Christian Franz interview
Christian Franz Bulacan is a registered nurse in New York City and the producer and host of the Friends of Franz podcast. On top of that, he’s coauthored research articles on interventional cardiology that were published in Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine and CVIR Endovascular.
We had the chance to chat with him last week and learned more about his career path and what he likes to do for fun. Let’s dive in and get to know Christian Franz Bulacan!
We'd love to start with an intro! Could you please introduce yourself?
Hi! My name is Christian Franz, from New York City. I am a registered nurse working in cardiology by day and a lifestyle content creator, podcaster, and model by night. I believe that my created and curated content meshes my profession and passions into one piece: videos and photographs focusing on fashion and beauty and a podcast based on the healthcare field. It's a busy yet dynamic life!
How did you come up with the Friends of Franz podcast?
Working in New York City during the height of the pandemic in the COVID-19 ICUs, I was bothered by the amount of misinformation I would hear and read about online and on the news after coming home from a horrible shift. I had the idea of bringing on licensed experts from different fields within medicine and science to debunk common myths in their fields - this became the podcast! My guests and I talk about so many controversial things — aka the tea — that each conversation feels like it's a FaceTime call, just with others watching/listening - hence, Friends of Franz. This passion and baby project of mine has evolved from a mere educational tool to a personal representational tool as well, with over 75% of my guests being of AAPI heritage, as I am. Surprisingly, in the United States alone, AAPIs remain a minority group in the demographics of healthcare workers. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Asians make up only 17.1% and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders only 0.1% of physicians!
What made you want to become a nurse?
I grew up with my single mother, who was a nurse, but I never wanted to become one! However, I must admit that hearing her patient stories and witnessing her passion for nursing did influence my interest. Growing up, I was always torn between medicine —mainly towards the physician or scientist route — and the arts. I did a lot of dancing and acting in my earlier years.
When college application time came, I applied for a Biology pre-medicine track at my program. What are the odds that my application was mixed up with someone who applied for nursing?! My mom is Filipina, and we all know that every Filipino you might meet is a nurse haha. So I thought to myself: this is the Filipino “god” of the universe choosing me! I decided to study both nursing and theatre, and I have no regrets! What an honor and a privilege to care for others - and entertain them at the same time. I realized that I also fulfilled the two things I always enjoyed growing up!
What do you like to do for fun?
I love doing things alone! It gives me so much peace. Each activity of solitude seems to renew my battery level. I love watching movies in the theater alone, going to the local library to read a book in a corner for hours, and even eating out in a restaurant by myself. Don't get me wrong - I also love spending time with my friends! All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ with my best friends, and, of course, boba after? I'll be there any day!
What's your favorite Asian snack?
How can I choose? Hmm. If it was my last day on Earth, and I could only choose one, it would have to be Yan Yan stick chocolate flavor! Runner-ups, please allow me: Pocky Matcha flavor, Regent Cheese Ring, and Yakult.
Follow Christian Franz: