Building Bridges Podcast Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:05 -0400 https://buildingbridgespodcast.buzzsprout.com en-us © 2026 Building Bridges Podcast yes 4b0e0f35-fc4a-507b-87db-cc76564cb1fb DMSBridge episodic false Building Bridges is a podcast created by the Butler University Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program to support and inspire physician associates and the healthcare community as they elevate themselves and the profession. Through thoughtful conversations and diverse perspectives, we connect clinicians, educators, and leaders across disciplines to explore what's next in healthcare, leadership, education, and innovation.


We aim to build bridges between education and action, clinical practice and policy, and individual purpose and collective impact. With inclusion, equity, and lifelong learning. At our core, we aim to spark dialogue that encourages bold thinking, collaboration, and progress. In an ever-changing healthcare landscape, our mission is to ignite curiosity, foster connection, and empower new generation of leaders to imagine what's possible. 

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) DMSBridge https://storage.buzzsprout.com/7v0fbqe0kpbkpnh3zyc34ujk9klx?.jpg Building Bridges Podcast https://buildingbridgespodcast.buzzsprout.com Zach West - Storytelling & Reflection in Medicine Zach West - Storytelling & Reflection in Medicine From Green Beret Medic to Stanford PA: Dr. Zach West on Storytelling, Writing, and Burnout

Dr. Zach West, a Butler DMS Bridge graduate and hospital medicine PA at Stanford Medicine, shares his path from philosophy and history major to Fulbright English teacher, rare book seller, Green Beret combat medic, and paramedic during the 2020 pandemic before PA school at Stanford. He discusses the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Tillman Scholar community’s focus on service, education, and impact. West explains how creative writing electives at Stanford—especially courses with Dr. Laurel Braitman—helped him process stress, build empathy, and strengthen communication, emphasizing that clinical documentation is fundamentally storytelling. He describes short writing prompts and trusted writing groups as practical tools for reflection, vulnerability, and fighting burnout, and offers advice to new grads to expect a brutal early learning curve and push through it.

]]> From Green Beret Medic to Stanford PA: Dr. Zach West on Storytelling, Writing, and Burnout

Dr. Zach West, a Butler DMS Bridge graduate and hospital medicine PA at Stanford Medicine, shares his path from philosophy and history major to Fulbright English teacher, rare book seller, Green Beret combat medic, and paramedic during the 2020 pandemic before PA school at Stanford. He discusses the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Tillman Scholar community’s focus on service, education, and impact. West explains how creative writing electives at Stanford—especially courses with Dr. Laurel Braitman—helped him process stress, build empathy, and strengthen communication, emphasizing that clinical documentation is fundamentally storytelling. He describes short writing prompts and trusted writing groups as practical tools for reflection, vulnerability, and fighting burnout, and offers advice to new grads to expect a brutal early learning curve and push through it.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-19639452 Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1763 full false Exploring Research with Drs. Matthew Wright and Ryan White Exploring Research with Drs. Matthew Wright and Ryan White In this episode, host Cody Sasek connects with Dr. Ryan White (Rutgers School of Health Professions Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs) and Dr. Matthew Wright (Rutgers PA program faculty). White describes a nearly 20-year PA career, a PhD in health systems and policy, and research in healthcare workforce, health policy, and patient-provider communication via patient portals with health equity concerns. Wright, a PA and registered dietitian, outlines clinical practice experience and a PhD in health and human performance focused on PA student wellbeing and educational innovation. They discuss motivations, financial and institutional support and mandates for doctoral training, rank and promotion in academia, and that impactful scholarship can be done without a PhD. They advise learners to ask questions, seek mentors and teams, join committees, peer review, and pursue feasible projects. They also highlight research opportunities in AI (ambient scribes), wearables-driven data overload, and technology’s medical-legal and equity implications.

]]> In this episode, host Cody Sasek connects with Dr. Ryan White (Rutgers School of Health Professions Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs) and Dr. Matthew Wright (Rutgers PA program faculty). White describes a nearly 20-year PA career, a PhD in health systems and policy, and research in healthcare workforce, health policy, and patient-provider communication via patient portals with health equity concerns. Wright, a PA and registered dietitian, outlines clinical practice experience and a PhD in health and human performance focused on PA student wellbeing and educational innovation. They discuss motivations, financial and institutional support and mandates for doctoral training, rank and promotion in academia, and that impactful scholarship can be done without a PhD. They advise learners to ask questions, seek mentors and teams, join committees, peer review, and pursue feasible projects. They also highlight research opportunities in AI (ambient scribes), wearables-driven data overload, and technology’s medical-legal and equity implications.

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-19494320 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400 2754 full false Alison Streeter: Changing Lives. . . Even When It's Your Own Alison Streeter: Changing Lives. . . Even When It's Your Own On the Building Bridges podcast from Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) Bridge Program, Adrian Banning interviews alumnus Dr. Alison Streeter, now a night-shift inpatient hospitalist PA, about the steep learning curve, higher stakes, self-doubt, and balancing autonomy with team support while doing cross-cover and admissions. Streeter describes prior careers in adolescent behavioral health (school counseling/therapy and administration at a boarding school) and nonprofit performing arts leadership, then a COVID-era pivot into PA training after retaking prerequisites and discovering online learning. She explains how the DMS Bridge program fit her credentialing timeline and expanded her systems and safety perspective beyond patient-level care. Streeter reflects on self-care, comfort with uncertainty, using repetition to learn (including AI-generated mock admissions), and interests in peer support, arts-in-medicine initiatives, precepting, and future PA education.

]]> On the Building Bridges podcast from Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) Bridge Program, Adrian Banning interviews alumnus Dr. Alison Streeter, now a night-shift inpatient hospitalist PA, about the steep learning curve, higher stakes, self-doubt, and balancing autonomy with team support while doing cross-cover and admissions. Streeter describes prior careers in adolescent behavioral health (school counseling/therapy and administration at a boarding school) and nonprofit performing arts leadership, then a COVID-era pivot into PA training after retaking prerequisites and discovering online learning. She explains how the DMS Bridge program fit her credentialing timeline and expanded her systems and safety perspective beyond patient-level care. Streeter reflects on self-care, comfort with uncertainty, using repetition to learn (including AI-generated mock admissions), and interests in peer support, arts-in-medicine initiatives, precepting, and future PA education.

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-19476660 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0400 2212 full false Bonus Episode: The Friends You Make-Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel BFF4E Bonus Episode: The Friends You Make-Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel BFF4E Sometimes you meet someone, and you just know you're going to be friends. Mix in PA school and that friendship becomes something even more lasting. Host Adrian Banning interviews Butler University DMS Bridge Program alumnae Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel about their close friendship formed during their Case Western PA school interview (anniversary = Nov. 11), daily support through a 15-month didactic year and clinical rotations, and navigating stressful life events like Kennedy’s car being stolen. They describe complementary study habits, shared resilience as first-generation professionals, and why they pursued the DMS Bridge Program after an info session, finding research more approachable and useful to practice. Natalia works in neurosurgery in Arizona, focusing on patient education and lifestyle factors; Kennedy practices adult primary care in the DC/DMV area, emphasizing listening, postpartum care, depression screening, and doula conversations. Both discuss financial security goals, mentorship, and adjusting after graduation.




]]> Sometimes you meet someone, and you just know you're going to be friends. Mix in PA school and that friendship becomes something even more lasting. Host Adrian Banning interviews Butler University DMS Bridge Program alumnae Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel about their close friendship formed during their Case Western PA school interview (anniversary = Nov. 11), daily support through a 15-month didactic year and clinical rotations, and navigating stressful life events like Kennedy’s car being stolen. They describe complementary study habits, shared resilience as first-generation professionals, and why they pursued the DMS Bridge Program after an info session, finding research more approachable and useful to practice. Natalia works in neurosurgery in Arizona, focusing on patient education and lifestyle factors; Kennedy practices adult primary care in the DC/DMV area, emphasizing listening, postpartum care, depression screening, and doula conversations. Both discuss financial security goals, mentorship, and adjusting after graduation.




