By Kym McNicholas, CEO, Global PAD Association

In a field often characterized by formal presentations and sterile academic discourse, two visionary physicians are bringing a refreshing dose of authenticity to vascular education. Dr. Miguel Montero Baker and Dr. Lucas Ferrer-Cardona have been honored with the 2025 Global PAD Impact Award for Innovation in Vascular Education for their groundbreaking “Life of Flow” podcast, which has transformed how vascular knowledge is shared since its launch in 2023.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) – characterized by poor circulation primarily in the legs – is more prevalent and deadlier than prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer combined. Yet it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Many patients suffering from leg pain, wounds that won’t heal, or cold feet may have PAD without knowing it. These symptoms occur when arteries that supply blood to your legs become narrowed or blocked, limiting blood flow to muscles and tissues.

That’s why recognizing physicians who are changing the landscape of PAD care is so crucial to the Global PAD Association’s mission – and why patients need to be aware of this condition that affects millions of Americans.

The “Life of Flow” podcast has emerged as a vital platform for the conversations that matter most in vascular medicine, creating a space where clinical expertise meets human connection. Their real, raw, candid discussions capture the nuanced realities of clinical practice, from technical procedures to physician wellness, offering invaluable insights that benefit both medical professionals and ultimately the patients they serve.

“Their impact is undeniable with busy clinicians now citing this podcast as their preferred continuing education resource,” I noted during the award presentation. “Especially when it is so fun to actually watch through authentic dialogue that can be insightful or irreverent, raw or refined.”

If you’re experiencing leg pain when walking, non-healing wounds, or cold feet – especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a history of smoking – contact the Global PAD Association at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) to learn more about PAD and find resources for proper diagnosis and care.

A Vision Born Over Dinner in Leipzig

The origin of “Life of Flow” is as authentic as the content itself. When asked about how the podcast was conceived, Dr. Ferrer-Cardona recalled a pivotal dinner during the LINC Conference in Leipzig, Germany.

“Miguel has really taken me under his wing for a long time,” Dr. Ferrer-Cardona explained. “One of the many times he did that was he invited me to this dinner in Leipzig for one of my favorite conferences, the LINC Conference. I was invited to this dinner with all these people that I admire, and I was like, ‘Whoa.’ I was like a little fan boy. And hearing all these stories, I was like, ‘Wow, this is my dream.’”

That experience revealed to Dr. Ferrer-Cardona that there was an untapped space for authentic medical education. “There’s a space between the hospital and the academic conference where kind of the real world, kind of happens and our interaction, our community lives that is unstructured, that’s real, that is scientific but that’s human,” he said. “And that’s kind of what we wanted to create.”

What began as a “selfish” desire to have meaningful conversations with a mentor evolved into something much more significant. “It has evolved into a place hopefully where we can empower physicians to find the information that they need to be kind of authors of their own lives,” Dr. Ferrer-Cardona reflected. “Because I think that one of the things that we lack is that self-authorship and the information to get there.”

From Hesitation to Wholehearted Commitment

Dr. Montero Baker admitted that he wasn’t immediately sold on the podcast concept. “When Lucas came up, he said, ‘Listen, I have this idea. I think we should do this.’ And I think we should put endless hours talking, speaking more,” he recalled. After years of conference appearances and podium presentations, “The thought that we were going to invest even more time on more educational programs initially just robbed me the wrong way.”

However, after reflection, Dr. Montero Baker realized this was exactly the platform he had been seeking. “I wanted to find a place where I could connect without it being in a podium, without it being, you know, that could transcend geography, schedule, and an unfiltered version of who I am and that that allowed us to connect,” he explained. “And you say for physicians, but quite frankly, for patients, for advocacy, for the message, it is just good because we’re building community.”

The doctors realized they were filling a significant need in vascular education. Traditional medical media hadn’t evolved with the times. “I mean, you tell me you’ve seen how the media has evolved significantly over the last 10 years,” Dr. Montero Baker noted. “Well, we needed to do that, too. And I felt the big niche and a need and a niche for us to fill.”

This evolution in medical education directly benefits patients. When doctors are better informed and can learn from each other’s real-world experiences, they’re better equipped to provide personalized, effective care for complex vascular conditions like PAD.

Authenticity as the Foundation of Trust

What sets “Life of Flow” apart from other medical podcasts is its embracing of raw, unfiltered conversations that have become their signature style. When I asked about this distinctive approach, Dr. Ferrer-Cardona emphasized its fundamental importance.

“It’s about trust,” he stated. “I mean, we are physicians. We are in the trenches. We are not whitewashed. Like when we are with each other, when we’re in the operating room, when we are like in battle, like it’s not like a formal thing. Like we’re real humans with real emotions. And to come out here and pretend not to be, be inauthentic and trust. And you can’t build community. You can’t have a, you know, you can’t create what you want to create in the world without trust. So you have to be authentic.”

Dr. Montero Baker shared an anecdote that exemplifies their commitment to authenticity: “One of the things that I’ve enjoyed here in the quiet of my room after we air some of these shows is, which I think is amazing, because I don’t even understand why these guys are okay with a show going live. Sometimes I’ll pull some guys in and we’ll have these conversations that go wild.”

He recalled one guest who worried about professional repercussions after a particularly candid episode. “He’s like, ‘I think I’m going to get fired.’ And I said, ‘Listen, if they fire you, we go to war.’ We go to war because this is what it’s about. It’s about us. We have to be able to be ourselves. And sometimes we may not be politically perfect or correct, but is this what you have? It’s human beings trying to be humans.”

This authenticity translates into better patient care. When doctors can openly discuss challenges, successes, and uncertainties, patients ultimately benefit from more transparent, honest healthcare relationships.

Revealing the Person Behind the White Coat

This approach has led to surprisingly intimate revelations from some of the most respected names in vascular medicine. “When these headphones are on and the microphones close and 30, 45 minutes into it, people forget. Like they let loose,” Dr. Montero Baker explained. “And it’s this beautiful and you see it come to life like you start and it’s very sterile and it’s this. And then we just kind of weave and push and move and talk about their parents and their moms and their upbringing in school and medical. And then all of a sudden they’re opening and they end up saying, like, ‘I’ve never shared it with anybody, but I feel comfortable doing it here.’”

These conversations have revealed surprising facets of well-known vascular specialists. “I didn’t know George Adams was born in a farm,” Dr. Montero Baker said. “I didn’t know Billy Cohen went to Burning Man. I didn’t know some of our major assets in vascular care were supposed to be nuns, and they decided to just go to U2 concerts and dye their hair pink.”

This humanizing aspect of the podcast is changing perceptions within the field. As Dr. Montero Baker put it, “This human side of doctors that are now the MacGyvers, the people that you’re really bringing to light.”

For patients, seeing the human side of physicians can make all the difference. It’s easier to trust your doctor when you recognize they’re a person just like you, with passions, fears, and a genuine desire to help. This connection is especially important for PAD patients who may need ongoing care and lifestyle changes to manage their condition.

Have questions about PAD symptoms, diagnosis, or treatment options? Call the Global PAD Association at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) for information, support, and resources.

Creating a Movement for Limb Salvage

Beyond just entertaining content, “Life of Flow” is helping to transform perceptions about limb salvage as a specialty. Dr. Montero Baker reflected on how the field has evolved: “I remember when I was a vascular surgeon in my early years, it was like, you’re either an aortic surgeon or you’re a loser.”

He now proudly promotes limb salvage as “the cool kids club.” As he put it, “You come to the limb salvage side. There’s so much good things happening. We realize the technology is moving accelerated pace. The drugs are moving. We’re pushing, we’re recognizing, we’re creating the right teams. This is what we were meant to do.”

Dr. Ferrer-Cardona emphasized the significant public health implications of their work: “We are at the center of the health epidemic in America. Like we are, we see the end product of diabetes, metabolic disease, inflammation. So, we are at the epicenter. We can affect massive change. And that’s what we are here to do.”

For patients living with diabetes, heart disease, or other conditions that increase PAD risk, this passion for limb salvage translates into real hope. These doctors are at the forefront of developing and sharing techniques that can save legs and lives – and their enthusiasm is spreading to other clinicians through their podcast.

