Transgender health risks in hormone therapy
Reportedly, there are at least 1.6 million people who identify as transgendered in the United States. Approximately one-third of them are transgendered male-to-females, referred to as “T-girls.” These individuals have a strong desire to be passable without undergoing surgery, relying instead on hormone therapy. However, hormonal therapy is not without risks. Testosterone, used in protocols for transgendered males, can increase the chances of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Similarly, estrogen, used by …
A comic reveals the terrifying truth about fentanyl
The fentanyl crisis represents a grave and lethal epidemic, marked by the illicit consumption of powerful synthetic opioids, resulting in a staggering increase in fatal overdose cases. Physician Emily Watters offers her unique insights on this critical issue through a captivating comic format. (Click to enlarge.)
How AI will protect everyday Americans from overwhelming medical debt
America’s medical debt problem is out of control, with collection agencies holding around $140 billion in unpaid medical bills.
Some experts think the amount of medical debt may actually reach $1 trillion and affect nearly 1 in 3 Americans. That’s because not all medical debt appears on credit reports. Moreover, many people pay their medical bills with their credit card and then are forced to have those unpaid …
Medical school applicants do not need to “check” a box to succeed
Medical pundits are predicting that the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down race-conscious admissions will have dire consequences for medical schools and the composition of the physician workforce.
The concern is that the high court’s decision to restrict public and private higher education institutions from considering an applicant’s race or ethnicity in admission decisions will negatively impact medical schools’ diversity and the nature of future physicians.
The fear …
Unmasking the threat of greed in health care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!
Join Don Gaede, an internal medicine and vascular medicine physician, to discuss the “existential threat of greed in U.S. health care” highlighted in a JAMA editorial. Don shares his firsthand encounters with unethical practices within his specialty …
Female physician burnout and its impact on patient care
Although many systemic factors universally contribute to both burnout in both male and female physicians, female physicians also tend to experience burnout at disproportionately high rates versus their male counterparts. Burnout, also known as a state of as a “state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion,” continues to grow despite being a recognized problem for decades. Burnout is a critical public health risk which not only affects …
Harnessing light field technology for enhanced navigation and imaging
Imagine being able to cross a chasm between a digital world and a physical world in an operative environment. The medical technology sector has only begun to tap into the vast possibilities presented by light field technology, particularly in surgery, where it offers significant advantages, including computational imaging, improved data quality, and the elimination of harmful radiation. The application of light field technology holds the potential to revolutionize the operative …
6 ways physicians can change the health care system
Physicians are respected influencers who can directly impact public opinion and drive change within the health system. If you are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, it’s time to become part of the solution. Here are some strategies you can employ to initiate health care transformations locally and beyond.
Join or form local groups with engaged patients and employers. As a health care system insider, you possess valuable knowledge about how …
Understanding the hidden effects of burnout on physician families [PODCAST]
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Join Amna Shabbir, an internal medicine physician, as she shares her personal journey and reflections on physician burnout and its impact on family dynamics. Amna opens up about her early exposure to burnout through her mother’s experiences …
The surprising impact of medical students on patients
There are a few clinical scenarios that stand out to me from my undergraduate medical education. I completed a combined MD/MPH program, and I remember coming back from the year of public health, inserted between years two and three of medical school, feeling rusty and often in the way. One conversation I’ll always remember is one I overheard between an attending on my family medicine rotation (my first rotation of …
The persecution of pain management doctors
The call came in during a busy workday. My comprehensive primary care clinic had been built over a decade of hard work and had a general practice clinic staffed by a very capable former surgeon and several nurse practitioners, as well as a pain management program and an addiction treatment clinic. We also had several counselors on staff. I immediately recognized the voice on the other end of the line …
The ketogenic diet: a historical perspective and survival consequences
As someone who had an early life in rural Nigeria, I strongly believe that the diet debates are out-of-touch elite pastimes born out of food glut in Western societies. For survival, all living things evolved and adapted to scarcity, and humans have been appropriately described as opportunistic omnivores who would eat whatever is available. How supposedly omnivorous humans turned out to be sharply divided into tribalistic die-hard vegan, keto, Mediterranean, …
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How EHRs can impact climate change [PODCAST]
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Join Earl Stewart, Jr., an internal medicine physician, as we discuss the critical need for electronic health record (EHR) systems to address the impact of climate change on patient health. Earl highlights the limitations of current EHRs …
The 3 things that make people love their work (and why medicine falls short)
The old adage of “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” may have misled an entire generation.
