These are the podcasts, blogs, and books that have most influenced how I practice medicine, approach research, and generally navigate the world. In no particular order:

Podcasts and blogs

The incubator. This is a terrific podcast about all things neonatology. Ben Courchia, Dapha Yasova Barbeau, and Rune Toms are building an international community to help improve the care we deliver to infants. They also provide an excellent weekly board review in the months leading up the the ABP Neonatal-Perinatal Boards.

Neonatal Research. Keith Barrington’s exceptional blog is a great place to stay apprised of the latest literature.

Marginal Revolution and Conversations with Tyler by Tyler Cowen and colleagues. Not specifically medicine or science. But Cowen’s a polymath genius, so these topics do come up.

Wait but why. From Tim Urban, and colleagues. Thoughtful reflections and graphical depictions of everything from AI to parenting to the finite number of weeks you have left to live.

The VPZD show. Vinay Prasad and Zubin Damania. Ignore these clowns at your own peril. Their critical appraisal of epidemiology, statistics, and clinical trials is, bar none, the best.

Books

Neonatology Textbooks

Polin’s Workbook in Practical Neonatology. I join Dr. Richard Polin as co-editor of the upcoming 7th edition. The workbook uses a case-based approach to provide trainees at all levels practical skills for the care newborns.

Polin’s Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. This two-volume text provides in-depth and comprehensive review of the current state of perinatal physiological research. It is now in its 6th edition.

Polin’s Neonatology: Questions and Controversiestroversies. This series provides exceptional reviews regarding the frontier of each important area within neonatal medicine and research.

Klaus and Fanaroff’s Care of the High Risk Neonate. Now in its seventh edition, this text is an excellent clinical resource to review neonatal pathophysiology.

Brodsky and Martin’s excellent Neonatology Review: Q&A and Review Series are an excellent resource for preparing for the ABP Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Boards.

Medicine

Apollo’s Arrow by Nicholas Christakis. An accounting of the epidemiology and social impacts of covid-19.

House of God by Samuel Shem. The authoritative guide to residency.

Blueprint by Robert Plomin. The field of behavioral genetics is full of startling insights. The findings here are particularly helpful for alleviating some of the pressure that parents put on themselves.

Expecting Better by Emily Oster. Data-driven findings that are also helpful for alleviating pressure that parents put on themselves.

Deep Medicine by Eric Topol. A recent novel that’s already dated in the fast moving world of machine learning. This work provides optimism for overburdened clinicians.

Rationality and Cognition

The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch. Our modern crisis of epistemology.

Rationality by Steven Pinker. How to do epistemology better.

Deep Work by Cal Newport. Fascinating advice on how to make the most out of limited time, including liberating your work life from the inbox. This should be required reading in medical school.

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. More on how to do epistemology better.

Think Again by Adam Grant. More yet on how to do epistemology better.

The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. Introduction to moral foundation theory in psychology and instructions for taming elephants. Also helpful for doing epistemology better.

Have comments or recommendations? Please let me know: @txhays or th2712@cumc.columbia.edu