“Today is the first day of the rest of my life!”
I’m sure you’ve heard that many times before; I’m sure I have. But in my obscure point of existence in this endless universe, that statement has never been more accurate than it is today.
Being a physician has been a flame burning inside my chest my entire life. I decided on it when I was three years old, and aside from …
A doctor’s path to recognizing her own humanity
In 1999, Sally Clark was convicted of murder. Her son, Christopher, had been born in September of 1996 and by all accounts, had been a healthy baby. Just three months later, an ambulance was called to the home, and the baby was dead.
The mother, Sally, said that she had just put him to bed and found him unresponsive not long after. The police were suspicious; she seemed a little cold …
Medical malpractice or miscarriage of justice? A doctor’s ordeal.
Advocacy plays a vital role in medicine, especially primary care. It means differently for different people in health care. Health advocacy is defined as “the processes by which the actions of individuals or groups attempt to bring about social and organizational change on behalf of a particular health goal, program, interest, or population.” In an article by Mark Ernest et al., they propose the definition of physician …
Health care advocacy: physicians as changemakers
I am an OB/GYN and no stranger to malpractice litigation. As beleaguered as you may feel when you are sued for medical malpractice, the next hurdle to conquer after you are served is when you realize that your own attorney is prepared to throw you under the bus.
You do not deserve this. Whether a complication is an error of nature or a medical error, a complication always precedes a lawsuit. …
From now on, doctors will not be thrown under the bus when they are sued for medical malpractice
Being a first-generation immigrant growing up in the conservative South, I followed the “traditional” vision board. At the age of 40, I reached the American dream: successful mommy doctor entrepreneur, married, raising three kids, living in an affluent neighborhood, driving an environmentally friendly vehicle, investing in real estate, traveling the world, and making yearly charitable contributions.
I made it! OK, great, now what?
My knee-jerk reaction was: Now you do more.
You work …
A new vision for success beyond the American dream
As soon as my stethoscope makes contact with her chest wall, I can hear the wheezing. Not quite as loud as last time, but still there, persistently announcing itself with every exhale. I step back and look into her brown eyes, which are searching mine, filled with a mixture of hope and fear.
“How is your breathing?” I ask Greta (name changed).
“A little worse,” Greta admits. She goes on to tell …
A physician’s compassion in action
Burnout and visceral discontent are rapidly becoming the most pressing crises for modern health care professionals. The reported rates of burnout and work dissatisfaction exceed 50 percent in practically every specialty of medicine, regardless of the stage of training or career. The impact of COVID on health care professionals, and physicians in particular, is beginning to become clear. The U.S. alone lost over 100,000 physicians to retirement or other careers …
Breaking free: Health care workers pursuing purpose-driven careers
An excerpt from Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine: Finding Purpose, Fulfillment, and Happiness in Today’s Medical Industry.
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”
– Maya Angelou
When I was experiencing burnout, I felt something was wrong with me. I kept questioning myself.
Why couldn’t I fulfill all the demands …
Discover the secrets to regaining joy in medicine
We all do it at one time or another.
Maybe the office or clinic is closed, but you’re on call, waiting for the phone to ring and take your attention away from family, friends, and festivities.
Is it a source of stress, or have you learned to go with the flow?
There are many things that trigger us in medicine and in life.
In the first few years as an attending physician, holidays were …
How to thrive in medicine during festive seasons
Before delving into the heart of joy’s pursuit, it’s essential to grasp the complexities faced by medical professionals in today’s health care environment. The modern health care system, with all its advancements, presents unique challenges that can often overshadow the intrinsic joys of the profession.
