Reflections From Stars of Medicine

This collection of interviews was lifted directly from the PBS series of the same name. All the segments are conducted by Laurie Garrett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of “The Coming Plague.” Her questions are insightful and thought- provoking.

However, the tonal quality of the collection is poor, which is unfortunate considering the wide range of subject matter and fine minds collected for this series. The entire production sounds tinny, and background noise is occasionally heard from the audience. Also, the same introduction is used before all five interviews, which is unnecessarily redundant.

The first interview is with Dr. William Castelli, who speaks about heart disease and the ongoing Framingham Heart Study, which taught us the importance of cholesterol. He discusses the need for a low-fat diet and how everyone, no matter their income or lifestyle, may achieve a healthy heart. Though most of us have heard this information before, he does offer several helpful tips.

Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, who suffers from manic depression, speaks candidly about living with mental illness. She provides insight into the thinking process of a depressed or manic person, as well as the difficulties in overcoming any mental illness. This is vital information for those suffering from such an illness and those who live with an ill person. She is inspiring for how she has handled and spoken openly about her disease. The only problem with this section is that Redfield speaks much, much too fast.

The most frightening segment is with Dr. Karl Johnson, the “disease cowboy” who headed the team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that first isolated and named the Ebola virus. He paints a scary picture of the speed with which this virus can travel and the deadly outcome of infection. Articulate and intriguing, he discusses the worst possible scenarios and the methods used to control viral and bacterial outbreaks.

The audio’s most compelling interview is with breast cancer expert Dr. Susan Love. A clear and concise speaker, she discusses a doctor’s need for compassion and a patient’s need to know the options when dealing with cancer. Most interesting is her opinion concerning the ongoing changes in the medical profession. She tells us she decided to learn about the business end of medicine because it has become such a large part of her career, now that insurance companies and HMOs run the show.

More low-key is Dr. Peter Rosen, who discusses emergency medicine. Though not a dynamic speaker, he does raise important issues, such as the need to give direction to emergency personnel, especially when dealing with a patient’s desire to be resuscitated. He also talks about the changes in emergency medicine since the days when his father worked as a general practitioner.

Despite the poor sound quality, this remains an interesting collection for the ideas it presents and the new voices it offers. Because many audio books feature the same old names, it is refreshing to hear different experts in the medical community offering their varied opinions.