and social mediaResidency cultureTony's move to Canada Subscribe for new conversations every week exploring medicine, healthcare culture, and the lives of physicians beyond the hospital. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Can you trust a plastic surgeon who isn't attractive? Is it safe to travel abroad for cosmetic surgery? Should your surgeon say "no" if your expectations aren't realistic? This week on Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin, MD and Tony Chin-Quee are joined by newly graduated plastic surgeon Dr. Liz Malphrus for an honest (and hilarious) conversation about the biggest myths surrounding plastic surgery. Together they discuss: Should plastic surgeons "look the part"?Why good surgeons sometimes refuse to operateThe truth about breast implants and cosmetic surgeryMedical tourism: Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, and the real risksHow to choose the right plastic surgeonWhy cheap cosmetic surgery can become very expensivePlastic surgery ethics, patient expectations, and body image Whether you're considering cosmetic surgery, curious about plastic surgery, or simply enjoy candid conversations about medicine and culture, this episode pulls back the curtain on one of healthcare's most misunderstood specialties. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Dr. Liz Malphrus Connect with Liz: @dr.malphrus Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What does it take to walk away from a successful medical career and start over as an archaeologist? In this episode of Social Rounds, Tony Chin-Quee and Frances Mei sit down with archaeologist and former nurse practitioner Katie Chin-Quee to talk about one of the most unconventional career pivots you'll ever hear. Katie shares how years of practicing medicine led her to pursue archaeology, what it's really like studying ancient human remains, and why the transition wasn't as strange as it sounds. Then the conversation takes a surprising turn into one of archaeology's biggest ethical debates: the booming online market for human bones. Should human remains ever be bought and sold? Who owns the dead? And what responsibilities do museums, collectors, and medical institutions have to the people whose remains they're displaying? Topics include: Leaving medicine for archaeologyBurnout in healthcareBioarchaeology and paleopathologyAncient Egypt and hieroglyphicsMedical ethics vs archaeological ethicsThe controversial online human bone tradeColonialism, museums, and the ownership of human remainsWhy archaeology may have more in common with medicine than you think If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about medicine, history, ethics, and culture, subscribe for new episodes every week. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Katie Chin-Quee Connect with Katie: @indiana.joan Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

Were the doctors you know always this weird? This week on Social Rounds, Tony, Frances Mei, and Ryan take a trip back to childhood and revisit the nerdy obsessions, social disasters, and formative experiences that shaped them long before medicine entered the picture. From comic book collecting in the 1990s to Pokémon encyclopedic knowledge, musical theater fandom, bug collections, dictionaries at recess, and the painful realities of being the odd kid out, the conversation explores what it means to grow up different—and why that difference can become a strength later in life. They also discuss people-pleasing, popularity, identity, internet criticism, and why some adults spend decades trying to recover from middle school while others simply learn to embrace being weird. Plus: Ryan launches a campaign to become Social Rounds' "third chair," Frances Mei reveals her lifelong Pokémon expertise, Tony defends musical theater, and Colin's mustache unexpectedly becomes a topic of public discourse. In this episode: Growing up nerdy in the 90s and 2000sComic books, Pokémon, and musical theaterChildhood loneliness and social rejectionPeople-pleasing vs. individualityWhy unpopular kids often become unconventional adultsThe psychology of fitting inInternet criticism and resilienceThe ongoing saga of Cartography GeoffColin's controversial mustache Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What happens when a surgeon says yes to a random yoga retreat in Mexico and meets the person who will change his life? In this special (and surprisingly wholesome) episode of Social Rounds, Tony and Frances Mei are joined by Tony's wife, Katie Chin-Quee, a former nurse practitioner turned archaeologist, to share the story of how they met, fell in love, navigated long-distance dating, and built a life together. From chance encounters and late-night phone calls to board exams, grand gestures, and a second date in the Bahamas, this episode explores what it takes to build a lasting partnership in medicine and beyond. Along the way, the trio discusses: Dating during medical careersLong-distance relationshipsSituationships vs. commitmentFriendship boundaries and relationshipsWhy grand gestures still matterMarriage, partnership, and putting each other firstLife after medicine Whether you're a physician, healthcare professional, or simply someone who loves a good love story, this episode offers an honest look at relationships, vulnerability, and choosing each other. Social Rounds is the podcast where Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee give their unsolicited opinions on medicine, culture, relationships, and whatever else they happen to find interesting. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Katie Chin-Quee Connect with Katie: @indiana.joan Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

