Publishing Details
About This Podcast
The Clinical Etymologist is a podcast devoted to curiosity, lifelong learning, and the quiet joy of medicine. Hosted by Dr. Kim—a general internist and self-appointed Clinical Etymologist—each episode explores the words we use in medicine to diagnose, to heal, and to make sense of the human condition. With a blend of language, history, clinical insight, and his unique sense of humor, Dr. Kim uncovers the hidden roots of medical terms—from the eponyms we invoke to the metaphors we overlook. This is a space for curious souls who still believe learning can be meaningful and fun.
Podcasting 2.0 Features
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
S2E10 Special Bulletin: Hanta Children's Summer Camp
Send us Fan MailIn this special bulletin episode of The Clinical Etymologist™ , Dr. Kim traces the haunting story of hantavirus from the battlefields of the Korean War to a childhood summer camp by…
S2E9 Sodium Conundrum
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Clinical Etymologist™, Dr. Kim returns to the mystery of hyponatremia through the lens of soda, sodium, and the kidney’s inner logic. From the ancient chemistry…
S2E8 Sodium Doom
Send us Fan MailA quiet weekend on call begins with the retirement of Dr. Flow, a urologist who made the difficult look simple. A search for the perfect farewell wine—Pee No More—is abruptly…
S2E7 Reacting to CRP
Send us Fan MailIn medicine, we often order tests reflexively, trusting that numbers will guide us toward truth. But what happens when a test is elevated — or completely normal — and the patient…
S2E6 Anemia of Chronic Confusion
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The Clinical Etymologist, we explore a common clinical paradox—anemia in the presence of abundant iron. Through a real bedside conversation, we move beyond…
S2E5 Professor Magneto and Iron Deficiency
Send us Fan Mail Some time ago in a teaching hospital far, far away,a Marvel supervillain interrupted a lesson in hematology.What happens when all the iron in your body suddenly disappears?Do red…
S2E4 The Bladder Whisperer
Send us Fan MailIn today’s episode, we explore how an overlooked organ can reveal a neurologic emergency. We question whether every “mechanical fall” is truly mechanical. We trace the hierarchy of…
S2E3 Memory of Foul Smelling Urine
Send us Fan MailIn today’s episode, we explore one of the most common — and most misunderstood — diagnoses in medicine: urinary tract infection. Why does foul-smelling urine trigger antibiotics? What…
S2E2 Lactate Ringer's: Guilt by Name, Innocent by Physiology
Send us Fan MailSome time ago in a teaching hospital far, far away, a familiar IV bag sparked an unfamiliar question. Why does a fluid that contains lactate not worsen lactic acidosis? Why is it safe…
S2E1 ABNORMAL Normal Saline
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Season 20.9% “Normal” Saline is one of the most commonly prescribed intravenous fluids in medicine, yet its name is one of the great misnomers of clinical practice.In this…
S1E17 Ode to Gettysburg
Send us Fan MailSome time ago in a teaching hospital far, far away… A new call shift had just been announced, and our clinical etymologist found himself preparing for another unpredictable day. It…
S1E16 The Pump The Pipe and The Product
Send us Fan MailOn a routine day call, two eager pre-clerks join the Clinical Etymologist in the ER, hoping to witness internal medicine in action.What we get instead is a cramped cast room, a…
S1E15 The Lord of Clerks : An Inferior Awakening
Send us Fan MailA group of soon-to-be clerks join Dr. Kim in a high-stakes simulation to unravel the physiology, history, and bedside reasoning behind acute myocardial infarction. Through dialogue,…
S1E14 Knowledge Gap in Osmolar Gap
Send us Fan MailMr. Alexander Kole presents with alcohol intoxication. Odd lab value is noted thathides more than it reveals. In this episode, Dr. Kim and his Padawan Layla explorethe clinical…
S1E13 The Kissing Disease
Send us Fan MailInfectious mononucleosis reminds us that medicine often lives in the space between certainty and curiosity. The tests help, but the story — the pattern of fatigue, fever, and swollen…
S1E12 Ninety Nine Toy Boat
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Dr. Kim and his Padawan, Nina, rediscover the forgotten art of the respiratory exam—from tactile fremitus to percussion, from the German for 99 to toy boat. Through…
S1E11 Celebrate Lactate
Send us Fan MailThree days of call. Three dozen consults. Three cups of coffee barely holding the Clinical Etymologist together. This is the story of what happens when exhaustion meets imagination —…
S1E10 Pernicious Precision
Send us Fan MailThe momentous discovery of Cobalamin 77 years ago made a macrocytic impact on medicine, saving millions of lives from their pernicious fate. In celebration, we take a subacute and…
S1E9 Only A Second Year Student
Send us Fan MailThe previous episode Letting Go, Gently was a heartfelt reminder of the human side of medicine, a glimpse into one of those moments that shape us as not just health care providers but…
S1E8 Special Episode : Letting Go, Gently
Send us Fan MailSo far, our beloved clinical etymologist, Dr. Kim, has explored the roots of medical language through history, etymology, and clinical reasoning. But today is different. Instead of…
Frequently Asked Questions
The Clinical Etymologist has published 27 episodes since July 2025, covering topics in Health & Fitness, Medicine.
The Clinical Etymologist is currently active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 12m.
Similar Podcasts
Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
584 episodes
The Dr. Hyman Show
Dr. Mark Hyman
1,147 episodes
The Peter Attia Drive
Peter Attia, MD
442 episodes
The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee
Physicians Committee
767 episodes
Dhru Purohit Show
Dhru Purohit
493 episodes
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast
500 episodes