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Practicing Medicine Freely Through the PMA Model
Discover how PMAs function as private, member-based associations and why this structure is viewed as distinct from public clinical practice. Understand how licensure and regulatory oversight shape practitioner decisions and why some clinicians explore constitutional practice frameworks. Learn how PMA communities are built to support member choice, practitioner collaboration, and root-cause, integrative care models.
Episode 3: Dr. Castillo, an emergency medicine doc, speaks on wellness. #podcast #interview
In this series on wellness Dr. Pendharkar and Dr. Castillo speak on various aspects of wellness as practicing doctors. Dr .Castillo speaks more on the importance of separating life and work to create a more balanced state of existence. Dr. Castillo credits her husband and other factors in her life for pushing her to focus more on her wellness in difficult times like that of COVID. #COVID #pandemic #story #journey #personalgrowth
Episode 3: Dr. Pendharkar on Wellness #podcast #health
In this short clip, Dr. Pendharkar shares how losing many physician colleagues and a physician family member to suicide had a tremendous impact on her own psyche. As she developed her own pathway of helping others heal , each loss that she endured created pause, making her think deeply about how she could maintain her own health and safety while continuing to serve others. Dr. Pendharkar eventually went on to partner with Dr. Tiffany Leung where they conducted and published a scoping review with hopes of spreading awareness and impacting policy. With this information and knowledge about how the work of a doctor could possibly erode one's personal health Dr. Pendharkar created a pathway for herself to practice in a healthy way and also committed to spreading her knowledge and awareness to others. She continues to speak, write, mentor and spread awareness on these topics to spread health. #doctor #health #care #heal
Episode 3: Dr. Jenny Castillo on Wellness as a Practicing EM doc #podcast #health #wellness
In this short clip from Episode 2, Dr. Jenny Castillo speaks on her experiences navigating her own wellness as a practicing emergency medicine physician. Recent studies have cited that female physicians have increased mortality whereas in other professions, attaining higher education can have a protective impact on the health outcomes of females. Share your thoughts in the comments and lots of appreciation to Dr. Castillo for navigating these complex systems and issues with so much grit and tenacity! #wellness #doc #care #EM #emergencycare
Episode 1 : On Contract Navigation for Internal Medicine #podcast #health #career
In this episode Dr. Pendharkar talks about her journey as an internal medicine doctor navigating the landscape of locum tenens work and other contracts over the years. For the longevity of a doctor's career, seek out opportunities where the structural systems in the hospital or healthcare system are in place and create safe patient environments. For example, hospitals that are heavily managed by other physicians are more likely to focus on patient safety and quality of care such as seen in academic centers. In contrast, private equity groups focus on profits often reducing staffing and other key resources to save money as evidenced in many research studies and congressional hearings. Talking to colleagues who are already working in a setting of interest comes in handy. Dr. Pendharkar remembers interviewing at one site where a group of doctors already working there pulled her into a room and shared the poor working conditions that they were undergoing urging her not to join the group. Other key questions include how are the consultants, is there collegiality, are the existing team members happy, are ICUs staffed in person or only with telemetry, is the management done by doctors who care about patient outcomes? In 2026, these are key and critical questions that should be asked. #health #patient #journey #system #healthcare #patientsafety
Episode 1 : Dr. Pendharkar talks more on patient safety and systems #podcast #healthcare
In this episode, Dr. Pendharkar speaks more on her journey as an internist and navigating various healthcare systems in particular a system that was managed by private equity. These days it can be critical to a doctor's career and their mental health to choose to work in systems where patient safety is truly championed! Private equity (PE) firms already own 447 U.S. hospitals (roughly 9.5% of all private, non-government hospitals) as of June 2026. The rapid entry of these corporate investment entities into hospital ownership has triggered significant concerns across the healthcare sector when it comes to patient safety and quality of care. Multiple major peer-reviewed studies and congressional investigations indicate a measurable decline in patient safety and clinical quality after private equity (PE) firms acquired hospitals. PE aims to sell the hospital for a profit quickly after acquisition in 3 to 7 years. To maximize returns quickly, firms often implement aggressive cost-cutting measures that directly impact bedside care. -Spike in Hospital-Acquired ConditionsA landmark study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) analyzed over 4.7 million patient hospitalizations. It revealed that patients admitted to PE-owned hospitals experienced a 25.4% increase in hospital-acquired conditions compared to peer control hospitals. These safety lapses included: -Central Line Infections: A 38% increase in dangerous bloodstream infections from central lines, despite the hospitals placing fewer central lines overall. -Patient Falls: A 27% relative increase in patients falling while staying