On the first day of class, one of my medical school professors limped in, stopped, and then proceeded to teach us specifically what ailment a patient has that causes their limp.
He went on to explain, “By the time you finish this didactic course in orthopedics, you will be able to diagnose a patient’s problem just by watching them walk!”
At the beginning of each class, the professor would limp in and …
In these uncertain times regarding entitlement, physicians find themselves unsure whether they should continue defending their use of the title “Dr.” There are instances where teachers can hold the title of Dr., as can individuals with PhDs. Additionally, nurses can also obtain PhDs and subsequently be addressed as Dr. Given the evolving climate of reducing privilege, should physicians still assert their entitlement? It is believed that patients desire to know …
Recent years have seen an increasing recognition of fraud, deceit, and other maleficence in scientific research, including medical research. The extent of this is truly frightening and has led to increasing international efforts to detect and address it. As of September 2020, the site Retraction Watch listed over 24,000 papers in its database, many of which were retracted due to deliberate fraud. It is unknown how many individuals, who received …
ICU: Our acuities were high, and staffing was low. Our ICU, with 24 beds, was already full. The staffing situation for that night was so poor that instead of our RNs having a 2:1 patient-nurse ratio, we were forced into 3:1 assignments.
Despite the challenging circumstances, we couldn’t have asked for a better team of ICU nurses. They were the best in their field, supported by two dedicated Respiratory Therapists assigned …
During my internal medicine residency, I rotated through various subspecialties, but the one that always gave me thought-provoking perspectives at the end of the day was dermatology. I was very excited to work in derma and learn how to treat basic clinical conditions like acne, hair fall, dermatitis, etc., at the back of my hand. However, my daily clinics opened my eyes to a new Pandora’s box of issues in …
The medical aesthetic field is experiencing significant growth, with an expected market valuation of billions by 2023. As the demand for non-invasive aesthetic procedures rises, physicians are increasingly enticed by medical laser devices. However, this industry is plagued by underhanded sales tactics and excessively priced equipment, leaving physicians at a loss.
The overpriced landscape of medical laser devices. Medical laser devices, although technologically advanced and effective, are notorious for their exorbitant prices. …
I didn’t go through that to go through this.
“She doesn’t know how to work within a system,” said Snakeskin Shoes.
Narcissists grow and thrive in children’s hospitals. Their strategy is to inflict moral injury upon physicians by gaslighting and silencing those who speak up for patient safety or for themselves, while also controlling a false narrative about them.
Snakeskin Shoes, the former VP of marketing and communications, is a poster boy narcissist. …
Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound produced by several species of mushrooms, which has been used for millennia across various cultures. It first gained broader awareness in the Western world during the 1960s and is now the subject of scientific inquiry due to renewed interest in the clinical applications of psychedelic medicines and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Research into psilocybin and psilocybin-assisted therapy has found it to be effective in addressing a number of …
Inflammation is currently a popular topic, and I must admit that I’ve fallen into the trap of vilifying this natural physiological phenomenon. Simply put, inflammation is our body’s response to infection, injury, or insult. Heat, redness, swelling, pain, and pus signal that you are injured or sick and provide the necessary feedback to seek treatment or avoid further injury.
Human nature often leads us to categorize things as either good or …
Scrolling through social media, you might come to believe that it’s only for models, foodies, and cute dogs. While these types of accounts are certainly popular, the truth of the matter is that social media is a powerful tool you can use to propel your practice forward. With it, you can create meaningful content that changes lives, gain a loyal band of followers, and, ultimately, bring an incredible amount of …
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A recent Goldman Sachs report determined that artificial intelligence (AI) may wipe out 300 million jobs. Jobs that require advanced education, like mine, are particularly vulnerable. This isn’t welcome news for those of us who have invested a lifetime mastering our crafts and must work for a living.
Until recently, the primary goal of medical students has been to master the science of medicine. Students spend thousands of …
Weighing in on abortion invites scorn and derision from all sides. However, physicians should help frame the medical context with the aim of therapeutically healing the gaping societal wounds that the abortion debate has opened.
Our Declaration of Independence identifies an individual’s unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The question arises: Who defines when a human life begins? At what point does a fetus become an “individual” …
I remember it like it was yesterday. Orientation had concluded, and it was showtime. Officially July 1st. It felt like all the cramming from the last few weeks was sitting astutely in my upper chest. My breathing was fairly shallow, and my brain was in an emotional fog, resembling a salad. Internal neon flash signs were going off every few seconds.
Many of these thoughts went like, “This is where they …
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Join us for an insightful podcast episode with guest Kara Wada, a board-certified academic adult and pediatric allergy, immunology, and lifestyle medicine physician. Together, we explore the profound impact of disconnection in our modern existence, particularly within …
“Say her name,” “She didn’t deserve this,” and “The system failed you” were the sentiments expressed on social media by resident physicians and trainees in medicine on the death of Dr. Nakita Mortimer, an advocate, mentor, physician trainee union organizer, and Black woman resident physician who tragically ended her life on May 26, 2023.
This narrative is all too common within medicine’s ivory tower, as suicide is the Read more…
The broken status quo
The hard, cold truth is that half of you will end up teetering on the same burnout cliff that I found myself looking at a decade ago. It’s a painful abyss, and many of you will experience it.
The status quo of resigning ourselves to accepting that half of the brightest and most altruistic humans on Earth will be injured and harmed by the current health care system …
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The Philadelphia Inquirer has been covering health inequities and potential remedial solutions for years. One recent story described how a new policy requires that patients’ kidney function be estimated without taking their race into account, highlighting the case of a Black woman whose kidney transplant was delayed five years because the medical center relied on an outdated race-based formula to determine her kidney function, …
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