A graduating medical student publishes an essay called Medicine Without Merit, arguing that DEI initiatives have undermined fairness, lowered standards, and discriminated against white men in medicine. Tony and Frances Mei dive into the article, unpacking its claims about merit, admissions, standardized testing, diversity, and representation in healthcare. Along the way, they explore why conversations about "meritocracy" in medicine are often more complicated than they first appear—and what gets missed when individual achievement is separated from larger systems and structures. They also discuss educational privilege, physician workforce diversity, patient trust, professional accountability, and the difference between experiencing discrimination and understanding it. Plus: Geoff the cartographer returns as an unexpected source of podcast drama, Instagram etiquette becomes a philosophical debate, and Frances Mei explains why unanswered comments can create alternate realities. In this episode: The "Medicine Without Merit" controversyDEI and medical school admissionsStandardized testing and educational privilegeDiversity, trust, and patient outcomesMeritocracy in medicineProfessional accountabilityGeoff's growing cult followingThe psychology of being left on read Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

This week on Social Rounds, Tony and Frances Mei slow things down for a more reflective episode. After weeks of guests, chaos, travel, and controversy, they get back to basics — talking about Europe, ghosts in Rome, getting robbed in England, leaving the UK for Canada, and the question at the center of the episode: Was medicine really all bad? From funny patient encounters and late-night residency memories to heartbreaking moments with cancer patients and families, Tony and Frances Mei reflect on the humanity that still stayed with them long after leaving clinical medicine. This episode is about the moments that made the work meaningful — even inside a broken system. Topics include: Traveling through Rome, Paris & CopenhagenWhy Frances Mei thinks the Colosseum should be hauntedTony’s family home getting robbed in EnglandLeaving medicine without invalidating the good partsPatient relationships that still matter years laterLove, grief, family, and dignity in healthcareWhy medicine can be meaningful and unsustainable at the same time Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

A fourth-year medical student goes viral for offensive videos targeting women’s health, and the internet exploded. In this episode of Social Rounds, Tony Chin-Quee, Dr. Ryan Montoya, and Dr. Janet McMordie unpack the controversy, the rise of medfluencers, professionalism in medicine, and whether physicians should be held to a higher standard online. The trio dives into the blurred line between personal branding and professional identity, the dangers of parasocial fame, physician social media culture, and how online behavior can impact trust, hiring, and patient care. Plus: a chaotic round of “Hire or Fire?” featuring doctors posting OR content, real estate side hustles, political rallies, and more. Topics include: The medfluencer eraSocial media professionalism in medicineWomen’s health and misogyny in healthcareParasocial relationships onlinePhysician identity beyond medicineShould doctors be “cancelable”?Privacy, branding, and internet permanenceWhy some doctors leave medicine entirely Social Rounds is a podcast from the Hippocratic Collective exploring medicine, culture, internet chaos, and everything in between. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art Janet McMordie: @janetmcmordie Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

This week on Social Rounds, Tony and Frances Mei are joined by fan-favorite “Cartographer Geoff” — historian, mapmaker, professional forager, jam-maker, and accidental proof that people can actually enjoy their jobs. What starts as a conversation about whether children should follow their parents into medicine spirals into a surprisingly deep discussion about maps as instruments of power, colonialism, propaganda, redlining, Victorian cholera outbreaks, and why the Mercator projection might have subtly rewired all our brains. Geoff also explains how he turned a PhD on colonial-era beeswax extraction into a dream career making historical maps for places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the way: Why almost no physicians want their kids to become doctorsThe hidden emotional bargain of “settling” for prestigious careersThe terrifying influence of Big MapThe real story behind John Snow’s cholera mapStardew Valley as an aspirational lifestyle blueprintWhy Frances Mei is emotionally destabilized by someone genuinely liking their work Also featuring: “Frances Frizzante Mei,” anxiety hobbits, sea monster maps, and the phrase “everything in the world is about maps except maps; maps are about power.” Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Cartographer Geoff Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What do the NFL, brain damage, and fart tracking have in common? More than you’d think. In this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee are joined again by writer and comedian Joel Walkowski to break down two wildly different, but oddly connected, stories: the long-term consequences of head trauma in contact sports, and the surprisingly scientific world of human flatulence. From new research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to the cultural machine behind football, this conversation dives into the cost of entertainment, masculinity, and systems that produce “broken bodies” for spectacle. Then, in a sharp left turn: wearable “fart sensors,” digestion data, and what it reveals about the human body—and relationships. This episode covers: New research on brain injury in football and combat sportsThe cultural and class dynamics behind the NFLWhy harmful systems persist despite known risksWhat CTE actually does to the brainThe science behind flatulence (yes, really)Relationship dynamics: how “comfortable” is too comfortable? It’s medicine, culture, and chaos—exactly as intended. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Joel Walkowski Connect with Joel: @joelwalkowski Find his book, Honolulu Blues, available for pre-order now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Honolulu-Blues/Joel-Walkowski/9781637749043 Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

