Friends of Franz is a space for anyone who loves to learn about all things science, healthcare, and medicine. Hosted by Christian Franz Bulacan, a registered nurse from New York City, this e-learning initiative began as an Instagram livestream series highlighting clinical and research experts from different specialties. From relaying their academic journeys to conveying their realizations and tackling field-specific question ...
... Read more
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer remains to be the most common cancer, excluding skin cancers, and accounts for the second leading cause of cancer death, following lung cancer, in women across the nation. Yet, despite these staggering statistics, a Current Oncology commentary from Harvard Medical School states that misinformation believed by the general population within the domain of breast health remains at large, especially when it comes to breast cancer screening. In this episode, we seek to tackle these questions that surround breast cancer screening and detection: What is the BRCA gene, and how does it relate to breast cancer? What are the risk factors for breast cancer? At what age should a woman start getting a mammogram? Can men also get breast cancer? What is the BI-RADS score? How does one perform a monthly breast self-examination? What are the next steps for the patient after a breast cancer diagnosis? We are joined today by Dr. Robyn Roth, a board-certified diagnostic radiologist and breast & abdominal imaging specialist based in Camden, NJ. She received her BS at the University of Florida, MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Diagnostic Radiology residency and Women's Imaging fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. For the past decade, Dr. Roth has been an attending Breast Radiologist, Women's Imaging Fellowship Director, and Assistant Professor of Radiology in New Jersey. Dr. Roth is the founder of "The Boobie Docs," a renowned social media platform and podcast where she discusses breast cancer and breast health in an educational and fun way. Dr. Roth has been featured on The TODAY Show, USA Today, AOL.com, Health.com, Katie Couric Media, and Good Day Philadelphia. Livestream Air Date: August 22, 2023 Follow Robyn Gartner Roth, MD: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, Facebook Follow Christian Franz (Host): Instagram, YouTube Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers
According to the World Health Organization, around 3.6 billion diagnostic radiologic medical examinations are performed worldwide yearly. Diagnostic imaging exams — including X-rays, MRIs, Ultrasounds, CT scans, and PET scans — can truly save lives and change the trajectory of a patient's care plan by potentially preventing the necessity of surgery and more invasive procedures. Yet, despite the integral work of diagnostic radiologists and radiologic technologists, they remain to be the unsung heroes of medicine. What does the medical education and training for radiology look like? When is an X-ray needed to rule out a medical condition versus an MRI or a CT scan? Is the radiation emitted from the imaging machines safe? What are the scaled effects of radiation exposure on the body? We are joined today by diagnostic radiology resident physician Dr. Sally Choi (also known online as Drsallymanderchoi). She received her MD from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and is currently completing her Diagnostic Radiology residency at UTHealth San Antonio Long School of Medicine, with an interest in furthering her training in Neuroradiology fellowship. Through social media, Dr. Choi has garnered over 300,000 followers, having shared her journey within medicine, the field of radiology, and mental health. Livestream Air Date: November 10, 2022 Follow Sally Choi, MD: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, Facebook Follow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTube Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), nearly one-fourth of older adults aged 65 and older are at increased risk for loneliness and are considered to be socially isolated, with risk factors being attributed to hearing loss, losing family or friends, role changes such as retirement, living alone, and chronic disease. Geriatric syndromes — such as polypharmacy, falls, cognitive impairment like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, malnutrition, and incontinence — are clinical conditions and multifactorial impairments that are more commonly identified in older adults. Aging is definitely the normal trajectory of human life, but how can one age in a way that is considered healthy and with an optimal quality of life? How can an older adult look forward to the remaining years of life despite chronic illness? How can we help safeguard a geriatric's mental health despite feelings of abandonment, loneliness, and fear of being a burden to their caregiver/s? We are joined today by Dr. Christina Chen, a double board-certified geriatrician and internist at Mayo Clinic. She received her BS in Biology and Psychology from Michigan State University, MD from St George's University School Of Medicine, Internal Medicine residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and Geriatric Medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She further achieved certificates in Acupuncture for Physicians from Helms Medical Institute and Executive Women in Leadership from Cornell University. Dr. Chen currently stands as an Attending Geriatrician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic Rochester, the Host of the Aging Forward Podcast, the Course Director of the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Senior Sages Curriculum. the Editor of the Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging book, and the Medical Advisory Board of GrandPad, a customizable platform that delivers virtual care to seniors at home while keeping seniors connected to reduce social isolation and improve the telehealth experience. Livestream Air Date: August 17, 2023 Follow Ying Ying (Christina) Chen, MD: Instagram Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, Facebook Follow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTube Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers
Did you know that, according to the National Institute of Aging, if we stretched out our arteries, veins, and capillaries as adults, they would measure around 100,000 miles? This means that our blood vessels could circle the globe four times, given that the earth's circumference is about 25,000 miles! The human vasculature is truly an intricate system that literally supplies us with blood (with veins circulating around 2,000 gallons to all body organs every day) - with life. It is no surprise that pathologies and disease processes that involve our vasculature can result in life-threatening effects, like heart attacks and strokes from coronary vascular and cerebrovascular disease, respectively. However, diseases of the vasculature can also result in effects that can simply alter one's quality of life, such as limb loss from critical limb ischemia due to peripheral arterial disease, varicose veins from peripheral venous insufficiency, lymphedema from lymphatic diseases, the need for hemodialysis due to chronic kidney disease secondary to renal artery stenosis, erectile dysfunction from genitourinary vascular diseases, and much more. We are joined today by fifth-year Integrated Vascular Surgery resident physician Dr. Yang Yang. She received her BS in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from Drew University, MD from Drexel University College Of Medicine, and is currently completing her Vascular Surgery residency at MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital. Livestream Air Date: April 16, 2023 Follow Yang Yang, MD: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter/X Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, Facebook Follow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTube Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers
According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), approximately 2.9 million annual injuries occur in sports, athletic, and recreational settings, with sprains and strains accounting for the largest portion of injuries at 41.4 per 1,000. Truly, the universal recommendation is that we all engage in physical activity and exercise due to its evidence-based benefits on our cardiopulmonary health and general wellness. However, how do we do so safely in order to avoid injury? How can professional athletes engage in training that assures safety while achieving desired progress? How can one with chronic pain still increase stamina and endurance during workouts? And in cases of pain and injury, how can one rehabilitate properly without needing surgery? We are joined today by Doctor of Physical Therapy and board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Dr. Harris Choe. He received his BS in Psychobiology from UCLA and DPT from the University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, where he also completed his residency as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Dr. Choe was previously an Adjunct Faculty Member at USC for physical therapy clinical reasoning and interventional skills. Since 2022, he has stood as the Founder and Owner of HYC Physio Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in Santa Monica, California, where individualized physical therapy services are provided to professional athletes to help rehabilitate from injury, eliminate chronic pain, and return to high performance. Livestream Air Date: August 3, 2023 Follow Dr. Harris Choe, PT, DPT, OCS: Instagram, YouTube Follow Friends of Franz Podcast: Website, Instagram, Facebook Follow Christian Franz Bulacan (Host): Instagram, YouTube Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers