In this episode of Unstable Vitals, hosts Dr. Adam Brown and Dr. Lara Zibners sit down with Dr. Melissa Parsons, a former top pediatrician turned life coach, to unpack the emotional cost of surviving in the healthcare system. Melissa shares her deeply personal journey from burnout and perfectionism to finding healing through coaching, vulnerability, and letting go of the unrealistic expectations placed on physicians. Melissa walks us through the moment she realized she needed help—and how that decision transformed her life.

Together, the trio explores the culture of silence and shame in medicine, especially around mental health, and the dangerous separation of emotional and physical well-being. They confront the damaging myths doctors are taught: that resilience means suppression, that rest is weakness, and that showing emotion is unprofessional. The episode tackles physician burnout, systemic failures, and the urgent need to create a healthcare system that supports its healers.

In this special episode of Unstable Vitals, your hosts Dr. Adam Brown and Dr. Lara Zibners dive into their experience at the HLTH Europe conference in Amsterdam — a dynamic, innovation-driven gathering for health tech startups, investors, and industry leaders. They share what made the event stand out, from the high-energy networking and startup pitches to the unconventional amenities like on-site massages, ginger shots, and even a roaming unicorn mascot named Petunia. As founders and participants, they reflect on how the event compared to traditional medical conferences and discuss the importance of early strategy, branding, and planning for startup success.

Beyond the booths and business cards, the episode captures the human side of attending a global health innovation conference. This includes bonding dinners, the emotions of pitching on stage, and surprise bird poop attacks (yes, you read that right). Whether you're a founder, clinician, or just curious about what really happens behind the scenes at one of Europe's most impactful healthcare events, this episode delivers a mix of insight, inspiration, and chaos.

The full video version can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2XcPo_3Pnc

Episode 2 of Unstable Vitals features hosts Dr. Lara Zibners and Dr. Adam Brown, as they offer an unfiltered and often humorous look into the realities of emergency medicine. They delve into why people are so fascinated by ER stories, particularly the more bizarre and gruesome ones, a common question they face at social gatherings. The hosts share personal anecdotes, from gross medical incidents like "code browns" involving bodily fluids, to lighthearted pranks played among hospital staff.

The discussion also highlights the critical role of nurses in the ER, with both hosts sharing heartfelt stories of how nurses have been instrumental in patient care and their own professional development. They explore the unique team dynamic that often exists in the emergency department, emphasizing the need for mutual respect and collaboration when facing extreme situations. The episode also includes amusing tales and the odd challenges of working in such a high-pressure, unpredictable environment.

In our debut episode, meet your hosts—two ER doctors turned health policy nerds—who are fed up with pretending everything’s fine in healthcare when it’s clearly… not. From government chaos to moral injury in medicine, we kick off with a candid (and sometimes hilarious) look at why the system feels broken and what inspired us to start this podcast.

We dive into:

• Why DC’s silence is anything but quiet
• How we met (shout out, UNC!)
• Why instability isn’t the end—it’s the start of something real
• What we’ve seen across U.S. and U.K. healthcare systems
• The absurdity of public service layoffs, burnout, and corporate creep
• And yes, the origin of our name—including a very real code brown moment

If you’ve ever felt disoriented navigating the healthcare system—from inside or out—you’re not alone. We're here to pull back the curtain, talk about what’s actually happening, and invite the brilliant, bold, and brave to help us make sense of the madness.