The origin of medical licensing exams

Education
May 2, 2025

In January 2022, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned to a pass/fail format, sparking debate over how best to assess physician competence in an era where medical misinformation proliferates online. Although medical students loathe any mention of exams, we cannot deny that licensing exams are an important barrier to ensure baseline knowledge, and to prevent quacks and snake-oil salesmen from harming the public. This article explores …

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Focusing on medicine’s core, not administrative chores [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 1, 2025
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Physician executive Grace E. Terrell discusses her article, “Physicians must innovate and focus on medicine’s core, not chores.” She introduces the concept of “core vs. chore,” urging health care workers to distinguish …

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When America sneezes, the world catches a cold: Trump’s freeze on HIV/AIDS funding

Policy
May 1, 2025

On the 20th of January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that initiated a freeze on foreign aid, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This abrupt suspension of funding has triggered a global health crisis, undermining decades of progress in combating HIV/AIDS and endangering millions of lives across the globe.

PEPFAR and its global success

Launched in 2003 under …

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Burnout isn’t ironclad—and neither are we

Physician
May 1, 2025

Ah, burnout! That word is used so often in medicine that it now has its own ICD-10 code.

Medical professionals are no strangers to pushing beyond exhaustion, running on fumes, and convincing ourselves that a steady IV drip of caffeine and sheer willpower is an appropriate substitute for sleep.

I should know—I lived it. I was running a busy medical practice, managing over a dozen staff …

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Biologics are not small molecules: the case for pre-allergy testing in an era of immune-based therapies

Meds
May 1, 2025

“Once it’s in your body, there’s no taking it back.”

That’s what the infusion nurse told a friend of mine after administering the injection.

She had just started a biologic medication for an autoimmune condition. Immediately, her body reacted: nausea, then hives, then a terrifying tightening of her throat. She rushed back to the clinic. The IV steroids and Benadryl may have stopped the immediate effects, …

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Clinicians must be scrupulously honest in and out of work

Conditions
May 1, 2025

An excerpt from From Error to Ethics: Five Essential Lessons from Teaching Clinicians in Trouble.

Clinicians must be scrupulously honest in and out of work

About 70 percent of the clinicians who attended the course had been accused of dishonest conduct. It is so common that the ‘dishonesty’ file on my computer contains eight sub-sections:

  • Cheating in exams
  • Defrauding the National Health Service
  • Dishonesty in job applications
  • Dishonesty in a non-medical …

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Pandemic reflections: a nurse anesthetist on trauma, loss, and finding hope [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 30, 2025
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Nurse anesthetist Christine King discusses her article, “The heartbreaking pandemic story I will never forget.” Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic five years later, she shares the profound impact of collective trauma through …

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The stigma surrounding diabetes harms those living with the condition. It’s time to finally stamp it out.

Conditions
April 30, 2025

Canadians have rallied together like never before to support each other and stand up for Canada in the face of U.S. tariffs and annexation threats.

People living with diabetes need that same spirit of solidarity around them to defeat a persistent stigma about the condition that leaves them feeling blamed, shamed, and judged.

Negative perceptions about people with diabetes are not only misplaced, but they are also harmful …

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Clinical research is evolving. Patient involvement is no longer optional.

Conditions
April 30, 2025

In January 2025, the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) formally adopted the updated E6(R3) Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines. Annex 1 and the revised 12 principles are already in effect. Annex 2 arrives in July. This is not just regulatory housekeeping. It is a clear message to the research world: Meaningful patient involvement is no longer aspirational. It is expected.

For decades, clinical research positioned patients as participants, …

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The anesthesia spectrum: Guiding patients through comfort options in oral surgery

Meds
April 30, 2025

“Will I be asleep or awake during my procedure?” This is the first question many patients ask before oral surgery. It reveals a common misconception: That anesthesia works like a light switch.

It doesn’t.

Anesthesia exists on a spectrum with multiple options that can be tailored to your specific needs, procedure type, and anxiety level.

Beyond all-or-nothing

As an oral …

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Ditching insurance: How direct pay models enable personalized patient care [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 29, 2025
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Family physician Jay K. Joshi discusses his article, “Why patients and doctors are ditching insurance for personalized care.” He explains that as traditional insurance becomes less accessible and covers fewer proactive and …

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Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

Education
April 29, 2025

Taylor Walker, a 25-year-old pregnant woman, lived in a town of under 500 people in rural Nebraska. In 2019, she told NPR that after experiencing pregnancy pains, she endured a four-hour round-trip journey to see her physician only to discover her regular doctor was unavailable. In the end, she was forced to repeat this arduous trek multiple times just to receive necessary care. For Taylor and countless Americans, this …

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A surgeon’s late-night crisis reveals the cost confusion in health care

Policy
April 29, 2025

During Trump’s first address to Congress, he continued to promise economic reform. In the wake of the administration’s brazen attempts to cut costs, we have watched in awe as combat veterans are fired from the VA, lifelong civil servants are left jobless, all while hearing the continuous insistence that the government must become more “efficient,” even in the face of Read more…

Why patients and doctors are ditching insurance for personalized care

Physician
April 29, 2025

As the traditional health insurance framework becomes increasingly inaccessible, physicians and clinical leaders are being called to rethink both how care is delivered and how it is paid for. Insurance companies are covering fewer services, raising deductibles, and narrowing networks. Patients are now forced to make health decisions based not just on need—but on affordability, timing, and bureaucratic feasibility.

In this emerging landscape, sustainable health care delivery must …

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Staying stone free with AI: How smart tech is revolutionizing kidney stone prevention

Tech
April 29, 2025

Kidney stones are painful, frustrating, and unfortunately common. I see this brutal problem every day as a urologist. When my wife had her first kidney stone while celebrating her 40th birthday, this issue became deeply personal. Seeing her in pain and struggling to navigate the confusing world of kidney stone prevention made me realize just how difficult this journey is for patients.

Many people are given generic dietary advice – drink …

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Overcoming the curse of knowledge: Why doctors need to translate medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 28, 2025
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Communications consultant and attorney Heather Hansen discusses her article, “Why every doctor needs a translator.” Drawing on her background as a medical malpractice defense attorney, she explains the “curse of knowledge,” where …

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Signing bonuses and taxes: What physicians should know

Finance
April 28, 2025

When physicians accept a job offer from a hospital, they are often enticed with a signing bonus in the form of a forgivable loan.

Given the complexities of looking for a job and negotiating an employment contract, it’s easy to see the words “signing bonus” and overlook the term “forgivable loan.”

However, while this may seem like an attractive deal, it carries significant tax implications that …

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Love, empathy, and the triangle of exhaustion: Why humanity must come first

Physician
April 28, 2025

In our modern world, we often find ourselves caught in a cycle—balancing the demands of work, family, and personal well-being. For those living with marginalized identities, this exhaustion is compounded by societal expectations, a lack of understanding, and a pervasive sense of isolation.

Dr. Nicole Perrotte knew I was a pediatric physical therapist, and she shared with me her experience as the mom of an “atypical” child. Through …

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