EP 114: The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley with Shelley Wood, Bestselling Author & Editor-in-Chief of TCTMD
In this week’s Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes back Shelley Wood, best known for her work in the cardiology community as the editor-in-chief of TCTMD and Editorial Director of CRF. They discuss her work as a creative author and her second novel, The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley, set to be published by Harper Collins in Canada and Union Square Press in the US in August 2024.
Blending the intrigue of a medical thriller with a sweeping overview of the twentieth century, The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley tells the story of Kit McKinley, whose rare genetic condition causes her to age one year for every four. In this rich discussion, Ms Wood shares how her extensive experience as a medical writer and editor shaped her approach to crafting the novel. Dr Kalra and Ms Wood also explore one of the book’s central themes: eugenics, tracing its historical roots and examining its long shadow on medicine. Ms Wood, who balances a demanding full-time job with her creative writing, shares candid insights into her routine and the challenges of writing and publishing fiction.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation about creativity, the human condition and balancing responsibilities.
To pre-order Shelley Wood new novel search for The Leap Year Gene/ The Leap Year Gene of Kit McKinley in your favourite independent bookshop or here.
Read MoreRead Less
Also listen on
In this compelling episode of the Parallax Podcast, host Dr Ankur Kalra sits down with Dr Janarthanan Sathananthan, an interventional and structural cardiologist and the Chief Medical Officer of Interventional Cardiology at Boston Scientific. Dr Sathananthan recounts his life's journey, from being born in Sri Lanka during the civil war, and moving to Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Canada, and finally North America. He shares how his diverse upbringing profoundly shaped his career in cardiology.
Read More
All Episodes
In this inspiring episode, Dr Smith delves into the story behind his book and the motivating circumstances that led him to become an author. Dr Kalra asks Dr Smith about his experience as a leader during the pandemic as a surgeon. Dr Smith shares the story of his unconventional journey into medicine, emphasizing how hard physical labor built his resilience and prepared him for his residency. Dr Kalra also asks about Dr Smith's experience as a surgeon for President Bill Clinton in 2004.
Read More
In this insightful episode, we delve into Dr. Mandrola's career journey. He discusses how the beginnings of his career during a period of significant innovations and the reversal of expert opinions profoundly influenced his perspective on medicine, leading to a more conservative stance. Dr. Kalra then invites Dr. Mandrola to share the motivations that drive his work as a medical journalist and communicator, along with his methods of selecting studies to highlight in his writings and show.
Read More
In this candid and rich episode, Dr Fuster invites us to contemplate the concepts of mentorship and trust by recounting pivotal moments from his life, revealing how these principles propelled him towards a life of fulfilment.
Read More
Dr. Alasnag and Dr. Kalra provide a comprehensive review of the key highlights from ESC Congress 2023. Dr. Alasnag distills the background and latest evidence from key interventional trials, emphasizing their significance for patient care.
Tune in to discover the strategies that Dr. Kalra and Dr. Alasnag are currently employing and gain insights into how these data will shape their future decision-making in the catheterization laboratory. Don't miss this informative discussion at the forefront of interventional cardiology.
Read More
Tune in to discover the strategies that Dr. Kalra and Dr. Alasnag are currently employing and gain insights into how these data will shape their future decision-making in the catheterization laboratory. Don't miss this informative discussion at the forefront of interventional cardiology.
In this week's Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes back Dr Jag Singh to discuss Dr Singh's recently published book, "Future Care," which delves into the exciting evolution of medicine over the next 5 to 10 years.
As we adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic, Dr Singh outlines the necessary steps to foster a reality in which we can utilize these technologies to create more time for human connection.
Read More
As we adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic, Dr Singh outlines the necessary steps to foster a reality in which we can utilize these technologies to create more time for human connection.
In the finale of our series "Conversations about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy", Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes, Dr Anjali Tiku Owens, for a dynamic and practical discussion.
