Survivor contestant and ER physician Dr. Kishan Patel joins the Doctor's Lounge.

Join us tomorrow, May 30, at 2 p.m. ET for a live Q&A on Substack Live.

Tomorrow (Friday, May 30) at 2 p.m. ET, I’ll be joined in the Doctor’s Lounge by ER physician and former Survivor contestant Dr. Kishan Patel, over on Substack Live. (Yes, the CBS reality TV show Survivor.) Here’s the link to join us and a calendar invite.

Okay, so, I realize that the world is on fire and this all might seem a little lighthearted. But in 2020, I really did not take care of myself, as I wrote in The New York Times. At times, 2025 has felt equally intense. This time around, I decided I would not forgo all joy in my life, even as we stand up and defend science, research, and public health. So, I’ve still been watching my favorite show, and I even made my once-per-season appearance on a big Survivor podcast. (Yes, they have those, and, yes, they actually let me appear as a guest). We need to have a little fun in our lives.

Here we go…

When Survivor 47 premiered last fall, one contestant in particular caught my eye: Dr. Kishan Patel. An emergency medicine resident physician at UC San Francisco, Kishan immediately became my winner pick. Sadly, Kishan did not win, but he was fun to watch and seems like a great person. So, I’ve been wanting to interview him ever since—to discuss the game of Survivor, as well as any behind-the-scenes medical intel he can share. It’s a rather intense game, and it’s physically and emotionally taxing. As a pretty serious fan of the show for almost 25 years, I have many, many questions. Lucky for us, Kishan is up for it!

Among many burning questions I have, we’ll discuss why I think ER doctors are well-suited for Survivor, what it’s really like out there, how the production team keeps the contestants safe and healthy on the island, and the psychological toll the game can have on players. And, of course, we’ll talk about emergency medicine because, heck, why not? Maybe we’ll pick up some current dining tips for my hometown of San Francisco (Kishan says he’s something a foodie).

Do you have questions for former Survivor contestant Dr. Kishan Patel? Submit ‘em in the Comments section.

Let’s have a little fun together…and then we’ll get back to the serious stuff, I assure you!

To join us live, click this link (you can watch on any device, including the Substack app). To add it to your calendar, click here. All Inside Medicine subscribers will also receive an email with the link the moment we go live. (Note: This session will also be posted on Inside Medicine afterwards.)

See you soon!