The Present Illness
Society’s running a fever, and two sharp-witted physicians are on the case. Surgeon-scientist Arghavan Salles dives into social media’s wildest trends, while anesthesiologist-bioethicist Alyssa Burgart follows news and legal cases for their ethical twists. Together, they examine the cultural, political, and public health symptoms of our time with scalpel-sharp analysis, unflinching questions, and enough humor to keep us all going.
Episodes
16 episodes
Robots, Research & Rubik's Cubes
Unethical research in Guinea-Bissau; Robots won’t fix maternity care deserts; Louisiana tries to extradite California doctor.Americas public health system teeters on the edge of an ICU admission thanks to the abysmal leadership of RFK Jr...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:05:50
Too Much Propofol
This week: famed author's son dies after anesthesia, the "war on protein", and Arghavan's views on protests in Iran.Join Arghavan and Alyssa as they into the 'war on protein' narrative propagated by RFK Jr, the tragic story of Chimamanda...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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1:11:40
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Time to Block Grok
Activation Warning: This episode discusses SA, CSAM, state violence. In the first feverish episode of The Present Illness in 2026, the Doctors discuss the tumultuous events of winter break, including significant changes in vaccinati...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:06:22
White House's Fever Dream Photoshoot
In their final episode of 2025, Drs. Salles & Burgart perform a brief examination of the Vanity Fair exclusive featuring
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58:54
Widening gender divide? Blame Nick Fuentes.
In this episode, the doctors perform a clinical examination of the pathological messaging aimed at young men by right-wing influencers like Nick Fuentes. They dissect the misogyny spreading through social media platforms, with particular attent...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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56:14
The Professor Will See You Now (If They Still Have a Job)
In this week's episode, Drs. Salles and Burgart perform a critical examination of academic freedom under attack, focusing on the viral case of an Oklahoma pre-med student who's created a fever pitch of controversy by turning in shoddy work and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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55:08
The Atlantic Lost Its Fact Checkers
The doctors perform an emergency triage on the state of public health leadership this week, starting with a scathing dissection of The Atlantic's profile of RFK Jr. that seemingly skipped the fact-checking department. Drs. Salles and Burgart ad...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:00:36
Labor & Dismissal
Activation Awareness: This episode discusses serious pregnancy complications and the dismissal of women's health concerns.In this week's episode of The Present Illness, Drs. Arghavan and Alyssa deliver a stat consultation on two v...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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58:46
The Epstein of It All
Join Drs. Arghavan Salles and Alyssa Burgart as they don their sterile gloves to dissect the web of connections surrounding Mr. Pedophile Criminal, Jeffrey Epstein, in "The Epstein of It All." The doctors examine how powerful men shield each ot...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:00:56
Lady Voters
In this electrifying episode of The Present Illness, Drs. Arghavan and Alyssa examine America's complicated relationship with lady voters. Our physician hosts unpack the historical struggle for women's voting rights with their chara...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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52:52
SNAP, Crackle, Billionaire
Arghavan & Alyssa diagnose America's latest nutrition emergency as SNAP benefits face potential cuts. They dissect the economic consequences of food insecurity with surgical precision while examining the bizarre phenomenon of billionaires h...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:01:38
This Man Does Not Like You
TikTok is up for sale in America, but Arghavan and Alyssa are not into it. They discuss the implications of TikTok's potential sale and its impact on privacy and social media dynamics. They explore how social media influences relationship norms...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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47:50
Vaccine Debate and Very Loud Ladies
In this episode, Drs. Arghavan Salles and Alyssa Burgart dive into the world of vaccine misinformation, examining a debate between science communicators and anti-vaccine advocates. They explore how scientific illiteracy fuels dangerous health t...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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1:03:19
Death by Wellness Influencers: Paloma Shemirani
In this episode of "The Present Illness," hosts Arghavan Salles and Alyssa Burgart delve into the tragic story of Paloma Shemirani, a young woman whose life was cut short by misinformation and a lack of standard medical intervention. Despite be...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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53:55
The Shutdown Shuffle
In this fever dream of an episode, Arghavan and Alyssa perform a thorough examination on America's latest government shutdown drama and the wildly contagious misinformation about immigrant healthcare that's spreading faster than a hospital noro...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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38:52
Tylenol, Autism & the Clown Car of Public Health
In this engaging first episode of "The Present Illness," physician-hosts Arghavan Salles and Alyssa Burgart delve into the complexities of public health, politics, and culture. They discuss the controversial claims surrounding Tylenol and autis...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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54:21