A few years ago, I visited my brother and his family while I was still in school. I had run out of cash and needed to top up before starting our end-of-semester exams. My sister-in-law, a virtuous woman well-loved in our family, invited me to join her and my brother at the wedding of one of her close friends. As we were getting ready to leave, she pulled me aside …
The tragic and shocking murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO has ignited a nationwide conversation about the flaws in the health care system, often accompanied by misdirected anger toward physicians. The rhetoric suggesting that physician salaries are the root of the problem oversimplifies a complex issue and distracts from systemic failures.
Physician salaries account for only about 8 percent of …
It became my go-to daily practice and changed everything.
Mondays and me: a rocky start
For years, I dreaded Mondays. They felt like a tidal wave of catch-up work after the weekend.
During fellowship, the schedule was structured so that one fellow covered the entire weekend. This setup gave the others a real break—time to rest, recover, and reconnect with family and friends. But then …
Have you ever thought about moving to Europe?
Life has bogged you down a little. Your job may get boring. Are you feeling the drag of burnout? Try something different, have a new experience, and mix things up.
But the biggest problem? You’re a physician.
Fortunately, physicians in the U.S. enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world. There is no need to worry about searching …
As a biology major in undergrad, people would often ask me if I intended to pursue medicine as my future career. I never hesitated to tell them no. It wasn’t for me: The years of training, the debt, the delayed income, the prospect of matching to a location that was unfavorable for me, the lack of control over my own schedule. Not to mention the pressure of caring for patients …
I was recently asked what I thought were some of the biggest evolving obstacles to physicians and health care in 2024 and beyond.
My answer:
Health care has become America’s most dangerous profession due to workplace violence, with health care workers now being five times more likely to be assaulted “on the job” …
Etched on the wall of our medical school gym was a quote by Marcel Proust:
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
At first glance, it seemed like an unusual choice for a gym—more philosophy than motivation. But over time, as we pushed ourselves on the treadmill, lifted weights, or found solace in a quiet stretch after a grueling day, the meaning of …
M has always been very close to me. She joined our hospital’s oncology department over ten years ago as a radiation technologist. Currently, she works as a medical physicist in our department and is the only female physicist in our hospital.
Her presence here is not due to luck or extraordinary circumstances; she has dedicated immense effort to her career. While many of her peers in the same position remain in …
Senator Dick Durbin proudly describes his career in the following quote: “Before I was elected to Congress, I worked in a courtroom. For years, I defended doctors and hospitals, and for years, I sued them on behalf of people who were victims of medical malpractice.”
Thirty percent, 131 members, of the House of Representatives and 51 percent, 51 members, of the Senate are lawyers. Senator Durbin is one of 182 lawyers …
The moment I was born, my future was decided for me—I was going to be a doctor. My mother had made up her mind, and from that point forward, my path seemed clear: medical school, residency, patient care for life. That was the blueprint.
For many physicians, this is the only path we have ever known. Medicine is not just a career; it is an identity, a commitment, a calling. But …
As dermatologists, we often encounter patients with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, each presenting unique considerations for treatment planning. For Muslim patients, Ramadan—a month-long period of fasting observed by approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide—can significantly influence dermatological care. This article provides an overview of Ramadan, explores the compatibility of topical medications, injections, and oral medications with fasting, and offers practical guidance for developing treatment plans that respect patients’ religious practices …
Recently, a close friend of mine reached out, expressing his frustration over our mutual friend, who, for some time now, has ignored his calls and messages. We spoke at length, the conversation charged with emotion, and the underlying theme of our exchange led me to reflect deeply on the nature of friendships in adulthood. I have decided to share these reflections.
John and Darrel (not their real names) were two best …
(I will speak here specifically about transgender folks, but also affected are those born intersex and those who identify as non-binary.)
We, as physicians, have a duty to do what is right for our patients. Most, if not all of us, entered this profession with the great intention of helping others with scientifically proven treatments in order to limit or relieve illness and suffering.
LGBTQ+ members of our society have long faced …
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Perhaps almost as important as our history-taking, our diagnosis, and our care of patients are the words we use to communicate that history-taking, that diagnosis, and that care.
Scenario one: the not so good
A while ago, I happened to witness a family hospital conference about their dad’s new diagnosis of cancer. There were ten family members present, all very devoted and concerned, though not particularly …
In the fall of 2005, an invisible threat swept across the digital computer game World of Warcraft, spreading panic, overwhelming entire cities, and leaving countless players scrambling for answers. It wasn’t a new raid boss or a cunning video game developer-driven event—it was a computer virus. The Corrupted Blood incident, as it came to be known, started as a simple computer bug in a video game dungeon. Within days, it …
The definition of cognitive dissonance is a feeling of mental discomfort when one holds contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or values. As physicians navigate the complex waters of medical practice, the core philosophy of patient-centered care often clashes with external pressures imposed by a system that prioritizes profitability. This cognitive dissonance is considered a major factor in physician burnout.
While there are systemic factors that need to be addressed to resolve the growing …
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Medicine is a language.
Medicine is many things: an art, a science, a vocation, and a calling. A good way to make a difference, a hard way to make a living. But medicine is also a language.
We learn it the way we learn any language: from the ground up. We start with the fundamentals, the vocabulary of medicine—anatomy, biochemistry, physiology—and work our way up to the sentence level: pharmacology, immunology, neuroscience. …
I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 12 years old. I revered my pediatrician, Dr. Helen Nash, who was a giant in our community. Growing up poor in St. Louis, it was rare to see a Black doctor. Seeing Dr. Nash—owning her own practice, helping people, and commanding deep respect—was inspiring. She was an advocate for health care in the African American community, and whenever she spoke, …
As a board-certified internal medicine physician and hospitalist with over 12 years of experience, I find myself grappling with an unsettling thought: I cannot, in good conscience, encourage medical students with clinical ambitions to pursue any general medicine field.
This may seem like a harsh assessment, but in my opinion, the writing is on the wall for general physicians. While those of us already established in practice are likely to have …
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As Doctors’ Day on March 30 approaches, we are reminded of the incredible impact physicians have on our lives. But there is something often overlooked—the emotional toll the profession takes. Physicians give so much of themselves, yet their emotional needs often go unrecognized. What if there were a simple, powerful way to remind them that their efforts matter?
Imagine the impact a heartfelt, handwritten note could have on a weary physician.
I …
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