Overcoming the lies of depression: Senator John Fetterman’s struggle with mental health
In February, just a few months after being elected to the United States Senate, Pennsylvania politician John Fetterman entered into a treatment program for depression. In an interview with CBS News show Sunday Morning last month, he recounted suffering a stroke in May 2022, then fighting through a grueling Senate race that severely impacted his mental health. “You may have won,” he recalled thinking, “but depression can absolutely convince you …
Master the ABIM Certification exam with effective strategies: insider tips for success
The ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) Certification exam is not always about the assessment of your knowledge but also about knowing the right strategies, which are keys to success. I passed the ABIM Board Certification Exam without any review course. I had to sign up to work as an attending physician on July 1st due to my financial and visa limitations.
In this article, I will discuss effective preparation methods …
A mentor’s legacy in medicine, leadership, and embracing evidence-based care
As a graduate of Temple University’s medical school and psychiatric residency program, and as a current faculty member, I had the good fortune of studying under highly respected physicians who served not only as chairpersons, but also as presidents, CEOs, and chief medical officers. Anthony (Tony) F. Panzetta, MD, was one of them. Panzetta passed away in 2021 at age 87. As with all great mentors, he had multifaceted talents …
Breaking free from restrictive covenants to combat burnout
Hospitals have the duty to ensure that their physicians are professionally content, both physically and mentally to provide the highest quality of care. But they also have a responsibility to prevent physicians from leaving work for competing institutions. The paradox between the use of restrictive covenants in physicians’ contracts and hospitals’ concerns about physician wellness arises from a tension between two important objectives.
Restrictive covenants, which are clauses in contracts that …
Fixing the system and prioritizing patient care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!
Join us for a thought-provoking episode as we sit down with Cindy Rubin, a pediatrician and breastfeeding medicine specialist. Cindy opens up about the challenges faced by physicians in the current health care system, particularly the constraints …
From medical student to intern: Discovering a deeper connection with patients
As a medical student with a limited knowledge base and limited exposure to taking care of a high volume of patients, my idea of being the physician I hoped to be involved in spending time at the bedside and really getting to know my patients as people and hearing their stories. As I was learning my way around how the medical world worked as clerkship student, this was perhaps the …
A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire
My alarm goes off at 3:30 a.m. for some early charting. I love these pre-work hours, even though it’s my own unpaid time. I went into debt for hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the need for sleep trained out of me. A neat side effect of this is that it also wiped away my will to resist inane admin tasks.
While I’m pre-charting, my family wakes up, or at …
Unveiling the global pandemic threat: insights into risk factors and urgent measures for prevention
As the current COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the globe, many are left wondering when the next pandemic will occur. The reality is that pandemics are not a new phenomenon, and throughout history, we have seen numerous instances of infectious diseases causing widespread devastation.
While we cannot predict with certainty when the next pandemic will occur, there are certain circumstances under which they are more likely to occur.
One such circumstance …
Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled
There are three versions of name displays in health care institutions, each tailored to different groups of individuals. For physician staff, full names are typically shown, including both first and middle names, along with their highest educational level. This helps establish their presence and expertise within the health care institution.
On the other hand, non-physician staff usually have only their given names displayed in full, followed by the rest of their …
Empowering Black nurses for lasting change [PODCAST]
Master time management with 7 productivity strategies for optimal results
Do you know what one thing is common among all of us, regardless of our wealth or age?
Time.
Every human being in this world has 1,440 minutes every day. However, while we all have the same amount of time, some people are more productive than others. Time management is a skill that doesn’t come naturally and requires effort and planning. Below is a list of seven important strategies that will help …
Proposed USPSTF guideline update: Advocating for earlier breast cancer screening at age 40
Pop Quiz: At what age do medical experts recommend women of average risk for breast cancer begin receiving screening mammograms?
- 40
- 45
- 50
- All of the above.
If you answered “D,” you are correct. Confused? I don’t blame you. Medical societies and independent task forces do not agree on when to begin or end screening mammograms for women at average risk of developing breast cancer. This has led to confusion and …
ADVERTISEMENT
The rising threat of lung cancer in Asian American female nonsmokers
“It’s adenocarcinoma,” said the voice on the other end of the phone.
