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If you are pro-psychiatry, should you be anti-RFK?

Policy

November 18, 2024

Much has been written about Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s radical health plans to eliminate fluoride from the drinking water and suppress vaccines, among other lame-brain schemes. But relatively few people are aware of his anti-psychiatry views, possibly endangering the health of a large swath of the populace.

Kennedy is pitching the idea that users of illicit drugs be sent to the “wellness farms,” and users of antidepressants and ADHD medications should …

Abused and broken: her fight for survival in a behavioral health unit

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

November 18, 2024

It was that bewitching hour. 0300. Behavioral health unit/behavioral health intensive care unit.

She was a small young woman. Her eyes appeared black as coal, as if her soul had been sucked out repeatedly. There were bruises around her eyes, black and blue punch marks up and down her arms. Several superficial cuts on her forearm—self-destruction. She was quiet, almost invisible. She wanted to sit in the corner of her bed, …

How a chief resident’s battle with stress and toxic politics revealed an untold story of resilience

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

November 18, 2024

Almost three years ago, I was the chief resident of our training program. The chief resident was primarily responsible for designing curricular activities in collaboration with the faculty, attending and representing the department and the residency program at the majority of hospital and administrative meetings, providing regular updates on resident performance, designing the on-call schedule and rotations, and supervising juniors.

It was the most difficult job for me. I found it …

Why body image and food choices are more connected than you think [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 17, 2024

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

We dive into the intricate world of food choices, body image, and the science behind nutrition myths with psychologist and author Charlotte Markey. Charlotte unpacks the sometimes overwhelming dietary information people encounter daily, …

Reducing medical errors from health care AI: lessons from Claude Shannon and Max Planck on precision in medicine

Neil Anand, MD

Tech

November 17, 2024

In 1948, Claude Shannon revolutionized the world of communication with his theory of information, showing that precision and efficiency could emerge from chaos. Roughly 40 years earlier, Max Planck had done something similar in physics by discovering the rules of quantum mechanics, reducing uncertainty in an unpredictable universe. These two minds, though working in entirely different fields, shared a common vision: to bring order out of entropy. Today, their legacies …

Why physicians can’t let go of the golden RVU ring

Mick Connors, MD

Physician

November 17, 2024

There is something strangely captivating about the RVU (relative value unit) system in medicine. It’s as if it has become our own “precious”—a golden ring that offers power and financial viability, yet comes at a great cost. Just like the One Ring in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the RVU system exerts a powerful, almost mesmerizing hold on the medical profession. It promises us control—of our practices, our autonomy, …

The emotional toll doctors face: a book review

Jennifer Lycette, MD

Conditions

November 17, 2024

For over twenty years, I’ve had a recurring nightmare: I’m back in medical training, and my patient is crashing. To save them, I must enter my medical orders into the electronic health record (EHR). The only problem is, there are no open computers. I could give a verbal order in a real-life emergency, but those aren’t the rules in this nightmare world. I go from computer to computer, begging for …

Mother, doctor, CEO: one woman’s journey to reshape health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 16, 2024

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We dive into the powerful story of a physician-mother whose world changed with the onset of COVID-19. Our guest, Arian Nachat, a palliative and emergency medicine physician, shares her journey through the pandemic, …

How doctors can minimize harm: the essential duties of patient care

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

November 16, 2024

Primum non nocere, “first, do no harm,” is the prime directive of medical ethics for all physicians. It is also the first thing that comes into question when maleficence by a doctor is suspected.

The standard of care is how any prudent and competent practitioner should exercise their duty to, “first, do no harm,” when managing a specific medical condition. The standard of care is empirical and adjusts to circumstances that …

PTSD: Why trauma’s impact is more complex than you think

M. Bennet Broner, PhD

Conditions

November 16, 2024

According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of individuals experience several traumatic events in their lifetimes, but do they all develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? If you question the general populace or the media, they would indicate that PTSD is extremely common. Although it varies by sub-population, for the general populace, 13 and above, the rate of diagnosed PTSD is 4 percent to 8 percent. It is highest …

The influence of intergenerational trauma in families of Chinese descent on perceptions of microaggressions

Lucy Cheng and Sonya Tang Girdwood, MD, PhD

Physician

November 16, 2024

“Do any of you have children?” the patient’s mother asked each of my team members during rounds. I (STG), as the attending, quickly jumped in and mumbled, “Yes, I have (as a foster parent),” and redirected the conversation back to the medical management of her child.

