Guest: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

The Human Optimization Project: The Challenging but Achievable Quest for Accomplishing More While Also Improving Wellness

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

March 4, 2025

Being a healthcare clinician is an extremely rewarding occupation, but it can be stressful. Every year, we’re asked to do more and more, the patients seem to get more challenging, and we get less time to spend with each one. A significant number of clinicians report emotional and psychological distress, and burnout remains a major problem in healthcare providers. This increased stress and pressure is not just unique to physicians, and these struggles are common for all of us, regardless of career or position. How do we remain in an optimally functioning state? Does our physical health affect our cognitive function? Given the obstacles we face, how do we continue to achieve joy and happiness in our work and our life while continue to meet the ever-growing demands of the world? These are questions my guest is hoping to answer in a project he’s about to undertake on “Human Optimization”. My guest for this podcast is Christopher L. Camp, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic. We’re going to discuss his project and why he decided to tackle this important topic. 

Guest:  Andrea Hayden MS, RSCC

The Human Optimization Project: Exercise Simplified | Essential Components of the Ideal Workout Plan

March 6, 2025

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

The amount of “exercise” information, recommendations, plans, and opinions out there is greater than it’s ever been. Although our increasing knowledge is generally helpful, it’s easy to get lost in the rapidly evolving sea of information. This is particularly true because much of the information we hear is contradictory, and many people claim to have the perfect (and only) answer for us. Our goal for today is to help you cut through all of this noise and focus on what you really need to know to establish a successful workout routine for yourself.

The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What is meant by an “ideal” or “optimal” workout plan?
2) How do I make sense of all the exercise recommendations out there?
3) What do I need to do to create an ideal exercise routine for my needs?

To help us answer these questions, my guest today is the Head Sports Performance Coach for the Minnesota Lynx WNBA Basketball Team, Andrea Hayden MS, RSCC.

Guest:  Mary Ann Djonne, M.Ed.

The Human Optimization Project: Emotional Intelligence Explained | How to Recognize, Understand, and Use Your Emotions to Be a More Effective Human

March 11, 2025

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Most of us have heard the term “Emotional Intelligence,” and we understand that it’s generally important to our happiness and interpersonal relationships. However, most of us aren’t able to define it precisely or understand the key components that make it up. While many may think they do a good job of evaluating the emotional intelligence of others, it can be quite difficult to objectively evaluate our own levels of emotional intelligence. Once we better understand our own emotional intelligence, then comes the very challenging task of trying to improve it in a meaningful way. All of this can seem quite daunting, so we are going to help with that.

The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What exactly is “Emotional Intelligence”?
2) What are the benefits and why should I make it a priority to improve my Emotional Intelligence?
3) What are the actual steps I can take to maximize my own Emotional Intelligence?

To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Mary Ann Djonne, Professional Certified Executive Coach and Senior Advisor in Work Force Learning at Mayo Clinic.

Guest: Christina K. Zorn

The Human Optimization Project: Creating Winning Cultures | Building and Maintaining an Optimal Culture for Teams and Individuals

March 13,2025

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

“Culture” is a word that gets a lot of attention, and deservedly so! It is often thought of as the lifeblood of an organization. However, many of us don’t think about the fact that “culture” doesn’t just exist at the level of large organizations. Culture exists for smaller groups, teams, families, and even individuals. In today’s episode, we will work to define “culture”, discuss its impact on groups (large and small) and individuals, provide real world examples of the impact of culture, and discuss ways of optimizing culture in both the workplace and at home.

The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What exactly is “culture” and why is it so critical to success?
2) How does “culture” impact behavior and outcomes at work and at home?
3) What steps can I take to contribute to a positive culture in the workplace and for my own personal development?

To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Christina K. Zorn, who is the Chief Administrative Officer of Mayo Clinic.

Guest: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

The Human Optimization Project: Moving From Stress to Joy | How to Cultivate Happiness and Joy at Home and Work

March 18, 2025

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

We would all be open to the idea of a little less stress in our lives, especially if we can fill that with joy and happiness. For most of us, this holds true for both our personal and professional lives. But in this age of increasing pressure, demands, expectations, and deadlines, is that even a realistic expectation? Today we are going to dive deep into the meaning of joy, why so many of us don’t get enough, and how that is impacting our overall lives. In addition to that, we will discuss some intentional strategies for replacing stress with joy to help us become our best selves.

The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) How do you define joy and happiness, and how do they play a role in our everyday lives?
2) Why do so many of us struggle with finding joy in our lives, and how is that impacting us?
3) How can we intentionally design our lives and work to experience more joy, and make joy our default?

To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Darryl S. Chutka, M.D., General Internal Medicine Physician at Mayo Clinic and the host of the Mayo Clinic Talks Podcast.

Guest: Jason Ewoldt, M.S., RDN

The Human Optimization Project: Understanding Calories | What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Them Right

March 20, 2025

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

There aren’t many words out there than can conjure up emotions, confusion, and frustration quite like the word we are discussing today, and that word is “calories.” However, a discussion on calories doesn’t have to be so complex and loaded with this unnecessary baggage. Today, we are going to bring clarity to the topic by focusing on what you really need to know from both a scientific and practical perspective. In addition to better understanding what they are, we will discuss ways to help you know what your body’s caloric needs are for losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. Finally, we will discuss practical strategies that help you achieve your fitness and health goals.

The three big questions we will tackle in this episode are:
1) What are calories, and why do they matter?
2) Why do people often misunderstand calories, and why is it so hard to get it right?
3) What can I do to figure out my caloric needs and actually stick to them?

To help us answer these questions, my guest today is Jason Ewoldt M.S., RDN, who is a registered and licensed dietician and certified sports specialist dietician at Mayo Clinic.