Dr Owens is Medical Director of the Center for Inherited Cardiac Disease and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
Read More
Dr Owens is Medical Director of the Center for Inherited Cardiac Disease and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
In the second episode of our mini-series "Conversations about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy", Dr Ankur Kalra sat down with Dr Ahmad Masri to have a deep-dive into the management paradigms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), considering the evolution of medical therapy in recent years. Dr Ahmad Masri is a Cardiologist and the Director of OHSU Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center.
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
Read More
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
Join Dr Ankur Kalra in this episode of our mini-series, "Conversations about Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy", as he engages in an in-depth discussion with Dr Carolyn Yung Ho. Together, they explore the journey from symptoms to diagnosis and management options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
Read More
This series is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol Myers Squibb. Please see www.camzyosrems.com for important safety information.
This content is intended for US-based physicians.
In this episode, Dr. Kalra explores the intersection of spirituality and healthcare, encouraging us to reflect on its significance for both patients and providers.
Read More
Dr Ellauzi, Dr Anavekar and Dr Kashou share their passion for education and the devotion that drew them to the GCU. They explore the vision of GCU, which revolves around creating a community space where knowledge is shared, aligning with educational trends, and empowering learners. Through scientific content evaluation and a commitment to providing premium yet affordable materials, GCU embraces community ownership. As the team has grown, teachers and students now find themselves in the same virtual room, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
Read More
Back by popular demand, Dr Ankur Kalra's guest is Dr Purvi Parwani, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Disease Clinic and Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University Medical Center, US. In this ESC 2022 edition of Parallax, Ankur asks Purvi to review her highlights of the congress. Purvi details the study design and key findings of each trial and provides her insights after attending the event in Barcelona. Ankur and Purvi discuss how each trial will inform their practice.
Read More
In this inspiring episode, Dr Ankur Kalra’s guest is Dr Sohail Khan, Chief Operating Officer at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Karāchi.
Dr Khan talks about education in the US and his decision to move back to Pakistan. Ankur asks Sohail about his new professional home: NICVD, a free clinic providing primary heartcare for Pakistanis. They discuss some of the innovations Dr Khan works on to improve patient care that utilise simple but effective interventions. We learn more about free screening clinics and about Dr Khan’s work on the largest ever study in Pakistan on association of Lpa and CV disease in South Asians.
Read More
Dr Khan talks about education in the US and his decision to move back to Pakistan. Ankur asks Sohail about his new professional home: NICVD, a free clinic providing primary heartcare for Pakistanis. They discuss some of the innovations Dr Khan works on to improve patient care that utilise simple but effective interventions. We learn more about free screening clinics and about Dr Khan’s work on the largest ever study in Pakistan on association of Lpa and CV disease in South Asians.
In this personal interview, Dr Itchhaporia recalls her early years and the influences and decisions that led her to medicine and cardiology. She talks about her connection to ACC and the importance of choosing a professional home where one can find their purpose under the mentorship of their community. Ankur asks Dr Itchhaporia about the most memorable moments of her presidency. They talk about South Asian identity and curbing CVD in this population.
Read More
This nurturing episode focuses on questions that touch on what it is that we seek as human beings and how can we cultivate awareness and authenticity while practicing modern medicine. Ankur asks Kavitha about what it means to be spiritual as a cardiologist. Kavitha talks about the experiences made possible by mindfulness. They discuss the difference between conditioning and growth. Kavitha talks about burn out and how we could make changes by embracing medicine not only as a measurable science but as an art.
Read More
In this refreshing and spiritual episode Carolyn reflects on her journey and the decisions and mentors that shaped her career as a heart failure specialist, trialist and as a public speaker. Ankur and Carolyn dive into the question whether being balanced is what we should be all aiming for. Ankur asks Carolyn about her work as a co-founder of Us2.ai, a start-up dedicated to the automation of the fight against heart disease by applying AI to echocardiography.
Read More