► Tell us about you and your podcast
Josh is a Medical Oncologist with a skillset forged over a decade as a doctor. He is completing a fellowship at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia, specialising in breast and genitourinary cancer. In what little time is not spent working, researching and podcasting, he enjoys spending time with his wife, taking long walks on Sydney’s idyllic beachfront, and plotting his next great prank or dad joke.
There is no Josh without his charismatic cohost, Michael, a Medical Oncologist completing his fellowship at the Olivia-Newton John Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. This year, he is undertaking a fellowship focussing on head and neck cancer and early drug development. In his free time, Michael loves hiking, dabbling as a novelist and enjoying the company of his dog, Beans and fiance.
Cancer is a fascinating but rapidly evolving discipline - it's a full-time job just keeping up to date. In this podcast, Dr Michael Fernando and Dr Joshua Hurwitz explore the latest trials, research, practice-changing updates, and regular interviews with renowned oncology specialists. It is ideal for those starting their training journey, established specialists and anyone interested in medical science, oncological practice, or terrible jokes. Preferably, all three.
Our listeners traverse the healthcare sector, ranging from medical students and junior doctors to established specialists, allied health professionals, pharmacists, patients and anyone else with a keen interest in cancer, oncology research, precision medicine and this rapidly evolving field (also based on feedback we get via email and in person).
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
Michael and I listen to many podcasts - Michael is a history and culture buff, while I stray towards politics and technology. We chose a podcast for a variety of reasons, but primarily, it is an easy way to access free, on-demand information in a very busy world.
As oncologists who have recently completed their training, the memory of this journey remains fresh. The transition from junior doctor to speciality trainee is a daunting experience. Between finding one's feet, dealing with a demanding clinical load and engaging in research, there is very little time to establish a solid knowledge foundation.
Compounding these challenges, Michael and I began training as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe. Healthcare demands skyrocketed, uncertainty climbed, and Michael can officially say he lived in one of the most locked-down cities in the World. Not to be outdone, I faced my own challenges, separated from loved ones – and Michael – by 545 miles and several quarantine zones for the better part of a year. At this point, our journeys diverged; despite this, our challenges were aligned.
Educational programs faltered, and workloads skyrocketed. Healthcare professionals narrowed in on what we do best, the main task at hand: caring for patients. And yet, oncology as a specialty never rested. Michael, myself and two of our colleagues set up a weekly virtual journal club to discuss pivotal trials and continue to grow our understanding of this ever-evolving and rapidly changing field. This was the seed from which “Oncology for the Inquisitive Mind” would bloom.
Although the transition seems logical, Michael and I took a year to go from the inception of our journal club to releasing our first episode. Like any new venture, there were various challenges, including the "it didn't record properly" or "why am I so quiet" moments. Luckily, Michael and I are quite tenacious and with some grit and determination, this became a regular weekly occurrence and has been going ever since.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
Generally, an episode is released every week; if lucky, there will be two. It will primarily focus on a single topic, such as breast cancer or colorectal cancer. At this point, we select essential trials, provide relevant background information and debate the validity of trial design, the results and how it fits into clinical practice.
We both work full-time, so all of the research, production and editing is done in the evenings or on weekends, much to our loved ones' chagrin. Time spent on each episode varies wildly depending on how much research is required, how fatigued the hosts are and whether we interview a guest or stray from our normal programming. As a general rule, a single episode could take 4-5 hours from inception to completion, and usually, there is more finessing to ensure it's the best we can do.
We fund the podcast ourselves, including equipment, podcast hosting services and other ancillary requirements. Michael and I have not calculated, but since we do all of our own editing and promotion, it's quite a lean process.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
We are open to grants depending on the fit. Given that our podcast investigates new treatments for cancer patients, our ability to remain impartial and examine this information with integrity is paramount to our podcast. We must be unbiased in our opinions and thought processes.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
Adobe Audition is our go-to editing software; Michael and I armed ourselves with a blue yeti microphone early on in the process of podcasting. They do a fine job of making us both sound professional, smooth and easy to listen to!
For us, finding guests isn't the difficult part, it's giving each of our guests - primarily fantastic clinicians, researchers, and cancer advocates adequate time to show us everything they are doing to change the world for patients, clinicians and the broader community. It is a humbling experience
► How do you market your show?
Michael and I promote our podcast through social media channels, but not much more! Most of our growth has been organic and through word of mouth. We have listeners in over 100 countries who listen across a variety of platforms, but mostly Apple, Spotify and Google
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Starting a podcast has been an incredible journey to meet inspirational people and build lasting relationships. It has given Michael and me the tools necessary to grow our knowledge and impart this to those around us.
We are lucky enough to have a close friend, an excellent podcaster who gave us some great tips early on. You should check out his podcast if you want; it's called "Humans of Purpose". We advise you to beat your drum, read, and watch YouTube clips.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
Michael and I have a shared LinkedIn and a website where we upload resources, episodes, and contact details. Like any good podcast, you can find us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, threads and Youtube. You should check it out if you're interested. We love hearing from our listeners and try to tailor our podcast to what people who listen want to hear.
Website: www.inquisitiveonc.com
Email: inquisitiveonc@gmail.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncology-for-the-inquisitive-mind/?viewAsMember=true
Twitter: @inquisitiveonc
Instagram: Oncology for the inquisitive Mind