Spontaneous Celebration of Walking as Medicine

As spontaneous as their podcast often is, I threw a bit of surprise into our interview. In the middle of our conversation, I invited a Global PAD Association network patient to share his remarkable success story. This gentleman had recently completed a 13-kilometer charity walk and had seen his ankle-brachial index (ABI) dramatically improve from 0.68 to 1.05 through dedicated walking.

For non-medical readers, the ABI is a simple test that compares blood pressure in your ankle to blood pressure in your arm. A normal ABI is 1.0 to 1.4, while a reading below 0.9 indicates PAD. This patient’s improvement from 0.68 to 1.05 represents a remarkable recovery through consistent exercise.

The timing couldn’t have been better, as it gave us a real-world example of the power of “walking as medicine” – a cornerstone of PAD management that both doctors advocate for passionately. The patient’s transformation from being depressed and unable to climb a hill without stopping multiple times to now logging 20,000-30,000 steps daily was the perfect segue into one of my favorite interview segments.

Inspired by this success story, I challenged both doctors to deliver their best motivational speech for walking as medicine. Dr. Montero Baker delivered a passionate appeal centered on personal agency:

“It’s up to you. It’s not easy. And not everybody does it. But if you believe in yourself, if you believe that you could be better, if you believe that there is power in healing and pushing yourself past the limits, then I think that we have something to do,” he urged. “It starts with baby steps and then it goes into bigger steps and then bigger steps. But it’s all up to you. It’s not me, and it’s not your wife. It’s you.”

He acknowledged the difficulty but emphasized the rewards: “It’s going to hurt. Push past the hurt, and you’re going to get it. And every day that you think you can’t, you’re going to somehow find the strength to make it happen… Once you get there, you’ll feel so good. You look back and you’ll be like happy that you put that time into.”

Dr. Ferrer-Cardona’s approach focused on dignity and self-worth: “You have a choice. You have a choice. You’ve always had a choice and you’re worthy. You’re worthy of having the life that you want. You’re worthy of going out there, seeing the sunshine. You’re worthy of spending time with your family. You are worthy of walking. You’re worthy of not being sick.”

He reframed the pain of exercise as validation: “That pain just means that you’re doing the work. That pain just validates you that, again, you are worthy of doing and achieving this and living a life where you’re not afraid that you’re going to be losing a leg in a wheelchair and instead you’re looking forward to vacation, the beach, the mountain, birthdays, dinners with friends, laughter, and life.”

For PAD patients, these words of encouragement highlight an essential truth: walking, despite initial discomfort, is one of the most powerful tools for improving circulation and overall health. The Global PAD Association offers resources to help patients develop safe, effective walking routines tailored to their abilities. Call 1-833-PAD-LEGS to learn more about supervised exercise programs in your area.

Learning from Challenging Cases

That powerful moment led to other stories from the doctors about situations when walking isn’t enough, prompting a discussion about their most challenging cases.

Dr. Ferrer-Cardona spoke of a recent difficult case where a patient died, emphasizing the critical nature of every decision in vascular procedures.

“You only get one chance. You get one chance to do it right. So every single moment matters, every single step matters. There’s no small step in a procedure,” he reflected. “The smallest thing that you do in a moment of mindless not being mindful can be the decision maker. So being extremely mindful at all times… We’ve heard this thousand times there’s no small procedures, there’s no small steps—everything matters.”

Dr. Montero Baker shared a success story involving a patient who traveled six to seven hours from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston Methodist Hospital specifically asking for him, after being told elsewhere that amputation was inevitable.

“He left the hospital and he came here by literally, I want to say the advice of a friend that was my patient from the Valley,” Dr. Montero Baker recalled. Despite the challenging case—“SFA occlusion, popliteal occlusion, nothing small, little anterior tibial target… an occluded stent”—Dr. Montero Baker offered to try when others wouldn’t.

In plain language, this patient had multiple blockages in the arteries of his leg, including a previously placed stent (a small tube to keep an artery open) that had closed up again. Many doctors would have considered this case too complex to salvage the leg.

“I said, listen, this isn’t going to be pretty and is going to be perfect, but we could try. And if nobody’s given you a shot, I’ll give you a shot,” he said. After a complex procedure with a bidirectional approach, “Fast forward, he’s got his leg and his heel. We just saw him today in the morning in clinical rounds.”