While researching individuals with high career satisfaction, psychologists Ryan and Deci found that the introspective “follow your passion” approach was rarely a major factor. Instead of relying on some intrinsic passion, people who loved their jobs were found to have work that fulfilled three specific psychological needs: autonomy, …
Optimize your knee injury recovery without surgery
Recently, growing attention has been given to the fact that some types of surgery may be overrated. This article succinctly summarizes the situation, citing dozens of studies showing that some orthopedic surgeries popular in past decades had no better results than non-invasive treatments.
This issue is deeply personal to me. In 2020, during the pandemic, I sustained an injury to my left knee, experiencing severe pain, swelling, and loss of …
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Dermatology at a crossroads: an urgent case for value-based care
Over the past decade, the medical field has witnessed a profound shift—a transformative movement fueled by the commitment to render patient-centered, cost-effective care. This sweeping change is characterized by the transition from a volume-based to a value-based model of health care. While several medical specialties have responded to this call for change and started implementing value-based systems, dermatology has been relatively slow on the uptake. The need for a robust …
Grief and healing: Navigating loss and meaningful connections
My wife, Ruth, passed away in April, and I am currently struggling with the immense loss. I deeply miss her, and for the most part, I feel terrible. I haven’t reached a point of “getting over it.”
Since her death, numerous people, including relatives, friends, acquaintances, and caring individuals throughout my day, have approached me with the same question: How am I doing? Despite multiple attempts to respond, I still haven’t …
Unmasking the truth about ECMO [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!
Join John R. Mehall, a cardiothoracic surgeon and physician executive. We explore the lasting impact of the global pandemic on hospitals in the United States, uncover the underlying financial crisis often overlooked by headlines, and discuss innovative …
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The rewards and challenges of emergency medicine
Congratulations! Maybe you matched, maybe you scrambled. Either way, you’re here, and after four years of reading and watching, you are about to finally start doing. Get all those practical skills: Intubate! Drop central lines! Insert chest tubes! Sign verbal orders within 24 hours! Write medicolegally bulletproof notes that also capture all the RVUs necessary to maximize billing.
As you embark on your journey to becoming an EM doc, let me …
Past Week
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The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all: Why nuance in diagnosis matters
-
Why vaccine access still fails America’s most vulnerable groups
-
Medical school admissions are racing toward an AI-driven disaster
-
How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
-
Past 6 Months
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How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
-
The hidden bias young female physicians face every day
-
How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
-
How to advocate for your transgender child’s health care
-
Doctors don’t need yoga, they need time to smoke
-
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
-
Recent Posts
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How fake news about transgender mice is hurting real patients
-
The preceptor paradox: PAs get the nod while NPs are sidelined
-
Within the white walls of silence
-
Spreading hope one card at a time for doctors’ well-being [PODCAST]
-
Why female physicians are done asking for permission
-
How Earth Day can inspire better health for doctors and patients
-
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Past Week
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all: Why nuance in diagnosis matters
-
Why vaccine access still fails America’s most vulnerable groups
-
Medical school admissions are racing toward an AI-driven disaster
-
How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
-
Past 6 Months
-
How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
-
The hidden bias young female physicians face every day
-
How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
-
How to advocate for your transgender child’s health care
-
Doctors don’t need yoga, they need time to smoke
-
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
-
Recent Posts
-
How fake news about transgender mice is hurting real patients
-
The preceptor paradox: PAs get the nod while NPs are sidelined
-
Within the white walls of silence
-
Spreading hope one card at a time for doctors’ well-being [PODCAST]
-
Why female physicians are done asking for permission
-
How Earth Day can inspire better health for doctors and patients
-