I couldn’t believe it.
“Lung cancer? Me? How could that be? I’ve never smoked!” Shock, disbelief, and disappointment filled all the nooks and crannies of my mind and heart.
In January 2021, I went to my PCP after developing a nagging dry cough after starting lisinopril eight months prior, during the first months of COVID. I concluded that it was just …
The tragic story of Mr. G: a painful journey towards understanding suicide
A most memorable message awaited me on my desk one morning: a brief note from Mrs. G asking, “Why did my husband take his own life today?”
Startled, I reflected on Mr. G’s history as I had been treating him in my urology clinic for the past few months. It had recently come to my attention that his complaints were related to painful recurrent renal colic.
Anticipating a distressing phone call, I …
Healing trauma and reconnecting: Unmasking the impact of dissociation [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!
Join us as we dive into a conversation with Christine Gibson, a family physician and trauma specialist. Christine shares her expertise on dissociation, trauma, and the profound impact they have on health care. Discover the importance of …
ADVERTISEMENT
Why the WHO’s pandemic accord is critical for global health care
In a recent article in Health Affairs, U.N. Foundation vice president Peter Yeo and former Director of The Global Fund Mark Dybul, MD, broke down the elements and imperatives of a process underway to develop a better approach to pandemic preparedness. Currently in draft form, the “Pandemic Accord” is being shepherded by the World Health Organization at the behest of its 194 Member States after the global COVID-19 response called …
The revolutionary Kaiser-Geisinger deal: How health care giants are reshaping the industry and empowering patients
Health care’s most recent billion-dollar deal took the industry by surprise, leaving medical experts and hospital leaders grappling to comprehend its implications.
In case you missed it, California-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, which make up the insurance and facilities half of Kaiser Permanente, announced the acquisition of Geisinger, a Pennsylvania-based health system once acknowledged by President Obama for delivering “high-quality care.”
Upon regulatory approval, Geisinger will become the first …
The escalating violence in health care workplaces: a critical problem facing the nation’s health care system
The recent shootings at an Atlanta medical facility that left one dead and four seriously wounded are just the most recent, widely published event documenting the accelerating violence occurring in the nation’s health care workplaces.
Violence within our health care workplaces has been a steadily rising and critical problem over the past decade – now further fueled by issues such as fallout from the COVID pandemic – including a political-issue-motivated …
ADVERTISEMENT
Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.
A recurring theme expressed by many contributors and commentators to KevinMD is physician burnout.
It is generally accepted that chaos causes burnout. There is no shortage of chaos in the practice of medicine: emotional, physical, personal, professional, and political stresses, not to mention the threat of lawsuits and the cost of liability insurance. This is just the shortlist. There is also no shortage of adjustments that doctors make in response.
It is …
Past Week
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
-
Pope Francis dies at 88. What his care reveals about America’s failing hospitals.
-
Medical school admissions are racing toward an AI-driven disaster
-
Taking a break from medicine: a physician assistant’s journey from burnout to world travel [PODCAST]
-
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
-
Taking a break from medicine: a physician assistant’s journey from burnout to world travel [PODCAST]
-
Gen Z is already transforming mental health care—are we listening?
-
Why nurses are the true heroes of my 25-year medical journey
-
What independent bookstores and private practice doctors teach us about human connection
-
How fake news about transgender mice is hurting real patients
-
The preceptor paradox: PAs get the nod while NPs are sidelined
-
Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!
Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.
541
pages
Past Week
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
-
Pope Francis dies at 88. What his care reveals about America’s failing hospitals.
-
Medical school admissions are racing toward an AI-driven disaster
-
Taking a break from medicine: a physician assistant’s journey from burnout to world travel [PODCAST]
-
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
-
Taking a break from medicine: a physician assistant’s journey from burnout to world travel [PODCAST]
-
Gen Z is already transforming mental health care—are we listening?
-
Why nurses are the true heroes of my 25-year medical journey
-
What independent bookstores and private practice doctors teach us about human connection
-
How fake news about transgender mice is hurting real patients
-
The preceptor paradox: PAs get the nod while NPs are sidelined
-