The burden of bureaucracy. One of the significant hindrances to joy in medicine is the ever-increasing administrative demands. Doctors find themselves spending more time on paperwork and …
The challenge of seeking joy: Navigating the current health care maze
Are you satisfied with your health benefits plan? That’s one of the many questions asked of over 2,000 employers, running large and small businesses, by the annual survey from KFF. Approximately 153 million workers and their families receive health benefits from employers in the U.S. Therefore, the survey results offer a window on the current satisfaction (or lack thereof) of health plans, whether by self-insured entities or as part …
Employer health plans need a makeover
The banner in front of the ED where I work proclaims “magnet hospital.” “Magnet” status tells patients and visitors that the care from nurses (and ED technicians and patient care associates staff under their auspices) is so good that the ED should be a magnet, attracting patients and nurses to come here and inspiring other EDs emulation.
For many years, our ED’s annual census has been 100,000 patients. One might think …
From task-oriented to goal-driven: the power of habits in “magnet” hospitals
The alarming rise in physicians resigning from their roles is a testament to the severity of the crisis. Where physicians were once the pillars of health care, delivering vital services to their communities, they now find themselves struggling with diminishing job satisfaction, declining productivity, and inadequate self-care routines. The result is a mass exodus from the profession, leading to a shortage of health care professionals and jeopardizing patient care.
The advent …
Why physicians are leaving: Exploring the burnout crisis
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As a child, I was a daydreamer, especially in algebra class. Picture this: my teacher, reminiscent of Droopy Dog but on a heavy dose of barbiturates, droned on from the textbook. And just like that, my mind would escape – soaring out of the window of my quaint Midwestern high school, wandering around the courtyard square.
Back then, several businesses on the square were small physician offices. You could spot white-coated …
The lost dream of a small-town doctor
After watching most of the five-plus hours of the December 5th congressional hearing on the state of antisemitism at three of the U.S.’ top universities – Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and MIT – I’ve concluded that unfortunately, the sound bites replayed in the media are not one-liners taken out of context, but spot-on summations.
As my husband and I prepare for our oldest son to reach a tremendous milestone in less …
Safety on campus, except for Jews: a parent and psychiatrist’s perspective
I want to preface this story by stating that Sarah has given written authorization to share her story, allowing my colleague and me to transform a challenging experience into a valuable lesson in the inevitability of mistakes and the profound capacity for forgiveness and growth.
Ten years ago, I was approached by a distressed physician and colleague who had unintentionally harmed a patient during the course of an elective colon operation. …
Humanism in health care: How to address patient harm
First, it’s essential to understand that your prosecution doesn’t define you as a person. Most likely, the DEA never bothered to speak with you before deciding to arrest and prosecute you. Even if they did, the decision to prosecute you had been made long before any conversation took place. Your prosecution is the result of a long and strategic process, one in which the very notions of truth and justice …
America’s pain management nightmare: How the DEA shaped the opioid epidemic
Imagine this scenario.
You’re negotiating the sale of your widget. Despite your earnest efforts, you hit a deadlock. The buyer, after consulting an expert on “fair market value” for widget prices, firmly states they won’t purchase your widget for $5.
In a new tactic, you turn away from the customer, shed your white coat, don a pair of Groucho Marx glasses, and pivot back.
“I’m the CEO of WidgetCorp. Ten bucks, take it …
The middleman dilemma in health care
I’ve read countless articles, posts, blogs, and books over the past year and a half, written by physicians, and I’ve learned an incredible amount!
Every physician’s voice is special, distinct, and remarkable.
Why write? Write for yourself. Many articles, including at least one study by the American Psychological Association, speak to writing as being a powerful tool for stress relief and healing.
Some physicians write as part of a gratitude practice, some write …
Why write? Physicians share their stories of healing through writing.
As a West Virginia primary care doctor, I frequently—read: daily—find myself in uncomfortable situations. A few recent events, however, are out of the ordinary, even by the standards to which I am accustomed. Though unique to Martinsburg, WV, I expect similar themes in myriad offices across American health care. If your job resembles mine, I wonder if you feel as lost as I am, though I’m not sure where we …
A doctor struggles to provide mental health care in Appalachia
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