Get Better
a podcast by Northwestern Medicine
Published June 2022
About the Get Better Podcast
Living a healthier life is a journey with no final destination: You can always get better.
Susan Russell, MD, Khalilah Gates, MD, and Michelle Prickett, MD, are three pulmonologists at Northwestern Medicine who help people get better from critical illnesses. They are also lifelong friends and lifelong learners who want to get better from head to toe.
These three physicians will learn alongside you as they interview other Northwestern Medicine experts about health and medicine topics meant to help you achieve better health.
December 27, 2023
When you are faced with a medical emergency, it can be hard to know what to do or where to go. More than 139 million people visit an emergency department (ED) every year in the United States. But where should you go when you are sick or hurt, especially after normal business hours? Northwestern Medicine Emergency Medicine Resident Physician Evelyn Huang, MD, talks with the hosts about how to get the right care at the right time.
October 02, 2023
Hot flashes, painful sex, weight gain: The symptoms of menopause can be life-altering. A Northwestern Medicine expert talks about how to overcome these symptoms and live a healthier, better life in this new chapter.
Guest: Traci A. Kurtzer, MD
Disclaimer: This podcast does not substitute for medical advice from a clinician.
June 23, 2023
As odd as it sounds, death is a part of life. In this episode, our hosts chat with a palliative care physician to learn about the difference between palliative care and end-of-life care. You’ll get tips on how to have important conversations with your loved ones about the type of care you or they may want at all stages of life.
Guest: Julia L. Vermylen, MD
Disclaimer: This podcast does not substitute for medical advice from a clinician.
June 07, 2023
Alcohol consumption drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. So did rates of alcohol-related liver disease. A Northwestern Medicine hepatologist (liver physician) discusses alcohol's impact on your liver and how to have healthy drinking habits.
June 01, 2023
Fertility specialists dedicate their lives to making it possible for people to bring babies into the world. Here’s the incredible story of how a Northwestern Medicine physician helped her best friend start a family.
March 29, 2023
Swine flu, COVID-19, MPox. What might be next? Our hosts chat with an infectious disease physician to learn about epidemics, what causes them and what we have learned from recent ones.
Karen M. Krueger, MD, is a Northwestern Medicine infectious disease and internal medicine physician.
March 09, 2023
Each year, pelvic floor disorders affect millions of people, and those people seek help for issues like bowel and bladder changes or pain during sex. But there are ways to treat these disorders. Northwestern Medicine physical therapist, Lesli Lo, PT, DPT, joins the podcast to break down pelvic floor therapy and what it can do for you.
February 23, 2023
Mothers are often seen as the primary parent. As such, mothers may face unrealistic pressures about parenthood and their roles as friends, romantic partners, employees and individuals. A Northwestern Medicine psychologist discusses how to break free from the sexist norms that impact all relationships and ensure that you are supported by your partners in your parenthood journey.
June 15, 2022
Our hosts wrap up the first season of the Get Better podcast by discussing what they learned about their health and each other and what they hope to learn in season two.
June 08, 2022
No stirrups, just straight-up talk. A Northwestern Medicine obstetrician-gynecologist demystifies your annual gynecology appointment.
May 26, 2022
You may know the dangers of smoking, but still find it hard to quit. Our hosts are here to talk about what happens when you put anything other than air into your lungs and how to take steps to kick the habit for good.
May 19, 2022
Are you feeling "off" or do you have clinical depression? A Northwestern Medicine Psychiatrist discusses depression symptoms and treatment.
May 11, 2022
It makes everyone tick, but keeping it healthy can often be easier said than done. A Northwestern Medicine cardiologist talks about what heart health means and why it matters.
May 04, 2022
In a recent survey, two out of three transgender adults said that they worry their health evaluations are affected by their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Northwestern Medicine Gender Pathways Program aims to change that by providing inclusive and affirming care.
April 27, 2022
As female physicians, Khalilah Gates, MD, Michelle Prickett, MD, and Susan Russell, MD, face implicit bias every day. In this inspiring conversation, your podcast hosts discuss their experiences and how to recognize implicit bias.
As assistant dean of medical education at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Gates leads the faculty and student council on racism, justice and equity for the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education (AWOME), reviews curriculum for bias, educates faculty members on best practices for discussing bias in education, and serves as a mentor for students from underrepresented groups.
March 23, 2022
Children of the 1970s, it's your turn to get a colonoscopy. We talk to a Northwestern Medicine gastroenterologist about why this cancer screening method is so important (and why it's not as bad as you think).
March 16, 2022
When it comes to skin care, it's hard to know what will help and what is just hype. A Northwestern Medicine dermatologist shares skin care tips for everything from acne to dry skin, with special considerations for people of color.
March 09, 2022
Over the course of U.S. history, Black women in particular have had to be strong in the face of extensive trauma and adversity. Clinical Psychologist Inger Burnett-Zeigler, PhD, offers a guide to healing and talks about her book, Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women.
March 02, 2022
Some COVID-19 survivors have chronic symptoms that last weeks, months or longer. Meet the Northwestern Medicine physicians helping them get better, and hear from a patient still recovering more than one year after clearing the virus from her system.
February 23, 2022
Every pandemic has an end. What will it take for the COVID-19 pandemic to be "over?" And what has the pandemic meant to three front-line COVID-19 ICU physicians? Khalilah Gates, MD, Michelle Prickett, MD, and Susan Russell, MD, look back on the toughest years of their professional lives and discuss what they'll take with them when the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
February 15, 2022
Khalilah Gates, MD, Michelle Prickett, MD, and Susan Russell, MD, are three Northwestern Medicine pulmonologists who also happen to be best friends. As physicians, they consider themselves lifelong learners, which is why they're launching a podcast to learn more about their health. Get to know these hosts of Get Better, a new podcast that helps you live a healthier and better life from head to toe.