About this episode
This episode is sponsored by: My Financial CoachYou trained to save lives—who’s helping you save your financial future? My Financial Coach connects physicians with CFP® Professionals who specialize in your complex needs. Whether it’s crushing student loans, optimizing investments, or planning for retirement, you’ll get a personalized strategy built around your goals. Save for a vacation home, fund your child’s education, or prepare for life’s surprises—with unbiased, advice-only planning through a flat monthly fee. No commissions. No conflicts. Just clarity.Visit myfinancialcoach.com/physiciansguidetodoctoring to meet your financial coach and find out if concierge planning is right for you._______________In this episode, host Dr. Bradley Block welcomes Jonathan Jarry to tackle the persistent myth that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US. Jarry traces the claim to a 2000 Institute of Medicine report and a 2016 BMJ paper co-authored by Dr. Marty Makary, exposing their flawed extrapolations from small, non-representative studies. He highlights issues like erroneous assumptions, small sample sizes, and the challenge of determining causality in deaths linked to errors. Jarry explains how this inflated statistic fuels fear, drives patients toward unproven alternative treatments, and erodes trust in healthcare. He offers practical ways to push back against the myth while acknowledging the need for improved patient safety systems. This episode is essential for healthcare professionals and patients seeking clarity on medical errors and their true impact.Three Actionable TakeawaysChallenge the Statistic with Facts – When confronted with the claim that medical error is the third leading cause of death, explain that it stems from flawed extrapolations (e.g., 62% of hospital deaths attributed to errors is unrealistic) and cite more reliable estimates (0.6%–5% of hospital deaths).Promote Patient Safety Transparently – Acknowledge medical errors as a real issue but emphasize ongoing efforts to improve safety, like rigorous error reporting systems, to maintain trust without dismissing legitimate concerns.Educate on Context – Share that small, non-representative studies (e.g., Medicare patients or regional data) were misused to inflate error rates, encouraging patients to seek evidence-based care rather than unproven alternatives.About the ShowSucceed In Medicine 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 GuestJonathan Jarry is a science communicator with McGill University’s Office for Science and Society (OSS), dedicated to separat
