Misinformation can cost somebody’s life.
Back in February 2021, I began an Instagram livestream video series called "Friends of Franz," where I guested different clinicians, whether they were physicians, nurses, physical therapists, dentists, and the like. These guests come from varying backgrounds that include different specialties of surgery, dermatology, emergency medicine, critical care, pediatrics, and so forth. This initiative came into fruition as a response to the fount of misinformation on the internet about the viral COVID-19 pandemic. As a registered nurse in New York City who worked in the spike of COVID-19 ICUs during the Spring of 2020, I knew that erroneous information could cost someone's life. So I thought, why don’t we give the platform to actual educated and trained experts in their fields to answer different questions the public may have? I had one goal: to disseminate accurate information…evidence-based, up-to-date, and peer-reviewed statements and data.
Beyond this, I also wanted to take a deep dive into their journeys, their sacrifices, and the things they engage in or enjoy outside of healthcare. For so long, and I believe especially in the Asian culture that I was raised in, physicians and other healthcare practitioners have been caged in the idea of being solely "prim and proper" without the ability to have fun or have an identity outside of their scrubs and white coats. And this is what all my podcast is about: no politics, no religious underpinnings, no medical advice...just a casual and fun talk about their journeys and their fields. I called it: "A FaceTime call just with others watching.”
After ten months of live video streaming on Instagram, I was able to interview 26 guests! Due to many of my viewers' requests to transition the videos into a podcast series for more accessible listening during their morning coffee and breakfast, drive to work, and gym workout sessions, I finally did! I hope you join me in this journey of learning more about people beyond their titles and degrees, learning more about the world around us, and just making new...friends.
Season Cover Photography: Enya Barquia (EnyaBar.Photo) 🇵🇭
An Introduction.
In a six-minute audio, I introduce the premise, the mission, and the vision behind “Friends of Franz” as an Instagram livestream series and now podcast series available on all platforms. Hear my job and duty to you, my viewers and listeners, as the founder and host of this e-learning initiative. Let us hear from the experts, let us believe in evidence-based science, let us break borders, let us inspire hope, and let us help save and change lives!