The case exemplified the importance of persistence. “It was one of persistence and grit and resilience to what the system is telling you. Because everybody told him, ‘No, you got to cut the leg. You’re going to die.’ Well, here he is right, three months later. Happy as a clam. Has his independence,” Dr. Montero Baker said, noting that the patient already had one above-knee amputation, making preserving his remaining leg even more crucial for his quality of life.

This story underscores a crucial message for patients: don’t give up hope, and don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion if you’re told amputation is your only option. The Global PAD Association can help connect you with specialists who focus on limb salvage. Call 1-833-PAD-LEGS for guidance on finding experienced vascular specialists in your area.

The Persistent Problem of Delayed PAD Diagnosis

Cases shouldn’t have to reach such critical stages if PAD is caught earlier. Both doctors expressed deep concern about how frequently PAD is diagnosed only after significant damage has already occurred, turning manageable conditions into limb-threatening emergencies.

“It’s all too common to have patients that just come in with a diagnosis with just gangrene and they’ve never been diagnosed with PAD,” Dr. Ferrer-Cardona noted. “I have had a patient that I did two [distal venous arterialization procedures] on both legs and he came in with wounds in both legs as a first presenting symptom.”

Dr. Montero Baker highlighted the particularly troubling pattern of patients receiving unnecessary back surgeries when their symptoms were actually caused by vascular issues. “These people full of metal in their backs is sad. It’s probably one of the saddest things because, listen, back surgery is not for the faint of heart. That is a big-ass procedure, and that is putting through a lot of grief,” he emphasized.

“And guess what? If at the end of all that, you put yourself through all that, and you had an aortic iliac occlusion, and that was the issue, it’s kind of rough,” he continued. “I’ve had to put stents in people that had all sorts of metal, and they come back, and they’re like, ‘Oh. This is finally improved.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, God, Jesus. All this back surgery for no good reason because nobody ever explored your vasculature.’”

This pattern of late diagnosis and misdiagnosis remains one of the most frustrating aspects of PAD care, turning what could be manageable conditions into limb-threatening emergencies that require complex interventions.

For patients, this highlights the importance of advocating for vascular evaluation when experiencing leg pain, especially if you have risk factors like diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. If you’re having leg pain that’s attributed to back problems but treatments aren’t helping, ask your doctor about testing for PAD. A simple ABI test can provide crucial information about your circulation.

Don’t wait until symptoms become severe. If you’re experiencing leg pain, cramping, numbness, or non-healing wounds, call the Global PAD Association at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) for information on proper diagnosis and treatment options.

Career-Defining Moments

You might wonder how these doctors became so passionate about limb salvage. During our conversation, each shared career-defining moments that fundamentally shaped their approach to vascular medicine, revealing the formative experiences behind their dedication to saving limbs and improving patients’ lives.

For Dr. Montero Baker, it was being pushed outside his comfort zone by mentor Dirk Schreiner at the LINC meeting in Leipzig. While working in Germany, Dr. Montero Baker wanted clinical involvement but faced regulatory barriers. When he approached Schreiner about finding medically relevant work, the mentor saw an opportunity for growth.

“I’ll do German all day long, but I need to do something that’s medical,” Dr. Montero Baker had told Schreiner. The mentor responded by assigning him to study vascular ultrasound with a technician who only spoke German. “You’re going to scan with my RVT for the next six months. And guess what? She only speaks German. And she’s very mean… And you’re going to have to put her side by side for six months and scan every single one of my patients, pre-op, post-op, pseudoaneurysms, injections, everything,” Dr. Montero Baker recalled Schreiner telling him.

This challenging experience fundamentally changed his practice. “It’s till today a very defining part of my career. I wouldn’t see myself being who I am if vascular ultrasonography was not at the crux of everything and every decision to make,” Dr. Montero Baker reflected. “That was my turning point, the moment where I was told by a mentor, you’re dumb if you’re not understanding the power of vascular ultrasonography. And I’m going to push you to do this initially against your will. And then, oh, my God, thank you.”