]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-19277817 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 3886 full false Breaking Barriers in PA Education: The Inspiring Road of Natalia Rangel Breaking Barriers in PA Education: The Inspiring Road of Natalia Rangel Breaking Barriers in PA Education: The Inspiring Road of Natalia Rangel

Hosts Cody Sasek and Adrian Banning (Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program) interview Natalia Rangel, a first-generation PA originally from Cúcuta, Colombia, who moved to Florida, attended PA school at Case Western Reserve University, received her DMS degree from the Butler University Bridge Program and now lives and works as a neurosurgery PA-C in Arizona. Natalia describes applying to PA school late with little guidance, advises applicants to use mentorship organizations (including PAs for Latino Health, The PAC, NSBPA) and fee assistance, and emphasizes casting a wide net while avoiding costly admissions “coaching.” She shares her study approach in PA school, her decision to hire a lawyer to review her first job contract, and how a delayed start date led to a temporary flu-trial research job while beginning the Butler DMS Bridge Program. Natalia discusses her leadership work with PAs for Latino Health, scholarship awareness, precepting and mentoring students, and plans to support Arizona’s emerging PA program.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:38 Natalia Origin Story
04:19 Finding Case Western
04:55 Applying Without Guidance
06:53 Mentorship Over Paywalls
11:34 PA School Study Routines
13:52 Why Pursue a Doctorate
14:55 Contracts and Career Timing
17:35 PAs for Latino Health
20:23 Research Mindset and Planning
22:20 Building PA Community in Arizona
26:53 Mentors and Saying No
28:48 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

]]> Breaking Barriers in PA Education: The Inspiring Road of Natalia Rangel

Hosts Cody Sasek and Adrian Banning (Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program) interview Natalia Rangel, a first-generation PA originally from Cúcuta, Colombia, who moved to Florida, attended PA school at Case Western Reserve University, received her DMS degree from the Butler University Bridge Program and now lives and works as a neurosurgery PA-C in Arizona. Natalia describes applying to PA school late with little guidance, advises applicants to use mentorship organizations (including PAs for Latino Health, The PAC, NSBPA) and fee assistance, and emphasizes casting a wide net while avoiding costly admissions “coaching.” She shares her study approach in PA school, her decision to hire a lawyer to review her first job contract, and how a delayed start date led to a temporary flu-trial research job while beginning the Butler DMS Bridge Program. Natalia discusses her leadership work with PAs for Latino Health, scholarship awareness, precepting and mentoring students, and plans to support Arizona’s emerging PA program.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:38 Natalia Origin Story
04:19 Finding Case Western
04:55 Applying Without Guidance
06:53 Mentorship Over Paywalls
11:34 PA School Study Routines
13:52 Why Pursue a Doctorate
14:55 Contracts and Career Timing
17:35 PAs for Latino Health
20:23 Research Mindset and Planning
22:20 Building PA Community in Arizona
26:53 Mentors and Saying No
28:48 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-19250035 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1832 full false More than Medicine: Leadership and Advocacy in Women's Health with Dr. Melissa Rodriguez More than Medicine: Leadership and Advocacy in Women's Health with Dr. Melissa Rodriguez What does it truly mean to build bridges in healthcare—and who is willing to step forward and do the work when those bridges don’t yet exist?

In this episode of Building Bridges, Bre Garbas sits down with Dr. Melissa Rodriguez, an OB/GYN physician associate, educator, and national leader in women’s health, for a conversation that moves far beyond the clinical space. Together, they explore what it looks like to practice at the top of one’s license, advocate for meaningful change, and redefine what is possible for physician associates in one of the most dynamic and underserved areas of medicine.

From the very beginning, Melissa’s passion is evident—not just for women’s health, but for the profession itself. As a clinician working in one of the busiest OB/GYN emergency departments in the country, delivering care in high-acuity, fast-paced environments, she embodies the intersection of expertise, adaptability, and resilience. But her story doesn’t stop at the bedside. She is also shaping the next generation of clinicians as an educator and influencing the national conversation through her leadership and advocacy work. 

This episode is not simply about what Melissa does—it’s about why it matters, and what it reveals about the future of healthcare.

]]> What does it truly mean to build bridges in healthcare—and who is willing to step forward and do the work when those bridges don’t yet exist?

In this episode of Building Bridges, Bre Garbas sits down with Dr. Melissa Rodriguez, an OB/GYN physician associate, educator, and national leader in women’s health, for a conversation that moves far beyond the clinical space. Together, they explore what it looks like to practice at the top of one’s license, advocate for meaningful change, and redefine what is possible for physician associates in one of the most dynamic and underserved areas of medicine.

