You’d think surgeons would be the first to know when to hang up their scalpel, but alas, they’re as stubborn as a rusted bolt. When should a surgeon put down the knife and stop pretending they’re not going blind? It’s a question of cognitive decline, ego, and knowing when to pass the baton—or in this case, the scalpel.
Unlike our colleagues in internal medicine, surgeons wield sharp objects, making the temporal …
An excerpt from All Physicians Lead: Redefining Physician Leadership for Better Patient Outcomes.
I Googled the term “physician leadership” and got 183,000,000 hits in 0.45 seconds. There are seemingly endless courses and programs devoted to developing physician leadership, and there’s no shortage of attention to the topic.
Almost uniformly, however, the books and courses approach the topic from a similar angle. Physician leadership is often viewed as something that occurs when …
It was recently circulated on social media that flamingos are known to lose their bright pink hue in times of adversity, such as when raising their young. This is due to the tremendous energy it takes to nourish their young flaminglets, often at the sake of their own wellbeing. Similarly, women lose their metaphorical bright “pink” during …
You read many articles and watch countless videos online where life coaches offer advice on how to fix your life. This might seem like one of those boring articles. Well—I hope not! Maybe just a little … but stick with me.
Today, I want to discuss a relatively new branch of medicine called lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine focuses on everyday practices that can both prevent and cure many chronic illnesses, sparing …
Since the massacre on October 7, 2023, there have been misconceptions of Israel as a country and of the medical consequences of the terrorist attack. There have been charges against Israel of “colonization” and “genocide.” These accusations are accompanied by a rise in antisemitism in our communities, universities, and medicineRead more…
When it comes to science and medicine, knowing where you are and where you want to go is only part of the problem. That’s because no matter how strictly you try to control your system, chaos theory dictates that there will be perturbations which, if not corrected for, will lead you far astray. Trying to stay on course in a dynamic environment has been a problem since humanity began traveling …
In 2024, I met a Tamil doctor at an event. We spoke of memories from our childhood in Sri Lanka. We had one stark memory to share: burning bodies in stacks of tires, with beheaded human beings nearby. This was life in the Sinhalese-Tamil ethnic war in the eighties, nineties, and beyond, coupled with a Marxist-Leninist insurrection in the country.
Yet, there we were, two doctors, one born a Tamil and …
This season, I’m living even more fully into who I am behind the scrubs and stethoscope. I’m deepening my understanding of whether I’m operating in my highest energy versus operating from stress and fear.
When my mother passed away months ago, I was thrust into unbelievable grief. I looked to family and friends who had lost a parent and wondered how they got through it. I wanted the pain to stop. …
Regret. We often think about it because of an action or lack of action. We regret having done something or perhaps not doing enough. Regret is filled with “shoulds,” which soon spiral down into guilt, remorse, self-judgment, anger, and depression.
To me, I think about the actions often. Do I regret having trusted or opened my heart to others?
The thing is, I don’t have ANY regrets. I have experienced many circumstances …
When you allow yourself to truly see and sit with the fact that we are only here for a short period of time, it can feel scary and also freeing.
My world became small when I started developing profound anxiety about dying. It was a good sign, actually, as I came from a place of apathy to wanting to live. Truly live. …
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that count.”
– Winston Churchill
In this vast world of hopes and dreams, few would shine as brightly as the dream of becoming a physician and saving lives. Each year, amidst tough competition, millions of young, eager minds compete for the limited spots in medical schools in their respective countries. After this first stepping stone, they continue to …
As I led small group sessions during our medical school’s recent orientation, I was struck by the nervous excitement and hope radiating from our new first-year students. Their enthusiasm was palpable yet tinged with apprehension about the challenging journey ahead. Two themes emerged from our discussions. The first was a desire to dive in and tackle challenges ahead. As one student stated, “Enough talking, let’s start doing.” The second was …
It had been a busy day. He was the last patient of the day.
In the oncology outpatient department, we have forms for documenting a patient’s medical history. The form has specific sections that need to be filled out in a set order. First, we start with the presenting complaint, followed by the history of presenting illness. Next, we document the patient’s past medical and surgical history, followed by sections for …
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The assassination attempt is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. The “gaslighting” is over. The rules for truth by legacy media are never examined for objectivity. We do not have the Inquisition in the United States; we have the legacy media.
One “fact-checker” measures truth by “Pinocchios.” There is a better way—hypothesis testing. Who better to know about hypothesis testing than a physician?
What if the facts about how Medicare is …
Today, in the mail, I received a claim summary for medical care that my wife received. She saw an orthopedic PA for an achy knee and got a shot of a slippery substance that was supposed to be superior to steroids. “Is this stuff expensive?” she asked him. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “You have Medicare. It will cover it.”
It didn’t help her knee, though, and she moved on …
The public health crisis of burnout among health care workers is more severe than many realize. With 49% of physicians experiencing burnout, patients face a 1 in 2 chance of being treated by an exhausted, unmotivated, and underperforming doctor. This issue affects all areas of health care, from emergency and urgent care visits to surgeries, deliveries, and cancer screenings. A patient’s well-being hinges on health care professional’s ability to …
In 2022, I sought out mental health care, finally able to say, “I need help.” During this experience, my doctor’s brain churned, and a new patient’s brain grew. These allowed me to see both sides of the world of medicine, and the contrast, unfortunately, disappointed me. Below is a spur-of-the-moment writing inspired by a series of unfortunate patient experiences. In sharing these words, I hope I can help the patients …
Recent news feeds are packed with consumer tips for navigating the abundance of at-home medical tests. Within the past month, Healthline, Fortune, Self Magazine, and the New York Times, to name a few, have published articles on “best of” medical tests for a range of health conditions, from herpes and HIV to COVID-19 and thyroid function.
At-home medical tests are a booming market, expected to reach …
If they can put a man on the moon, why can’t they cure male pattern baldness? It’s not easy being bald. In winter, you freeze; in summer, you burn. New follicles never “spring” up, and hair continues to “fall.” That pretty much describes the seasons of my discontent.
You would think that at age 80, I would have come to grips with my shiny dome. After all, I had the highest …
An excerpt from The Shieling.
The sun had set an hour earlier, but the light in the western sky lingered, as if nature itself couldn’t bear the thought of ending such a beautiful day. David stood on the shore, waiting until the last bit of light had faded away leaving a dark, moonless night with not a breath of wind, not a ripple on the smooth surface of the silent …
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