Dr. Michael Fine, former Rhode Island Director of Health, is passionate as a physician and advocate for community health organizations … and just as passionate for his forays into literature, a novelist and short story writer, whose most recent book is a collection of Rhode Island short stories. Dr. Fine joined What'sUpNewp for a live virtual video conversation on Thursday (Nov. 10) at 11 a.m.

In this interview, we. talk about his writing career, his latest collection of short stories, and a book soon to be released in 2023, On Medicine as Colonialism.

We also talk about the state of healthcare in Rhode Island, shaken by the failed merger attempt of Lifespan and Care New England, of instability in the directorship at the Health
Department, the resignations of the presidents of Lifespan and Care New England, and shortages in critical healthcare professions.