From the very beginning, Melissa’s passion is evident—not just for women’s health, but for the profession itself. As a clinician working in one of the busiest OB/GYN emergency departments in the country, delivering care in high-acuity, fast-paced environments, she embodies the intersection of expertise, adaptability, and resilience. But her story doesn’t stop at the bedside. She is also shaping the next generation of clinicians as an educator and influencing the national conversation through her leadership and advocacy work. 

This episode is not simply about what Melissa does—it’s about why it matters, and what it reveals about the future of healthcare.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-19009826 Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1754 1 11 full false PA Education and Leadership: Dr. Pam Vayda PA Education and Leadership: Dr. Pam Vayda In this episode of Building Bridges from Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program, hosts Adrian Banning and Cody Sasek speak with PA educator Pam Vayda, interim program director at Mississippi State University. Pam shares her path from prior work in education (including teaching secondary school and college labs) to joining MSU’s inaugural PA cohort (graduating 2023), practicing in urgent care, earning her doctorate through Butler, and quickly transitioning into PA faculty roles. She discusses seeing PA programs from both student and faculty perspectives, the complexity of running a program, and the major work involved in achieving 10-year accreditation. Pam highlights how doctoral training and mentorship support curriculum alignment, evidence-based medicine, and faculty development, and she describes outreach efforts to introduce Mississippi students to the PA profession.

]]> In this episode of Building Bridges from Butler University’s Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program, hosts Adrian Banning and Cody Sasek speak with PA educator Pam Vayda, interim program director at Mississippi State University. Pam shares her path from prior work in education (including teaching secondary school and college labs) to joining MSU’s inaugural PA cohort (graduating 2023), practicing in urgent care, earning her doctorate through Butler, and quickly transitioning into PA faculty roles. She discusses seeing PA programs from both student and faculty perspectives, the complexity of running a program, and the major work involved in achieving 10-year accreditation. Pam highlights how doctoral training and mentorship support curriculum alignment, evidence-based medicine, and faculty development, and she describes outreach efforts to introduce Mississippi students to the PA profession.

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-19160055 Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1893 full false PAs in Leadership: Dr. Brooke Schweitzer PAs in Leadership: Dr. Brooke Schweitzer From the OR to the C-Suite: Dr. Brooke Schweitzer on Advanced Practice Leadership in Healthcare

On this episode of the Building Bridges podcast, host Cody Sasek interviews Dr. Brooke Schweitzer, a plastic and reconstructive surgery physician assistant and Executive Director of Advanced Practice Providers at University of Chicago Medicine. She was appointed to this inaugural role amid rapid APP growth from about 200 pre-COVID to over 600 current. Schweitzer describes overseeing PAs, NPs, CNSs, CRNAs, and nurse midwives across multiple sites, and shares how she discovered the PA profession after shadowing in surgery. 

She recounts unexpectedly stepping into interim hospital leadership at a critical access hospital, prompting her to pursue a doctorate and business residency to bridge clinical and administrative “languages.” She emphasizes saying yes to opportunities, listening, transparency, servant leadership, stakeholder alignment in matrixed organizations, and measuring value through key metrics like length of stay and readmissions as healthcare shifts toward value-based care, while advocating for stronger APP representation and leadership pathways.

]]> From the OR to the C-Suite: Dr. Brooke Schweitzer on Advanced Practice Leadership in Healthcare

On this episode of the Building Bridges podcast, host Cody Sasek interviews Dr. Brooke Schweitzer, a plastic and reconstructive surgery physician assistant and Executive Director of Advanced Practice Providers at University of Chicago Medicine. She was appointed to this inaugural role amid rapid APP growth from about 200 pre-COVID to over 600 current. Schweitzer describes overseeing PAs, NPs, CNSs, CRNAs, and nurse midwives across multiple sites, and shares how she discovered the PA profession after shadowing in surgery. 

She recounts unexpectedly stepping into interim hospital leadership at a critical access hospital, prompting her to pursue a doctorate and business residency to bridge clinical and administrative “languages.” She emphasizes saying yes to opportunities, listening, transparency, servant leadership, stakeholder alignment in matrixed organizations, and measuring value through key metrics like length of stay and readmissions as healthcare shifts toward value-based care, while advocating for stronger APP representation and leadership pathways.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-19016485 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400 2193 full false A Servant's Heart: Dr. Olatunde Oshikoya on Leading with Passion A Servant's Heart: Dr. Olatunde Oshikoya on Leading with Passion What happens when you stop waiting for the “right path” and start building your own? In this episode of Building Bridges, Dr. Olatunde Oshikoya, PA-C, shares how an uncertain start as a new graduate evolved into a purpose-driven career spanning urgent care, mobile medicine, and telehealth in addiction and behavioral health. From launching a mobile clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic to embracing remote care as the future of medicine, his journey highlights the power of adaptability, innovation, and saying yes to opportunity—even when the outcome isn’t clear. 

This conversation explores how telehealth is reshaping access to care, allowing providers to meet patients where they are—literally and figuratively—while maintaining the core principles of medicine. Dr. Oshikoya also shares his passion for mentorship and community impact, emphasizing the importance of looking inward, leveraging your network, and stepping up to meet needs in your own community. 

Whether you’re a clinician, student, or educator, this episode is a reminder that meaningful careers aren’t linear—they’re built through openness, discomfort, and a willingness to act.

]]> What happens when you stop waiting for the “right path” and start building your own? In this episode of Building Bridges, Dr. Olatunde Oshikoya, PA-C, shares how an uncertain start as a new graduate evolved into a purpose-driven career spanning urgent care, mobile medicine, and telehealth in addiction and behavioral health. From launching a mobile clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic to embracing remote care as the future of medicine, his journey highlights the power of adaptability, innovation, and saying yes to opportunity—even when the outcome isn’t clear. 

This conversation explores how telehealth is reshaping access to care, allowing providers to meet patients where they are—literally and figuratively—while maintaining the core principles of medicine. Dr. Oshikoya also shares his passion for mentorship and community impact, emphasizing the importance of looking inward, leveraging your network, and stepping up to meet needs in your own community. 

Whether you’re a clinician, student, or educator, this episode is a reminder that meaningful careers aren’t linear—they’re built through openness, discomfort, and a willingness to act.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-18958222 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1774 1 8 full false Life in the (Online) Fast Lane- Dr. Megan Cannon Life in the (Online) Fast Lane- Dr. Megan Cannon DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-18901471 Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400 1866 full false Butter, Epidemiology, and Great Teaching: Rod Jackson Part 2 Butter, Epidemiology, and Great Teaching: Rod Jackson Part 2 Rod Jackson on Heart-Healthy Living, Teaching Epidemiology, and the GATE Frame

Adrian interviews Dr. Rod Jackson on the Building Bridges Podcast (Butler University Dr. Medical Science Bridge Program), focusing on cardiovascular prevention and his teaching approach. Jackson argues coronary heart disease is driven primarily by dietary saturated fat, largely from meat and dairy, and urges reducing saturated fat first, then avoiding smoking, eating largely unprocessed foods low in salt and refined sugar, and exercising (which he ranks lower than diet). He recommends regular cardiovascular risk assessment, especially for older adults, and notes safe, cheap blood-pressure and lipid-lowering drugs can substantially reduce risk and that lifestyle changes help even after disease develops. Jackson explains his engaging teaching style centers on connecting with students through relatable stories (like his evidence-based lunch) and using pictures to teach epidemiology via the “GATE frame,” which he calls the epidemiological paradigm, plus a “cross” to incorporate evidence, values, politics/cost, and individual circumstances in decisions.

00:00 Welcome Back and Recap

00:58 Heart Health Basics

01:30 Butter Cop and Saturated Fat

03:59 Prevention and Risk Meds

05:10 Never Too Late to Change

06:38 Teaching Style Secrets

11:00 Gate Frame Storytelling

13:46 Krebs Cycle Inspiration

15:03 Gate Frame Challenge

17:12 Decision Cross Explained

18:51 Final Thanks and Signoff

Links:
The GATE Framework for Epidemiologic studies: gateframe.pdf

]]> Rod Jackson on Heart-Healthy Living, Teaching Epidemiology, and the GATE Frame

Adrian interviews Dr. Rod Jackson on the Building Bridges Podcast (Butler University Dr. Medical Science Bridge Program), focusing on cardiovascular prevention and his teaching approach. Jackson argues coronary heart disease is driven primarily by dietary saturated fat, largely from meat and dairy, and urges reducing saturated fat first, then avoiding smoking, eating largely unprocessed foods low in salt and refined sugar, and exercising (which he ranks lower than diet). He recommends regular cardiovascular risk assessment, especially for older adults, and notes safe, cheap blood-pressure and lipid-lowering drugs can substantially reduce risk and that lifestyle changes help even after disease develops. Jackson explains his engaging teaching style centers on connecting with students through relatable stories (like his evidence-based lunch) and using pictures to teach epidemiology via the “GATE frame,” which he calls the epidemiological paradigm, plus a “cross” to incorporate evidence, values, politics/cost, and individual circumstances in decisions.

