Unlocking compassion: lessons from a prison clinic

Physician
April 4, 2024

The healing potential of human interaction should always be considered, particularly when practicing medicine. Early in my medical career, I worked in the electromyography laboratory at Charity Hospital, Louisiana State University. During my time there, I saw an astonishing variety of patients. Among other things, we were the hospital of choice for the nearby Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, or “The Alcatraz of the South.” This prison was infamous for housing …

Read more…

Rise of mega payouts: Physicians are now the white whales

Physician
April 4, 2024

In recent years, malpractice attorneys have intensified their efforts to target physicians, becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of legal action. This relentless pursuit can be likened to Captain Ahab’s relentless quest for the white whale in the famous novel Moby Dick. The landscape has become increasingly challenging for physicians, as recent tort reform legislation in numerous states is rolling back the protections they once enjoyed. This unsettling trend underscores …

Read more…

Fighting for choice in dementia deaths

Conditions
April 4, 2024

Last month, the daughters of Wendy Miller, a 68-year-old author of three bestselling books about her experience with dementia, posted online her final words: “In the end, I died simply by deciding not to eat or drink anymore.”

Her stark statement reminded me of my interviews with Dan Winter, 62, which had begun nine months before he, too, took his own life. Alzheimer’s disease was slowly disassembling Dan’s rich and …

Read more…

When physicians disagree with medical journals [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 3, 2024
YouTube video

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

Join infectious disease physician Sami El-Dalati as we delve into the complex issues surrounding medical literature and clinical guidelines. Sami sheds light on the challenges faced by medical providers in delivering patient-centered care, …

Read more…

Breaking through the cobwebs of dementia

Conditions
April 3, 2024

“Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!”
– Joseph B. Wirthlin

I love my role as a hospice volunteer mostly because I enjoy meeting the patients and hearing their life stories. I heard a tale from the Vietnam vet who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he humbly said was for “just driving a jeep.” (He later admitted that he saved a general by “just driving a jeep” through …

Read more…

Top 10 commandments for the ethical and effective use of AI

Tech
April 3, 2024

As we navigate the digital renaissance, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has undeniably marked a pivotal era in technological innovation and societal advancement. This era, brimming with potential, necessitates a framework to ensure that our journey is not only propelled by the wings of advancement but is also anchored in ethical integrity. Here are DrGPT’s ten commandments for navigating the …

Read more…

10 harsh truths doctors must understand to avoid burnout

Physician
April 3, 2024

In the high-stakes world of medicine, doctors are revered for their dedication to saving lives and providing compassionate care. However, behind the white coats and stethoscopes lies a harsh reality that many health care professionals often overlook—the risk of burnout. Burnout among doctors is a pressing issue that affects their personal well-being and compromises the quality of care they deliver to patients. To combat this pervasive problem, doctors must confront …

Read more…

Why minorities need more representation in breast cancer research

Conditions
April 3, 2024

I’ve always been interested in democratizing health care and have tried to incorporate this in my image-guided therapeutics research.

As a health care CEO, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to broaden my research scope and examine a personal area of interest: disparities in health care and how we can address these through innovation and scientific inquiry.

Racial disparities in health care outcomes are a pervasive issue, and breast cancer is not immune …

Read more…

Mental health support for teens [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 2, 2024
YouTube video

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

We delve into the pressing issue of teenage mental health with undergraduate student Ruhi Saldanha. From discussing the need for mental health days in schools to addressing the challenges faced by today’s teenagers, …

Read more…

Nurse burnout: causes, symptoms, and solutions by gender and generation

Conditions
April 2, 2024

Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Burnout occurs gradually over time and has three fundamental symptoms:

Exhaustion is feeling physically and emotionally exhausted and can be related to spending an excessive amount of time and effort on a particular task. Depersonalization is having an indifferent attitude and can manifest as negative, sarcastic, or cynical people towards people you are meant to serve. …

Read more…

A crisis of alcoholism is surging in the United States

Physician
April 2, 2024

The CDC is trying, desperately, it seems, to pound a square peg into a round hole, blaming COVID-19 for a surge in alcohol use and ignoring a glaring problem with the evidence. That’s not something you generally expect from scientists. However, I would argue the CDC is no longer controlled by scientists. While dedicated scientists still work there, the CDC is now controlled by politics. Founded as the Communicable Disease …

Read more…

The hidden menu of physician contracts

Physician
April 2, 2024

Many of you prioritize the clinical aspects of our profession, but understanding the business side of medicine is equally crucial. One key area to consider is your contract, as it can significantly impact your career path and financial stability.

