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What if a doctor didn’t wash their hands between patients?

Physician

February 28, 2025

I’ve been an emergency room doctor for 35 years. I have probably washed my hands over 150,000 times. What the heck? How much is enough? What would happen if I just didn’t wash my hands?

Well, first, the hand-washing police (yes, there is such a thing … they wander around the hospital watching for clinicians who don’t wash their hands) would record that I had committed a violation, and I would …

Enhancing early language skills with focused attention [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 27, 2025

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Pediatrician John D. Michael discusses his article, “How attention therapy transforms speech delay in young children.” In this engaging conversation, John explains that sustained attention is crucial for developing effective speech and …

Why many hospitals refuse to pay market value for radiology until it’s too late

Anonymous

Physician

February 27, 2025

Nationwide, radiology groups are approaching hospitals and asking for massive subsidies to maintain their radiology coverage. Much of the time, hospital administrators and CEOs balk and would prefer to drag their feet or try to replace the group rather than pay market rates for radiological services. These hospitals end up paying double or even triple for worse coverage with some of the same radiologists—while those radiologists end up making much …

The buzz around GSI disability insurance for residents: Why it’s gaining popularity and how to take advantage

Set for Life Insurance

Finance

February 27, 2025

This article is sponsored by Set for Life Insurance, helping over 30,000 physicians with life and disability insurance needs since 1993. Get the best available policies at discounted rates. Request a quote today.

For physicians in training, few financial decisions are as important as securing disability insurance. Your future …

A cold evening and the lesson a child selling eggs taught me

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

February 27, 2025

I was leaving the mall after purchasing a gift for a friend. Her birthday was the next day, and after spending hours searching for the perfect present, I finally bought an expensive wallet that I was sure she would love.

It was a chilly evening, and as soon as I left the mall, I immediately felt the real intensity of the cold. The heating system inside the mall had masked the …

Tobacco tactics in modern cannabis marketing [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 26, 2025

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Pediatrician Gary Kirkilas discusses his article, “Cannabis advertising takes a page from the tobacco playbook.” In this conversation, Gary explains how legal cannabis companies are adopting tactics once used by tobacco companies …

The cost-driver in every medical malpractice lawsuit

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

February 26, 2025

“Whatever is measured is managed” is the fundamental principle in management science. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in a small, obscure reciprocal insurance company in Washington, D.C., once the provider of choice for two-thirds of all doctors in Washington, D.C.

For it, the writing is on the wall in 2001. It is rated “AMB3” by AM Best. This corresponds to an “adequate ability to pay short-term financial obligations.” In 2004, …

How do you know when it’s time to leave clinical practice?

Maureen Gibbons, MD

Physician

February 26, 2025

Some physicians have a clear moment when they know they’re done with clinical practice. A good friend of mine left emergency medicine just five years after residency—she simply knew it was time. There was no doubt, no wavering. She saw the road ahead, and it wasn’t one she wanted to keep traveling. When I said my ego loved the job, one of her comments resonated deeply: “But there’s more to …

Patient choice vs. patient life: Which is the greater good?

M. Bennet Broner, PhD

Physician

February 26, 2025

In a 2023 study, researchers explored the medical needs of elderly, mentally deficient individuals who lived alone. A common comment by interviewed physicians was that they knew some patients required greater supervision or care, but they acceded to patient choices to return home. Are clinicians placing too great an emphasis on competency and patient rights rather than on patient well-being?

Everyone knows the phrase: “First, do no harm.” Yet today, deciding …

Exploring the long-term impacts of physician suicide on patients and doctors [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 25, 2025

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Physician advocate Kim Downey and family physician Todd Otten discuss their article, “Long-term impacts of physician suicide on patients and doctors.” In this engaging conversation, Kim shares her personal experiences with the …

How DNA and hormones shape who we are

Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD

Conditions

February 25, 2025

We move into every new year carrying beliefs from previous years. Scientific confusion and unresolved questions can sometimes cause society and families to become intellectually and emotionally divided.

