EP449 - How Doctors Can Improve Patient Conversations with Dr. Todd Wolynn (Part 1)

28min | 03/27/2025

Description

This episode is sponsored by: Set For Life
Set for Life Insurance helps doctors safeguard their future with True Own Occupational Disability Insurance. A single injury or illness can change everything, but the best physicians plan ahead. Protect your income and secure your future before life makes the choice for you. Your career deserves protection—act now at https://www.doctorpodcastnetwork.co/setforlife.

______

Great medical knowledge isn’t enough—how you communicate it matters just as much. In this episode, Dr. Todd Wolynn breaks down the critical role of effective communication in healthcare.

He and Dr. Bradley Block discuss how trust is established and lost in medical conversations, the importance of clear and confident vaccine recommendations, and why humor and creativity can enhance patient communication. They also explore the power of digital tools and social media in extending a doctor’s reach beyond the exam room, along with how medical education needs to evolve to train better communicators, not just better scientists.

With real-world examples and practical strategies, this episode provides a roadmap for physicians to strengthen patient relationships, improve adherence, and navigate today’s increasingly skeptical healthcare landscape.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

Trust is fragile—don’t rush patient interactions: Active listening, mirroring language, and ensuring patients feel heard are crucial to building long-term trust.
Digital tools can amplify your message: Having an online presence whether through videos, social media, or patient resources—allows patients to engage with your expertise outside of appointments.
Medical training must include communication education: Physicians must learn not just what to say, but how to say it effectively to guide patients toward better health outcomes.

About the Show:
The Physician’s Guide to Doctoring covers patient interactions, burnout, career growth, personal finance, and more. If you're tired of dull medical lectures, tune in for real-world lessons we should have learned in med school!

About the Guest:
Dr. Todd Wolynn is a pediatrician and the Executive Director of the Trusted Messenger Program at the Public Good Projects. Formerly the CEO of Kids Plus Pediatrics, he specializes in training healthcare professionals in communication best practices to improve patient outcomes.

Website:https://www.publicgoodprojects.org/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddwolynn/

About the Host:
Dr. Bradley Block is a board-certified otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Garden City, NY. He specializes in adult and pediatric ENT with interests in sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Block also hosts the Physician’s Guide to Doctoring podcast, focusing on personal and professional development for physicians.

Want to be a guest?
Email Brad at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more!

Socials:

@physiciansguidetodoctoring on Facebook
@physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube
@physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter

Visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect, dive deeper, and keep the conversation going. Let’s grow!

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Succeed in Medicine

Was your training enough to handle everything physician life demands? From lawsuits to leadership, career decisions to challenging conversations, balancing the personal with the professional — not enough was addressed in medical school, residency or fellowship. This show fills those gaps so you can live up to the expectations that come with the white coat — not just in the exam room, but in all the places your MD follows you. Your host, Dr. Bradley Block, a private practice ENT, is right there with you — navigating the same challenges and bringing in world-class guests to teach, as he puts it, “everything we should have been learning while we were memorizing Kreb’s cycle.” With nearly 500 episodes and close to half a million downloads, Brad has built a trusted space where physicians come for brass-tacks, immediately-applicable advice. You don’t need another certification. You need a podcast that covers personal finance, private practice, side-gigs, main-gigs, reacting to bad reviews, misinformation, social media, charting, parenting, communicating, negotiating, leading, managing, teaching, learning and what to do when someone yells, “Is there a doctor on board?”

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Succeed in Medicine

Was your training enough to handle everything physician life demands? From lawsuits to leadership, career decisions to challenging conversations, balancing the personal with the professional — not enough was addressed in medical school, residency or fellowship. This show fills those gaps so you can live up to the expectations that come with the white coat — not just in the exam room, but in all the places your MD follows you. Your host, Dr. Bradley Block, a private practice ENT, is right there with you — navigating the same challenges and bringing in world-class guests to teach, as he puts it, “everything we should have been learning while we were memorizing Kreb’s cycle.” With nearly 500 episodes and close to half a million downloads, Brad has built a trusted space where physicians come for brass-tacks, immediately-applicable advice. You don’t need another certification. You need a podcast that covers personal finance, private practice, side-gigs, main-gigs, reacting to bad reviews, misinformation, social media, charting, parenting, communicating, negotiating, leading, managing, teaching, learning and what to do when someone yells, “Is there a doctor on board?”

