What do medical professionals learn from years in the trenches caring for real patients? In the Trenches features candid conversations with physicians and other healthcare professionals about health, prevention, patient behavior, and the lessons that don’t always make it into textbooks. Practical insights doctors wish more people knew about.
From ER Burnout to Aesthetic Medicine: Why This Doctor Left | Tracy Parrish, MD
Tracy Parrish, MD, was already struggling with ER physician burnout when COVID hit. Although she had written her resignation letter, she stayed another two years to support her colleagues.Dr. Parrish shares her journey from emergency medicine to hospice care and eventually aesthetic medicine. She discusses burnout, patient-centered care, personal transformation, and why she believes helping patients feel comfortable in their own bodies can make a difference.Dr. Parrish is the owner of Twisted Tree Wellness in Boone, North Carolina.Website: https://TwistedTreeWellness.comConnect with us: linkedin.com/company/inthetrenchespodcast
14 Oct 2026
Is Medicare Killing Mobile Wound Care? | Kelly McFee, DNP
Could Medicare reimbursement changes threaten the future of mobile wound care?Kelly McFee, DNP, a wound care nurse practitioner, talks about the growing challenges facing physicians and nurse practitioners who treat patients with chronic wounds.She discusses declining reimbursement, barriers to rural healthcare, patient health literacy, nutrition and wound healing, and why access to specialized wound care could become increasingly difficult.Connect with Kelly McFee https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-mcfee-dnp-mha-fnp-c-cws-cwcn-ap-faccws-87861346/Connect with us: linkedin.com/company/inthetrenchespodcast
13 Oct 2026
Why Patients Don't Follow Medical Advice | Dr. Jeffrey Scales
What makes patients trust their doctors, and why do some patients struggle to follow medical advice?On In the Trenches, Dr. Steve Helschien speaks with Dr. Jeffrey Scales, a dermatologist with nearly 30 years in private practice, about physician-patient trust, treatment adherence, barriers to healthcare access, medical misinformation, and the importance of treating the whole patient.Dr. Scales also shares his thoughts on medical education, physician wellness, and finding work-life balance.Learn more about Dr. Scales: https://nccdermatology.com/Connect with us: linkedin.com/company/inthetrenchespodcast
12 Oct 2026
Doctors: How to Take Back Control of Your Medical Practice
Are insurance companies, hospital demands, and administrative burdens taking control of your medical practice?On In the Trenches, Dr. Steve Helschien interviews Dr. Craig Wax, DO, a family physician with 30 years of experience, about physician independence, private practice, direct primary care, and restoring the doctor-patient relationship.Dr. Wax also shares how he motivates patients to take responsibility for their health and why physicians should have more control over how they practice medicine.Connect with Dr. Craig Wax:Website: HealthIsnNmberOne.comBook: Health Is Number One (available on Amazon)Podcast: Health Is Number One, available on Spotify, Apple, etc. Radio: WWDB, Philadelphiahttps://www.instagram.com/drcraigwax/X: https://x.com/drcraigwaxTAIGA Medical Billing: https://taigabilling.com/
Want to be interviewed? Reach out to us on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/inthetrenchespodcast
8 Oct 2026
Doctors: Why Your Patients Won't Follow Your Advice (And What Actually Works)
Psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Arwen Podesta explains why traditional approaches to patient care often fall short and how physicians can encourage meaningful, lasting behavior change.Dr. Podesta discusses motivational interviewing, active listening, patient resistance, lifestyle habits, and the importance of addressing underlying contributors to illness. She also explores how stigma, insurance barriers, and fragmented healthcare affect patient outcomes.Connect with Dr. Arwen Podesta:Website: https://www.drarwen.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arwenpodestamd/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@doctorarwenpodestaWant to be interviewed? Email us at InTheTrenchesMD@gmail.com
7 Oct 2026
Can We Prevent Disease Before It Starts? | Dr. Orvil Martinez
Dr. Orvil Martinez discusses what years of primary care and clinical research have taught him about preventing chronic disease before it starts. He shares his approach to lifestyle change, continuous glucose monitoring, obesity and diabetes, patient education, and how AI may help identify people at risk earlier.Dr. Martinez practices at Centro de Medicina Avanzada San Claudio in Puerto Rico and is also involved in clinical research through Advanced Medical Research Center.Medical Practice: https://www.saludcma.comPhone: 787-748-9955Research: https://www.advanceresearchpr.com
Want to be interviewed? Send us an email at InTheTrenchesMD@gmail.com
