The Clinical Etymologist
The Clinical Etymologist is a podcast devoted to curiosity, lifelong learning, and the quiet joy of medicine. Hosted by Dr. Kim—a general internist and self-appointed Clinical Etymologist—each episode explores the words we use in medicine to diagnose, to heal, and to make sense of the human condition. With a blend of language, history, clinical insight, and his unique sense of humor, Dr. Kim uncovers the hidden roots of medical terms—from the eponyms we invoke to the metaphors we overlook. This is a space for curious souls who still believe learning can be meaningful and fun.
The Clinical Etymologist
ABNORMAL Normal Saline
Welcome to Season 2
0.9% “Normal” Saline is one of the most commonly prescribed intravenous fluids in medicine, yet its name is one of the great misnomers of clinical practice.
In this episode, The Clinical Etymologist traces the laboratory origins of 0.9% sodium chloride and explains why it was never designed to replicate human plasma.
Through bedside teaching and clinical physiology, we explore how excess chloride alters acid–base balance and renal function.
The episode examines key evidence demonstrating the unintended potential harms of routine saline use and clarifies when “abnormal” normal saline is exactly the right choice—and when it is not.
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