The Dose - The Dose Returns on October 10th

Episode Date: October 7, 2025

Look forward to a new season of The Dose, featuring your host Dr. Joel Bervell, launching this Friday. 

Welcome back to the dose. My name is Dr. Joelle Brevelle. Since our last season, I've stepped into a new chapter of my own journey, starting medical residency and internal medicine. And from the very first day, I've been reminded of why I went into medicine, and just how high the stakes are. On day one, I performed CPR. Later that same shift, I had to pronounce someone's death. Not long after, I cared for a patient with sickle cell disease. English wasn't their first language.

They passed away despite our best efforts. These moments stay with me. They remind me that every chart, every diagnosis, every decision is ultimately about people. People whose lives are fragile, whose families are waiting outside the door, outside the door, and who are navigating a system that was never designed to fully care for them, especially those with chronic illnesses or those who are houseless.

Walking these hospital halls has shown me the promise of medicine, but also its limits, and it's reinforced my conviction that we can't just practice medicine within four walls. We have to reimagine the system itself. All this is happening at a time when trust in science is under attack. Too often, we're witnessing leaders choosing politics over science, profits over public health. Online, misinformation, and disinformation about health are spreading faster than ever. That's why the work we're doing here, and the conversations we're having on the dose matter more than ever. Because in this moment, when truth feels fragile and institutions are questioned, what we need more than ever is clarity, curiosity.

and courage. A few months ago, on my 30th birthday, I stood on stage to accept a Peabody for my work in science communication. In my speech, I said, change begins when truth is spoken aloud. That line has stayed with me because it sums up why I believe in this podcast.

The dose is about speaking truths, both the difficult ones and the hopeful ones, so that we can begin to build something better, This season, we're continuing to bring together fresh ideas, new perspectives, and compelling conversations about where health care is headed. You'll hear from Dr. Francis Collins, the longtime director of the NIH, who helped steer the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic. From Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, one of the leading voices in obesity medicine.

From Dr. Mai Pham, who's thinking deeply about both how our health care payment system is structured and the challenges that face those with intellectual developmental disabilities and their families in accessing quality care. And from Dr. Kevin Simon, who's breaking new ground in how we approach mental health. You'll meet leaders like Omari Jimerson, who is working to bridge gaps in community care. And you'll hear from cultural trailblazers like Elaine Walter Roth, whose work at the intersection of storytelling, identity, and equity, challenges us to think different about what maternal health could mean.

But this season isn't just about big names. It's about patients whose lives reveal the cracks in our system. Allies who keep pushing forward despite the political climate. Together, they remind us that health care isn't only about medicine. It's about dignity, equity, and truth. My hope is that as you listen, you'll feel not only informed but inspired, that you'll see yourself as part of this ongoing journey

to reimagine what health care can be because even though these are difficult times listening, learning, and lifting up the truths that need to be heard is how we begin to create change. So thank you for being here. Thank you for trusting me to guide you through these conversations.

I can't wait to dive into this season with you starting on October 10th. Welcome to the dose. Thank you.