00:00 Welcome Back and Recap

00:58 Heart Health Basics

01:30 Butter Cop and Saturated Fat

03:59 Prevention and Risk Meds

05:10 Never Too Late to Change

06:38 Teaching Style Secrets

11:00 Gate Frame Storytelling

13:46 Krebs Cycle Inspiration

15:03 Gate Frame Challenge

17:12 Decision Cross Explained

18:51 Final Thanks and Signoff

Links:
The GATE Framework for Epidemiologic studies: gateframe.pdf

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-18825194 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1192 full false Research That Changes the World: Rod Jackson Part 1 Research That Changes the World: Rod Jackson Part 1 From Hypertension to Cardiovascular Risk: Rod Jackson’s Big-Data Impact in New Zealand

Adrian, a Butler University Medical Science Bridge Program faculty member, interviews Dr. Rod Jackson, an epidemiologist at the University of Auckland, on the Building Bridges podcast. Jackson describes growing up in rural New Zealand, choosing medicine, and shifting from clinical practice to public health after working with cardiovascular epidemiologist Robert Beaglehole, focusing on prevention such as smoking reduction. He explains how conflicting hypertension definitions led him in the late 1980s to advocate replacing single risk-factor thresholds with multivariable cardiovascular risk assessment, influencing New Zealand guidelines in the 1990s and later integrated cardiovascular risk guidelines. To replace Framingham-based estimates, he helped build a primary-care clinical decision support system that created a linked national cohort exceeding 500,000 people, producing New Zealand “PREDICT” risk equations published in The Lancet (2018) and diabetes-specific equations (2021), incorporating ethnicity and social deprivation to address inequities.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:51 Oxford Mentorship Story

02:06 Rod Jackson Bio Highlights

04:25 Early Life and Schooling

06:03 Choosing Medicine and Prevention

08:12 Switch to Epidemiology

10:11 Hypertension Definition Mess

13:41 Risk Based Guidelines Breakthrough

17:12 Building NZ Predict Cohort

21:50 Equity and Social Determinants

23:46 Part One Wrap Up


Cardiovascular disease risk prediction equations published in The Lancet – University of Auckland

]]> From Hypertension to Cardiovascular Risk: Rod Jackson’s Big-Data Impact in New Zealand

Adrian, a Butler University Medical Science Bridge Program faculty member, interviews Dr. Rod Jackson, an epidemiologist at the University of Auckland, on the Building Bridges podcast. Jackson describes growing up in rural New Zealand, choosing medicine, and shifting from clinical practice to public health after working with cardiovascular epidemiologist Robert Beaglehole, focusing on prevention such as smoking reduction. He explains how conflicting hypertension definitions led him in the late 1980s to advocate replacing single risk-factor thresholds with multivariable cardiovascular risk assessment, influencing New Zealand guidelines in the 1990s and later integrated cardiovascular risk guidelines. To replace Framingham-based estimates, he helped build a primary-care clinical decision support system that created a linked national cohort exceeding 500,000 people, producing New Zealand “PREDICT” risk equations published in The Lancet (2018) and diabetes-specific equations (2021), incorporating ethnicity and social deprivation to address inequities.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:51 Oxford Mentorship Story

02:06 Rod Jackson Bio Highlights

04:25 Early Life and Schooling

06:03 Choosing Medicine and Prevention

08:12 Switch to Epidemiology

10:11 Hypertension Definition Mess

13:41 Risk Based Guidelines Breakthrough

17:12 Building NZ Predict Cohort

21:50 Equity and Social Determinants

23:46 Part One Wrap Up


Cardiovascular disease risk prediction equations published in The Lancet – University of Auckland

]]> DMSBridgeInfo Buzzsprout-18824303 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1459 1 5 full false Say Yes: Dr. Chileatha Wynn on Embracing Opportunities Say Yes: Dr. Chileatha Wynn on Embracing Opportunities This episode will introduce you to Dr. Chileatha Wynn, who demonstrates the power of saying "yes" whenever possible and the benefits it has had on her life as a PA, a leader, and the value of advocacy. 