I believe it’s essential for every doctor to be knowledgeable about the variety of contracts they may encounter in the marketplace. The most common type of contract is the business-to-individual contract, where …

Read more…

Evolution of targeted cancer therapies: a radiation oncologist’s perspective

Conditions
April 2, 2024

On July 1, 1987, I started treating cancer patients as a full-time radiation oncologist – a cancer specialist who uses radiation therapy to help cancer patients beat their disease. Now, nearly 37 years later, I have the privilege of caring for cancer patients at a cancer center. Nearly every type of cancer is treated differently; for example, breast cancer is treated differently than colon cancer, which is treated differently than …

Read more…

ADVERTISEMENT

Disability insurance for doctors: the key to protecting your financial future

Finance
April 1, 2024
YouTube video

This article is sponsored by Pattern. 

Pattern advisor Shelby Heiser discusses how disability insurance is more than a box that doctors need to check—it’s a tool for financial security and peace of mind.

Each physician is unique.

They come …

Read more…

Common pitfalls underlying cause-and-effect relationships

Physician
April 1, 2024

In the realm of medicine, cause-and-effect relationships are those where a specific cause, such as a disease, condition, or treatment, directly leads to a specific outcome or effect. An example of this is the established fact that smoking causes lung cancer. Similarly, it is well-documented that regular, heavy alcohol consumption directly leads to liver cirrhosis.

On the other hand, phrases like “associated with,” “linked to,” and “tied to” denote a correlation …

Read more…

Laughter is the best medicine (but use it wisely with patients)

Physician
April 1, 2024

According to The Onion founder Scott Dikkers, “Comedy is meant to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.”

As physicians, our patients are the “afflicted,” so how can we use comedy to comfort them? Before we get to the how, let us start with the why.

Why make patients laugh? Because laughter is the best medicine. After steroids. Steroids are the best medicine. Laughter is the second-best medicine, and it has fewer …

Read more…

Palliative and hospice care in hospitals and clinics: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Physician
April 1, 2024

I walk into the patient’s hospital room during evening rounds. He looks pale and tired, having recently completed a round of chemotherapy for his stage IV pancreatic cancer. His wife is at the bedside, scared and concerned about her husband’s rapid decline. I sit down to discuss goals of care when the patient immediately says, “I can’t do this anymore.” His wife responds immediately to the patient: “Of course you …

Read more…

Hospital retaliation and my fight for patient rights

Conditions
April 1, 2024

I found myself compelled into the complex world of health care advocacy under extraordinary circumstances last year when I went to my university administration to request a table to do a free speech petition because of a personal and troubling experience. My mother, a respected pediatric intensive care doctor, had been abruptly terminated from her workplace after she raised concerns about patient safety.

Throughout my studies as an undergraduate, I frequently …

Read more…

A surgeon’s journey with Taylor Swift [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 31, 2024
YouTube video

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

Join us as we sit down with Andrea L. Merrill, an assistant professor of surgery, to explore the powerful intersection of music and surgery. From her early days as a trainee to navigating …

Read more…

From numbness to empathy: a reflection on medical practice

Education
March 31, 2024

I’m not sad – I’m numb.

My friend, a seasoned internal medicine resident, revealed a chilling truth after grappling with eight patient codes – three lives eluded salvation. The gravity of his words froze me. When did the mourning for human existence transform into a necessity to numb our very core? I found myself pondering the onset of this desensitization, this “numbing.”

I thought back to my own experiences as a third-year …

Read more…

612
pages