It was not until a week later, when I was attending a talk on microaggressions, that I realized my team members may have perceived the …

Patients vs. profits: Examining the real cost of the health care industry boom [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 15, 2024

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

We discuss the growing challenges within the U.S. health care system, from long wait times and fragmented care to the corporatization of medical services. Our guest, patient advocate Michele Luckenbaugh, shares insights on …

The urgent need for equity and accessibility in pediatric mental health care

Robyn Riseberg, MD

Conditions

November 15, 2024

Recently, I encountered a stark reminder of the challenges facing our mental health care system. A 16-year-old Black boy came to us at Boston Community Pediatrics (BCP) in a state of crisis, expressing suicidal thoughts and a deep sense of fear. As part of our integrated behavioral health model, my mental health colleague and I immediately recognized the urgency of his situation. We arranged for an Uber to transport him …

Why rethinking cancer risk is critical to addressing rising cancer rates in young adults

Lecia V. Sequist, MD, MPH

Conditions

November 15, 2024

I recently encountered a new patient, a seemingly healthy 25-year-old man who had just graduated from college and was working his first job. He was not a tobacco user and had no medical diagnoses, but shoulder and abdominal pain brought him to Mass General Brigham. After a series of tests, the diagnosis was clear: stage IV lung cancer.

As a lung cancer oncologist who has treated patients for 20 years, I’ve …

The dangerous impact of cognitive distortions on grieving

Scott Janssen, MSW, LCSW

Conditions

November 15, 2024

In the weeks after her mother died, Stacy’s mind was filled with thoughts about things she believed she’d done wrong and ways she’d let her mother down. “I shouldn’t have gotten so impatient with her”; “I should have been kinder, should have spent more time with her.” She was even tormented by the inaccurate belief that she had caused her mother’s death by failing to “try harder to get her …

Essential negotiation tips every physician should know [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 14, 2024

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

We dive into the essential skills every physician needs to master in contract negotiation. Internal medicine physician Miguel Villagra offers practical advice on navigating the complex clauses and legal language, sharing key strategies …

Toxic waste disaster: How Hughes Aircraft poisoned Tucson’s environment and people

Sunaura Taylor

Conditions

November 14, 2024

An excerpt from Disabled Ecologies.

The multicolored poisonous waste disposed of by Hughes Aircraft Company was never just TCE, the most infamous ingredient. It was always a toxic soup: dozens of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, contaminants with names like dichloroethylene, chromium, cadmium, and benzene. The chemicals were used in the early 1950s in the manufacture and cleaning of missiles that would travel thousands of miles overseas to …

Finding happiness in the challenges of neurosurgery

Timir Banerjee, MD

Physician

November 14, 2024

I have found that many physicians are not happy. I wanted to share with them some ways to find “amrita” in life. Then we can face life with joyful countenance, ready to receive the Maker when we hear the knock, as described in Revelation 3:20. It is important to associate with virtuosity. La Chaim!

The excitement: Albert Camus said that the “struggles that one encounters in life are by themselves the …

Restoring compassionate pain care: a call to action

Arianne Grand-Gassaway

Conditions

November 14, 2024

As a patient advocate, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of policies leading to untreated and undertreated pain. As a mother who has lost a child to drug poisoning, I have also witnessed how drug policy is driving an increasingly lethal street drug supply. With overdose deaths rising, well-intentioned policies have left many suffering without the medications they need for quality of life. Tragically, some patients, overwhelmed by unrelenting …

Why having hobbies can save your medical career [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 13, 2024

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

We dive into the personal and professional journey of Ben Reinking, a board-certified pediatric cardiologist, medical educator, and certified physician development coach. We explore the importance of maintaining hobbies, finding balance, and how …

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