Dr. Ferrer-Cardona’s defining moment involved an unexpected clinical innovation that occurred during a procedure with Dr. Montero Baker. They were treating a young woman with vasculitis and gangrene who needed a bypass. The planned approach hit a roadblock when they couldn’t find a suitable peroneal artery target for the bypass.

“We go there, we find the peroneal, and it’s trash. It doesn’t have a lumen,” Dr. Ferrer-Cardona explained. They identified what they thought was a posterior tibial artery, but after performing the bypass, they discovered through ultrasound that they had inadvertently connected to a vein instead of an artery.

“We did a bypass intending to the artery but we did a bypass to the vein,” he recalled. Dr. Montero Baker consulted with Roberto Ferraresi about the situation. According to Dr. Ferrer-Cardona, Ferraresi advised them not to worry, that they should return the next day to work with the veins, and the patient would be fine.

“That moment was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” Dr. Ferrer-Cardona said. “Because it was a struggle, it was like, we did the thing, and then it was like a disaster, but then it comes back, and we have hope, and then the patient ended up keeping her leg. She’s still around… And it was this crazy thing that you put arterial blood into the venous system and it works and nobody knows how it works. Now it’s an FDA approved procedure.”

What began as a surgical mishap became the foundation for a now-approved procedure called distal venous arterialization (DVA), embodying how innovation can arise from challenging clinical situations. This experience clearly shaped Dr. Ferrer-Cardona’s perspective on embracing the unexpected in vascular medicine.

For patients, these stories illustrate the commitment these physicians have to finding solutions, even in the most challenging circumstances. Their willingness to learn, adapt, and innovate translates into better outcomes for people with advanced PAD.

The Future of Life of Flow

Looking ahead, the doctors envision expanding their impact beyond the podcast format. Dr. Ferrer-Cardona emphasized their focus on physician empowerment: “My drive is just to bring topics and to bring people on that will share a message and tools that will allow physicians to love medicine.”

Dr. Montero Baker outlined plans for a “Life of Flow Summit,” potentially in Mexico City, that would address physicians’ holistic needs. “What about going to a conference where you learn about Sirolimus, but then you turn around and you learn about branding and you learn about business development and marketing 101… Self-care meditation, you know, diet… Conflict resolution… Family resolution, divorce management, avoidance of divorcement.”

He explained the rationale: “Our people are suffering. And I think that’s what potentially Life of Flow could be. Maybe we bring change in a different way… Right now I feel that the value of meetings for me as a provider of education have become a little stale. And so how would I make meetings more enticing for me? Oh, if I’m going to go and learn about things that I really care about that are other than just my professional side. Because guess what, Kim? If I want to be a good doctor to all these amazing patients out there like Mike, I need to take care of myself. Because there’s not going to be a lot of me left if all I do is work myself to death.”

This focus on physician well-being ultimately benefits patients too. Doctors who are burned out can’t provide optimal care, while those who maintain balance and passion for their work can better serve those who need them most.

Life of Flow Podcast Brings Humanity to Medicine

The “Life of Flow” podcast represents a significant evolution in how medical knowledge is shared and how community is built within vascular medicine. Through authentic conversations and unfiltered exchanges, Dr. Montero Baker and Dr. Ferrer-Cardona have created something that transcends traditional medical education—they’ve built a platform that acknowledges the whole person behind the white coat.

What makes their approach revolutionary is the recognition that effective healthcare requires more than just technical knowledge. It demands connection, vulnerability, and the courage to be human in a field that often values clinical detachment. By dismantling hierarchies while simultaneously elevating clinical excellence, they’re modeling a new paradigm for medical education.

Their impact extends far beyond the vascular specialty. The Global PAD Impact Award recognizes not just what they have accomplished, but the potential of their approach to fundamentally change how we address one of the most prevalent and deadly diseases worldwide. As they continue to expand their platform and build their community, their influence on PAD care will undoubtedly grow.

For patients living with PAD, the ripple effects of this work translate into better outcomes, improved quality of life, and a stronger support system. When doctors are empowered to bring their full humanity to medicine, everyone benefits—and that might be the most important innovation of all.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms that could be related to PAD, don’t wait for them to worsen. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent serious complications, including amputation. Call the Global PAD Association at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) for information, support, and resources to help you navigate your PAD journey.