Residency reshaped: the courageous journey of switching specialties

Physician
August 8, 2023

“Don’t leave. There are miserable people in this world, and then ones more miserable than the others. My assessment is that you’re in the second category.”

Although it has been over a decade since I resigned from my ophthalmology residency after completing my PGY-2 year, I still remember this attending physician’s words and how they reverberated in my consciousness. I was terrified at his prophecy. Earlier that week, I had requested …

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Don’t become a poor doctor

Finance
August 8, 2023

Do you know what most financial advisors say about doctors and how they manage their money?

It is not pretty.

I have been in those conversations, and stereotypical doctor stories come out.

Impulsive purchases, lack of knowledge, and easy to manipulate into poor investments are just a few of the things I have heard.

Now, in our defense, we spend ten or more years studying to become a doctor and, one day after residency, …

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A love letter to the doctor I was

Physician
August 8, 2023

I recently returned to the hospital where I had first worked as an attending. Everything felt different. It seemed darker and smaller, reminiscent of the feeling when you revisit your elementary school, and the water fountains appear almost touching the ground, making you feel like a giant.

I walked through the same door I had used countless times over ten years, yet it now seemed more like a portal. The floor, …

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The case for ABIM’s maintenance of certification program

Physician
August 8, 2023

A recent post on KevinMD put forward “the case for eliminating recertification by the ABIM,” in which the author expressed a number of concerns about the relevancy, time commitment and cost of maintaining certification. I have good news for the author: His concerns have already been addressed by ABIM over the last several years.

Allow me to share my case for ABIM’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.

Like the author of …

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Shame behind the stethoscope [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 7, 2023
YouTube video

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We welcome William Lynes, a urologist, who shares his powerful and personal story. William opens up about his battle with burnout, mental illness, and multiple suicide attempts. From his successful career to the devastating medical events that …

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From buzzer beaters to critical care

Physician
August 7, 2023

Twenty-four is the number of hours in a day that you have to change someone’s life, and it’s also the jersey number of my favorite basketball player, Kobe Bryant. Basketball has always been a passion of mine, and my desire to compete is the source of my relentless, driven attitude. The fundamentals of basketball entail rigorous training, critical analysis of opponents, working well under pressure, and most importantly, teamwork.

At 3:30 …

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Locum tenens agreements for physicians

Conditions
August 7, 2023

Locum tenens agreements can be useful to physicians in many circumstances. In addition to serving as a way to supplement your income during vacations, physicians often enter locum tenens agreements between jobs, to provide income while waiting for interviews or for credentialing to be completed at a new position.

In many ways, reviewing a locum tenens agreement is similar to reviewing a physician employment agreement, but there are unique aspects to …

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Discovering healing through storytelling

Conditions
August 7, 2023

Many arise each day with a scenario of expectations to be achieved. For those individuals of working age, some of these expectations revolve around our jobs, put into place by our employers over which we have little to no control. But what about those narratives, those stories, that we tell ourselves in the middle of the night or the ones that pop into our heads in the middle of the …

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The untold struggles of a surgical fellow

Physician
August 7, 2023

My experiences with mental illness have been intimately tied with my experiences of being a surgical trainee. If you read my medical chart, you will see diagnoses like postpartum depression, generalized anxiety, and adjustment disorder. If you read my residency rotation reviews, you will read descriptors like “hardworking,” “reliable,” and “good team leader.” You would not guess that I almost quit residency less than a year from graduating because I …

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Providing care to conflicting beliefs [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 6, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Tyler Jorgensen, an emergency medicine and palliative care physician, and discover the profound insights he shares on the value of home visits in patient care. Explore the complexities of handling challenging situations, such as encountering conflicting …

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Improving patient and population health insight through next-generation tokenization of real-world data

Tech
August 6, 2023

Big Data in health care has the potential to drastically improve patient-level insights when combined with personalized patient data. Understanding a patient’s whole health journey is critical to conducting impactful research, making the right diagnosis, clinical decision support, and securing health equity for individuals and communities; however, the ability to uncover actionable insights from Big Data can prove to be elusive. To harness the full potential of Big Data, stakeholders …

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Kaiser-Geisinger vs. Amazon, Walmart, CVS: Who will reign supreme?

Policy
August 6, 2023

For decades, research studies and news stories have concluded the American system is ineffective, too expensive and falling further behind its international peers in important measures of performance: life expectancy, chronic-disease management and incidence of medical error.

As patients and health care professionals search for viable alternatives to the status quo, a recent mega-merger is raising new questions about the future of medicine.

In April, Read more…

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Pain and laughter for a veteran patient

Physician
August 6, 2023

Mr. Sampson, a 70-year-old man with a history of diabetes, was referred to us by his primary care physician for nerve conduction studies. He had been experiencing increasing numbness in his right hand for the past year and had recently started having trouble playing his beloved guitar. As a Vietnam War veteran, he had a fascinating story to tell.

As I approached him in the waiting room, he greeted me with …

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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and regenerative injection therapy [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 5, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Francisco M. Torres, an interventional physiatrist, and Felix S. Linetsky, a pain management physician, as they delve into the world of chronic pain and its often misunderstood connection to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). They discuss the challenges …

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How doctors prioritize family and career with “physician third”

Education
August 5, 2023

As I reflect on the concept of work-life “balance,” I realize that trying to integrate clinical and home responsibilities may feel like a juggling act while unicycling on a high wire. Instead, what we need is work-life “stability”; the reassuring feeling that we are firmly planted on solid ground. To achieve this, it is crucial to be three-dimensional, with three meaningful passions supporting our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

No one …

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How junk food marketers exploit children’s impact on family food choices

Policy
August 5, 2023

Would you let a clown influence what brand of car you buy? How about choosing your household appliances based on the advice of a cartoon bird or tiger?

Probably not. But young people in your family will likely let cartoons and mascots influence where your family eats out or what cereal you buy – indeed, many of your food purchases. Those choices and many others like them will, in turn, affect …

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From burnout to brilliance: How one doctor found balance

Physician
August 5, 2023

During my five-year journey as an emergency medicine physician, I have experienced the adrenaline rush and ever-changing dynamics of the emergency department. Each shift offers a chance to make a meaningful impact on those around me. However, the demanding nature of this work can sometimes challenge my motivation, making it difficult to ensure that every shift is a great one.

Throughout the years, I’ve learned some essential rules that help me …

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What teens and parents need to know about nose jobs [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 4, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Babak Azizzadeh, a facial plastic surgeon, in discussing the sensitive topic of getting a nose job, or rhinoplasty, particularly for teenagers. We delve into the importance of thorough research, honest communication with parents, and understanding the …

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Embracing the Asclepion: a call for authenticity in medical symbolism

Physician
August 4, 2023

At the heart of the City of London sits an imposing building with massive brass front doors. Emblazoned and embossed on both doors is a symbol – the Caduceus, which in the U.S. is associated with medicine and health care. But why is it on the doors of the Bank of England, the second-largest repository of gold in the world?

Historically, the Caduceus was the staff of Hermes/Mercury, the patron of …

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