]]> This episode will introduce you to Dr. Chileatha Wynn, who demonstrates the power of saying "yes" whenever possible and the benefits it has had on her life as a PA, a leader, and the value of advocacy. 

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-18480163 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500 1369 1 4 full false A Champion's Journey: Dr. Andre Dos Santos on Resilience and Education A Champion's Journey: Dr. Andre Dos Santos on Resilience and Education In this episode of Building Bridges, a podcast by the Butler University Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program, co-hosts Dr. Adrian Banning and Dr. Cody Sasek welcome their guest, Dr. Andre Dos Santos. Dr. Dos Santos shares his remarkable story of immigrating from Brazil, his diverse career as an MMA fighter and Hollywood stunt performer, and his journey to becoming a PA educator at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. The conversation highlights his dedication to addressing social justice through education, his extensive commitment to his students, and the impactful difference his work is making in underserved communities. 

00:00 Introduction to Building Bridges Podcast 

00:52 Meet Dr. Andre Dos Santos 

01:59 Dr. Dos Santos' Journey and Inspirations 

03:33 Challenges and Motivations

 09:54 From MMA Fighter to PA Educator 

15:01 Supporting Students in PA Education 

20:09 The Importance of Individualized Attention 

21:28 Journey to Becoming a Clinical Coordinator 

23:48 Challenges and Rewards of the Role 

27:48 Advice for Aspiring Educators 

31:47 Impact of Mentorship and Education 

35:08 Final Reflections and Gratitude

]]> In this episode of Building Bridges, a podcast by the Butler University Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program, co-hosts Dr. Adrian Banning and Dr. Cody Sasek welcome their guest, Dr. Andre Dos Santos. Dr. Dos Santos shares his remarkable story of immigrating from Brazil, his diverse career as an MMA fighter and Hollywood stunt performer, and his journey to becoming a PA educator at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. The conversation highlights his dedication to addressing social justice through education, his extensive commitment to his students, and the impactful difference his work is making in underserved communities. 

00:00 Introduction to Building Bridges Podcast 

00:52 Meet Dr. Andre Dos Santos 

01:59 Dr. Dos Santos' Journey and Inspirations 

03:33 Challenges and Motivations

 09:54 From MMA Fighter to PA Educator 

15:01 Supporting Students in PA Education 

20:09 The Importance of Individualized Attention 

21:28 Journey to Becoming a Clinical Coordinator 

23:48 Challenges and Rewards of the Role 

27:48 Advice for Aspiring Educators 

31:47 Impact of Mentorship and Education 

35:08 Final Reflections and Gratitude

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-18464513 Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500 2334 1 3 full false Episode 1: Meet the Bridge Podcast Team Episode 1: Meet the Bridge Podcast Team In our first full episode, you'll have the opportunity to meet the Building Bridges podcast team.

  • Adrian Banning, DHSc, PA-C
  • Breann Garbas, DHSc, PA-C
  • Cody Sasek, PhD, PA-C

We'll take a casual and lighthearted look at the journeys that led each of the cohosts to Butler and to the seat in front of the microphone.

]]> In our first full episode, you'll have the opportunity to meet the Building Bridges podcast team.

  • Adrian Banning, DHSc, PA-C
  • Breann Garbas, DHSc, PA-C
  • Cody Sasek, PhD, PA-C

We'll take a casual and lighthearted look at the journeys that led each of the cohosts to Butler and to the seat in front of the microphone.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-18464984 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 949 1 2 full false Welcome to Building Bridges: An Introduction Welcome to Building Bridges: An Introduction Welcome to the Building Bridges Podcast. In this episode, Cody Sasek, program director of Butler University's Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program introduces listeners to the podcast and what to expect -- from interesting conversations to learning from thought leaders, the podcast is intended to inform, entertain, and engage the audience in thinking about what's next...and what's possible.

]]> Welcome to the Building Bridges Podcast. In this episode, Cody Sasek, program director of Butler University's Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program introduces listeners to the podcast and what to expect -- from interesting conversations to learning from thought leaders, the podcast is intended to inform, entertain, and engage the audience in thinking about what's next...and what's possible.

]]> DMSBridge Buzzsprout-18462251 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500 57 1 1 trailer false