He was only 31 years old. He had a beard and was a very tall and incredibly handsome man. He was a teacher who used to teach the Holy Quran to young children in a faraway village in Punjab. He used to offer his prayers regularly. He did not go to school or college but was a productive member of society. He worked at a tailor shop and used to …
From devotion to despair: a teacher’s fight against glioblastoma
Language is a powerful internal influencer. You use language to communicate with yourself, just as you do with others. Language is the byproduct of what you think and helps create, define, and redefine the way you think. An angry person is more likely to have negative thoughts. If your internal language is negative about yourself, the people in your life, or your environment, you may come to believe what you …
How to rewire your brain with positive language
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Join radiation oncologists Shannon MacDonald and Sean McBride as they delve into the evolving landscape of telemedicine in oncology. They discuss the significant improvements telemedicine brought during the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges and …
Challenging the legal barriers of cross-state telemedicine [PODCAST]
In 2024, Chilean scientists reported their findings on interesting research. They investigated the correlation between adolescent academic achievement and eating style. The researchers studied over a thousand kids between the ages of ten and fourteen.
A portion of the kids enjoyed a balanced and healthy Mediterranean diet. When they used oil, it was most likely extra-virgin olive oil. They packed their plates with boatloads of vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, and …
Mediterranean diet boosts teen academic success
A doctor in Virginia named Joel Smithers was serving a 40-year sentence in an Atlanta prison when he won his appeal to the 4th Circuit. No, he didn’t shoot someone. That’s probably 25 years. He treated patients in pain. Now, he will get a new trial where he will be bludgeoned again with false metrics and innuendo. To ensure that the benefit of the doubt prevails, a Reuters article starts …
From conviction to appeal: a doctor’s opioid case sparks debate
An excerpt from The Shieling.
The sun had set an hour earlier, but the light in the western sky lingered, as if nature itself couldn’t bear the thought of ending such a beautiful day. David stood on the shore, waiting until the last bit of light had faded away leaving a dark, moonless night with not a breath of wind, not a ripple on the smooth surface of the silent …
A night of stars: Finding solace in the vastness of the sea
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Join us for a conversation with Tracey O’Connell, a radiologist and physician coach, as we explore the hidden challenges within the medical profession. In this episode, we delve into the unsettling experience of …
Inside the hidden world of sham peer reviews in medicine [PODCAST]
Diversity and inclusion—we talk about them. Some organizations have targets. Some even have communication campaigns on them. Yet, in medicine, like many other professions, we lag. According to American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data, “Only about 3 percent of doctors in the United States have a disability.” As an emergency department doctor with a spinal cord injury who uses a wheelchair, this data is thought-provoking.
Why are we not moving the …
Breaking barriers: the urgent need for disability inclusion in medicine
This blog contains information about youth suicide which may be triggering for some readers. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal ideations, please seek attention from your own medical provider, call 988, or text 741741 for guidance and professional support.
As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I spent a fair share of my day speaking to parents about suicide prevention. Oftentimes, when a parent is thinking about how to …
Prevent youth suicide: essential steps for parents to secure their home
Many years ago, our family rescue dog’s health began to decline quickly. He was around thirteen years old at the time, so we knew the end was coming soon. If you’ve ever experienced an aging pet, you know how extremely difficult it is to make the decision to say goodbye. To add to the difficulty, I felt like I was making the decision alone since my divorce. I had a …
The heartbreaking decision that taught me the power of boundaries
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In this episode, we delve into the critical issue of burnout among health care providers with our guest, Susan Landers, a retired neonatologist. We explore the alarming rates of burnout and depression among …
How psychotherapy can rescue burned-out physicians [PODCAST]
Anyone reading health care news today must be aware that American medicine – particularly pain medicine – is in crisis. Doctors are experiencing high levels of burnout due to administrative burdens, prior authorization demands, and a health care system that often prioritizes efficiency over patient care. This burnout is leading to mental health issues and, in some cases, physician suicides.
Medicare payments to physicians have decreased by 26 …
The truth behind opioid use disorder
Does it sometimes feel like you are a teeny tiny person in a world that is so big, surrounded by giants doing their giant people things? Does it feel like, to keep up, you have to do ten thousand tasks? And somehow, even when you manage to complete those ten thousand things, it’s still not enough, and there are ten thousand more waiting. Just writing these lines is giving me …
Mindfulness: Beat the overwhelm and find your focus
Such calmness,
Groundedness,
Beauty,
Standing tall and mighty.
The sense of peace in your presence—
Protected,
Safe,
A patient teacher.
No rah-rah, motivational fluff.
Quiet, yet confident,
Not rushing,
Not chasing,
Not running around striving.
Still, grounded, present.
In a world where people tell me I need to take big financial risks to be fulfilled, I say bullsh*t.
My inner fulfillment is felt when still, calm, and trusting that this simple life I cherish is the most fulfilling of all. Connected to humans, connected to …
Find fulfillment: Reject societal pressures and embrace simplicity
A gummy candy shimmies on stage, dancing to Flashdance. The music swells; it pulls a chain and is showered in multi-colored candies. The ad, for Nerds Gummy Clusters, was one of dozens of food ads that 123 million people saw during the 2024 Super Bowl. While the nostalgic soundtrack entertained adults, the cartoon candies were engineered to appeal to a different audience: children.
And it …
From Super Bowl to supermarket: How candy ads shape kids’ diets
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Join Steven L. Chen, a breast surgeon, as we delve into the advancements in breast cancer treatments and the challenges of managing breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). As survival rates improve, the focus is …
Solutions for lymphedema in breast cancer survivors [PODCAST]
As an endocrinologist, internal medicine physician, and public health leader, I have witnessed firsthand the health disparities that affect Latino communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified these issues, especially with chronic diseases, emphasizing the pressing need for culturally competent health care to address these inequities.
In Arizona and across the nation, my efforts have been dedicated to educating and protecting our communities through media outreach, training community health workers, and …
Bridging the health gap: Empowering Latino communities for a healthier future
I have a handicap placard. I appear healthy, and I walk a lot, but sometimes, the looks I get when I park in the designated handicap space are priceless because I am taking up a special parking spot for someone who is “sick.” “What gives?” they are thinking. “She doesn’t look sick!”
“It’s a big emotional load,” Dr. Sands says. “People are scowling at you because you took that handicapped parking …
Strategies for living and coping with invisible illness
I have too many important tasks during my workday to leave anything to chance in the hazy, slanted dawn. Failure is not on my schedule for tomorrow. So tonight, I will once again pack a lunch, lay out my clothes, and set up the coffee pot.
Before arriving at work in the morning, I will know who I will be seeing and—often—why they are coming to me. If, for some reason, …
Am I an internist or a milkman?
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We sit down with Claire Ellerbrock, a nurse practitioner with a background in psychiatric and behavioral health care. Claire shares her powerful and transformative experience with a patient named John, whose tragic passing …
Systemic failures in mental health care [PODCAST]
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