What happens when burnout, trauma, and “just getting through the week” collide with alcohol culture in medicine? In this episode of Social Rounds, Frances Mei Hardin and Tony Chin-Quee sit down with writer, comedian, and sobriety facilitator Joel Walkowski to unpack a question most physicians never ask out loud: Do we all need an intervention? From “forgetting juice” in residency to the normalization of heavy drinking, this conversation dives into how environment shapes behavior—and how easy it is to rationalize habits that might be quietly costing more than they give. Joel shares a candid look at addiction, recovery, and the psychology behind behavior change, including why high-performing professionals are especially good at talking themselves out of a problem. This episode covers: Why drinking is so normalized in medical trainingThe line between “recreational” and problematic useHow environment accelerates addiction patternsThe concept of a personal “cost-benefit analysis”Why physicians struggle to recognize their own red flagsActionable ways to reassess habits without blowing up your life If you’ve ever thought, “This is just what everyone does”—this one’s for you. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Joel Walkowski Connect with Joel: @joelwalkowski Find his book, Honolulu Blues, available for pre-order now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Honolulu-Blues/Joel-Walkowski/9781637749043 Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

This week on Social Rounds, we’re joined by returning fan favorite Dr. Kate—rogue agent of chaos and resident philosopher—to answer a deceptively simple question: can philosophy actually make the pain of medicine make sense? What starts as required reading quickly spirals into a full-blown debate on utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and whether the system of medical training is justified simply because it “works” for most people. Along the way, we try (and struggle) to define what a hedon unit is, question whether residency is ethically defensible, and confront the uncomfortable reality that medicine may be built on competing moral frameworks with no clear answer. We also get into: Why philosophy feels both clarifying and completely uselessThe ethics behind the Match and graduate medical educationWhether outcomes alone justify suffering in trainingAristotle’s “middle path” and what it means for modern physiciansThe Ship of Theseus and what it says about identity, change, and who we become in medicine Equal parts thoughtful and unhinged, this episode lives in the tension between wanting answers and realizing there might not be any. Subscribe, rate, and follow Social Rounds for more conversations at the intersection of medicine, culture, and everything we weren’t taught—but should’ve been. Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Frances Mei Hardin: @francesmeimd Guest: Dr. Kate Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

No Frances Mei this week, so Tony brought in reinforcements. Dr. Janet McMordie (now appearing on network medical drama Doc) and Friend-of-the-Pod, Dr. Ryan Montoya join Social Rounds for a wild, behind-the-scenes look at where medicine and entertainment collide. This episode starts chaotic and somehow escalates: Tony casually reveals he won $25,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire… Janet breaks down what it’s actually like being a real physician on a TV set… and Ryan brings stories from the edges of Hollywood that prove actors are, in fact, just as unhinged as the rest of us. Janet shares how she transitioned from medicine into acting and what it’s actually like working on a major TV production. Along the way, the group unpacks the reality of medical storytelling, the limits of authenticity, and why even the most experienced actors still struggle with the basics of medicine. In this episode: – The truth about acting on medical shows (from an actual doctor) – Why even veteran actors still struggle with medical jargon – Tony’s game show past and the question that cost him more money – Behind-the-scenes stories from TV sets (including when things go very wrong) – Fame, ego, and the weird overlap between medicine and Hollywood Hosted by: Tony Chin-Quee: @wheyouat Ryan Montoya: @ryan_montoya_art Janet McMordie: @janetmcmordie Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective