In this special episode on wisdom, Zac and Jay sit down with Dr. Sheldon Goldberg — known affectionately as Dr. G — a pioneering interventional cardiologist whose medical career spans over five decades. Dr. Goldberg serves as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of Cardiovascular Education and Research at Pennsylvania Hospital. With over 150 publications, 8,000 citations, and a central role in the groundbreaking STRESS trial that helped establish the use of coronary stents, Dr. Goldberg’s impact on the field is both deep and lasting.
Together, they explore not just the evolution of cardiology — from the earliest days of interventional procedures to today’s cutting-edge treatments — but also the deeper lessons he’s learned about healing, resilience, and what keeps the human heart beating in more ways than one.
The conversation moves from the hard truths about smoking, alcohol, and lifestyle choices to a candid critique of America’s broken medical system. Dr. Goldberg reflects on the emotional toll of medicine, the difficulty of balancing work and family, and why humility and human connection matter more than ever in an era increasingly dominated by AI and corporate healthcare.
Zac and Jay also dig into the personal: What does a man who’s saved thousands of lives regret? What keeps him motivated? And what would he tell the next generation of doctors who are stepping into a vastly different world?
This is a rich, revealing, and profoundly human conversation about medicine, mortality, and meaning.
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