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Why blaming doctors won’t fix the U.S. health care crisis

Physician

March 9, 2025

The tragic and shocking murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO has ignited a nationwide conversation about the flaws in the health care system, often accompanied by misdirected anger toward physicians. The rhetoric suggesting that physician salaries are the root of the problem oversimplifies a complex issue and distracts from systemic failures.

Physician salaries account for only about 8 percent of …

How a simple habit changed my entire medical career

Stephanie Wellington, MD

Physician

March 9, 2025

It became my go-to daily practice and changed everything.

Mondays and me: a rocky start

For years, I dreaded Mondays. They felt like a tidal wave of catch-up work after the weekend.

During fellowship, the schedule was structured so that one fellow covered the entire weekend. This setup gave the others a real break—time to rest, recover, and reconnect with family and friends. But then …

The future of clinical trials: Are we ready?

Cristy Miles, MPH, MBA

Tech

March 9, 2025

Clinical trials have traditionally served as the cornerstone of medical advancements, yet the industry is now undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), decentralized trial designs, and evolving regulatory frameworks are paving the way for a more efficient, accessible, and technologically advanced future. However, as we embrace these changes, an important question remains—are we fully prepared for what lies ahead?

The shift to decentralized trials

One …

How vague termination clauses can ruin a doctor’s career [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 8, 2025

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

Health law attorney Dennis Hursh discusses his article, “Doctors beware: How vague contracts put your job at risk,” revealing how poorly defined termination clauses in physician employment agreements leave doctors vulnerable to …

Advancing drug discount programs starts with collaboration and clarity

Gavin Magaha, PharmD

Meds

March 8, 2025

The 340B drug discount program was enacted more than 30 years ago to lower the cost of medications so providers could deliver more comprehensive services for vulnerable patients. As care delivery has evolved greatly over that time, the program has not appropriately changed to match it and is no longer effectively meeting its original intent. The program’s rapid growth and misaligned incentives have led to a muddied, complex system with …

How I moved to Europe while keeping my U.S. physician job

Contract Diagnostics

Physician

March 8, 2025

Have you ever thought about moving to Europe?

Life has bogged you down a little. Your job may get boring. Are you feeling the drag of burnout? Try something different, have a new experience, and mix things up.

But the biggest problem? You’re a physician.

Fortunately, physicians in the U.S. enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world. There is no need to worry about searching …

The personalization of cancer care in 2025

Yousuf Zafar, MD

Conditions

March 8, 2025

In the past 50 years, cancer in many cases has morphed from a certain death sentence into a chronic illness. However, cancer is unlike other chronic conditions. There are hundreds of different cancers, classified by where they start in the body and how their cells behave. To turn cancer from an acute, life-ending illness into a chronic one, we now understand that cancer must be treated with a targeted, personalized …

Balancing love and sacrifice in a physician’s journey

Julie F. Solimine and Albert E. Zhou, MD, PhD

Physician

March 8, 2025

As a biology major in undergrad, people would often ask me if I intended to pursue medicine as my future career. I never hesitated to tell them no. It wasn’t for me: The years of training, the debt, the delayed income, the prospect of matching to a location that was unfavorable for me, the lack of control over my own schedule. Not to mention the pressure of caring for patients …

How generative AI can transform cardiovascular disease prevention [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 7, 2025

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

Cardiology and preventive medicine fellow Anand Shah discusses his article, “The role generative AI can play in cardiovascular education for patients,” exploring how artificial intelligence can revolutionize patient education and prevention strategies. …

Violence in health care: Why doctors and nurses are leaving

Harry Severance, MD

Physician

March 7, 2025

I was recently asked what I thought were some of the biggest evolving obstacles to physicians and health care in 2024 and beyond.

My answer:

Health care has become America’s most dangerous profession due to workplace violence, with health care workers now being five times more likely to be assaulted “on the job” …

How a medical school gym transformed my perspective on burnout

Maureen Gibbons, MD

Physician

March 7, 2025

Etched on the wall of our medical school gym was a quote by Marcel Proust:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

At first glance, it seemed like an unusual choice for a gym—more philosophy than motivation. But over time, as we pushed ourselves on the treadmill, lifted weights, or found solace in a quiet stretch after a grueling day, the meaning of …

Why patients need a registered dietitian on their health care team

Ava Safir, JD, RDN & Kim Downey, PT & Meg Whitbeck, RDN

Conditions

March 7, 2025

How’s your cholesterol? Are you getting enough protein? Do you even know? Whether you’re a doctor, a patient, or both, you may be missing out on the powerful benefits of a registered dietitian.

Recently, I received lab results that were concerning, and my doctor suggested adding another medication. I’m focused on reducing medications, so I wanted to explore all possible ways to improve my numbers safely without adding to my pill …

The inspiring journey of a medical physicist and her unbreakable friendship

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

March 7, 2025

M has always been very close to me. She joined our hospital’s oncology department over ten years ago as a radiation technologist. Currently, she works as a medical physicist in our department and is the only female physicist in our hospital.

Her presence here is not due to luck or extraordinary circumstances; she has dedicated immense effort to her career. While many of her peers in the same position remain in …

How illegal cosmetic procedures are putting patients at risk [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 6, 2025

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

Physician and author Kate Dee discusses her article, “Medspa madness: How illegal practices are putting patients in peril” and book, Med Spa Mayhem: The Good, …

What happens if medical malpractice attorneys take over

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

March 6, 2025

Senator Dick Durbin proudly describes his career in the following quote: “Before I was elected to Congress, I worked in a courtroom. For years, I defended doctors and hospitals, and for years, I sued them on behalf of people who were victims of medical malpractice.”

Thirty percent, 131 members, of the House of Representatives and 51 percent, 51 members, of the Senate are lawyers. Senator Durbin is one of 182 lawyers …

Why ADHD kids struggle and how we can truly help

Paige Kalika, DO

Conditions

March 6, 2025

How do I talk to my kid about ADHD?

You’re not alone. Your child’s pediatrician should be your first stop in this journey. As a neurospicy pediatric neurologist with an ADHD child, this is how I discuss this topic with my patients and their families.

The first thing I ask my patients is, “Are you trying harder?” Because that’s what we keep telling them to do—try harder! Every single child nods eagerly …

Physicians are not quitting medicine—they are expanding their impact

Jawaria Suhail, MD

Physician

March 6, 2025

The moment I was born, my future was decided for me—I was going to be a doctor. My mother had made up her mind, and from that point forward, my path seemed clear: medical school, residency, patient care for life. That was the blueprint.

For many physicians, this is the only path we have ever known. Medicine is not just a career; it is an identity, a commitment, a calling. But …

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

Janet Constance Coleman-Belin

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 …

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

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

March 5, 2025

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

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 …

Do microplastics cause dementia?

Marc Arginteanu, MD

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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Do microplastics cause dementia?