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

This episode is sponsored by: Set For Life
Set for Life Insurance helps doctors safeguard their future with True Own Occupational Disability Insurance. A single injury or illness can change everything, but the best physicians plan ahead. Protect your income and secure your future before life makes the choice for you. Your career deserves protection—act now at https://www.doctorpodcastnetwork.co/setforlife.

______

Great medical knowledge isn’t enough—how you communicate it matters just as much. In this episode, Dr. Todd Wolynn breaks down the critical role of effective communication in healthcare.

He and Dr. Bradley Block discuss how trust is established and lost in medical conversations, the importance of clear and confident vaccine recommendations, and why humor and creativity can enhance patient communication. They also explore the power of digital tools and social media in extending a doctor’s reach beyond the exam room, along with how medical education needs to evolve to train better communicators, not just better scientists.

With real-world examples and practical strategies, this episode provides a roadmap for physicians to strengthen patient relationships, improve adherence, and navigate today’s increasingly skeptical healthcare landscape.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

Trust is fragile—don’t rush patient interactions: Active listening, mirroring language, and ensuring patients feel heard are crucial to building long-term trust.
Digital tools can amplify your message: Having an online presence whether through videos, social media, or patient resources—allows patients to engage with your expertise outside of appointments.
Medical training must include communication education: Physicians must learn not just what to say, but how to say it effectively to guide patients toward better health outcomes.

About the Show:
The Physician’s Guide to Doctoring covers patient interactions, burnout, career growth, personal finance, and more. If you're tired of dull medical lectures, tune in for real-world lessons we should have learned in med school!

About the Guest:
Dr. Todd Wolynn is a pediatrician and the Executive Director of the Trusted Messenger Program at the Public Good Projects. Formerly the CEO of Kids Plus Pediatrics, he specializes in training healthcare professionals in communication best practices to improve patient outcomes.

Website:https://www.publicgoodprojects.org/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddwolynn/

About the Host:
Dr. Bradley Block is a board-certified otolaryngologist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Garden City, NY. He specializes in adult and pediatric ENT with interests in sinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Block also hosts the Physician’s Guide to Doctoring podcast, focusing on personal and professional development for physicians.

Want to be a guest?
Email Brad at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more!

Socials:

@physiciansguidetodoctoring on Facebook
@physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube
@physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter

Visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect, dive deeper, and keep the conversation going. Let’s grow!

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, financial, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Succeed in Medicine

Was your training enough to handle everything physician life demands? From lawsuits to leadership, career decisions to challenging conversations, balancing the personal with the professional — not enough was addressed in medical school, residency or fellowship. This show fills those gaps so you can live up to the expectations that come with the white coat — not just in the exam room, but in all the places your MD follows you. Your host, Dr. Bradley Block, a private practice ENT, is right there with you — navigating the same challenges and bringing in world-class guests to teach, as he puts it, “everything we should have been learning while we were memorizing Kreb’s cycle.” With nearly 500 episodes and close to half a million downloads, Brad has built a trusted space where physicians come for brass-tacks, immediately-applicable advice. You don’t need another certification. You need a podcast that covers personal finance, private practice, side-gigs, main-gigs, reacting to bad reviews, misinformation, social media, charting, parenting, communicating, negotiating, leading, managing, teaching, learning and what to do when someone yells, “Is there a doctor on board?”

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Succeed in Medicine

Was your training enough to handle everything physician life demands? From lawsuits to leadership, career decisions to challenging conversations, balancing the personal with the professional — not enough was addressed in medical school, residency or fellowship. This show fills those gaps so you can live up to the expectations that come with the white coat — not just in the exam room, but in all the places your MD follows you. Your host, Dr. Bradley Block, a private practice ENT, is right there with you — navigating the same challenges and bringing in world-class guests to teach, as he puts it, “everything we should have been learning while we were memorizing Kreb’s cycle.” With nearly 500 episodes and close to half a million downloads, Brad has built a trusted space where physicians come for brass-tacks, immediately-applicable advice. You don’t need another certification. You need a podcast that covers personal finance, private practice, side-gigs, main-gigs, reacting to bad reviews, misinformation, social media, charting, parenting, communicating, negotiating, leading, managing, teaching, learning and what to do when someone yells, “Is there a doctor on board?”

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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