Explore five decades of medical insights, from emergency medicine and nuclear activism to pioneering buprenorphine treatment and building Recovery Without Walls clinic with Dr. Howard Kornfeld.

Medicine has come a long way in the past 50 years, but here's what's fascinating: many of the breakthrough treatments we use today for pain, addiction, and mental health started with a handful of doctors who were willing to go against the grain.

In this conversation, Sam sits down with Dr. Howard Kornfeld, a triple board-certified physician whose career reads like a roadmap of medical innovation. We're talking five decades of pushing boundaries - from emergency medicine to nuclear war prevention to being at the ground floor of psychedelic research.

Dr. Kornfeld doesn't just share stories (though he has plenty). He walks us through his transformative experiences at Esalen Institute, his pioneering work with buprenorphine treatment, and his connections to the key figures who literally shaped modern psychedelic medicine as we know it.

What makes this conversation essential listening? Dr. Kornfeld's journey shows exactly how questioning established medical practices - while still maintaining rigorous, evidence-based standards - can lead to treatments that actually change lives. His story proves that individual physicians can drive real systemic change, but it requires persistence, innovation, and the willingness to work outside conventional healthcare systems.

If you've ever wondered how breakthrough treatments actually make it from "experimental" to mainstream, or if you're curious about what it really takes to challenge medical orthodoxy, this conversation will give you the historical context you need.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

How questioning medical orthodoxy led to breakthrough treatments and career-defining insights
The evolution of pain medicine from the 1920s through today and lessons for modern practice
Dr. Kornfeld's journey from emergency medicine through nuclear activism to integrative practice
Historical context for psychedelic medicine's current renaissance and key pioneering figures

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Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the discussion on YouTube here.