“Surgeons are humans,” said Rachel Baker, Director of Communications at Stanford Surgery and host of the Stanford Department of Surgery podcast “Scrubcast.” With patients’ lives in their hands, “There’s a history of surgeons being ‘butchers’… but I hope that through these stories, patients understand that these are humans.”

“Scrubcast,” which premiered in May 2022, explores Stanford surgeons’ journeys to surgery and their recently published research. The podcast has since produced four seasons of monthly episodes and is published on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify and Youtube.

Baker first created the podcast to entertain her colleagues during commutes to work. With each 20-minute episode, listeners could learn about their department’s research while sitting in everyday traffic. Although the podcast was initially only known to the Department of Surgery, prospective surgical residents and the general public soon started listening to Baker’s episodes.

Baker is interested in the work of other surgeons in the department. Oftentimes, episodes arise from surgeons approaching Baker about their current research. On other occasions, Baker finds surgeons to spotlight current events — for instance, she interviewed clinical assistant professor of surgery Anita Mohan, who specializes in gender affirming surgery, for a coming episode in light of Transgender Day of Visibility this March.

Baker also highlights currently trending treatments and relates them to everyday life. When Ozempic became popular, she interviewed a bariatric surgeon and asked, “My mom just started taking Ozempic. Tell me about whether or not she’s gonna die.”

Baker is interested in her guests’ stories: “There’s a reason that they choose this specialty,” she said. “They have families, and they have this whole cadre of interests that are motivating them.” 

According to Baker, many surgeons come from backgrounds that enhance their medical career. Sports experience aids with surgery’s collaborative aspect; music experience adds dexterity.

Baker’s first episode with professor of surgery Sherry Wren discusses Wren’s experience with Doctors Without Borders, a charity providing emergency aid and medical care around the globe.

“She’s like this tiny little redhead lady, and then she’s going into war zones,” Baker said.

Wren was the only female resident in her residency program and faced sexist remarks by peers who joked about her red hair. Her decision to shave her head at one point and later join Doctors Without Borders reflected her “bulldog”-ness, according to Baker.

Baker’s podcast highlights surgeons’ various “why surgery” stories. An interest in technology led professor of surgery, Teodor Grantcharov to explore minimally invasive surgery. Watching her first pancreatectomy islet autotransplant procedure inspired associate professor of surgery Varvara Kirchner to specialize in abdominal transplantation.

Surgeons also join the podcast to promote their work. Professor of surgery James Dunn, for example, spoke about a device he invented for short bowel syndrome in pediatric patients. 

“I thought [the podcast] would be a good way to get the word out there,” Dunn said. The episode discussed Dunn’s ideation, laboratory testing and regulatory hurdles to bring the treatment to the patient’s bedside.

Some surgeons hoped to share their personal stories through the podcast.

“I was just hoping my actual personality came across and people got to learn a little more about me,” associate professor of surgery, Stephanie Chao wrote to The Daily regarding her episode.

Grantcharov hoped listeners could learn about his passions for surgery, research and entrepreneurship, while professor of surgery and chair of the Department of Surgery Mary Hawn wanted to impart words of support onto aspiring surgeon-scientists.

“I try to lift up and help other people in the way that I feel like she [Hawn’s mentor] lifted me up and helped me,” Hawn said in her episode. “I always want to make sure that people know that I am there, that I’m not too busy, that we’re all working together to keep things moving forward.”

For a future episode, Baker hopes to interview assistant professor of surgery Joseph Forrester about how a personal near-death experience while extreme mountain climbing led him to trauma surgery.

“I really want to talk to him about this chest wall surgery program that he’s created, and also just be like, ‘Dude, you fell off of a cliff,’” Baker said.

Podcast guests described Baker’s approach to each episode as thoughtful.

“She is prepared with research and an interesting agenda to cover,” Hawn wrote. 

By sharing different surgeons’ stories, Baker hopes to inspire students and the wider public. With her podcast as a whole, Baker hopes to inform the wider public and inspire undergraduate and medical students.

“Maybe hearing some of these stories will inspire you to think, ‘Oh surgeons are actually really cool,” she said. “‘They don’t just cut.’”