During her treatment for acute leukemia, my friend Susan came to me for help and advice while she was in the hospital receiving chemotherapy. I also did her laundry. She went to one of the specialists at a major tertiary care center and had access to the lengthy consultation written by the oncologist. Susan had a career as a highly respected and much-loved elementary school principal in our county school …
Michael Jordan, an iconic figure in basketball, is revered not only for his athletic prowess but also for his relentless dedication, perseverance, and strong work ethic. His career is filled with great lessons that apply universally, transcending the boundaries of sports. They are particularly relevant to health care professionals and entrepreneurs, two roles requiring a similar level of dedication, resilience, and a ceaseless hunger for growth and achievement.
Firstly, Michael Jordan …
As a health care writer and policy analyst, I frequently encounter the term “risk” in discussions of medical issues. I also frequently see the term grossly misused in both the popular press and medical literature. Nowhere is this more evident than in the 2016 and 2022 CDC Guidelines for the prescription of opioids in the treatment of pain.
In science, the term “incidence” is a measure of the likelihood …
As I reflect on my first year of residency, it’s hard to believe that I’ve cared for nearly 500 patients spanning across multiple departments; floor medicine, ICU, ER, neurology, cardiology, and surgery. I’ve had the opportunity to perform one central line placement, three intubations, ran a code blue, and performed CPR in both the ICU and the ER. Though these procedures may seem daunting, I learned that confidence comes not …
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The streets surrounding Elmhurst Hospital in New York City have become the staging ground for over 150 resident physicians striking for pay parity. The future of the medical profession is forced to grapple with a persistent issue long evaded – wage disparity.
Elmhurst Hospital, a critical pivot of public health and a notable battleground during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, now sits as the epicenter of a different kind …
On the night of April 28, 2023, in a sleepy community 50 miles north of Houston, Texas, bullet-riddled bodies of five human beings, including an eight-year-old boy, lay lifeless, cut down in the most gruesome way. Their only sin was asking for a night of peace, but their request was met with the deafening sound of gunfire from a neighbor brandishing an AR-15. This senseless tragedy is yet another grim …
It’s 10 p.m., do you know where your doctor is? I chuckle to myself, recalling a familiar public service announcement of the past meant to remind adults about the whereabouts of their children. I know exactly where I am at this typical hour, sitting in front of a glaring computer screen trying in vain to clear out my inbox in our practice’s electronic health record (EHR) and “win the game” …
Picture this: Hundreds of family physicians and future family physicians arriving on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to share the top challenges they face and to ask their leaders to make a purposeful investment in primary care. They’ve earned the right to make this request through the hard work, long hours, and comprehensive care they’ve offered patients and their families across the country. They served on the front lines …
I am someone who consistently makes New Year’s resolutions. I find New Year’s to be a great time to reassess how all the aspects of my life are going and whether they continue to align with the direction I want to take.
In previous years my resolutions have ranged from the cliche “going to the gym and losing weight” to listening to a podcast every day, exploring my city, or learning …
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Join us as we discuss with family physician Lisa Baron the pervasive issue of medical gaslighting, particularly in women seeking care for chronic illnesses. We’ll delve into the consequences of dismissing symptoms and the importance of validating patient concerns. …
“First do no harm” is the opening line of the Hippocratic Oath, and virtually everyone is familiar with it, as it is quoted on every TV medical drama at least once a season. We tend to think that the oath was highly influential in medical training and practice when it was written circa 400 BCE. Still, it had limited applicability, as it only applied to students trained in Hippocrates’ style …
At least one commentator has opined that “physicians aren’t burned out. They’re abused.” That is an extremely accurate diagnosis. No matter how many mandatory meditation sessions physicians are required to attend during their lunch hours, they remain overworked, overstressed, and unhappy with their careers.
Although there is no easy fix, there are issues that can be addressed in the physician employment agreement that can ameliorate the horrible working conditions foisted …
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For a growing percentage of our population, autism is a part of everyday life. How we support and empower children with autism speaks volumes about our society’s ability to be inclusive, productive, and fair.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a perfect time to celebrate people with autism and elevate our awareness about this complex group of neurodivergent individuals who enrich our lives every day.
Here’s how we all can better …
How do we balance the desire to stay connected with the cosmos with the demands of modern life?
Our internal life is often mirrored by our external world. It is no surprise that the health of our bodies and our planet is under fire. Mental health illnesses, including active addiction, depression, and anxiety, are increasing along with the number of unnatural forest fires, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. How we …
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While being treated for an aggressive hematologic cancer, the former head of a department of medicine at a large teaching hospital told me he wished he could hang a sign on his headboard, reading P-I-P: Previously-Important-Person. Despite extraordinary achievements, skills, credentials, and status, being a patient made him feel like an amalgam of parts; limbs, bodily fluids, organs, and orifices, all now suspect, some more wayward than others — and …
When I took my first job out of fellowship, I had two kids, both in diapers. Between that and starting my first job out of training, it seemed I had no idle time at all. I distinctly recall deciding: I was here to work, not to make friends. (To my work friends: Thank you for being my friend despite my attitude!)
We didn’t decide to make friends in training — it …
Fecal impaction and severe chronic constipation can have significant consequences on patients’ mortality, morbidity, psychosocial well-being, and health care costs. It is especially prevalent among the elderly and individuals with neurogenic bowel disorders. The condition can lead to life-threatening complications like bowel obstruction, intestinal perforation, fecal incontinence, and urinary retention.
Traditional treatments for fecal impaction and severe constipation include lifestyle changes, fiber supplementation, laxatives, suppositories, enemas, and digital stimulation. However, …
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I am a physician, a urologist, and a survivor of multiple suicide attempts related to physician burnout. In dealing with my psychopathology, I experienced a devolution in my mental status, culminating in suicidal behavior. I can remember the exact moment when I acknowledged that suicide was a possible solution to my problems. At one moment, I felt revulsion at the idea of suicide but crossed over to accept it. This …
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