Centuries ago, we thought the Earth was flat and the center of the universe, and we feared that sailing exploration would send us over the edge of a cliff. Sir Isaac Newton tried to explain gravity, but now this discussion extends even further …

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How DNA and hormones shape who we are

Why diversity in medicine saves lives

Pamela Buchanan, MD

Physician

February 25, 2025

When I was a brand-new doctor, I was fresh, eager, and determined to succeed. I grew up poor, so I worked and worked—full-time during the week and taking travel assignments on weekends to make ends meet. Many of these travel assignments were in areas with less diverse populations, places where I was often the only Black doctor in the hospital.

One such assignment took me to Hannibal, Missouri, the …

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Why diversity in medicine saves lives

Defining my own future: a doctor’s journey through health care turmoil

Dr. Hong Bi Yoon

Physician

February 25, 2025

I was an aspiring internist, then became an aesthetic physician, and now I am preparing to train abroad. This is the story of how I had to make life-changing decisions as a doctor to survive in this ever-changing world.

In August 2020, as a fifth-year medical student, I experienced my first doctor’s strike. I remember standing under the scorching summer sun, chanting slogans in protest. The conflict? A standoff between medical …

Rethinking time management: Finding balance in a physician’s life [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 24, 2025

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Family physician Laura Suttin discusses her KevinMD article, “An argument against time management.” In this episode, Laura explores the pressures physicians face in trying to adhere to strict time management practices, which …

Empowering our children with financial literacy: Raising bold thought leaders and compassionate changemakers

Michele Cho-Dorado, MD

Finance

February 24, 2025

We, as physicians, dedicate years to rigorous education and training to excel in our chosen specialties. We endure periods of sleepless nights, poor nutrition, personal sacrifices, time constraints, and modest pay. For many, this journey is further compounded by the significant burden of student loan debt. We do this with the expectation that we will be able to make up for lost time later. Yet, too often, when financial stability …

Transform your year: How movement and self-care change everything

Stephanie Wellington, MD

Physician

February 24, 2025

Moving into the new year, I’m carrying forward the lessons that help me stay aligned with my goals and take meaningful action. But this time, I’m doing it differently. I’m moving with ease and flow. The years of stress and striving? That phase of my life is over, and I am fully embracing a new way of being.

How do I know?

Because stress does not serve me. …

Beyond chemotherapy: a story of resilience, faith, and quality of life

Rita Assi, MD

Physician

February 24, 2025

In 2023, Peggy, a vibrant 63-year-old woman, entered my life under the most challenging of circumstances. She was diagnosed with inv(3) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive and relentless disease, and faced a grim prognosis. From our very first conversation, I knew Peggy was different. She exuded strength, determination, and an unyielding zest for life.

AML with inv(3) is a rare and particularly life-threatening subtype of acute leukemia associated with primary …

Why are only physicians prosecuted under HIPAA? [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 23, 2025

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

Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his KevinMD article, “The criminal enforcement of HIPAA.” In this episode, Muhamad delves into the escalating electronic breaches of protected health information and the lack of accountability for large organizations responsible for these violations. He highlights several high-profile cases where physicians …

Advancing health care through physician leadership: 5 skills for changing health care

Susannah Eastwick

Finance

February 23, 2025

No one knows for sure what’s coming in health care in the months ahead, but one thing is clear: The landscape in 2025 will undoubtedly be changing—and challenging. For physicians and others working in such fields, this is not new but an acceleration of recent trends. External factors, like the COVID-19 pandemic, and internal, more systemic ones have increasingly taken power away from doctors—impacting everything from patient care to physician …

Why pursue a dual degree in medicine and policy?

Sydney Sharp

Education

February 23, 2025

As a third-year medical student pursuing both an MD and an MS in public policy, I am often asked, “Why add another graduate degree when medicine is already so demanding?” Wrapping up my first semester of policy graduate school, I’ve been reflecting on that choice. For those considering applying to dual-degree programs, this is a time to ask not only where you want to go but how you can make …

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