5 Oct 2026
Doctors: Why Your Medical Claims Keep Getting Denied
Doctors Are Losing Money They Already Earned. Here’s Why. Michelle Ronfeldt, RHIT, explains how documentation gaps, coding errors, payer rules, and denied claims can quietly drain revenue from medical practices- even after the care has already been provided. She also explains why physicians are often expected to navigate an increasingly complicated system they were never trained to manage.Learn more about Michelle and ARPro Medical at ARProMedical.vip.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
14 Sept 2026
Why You’re Not Getting Better Even When You’re Doing Everything Right | Dr. Dickson Thom
Dr. Dickson Thom , DDS, ND, has spent nearly six decades working with patients. He explains why he believes the answer often isn't another test, supplement, medication, or treatment. Instead, he looks at whether the body is actually capable of responding to what you're asking it to do.Learn more about Dr. Dickson Thom: drdicksonthom.com
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
12 Sept 2026
A Doctor Explains What Really Keeps You Healthy: Dr Ravi Iyer
What actually keeps people healthy as they get older? Dr. Ravi Iyer, an internal medicine physician based in Sterling and Herndon, VA, shares the inexpensive habits he believes provide some of the greatest health benefits; why walking may be one of the most important lifelong exercises; how GLP-1 medications may change a person’s relationship with food, relationships, body image, and motivation to maintain a healthy weight; and his concerns about the economics of the U.S. healthcare systemConnect with Dr IyerWebsite IyerHealth.comWebsite DrIyer.com YouTube: @driyermd (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC6v-s-lmOlC3m7PTEMp-aXA)
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
11 Sept 2026
What Helps You Stay Healthy? Dr. Annalee Kitay on Stress, Exercise & Daily Habits
What do healthcare professionals notice about the people who stay healthier over time? Dr. Annalee Kitay shares what she has learned from years of working with patients and the habits she believes can make a difference in everyday health.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
9 Sept 2026
What Stress Is Really Doing to Your Health | Dr. Ronald Dushkin
How much does stress affect the way we feel, think, and function? Dr. Ronald Dushkin discusses what decades of medical practice have taught him about stress, health, and the mind-body connection. Our conversation also explores holistic medicine, homeopathy, the role of mindset in patient care, and why Dr. Dushkin believes physicians should see patients as people first rather than simply as a diagnosis.
Dr. Dushkin is the author of Manage Your Stress, Manage Your Life.
Learn more about Dr. Ronald Dushkin at DrDushkin.com
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
5 Sept 2026
What Actually Makes Patients Healthier? | ER Doctor Christina Long
Dr. Christina Long is a Utah-based emergency medicine physician who also practices obesity medicine and menopause care through The Bougie Bee MD. In this episode of In The Trenches, she discusses what actually helps patients become healthier, why GLP-1 medications are tools rather than magic solutions, the importance of strength training and whole foods, gaps in hormone therapy education, and why access to care still matters.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and information shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
3 Sept 2026
This Is What Actually Keeps People Healthy
After decades of caring for patients, Dr. Warren Ross of Integrative Medicine at Crossroads has seen the patterns that separate people who simply grow older from those who continue to live with strength, vitality, and purpose.
In this episode of In The Trenches, Dr. Coffee (Steve Helschien) sits down with Dr. Ross to talk about what he has learned from years of real-world medicine and why creating health often comes down to things that are far simpler than we think.If you want to live longer without giving up the life you want to live, this conversation offers a refreshingly practical perspective on what healthy aging really looks like.
Medical Disclaimer:This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
3 Sept 2026
Health Habits That Actually Matter | Dr. Ricardo Correa, MD
Dr. Ricardo Correa, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic, shares what years of treating patients have taught him about the habits and obstacles that can shape health. He discusses why understanding your own health matters, what keeps patients from making lasting changes, and why healthcare needs to do more than simply treat disease.
Medical Disclaimer:This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views shared by guests are not a substitute for personal medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or treatment.
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