Breaking the cycle of pain: practical steps to improve medical training

Education
March 6, 2025

Medical training is hard for everyone, but faculty and administration influence trainee success—and have the power to drive change.

This article follows “The hidden cost of medical training: Debt, depression, and despair,” which left one crucial question unanswered: What can be done to improve medical training?

The answer is simple, but not easy: We must fix it.

Mending what’s broken

While mindfulness, meditation, and resilience are valuable tools, they’re too often used to …

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How poor doctor-patient communication leads to worse outcomes [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 5, 2025
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Family physician Pamela Buchanan discusses her article, “How poor communication is killing patients and burning out doctors,” exploring the devastating impact of unclear or avoided conversations in health care. Pamela shares firsthand …

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Do microplastics cause dementia?

Conditions
March 5, 2025

Let’s begin by understanding the scope of the dementia problem: According to data from Alzheimer’s Disease International, before you finish reading this sentence, someone, somewhere in the world will have developed dementia. Here comes another sentence, and there goes another new case of dementia. There goes another. And so on.

In 2020, the organization estimated that more than fifty-five million people across the globe were suffering from dementia. What’s more, this …

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Understanding Ramadan: a guide for dermatologists treating Muslim patients

Physician
March 5, 2025

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 …

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Why friendships fade: Understanding the seasons of life

Physician
March 5, 2025

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 …

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Our transgender patients need our advocacy now

Physician
March 5, 2025

(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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How to combat the rise of health care ransomware [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 4, 2025
YouTube video

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Health care executive Cecil Pineda discusses his article, “Under siege: the escalating ransomware crisis in health care,” examining the alarming rise in cyberattacks on hospitals and health systems. Cecil highlights the growing …

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Why your EHR’s certification matters more than you think

Tech
March 4, 2025

Modern EHRs and “CEHRT”

Electronic health records (EHRs) and their role in modern health care are inescapable today. But have you ever stopped to ask: Is my EHR certified? And more importantly, why does that matter?

As any EHR user knows, not all EHRs are created equal. A little-known differentiator is that some systems are Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT), while a growing number of newer systems are not. If you’ve …

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AI agents in health care: Balancing innovation, trust, and evidence-based implementation

Tech
March 4, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents significantly transform health care by automating routine tasks, enhancing clinical decision-making, and reducing administrative burdens. These intelligent systems are increasingly applied in medical documentation, diagnostics, and patient engagement, offering substantial potential for improved patient outcomes and reduced physician burnout.

However, substantial challenges in establishing trust, regulation, and evidence-based validation remain critical to achieving widespread adoption. AI in health care has received considerable attention, but clinical …

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Artificial intelligence in health care: What your patients want to know

Tech
March 4, 2025

Most patients feel it is important to be informed when artificial intelligence (AI) will play a role in their care. Although most anticipate that AI will make health care at least somewhat better in the next five years, many express concerns about misdiagnosis, privacy breaches, unintended consequences of AI, and increased costs.

These mixed feelings highlight the importance of addressing patient concerns and providing clear, accessible information. To help patients better …

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How doctors’ words can make or break patient care

Physician
March 4, 2025

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 …

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The infamous Corrupted Blood incident: What a World of Warcraft computer game pandemic can teach physicians about public health crises

Physician
March 4, 2025

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 …

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Why physicians must uphold their oath in challenging times [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 3, 2025
YouTube video

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Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician, discusses her article, “Doctors, grounded in our oath, must act now more than ever,” reflecting on the physician’s solemn commitment to patient care, integrity, and …

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What’s going on with left-sided breast cancer: a curious phenomenon

Conditions
March 3, 2025

In clinical research, chart review is nearly as familiar as daily functions like walking or breathing. My days are full of identifying missing variables, finding them in the electronic medical records, then documenting them in my meticulously organized data sheets. However, during these chart reviews, my mind tries to find a way to break out of autopilot by looking for trends in the data. That’s how I recently noticed the …

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Maternal ambivalence: the side of motherhood no one talks about

Conditions
March 3, 2025

An excerpt from Maternal Ambivalence: The Loving Moments & Bitter Truths of Motherhood.

What is maternal ambivalence?

Motherhood is a messy, loving process, filled with complicated and conflicting feelings that, though it’s hard to admit to, can even include passing moments of hate. The struggle a mother faces as she recognizes troublesome feelings equally allows her to discover new ways to engage with her child. This investigation of the mother within …

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Combating cognitive dissonance in medicine

Physician
March 3, 2025

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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How innovation can reduce disparities in cancer care [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 2, 2025
YouTube video

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Physician executive Shamar Young discusses his article, “Geographic disparities in advanced cancer care: a call for innovation,” highlighting the uneven access to emerging cancer treatments across different health care systems. Shamar explores …

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The truth about FEMA: a lifeline in disaster response

Policy
March 2, 2025

We heard of Hurricane Irma only a handful of days before it smacked straight through 5th Avenue in my hometown. The predicted storm paths sent the hurricane sweeping through Miami—across the coast. When the storm path shifted, it was almost too late for my family to evacuate. Its 180 mph winds and 10–15 foot storm surge were catastrophic, costing the lives of 84 people.

It was the coordinated response of the …

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Learning the language of medicine: from student to fluent physician

Physician
March 2, 2025

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. …

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New dietary guidelines should prioritize plants and healthy beverages

Conditions
March 2, 2025

As both a physician and a certified culinary medicine specialist, I know firsthand how a nutritious diet can prevent and treat diet-related diseases. Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions are becoming increasingly more common. Over and over, the science tells us that a low-fat vegan diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, can help patients suffering from these conditions. Physicians can do our part to help patients use …

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