in the hospital. -Surgical Site Infections: A significant increase, with some surgical infection rates nearly doubling. -Staffing Cuts and "Failure to Rescue"The driving force behind these safety declines is often a reduction in full-time personnel. Healthcare researchers note several systemic operational changes:Staff Reductions: Peer-reviewed tracking shows that PE-owned emergency departments and ICUs reduce full-time employees by 11.6%, cutting salary spending by up to 18%. Dr. Pendharkar experienced working under PE managed hospitals where she faced challenges and eventually quit due to ethical quandaries and speaks from her own personal experiences in these setting to spread awareness to all just as other docs like Dr. Glaucomflecken ( Will Flanary) and others have done. Choose environments where administration, colleagues and all support the mission of patient safety authentically. #safe #patient #health #system
Episode 1: The Current Climate of Healthcare and Venture Capital #podcast #health #wellness
In this episode Dr. Pendharkar addresses some of the factors impacting #docs today as the landscape in healthcare evolves and changes. Private equity (PE) firms already own 447 U.S. hospitals (roughly 9.5% of all private, non-government hospitals) as of June 2026. The rapid entry of these corporate investment entities into hospital ownership has triggered significant concerns across the healthcare sector when it comes to patient safety and quality of care. Multiple major peer-reviewed studies and congressional investigations indicate a measurable decline in patient safety and clinical quality after private equity (PE) firms acquired hospitals. PE aims to sell the hospital for a profit quickly after acquisition in 3 to 7 years. To maximize returns quickly, firms often implement aggressive cost-cutting measures that directly impact bedside care. -Spike in Hospital-Acquired ConditionsA landmark study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) analyzed over 4.7 million patient hospitalizations. It revealed that patients admitted to PE-owned hospitals experienced a 25.4% increase in hospital-acquired conditions compared to peer control hospitals. These safety lapses included: -Central Line Infections: A 38% increase in dangerous bloodstream infections from central lines, despite the hospitals placing fewer central lines overall. -Patient Falls: A 27% relative increase in patients falling while staying in the hospital. -Surgical Site Infections: A significant increase, with some surgical infection rates nearly doubling. -Staffing Cuts and "Failure to Rescue"The driving force behind these safety declines is often a reduction in full-time personnel. Healthcare researchers note several systemic operational changes:Staff Reductions: Peer-reviewed tracking shows that PE-owned emergency departments and ICUs reduce full-time employees by 11.6%, cutting salary spending by up to 18%. Dr. Pendharkar experienced working under PE managed hospitals where she faced challenges and eventually quit due to ethical quandaries and speaks from her own personal experiences in these setting to spread awareness to all just as other docs like Dr. Glaucomflecken ( Will Flanary) and others have done. Share your experiences in the comments with us and let us know what other topics you'd like to hear about or what questions you have. how have your experiences been so far? #care #patient #patientsafety
Episode 1: Dr. Pendharkar Speaks on her Pathway in Internal Medicine #podcast #video #health
In this short clip, Dr. Pendharkar shares more on why she chose the pathway of internal medicine as a career and profession. #career #journey
Episode 2: On Loss from Dr. Jenny Castillo, ER doc #podcast #doctor #health
In this episode, Dr. Jenny Castillo, a practicing ER doc, shares more on her career pathway. In this short clip she touches on some of the most challenging moments that prompted her to pivot all aspects of how she was practicing medicine. #journey #selfcare #emergencymedicine
Episode 2: Dr. Castillo, ER doc, harsh realities of the ER setting #podcast
In this short clip, Dr. Castillo shares some of the harsh realities of practicing medicine in the US in the modern day world. While practicing as an ER doc across various emergency rooms over the years, Dr. Castillo found herself receiving threats from patients, "being cursed at" and these things came with the territory of practicing emergency medicine. Dr. Castillo had to put safety measures in place such as having her very fit husband who had served in the military, escort her home, at times. Despite these realities, she still managed to find beauty in the art of helping her patients heal and caring for thousands of patients across her long career span. hats off to all the docs like Dr. Castillo who report to the clinical trenches each day with real grit, passion, a spirit of service to others despite the challenges and dangers they face day in and day out. The full version of episode 2 to be posted soon Comment to share your truth, experiences and more. #reality #er #truth #shareyourtruth #grit
Episode 2: Surviving the Pandemic as an ER Doc #podcast #health
In this short clip Dr. Jenny Castillo talks about the the experience of serving as an emergency medicine doctor during the pandemic reflecting on the trauma and chaos of caring for hundreds of sick patients during that time. Specifically, she shares a few strategies she developed for both herself and for her colleagues. The congressional hearings of Dr. Fauci are very disheartening to see. In support of Dr. Fauci for his great contributions in the pandemic and his attempts to keep people safe through vaccination programs and other measures. #covid19 #survival #strategy #fauci #anthonyfauci #pandemic #science #policy