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The hidden cost of health care: How rising debt threatens your access to care

Policy

March 21, 2025

Before a discussion of entitlements and welfare programs is started, a primer on the fiscal situation of the country seems appropriate. Service on the national debt is now second only to Social Security as a government expenditure. The debt is now about $36 trillion. Government revenues are 18 percent of GDP. Spending is 25 percent of GDP. Seventy-six percent of spending has been mandatory, leaving 24 percent as discretionary. The …

Match Day 2025: Safeguarding the future of medical students amid crisis [PODCAST]

American College of Physicians & The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 21, 2025

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Janet A. Jokela, an infectious disease physician, discusses her article, “Match Day 2025: Protecting our students’ futures.” She explores the unprecedented challenges facing medical students, including a U.S. measles outbreak, censorship at …

When caring for pets becomes a life lesson

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

March 21, 2025

I had two bunnies over a year ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a proper environment for them, just a large cage in the courtyard. During the day, they would roam freely, and I would lock them in the cage at night for their safety.

They were very dear to me. I talked to them, cuddled them, and let them eat whatever I ate. They loved eating from my hands. …

Riding out a frivolous lawsuit: a physician’s experience with medical malpractice claims

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

March 21, 2025

On August 6, 2021, a medical malpractice lawsuit was filed against me. The case involved care I provided between June 29, 2018, and August 3, 2018, while I was an employee at a medical weight loss clinic in Bethesda, Maryland. I resigned from that clinic in November 2018 due to concerns I had about my employer.

The complaint alleged that the patient was defrauded, hospitalized, sustained liver damage, suffered …

Pain as a messenger: What your skin is telling you [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 20, 2025

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Osteopathic physician Amelia L. Bueche discusses her article, “From skin to soul: What pain reveals about our health.” In this episode, Amelia delves into the skin’s role as the body’s largest organ …

5 steps to ride out a non-compete without uprooting your family

Stanley Liu, MD

Finance

March 20, 2025

In 2025, I celebrated a monumental milestone: I saw a patient within 20 miles of my home. While this may be a daily occurrence for most physicians, it was something I could not do for 18 months due to a non-compete clause from my previous job.

When I left my position as an academic cardiologist, I was bound by a non-compete clause that prevented me from practicing cardiology within …

How couples counseling helps break the cycle of conflict

Maire Daugharty, MD

Conditions

March 20, 2025

Language is the architecture of our perception. It impacts the way we experience ourselves in relation to others, the moments that make up our daily lives, and why we emphasize one input while ignoring others. I first learned this in a linguistics course that explored the difference between, for example, “I dropped the book” in one language versus “the book fell from me” in another. This shows up in intimate …

The hidden burden of pulmonary embolism in Africa

Princess Benson

Conditions

March 20, 2025

In 2025, we will commemorate 77 years since the death of one of America’s most influential presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. He was the 26th and youngest president of the United States, succeeding William McKinley. Roosevelt was a pioneer of peace, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 after successfully mediating the end of the war between Japan and Russia. He accomplished many great things for the people of America and the …

What every physician should know before buying into a medical practice

Dennis Hursh, Esq

Finance

March 20, 2025

If you have been offered the opportunity to buy into a medical practice, congratulations! For most physicians, this will be a tremendous opportunity. Being offered an ownership interest indicates that the current owners recognize your worth and are inviting you to “join the club.” It is hard to imagine a greater validation from your peers.

At the same time, physicians do need to protect themselves from a bad deal. In my …

When state legislators are given the opportunity, they vote overwhelmingly for doctor autonomy in pain treatment

Richard A. Lawhern, PhD

Policy

March 20, 2025

As I have written elsewhere, the United States is now embroiled in a highly contentious debate concerning the causes of the so-called “opioid crisis.” Prescribing guidelines updated in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Veterans Administration (VA) have become the basis for continuing scientifically unsupported restrictions on patient access to long-term prescription opioid therapy. Doctors …

Why abuse in health care is forcing doctors to leave the profession [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 19, 2025

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Psychiatrist Devina Maya Wadhwa discusses her article, “How abuse in health care is driving doctors out of medicine.” In this episode, Devina shares her experiences as a physician working in acute care …

Medical curriculum 2.0: Integrating technology and innovation in medical education

Rishma Jivan, Omar Lateef, DO, and Bala Hota, MD

Education

March 19, 2025

Just as society has been transformed by technology solutions driven by connectivity and ubiquitous information, medical practice is undergoing a digital transformation that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s medical students will practice in a world where technology is a more integrated part of health care; technology and innovation should become a cornerstone of medical education and training. This proactive approach will prepare future physicians for the technology-driven health …

From burnout to breakthrough: How a coaching culture transforms health care

Lisa Herbert, MD

Physician

March 19, 2025

Last year, 54 percent of physicians reported symptoms of burnout. Behind that statistic are thousands of dedicated professionals who entered health care to help people, only to find themselves drained.

I know because I was one of them.

I’m going to share how transforming my approach to leadership through coaching not only saved my career but can revolutionize outcomes across our entire health care system.

The dark side of whistleblowing: When false claims ruin lives

Shakeel Ahmed, MD

Physician

March 19, 2025

“Joh taar se nikli hai, woh dhuun saab nein suni hai.
Joh saaz pey guzri hai, woh kis dil ko pataa hai.

Everyone hears the cries of the chords,
No one knows what the instrument endures.”
—Asian verse

Whistleblowers are moral warriors. These are people with superior work ethics who come forward to report ethical and legal violations at their places of …

How vaccine hesitancy is bringing back deadly childhood diseases

Robert Bettis, MD

Conditions

March 19, 2025

Measles was first identified as a virus in the early 20th century. This disease caused significant morbidity and mortality. A measles vaccine was first introduced in 1963, using a live virus strain developed from a child who had measles.

In the 1970s and 1980s, many countries began implementing widespread measles vaccination programs as part of their childhood immunization schedules. The measles vaccine is usually administered as a combination vaccine, …

Why leaving medicine feels like escaping a cult [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 18, 2025

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Former OB/GYN resident and physician coach Chelsea Turgeon discusses her article, “Why does leaving medicine feel like escaping a cult?” In this episode, Chelsea shares her personal journey of resigning from residency …

Inside the calling of a pediatric intensivist: a life of sacrifice and purpose

Steffi Gauguet, MD, PhD

Physician

March 18, 2025

It is more than our job,
Our profession,
Our specialty.

It is our life,
Our calling,
Our vocation—
A privilege.

Taking care of the sickest of the sickest children,
The most hurt,
The most wounded,
The most injured,
The most vulnerable among us,
The most precious of human …

The key to longevity: fitness, mindset, and nutrition

Francisco M. Torres, MD

Conditions

March 18, 2025

An excerpt from Embracing Fitness as You Age: Maintaining a Healthy and Active Lifestyle Beyond Sixty.

We do not often hear that joy, vitality, and physical strength can thrive after age sixty. In a society that idolizes youth, people too often assume that decline with age is inevitable. However, many individuals challenge these misconceptions by embracing fitness and well-being at any stage of life.

Each year, individuals embark on transformative fitness …

Physicians must innovate and focus on medicine’s core, not chores

Grace E. Terrell, MD, MMM

Physician

March 18, 2025

Recently at the clinic where I’ve practiced for more than 30 years, the entire team became temporarily paralyzed by an IT glitch as a result of an upgrade, affecting the six-state organization. We weren’t able to use our EHR system. With the waiting room full of patients, we knew we had to move forward in rooming patients and switching to paper documentation. Our core mission is to take care of …