The Heritage of Medicine | Cesar Padilla, MD

The practice of medicine has a rich legacy, sharing common themes yet manifesting in myriad forms around the world. For Cesar Padilla, MD, an obstetric anesthesiologist and clinical assistant professor at Stanford, this historical and cultural thread is vivid and alive, informing care and connection with his patients and students. In this episode, we ask Dr. Padilla to reflect on his personal history and that of the wider medical field to gain insights on best practices for care across cultures.

In this episode, you will hear about: 

• Dr. Padilla’s childhood summers residing in a Catholic hospital in Mexico and how that ignited his passion for medicine - 3:45
• Why Dr. Padilla believes the "art" of medicine resides in human connection - 6:18
• The educational inequities & challenges Dr. Padilla faced as a first generation immigrant - 10:12 
• How Dr. Padilla draws on the history of medicine to provide quality care - 16:24
• How clinicians can better connect with patients when differing cultural backgrounds are involved - 26:06
• The one piece of advice Dr. Padilla wants all medical trainees to remember - 35:19

Dr. Padilla writes extensively about the history of medicine. Here are articles mentioned in the episode: 

The Best Argument for Medicare for All - Our Nation’s First Hospital, Co-founded by Benjamin Franklin, Provided Free Care for the Poor

From an ICU Doctor - What We Really Think About Death and Dying 

A partial list of Dr. Padilla’s other writings: https://medium.com/@cesarraudelpadilla

Connect with Dr. Padilla on Twitter @TheMillennialMD

Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.

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