Breakthrough trial shows MRI-guided radiation can reduce prostate cancer treatment toxicity
Nearly 290,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023. Thankfully, the vast majority will be diagnosed with clinically localized disease and can be cured with either surgery or radiotherapy. Emerging clinical trial data have cemented stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a form of radiation in which ≤5 daily doses are delivered with high precision in generally five or fewer treatments, as a curative option for most men with …
Generational differences in medical practice: Exploring work habits of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials
The medical field has always been an ever-evolving landscape with technological advancements, treatments, and diagnoses. But the workforce behind these advancements also plays a crucial role in shaping the medical industry. Over the years, different generations have contributed unique work habits and values, impacting how doctors practice medicine. In this article, we will explore the work habits of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials and discuss how these generational differences …
Here’s how to fix the public health system in the U.S.
Today, the current health care ecosystem is broken and in need of an overhaul. To start, this country’s high cost of health care is not sustainable, preventing millions of Americans from accessing important health care services. The recent ruling will only exacerbate this to remove requirements for preventive screenings from the Affordable Care Act. Further, there are vast omissions of care provided to individuals in historically marginalized communities. These inexcusable …
Poverty: America’s disease with devastating consequences
I need to tell you about John (not his real name). He is a Cameroonian immigrant who came to the U.S. on a student visa. He waited tables in a popular pub in downtown Houston to earn a little change and support himself through school. Hardworking, courteous, and gregarious, John wears the most infectious and charming smile you have ever seen.
It didn’t take long for him to get noticed by …
From patient to protagonist: the importance of narrative writing in medicine [PODCAST]
Are doctors ready to discuss psychedelic therapies with patients?
As I’m pre-charting for my primary care clinic, I see Ms. C on the schedule, whom I know well through our nearly monthly follow-up visits over the past two and a half years of residency. We talk in Spanish as it’s her preferred language. She shares her escalating distress over being an immigrant, a full-time caregiver for her dad with advancing dementia and three kids, and current marital issues while …
The unintended consequences of feeding company data into ChatGPT: a guide to safeguarding your intellectual property
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, businesses are increasingly integrating AI-powered tools, such as ChatGPT by OpenAI, to enhance productivity and automate processes. However, using these tools without understanding the implications of feeding proprietary data into them can lead to unintended consequences, as demonstrated by the recent Samsung incident.
The Samsung incident and other examples
Samsung allowed their staff to use ChatGPT to improve their coding skills. Unfortunately, employees input proprietary code …
Obesity increased over COVID-19: Here’s why patients are worried
Millions of Americans are more worried than ever about obesity. And millions are willing to consider weight-loss methods they never had before, including metabolic and bariatric surgery and anti-obesity medications. The reason: a pandemic that put those with obesity in its crosshairs. These are among the findings from a recent survey from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and NORC, an independent research organization.
Fears …
Doctors and nurses are dying by suicide, as America’s health care workers call for change
In the spring of 2020, as COVID-19 swept through hospitals in the tri-state area, Dr. Lorna Breen, a physician who served as the medical director of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, contracted COVID while caring for patients. Shortly after returning to work under relentlessly overwhelming circumstances, she died by suicide.
Dr. Breen had no prior mental health conditions.
As her story made national headlines, Dr. Breen’s death became …
From helplessness to hope: a psychiatrist’s story of working with suicidal teens [PODCAST]
America’s ailing health care system: How it’s failing patients and doctors
As painfully revealed by the coronavirus pandemic, the American health care system is ailing, plagued by the inefficiencies and greed of big business and for-profit medicine. It is not unlike the virus, attacking vital organs one by one until the whole is weakened. In more grave cases, the severely ill can’t survive. In much the same way our health care system is killing Americans. The sickness is proving incurable, for …
Revolutionizing crime-solving with AI: How ChatGPT-4 can unlock critical evidence in unsolved cases
Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly advanced in various fields, including health care, finance, and education. One of the most promising areas for AI application is criminology, which has the potential to transform how criminal investigations are conducted. The groundbreaking capabilities of ChatGPT-4 have the potential to revolutionize criminology by aiding forensic science, crime scene analysis, and criminal investigations in medical and non-medical …
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Why HIPAA isn’t enough to protect your health data
After all the hours spent in HIPAA training over the years, physicians and other health care workers might think of HIPAA as a powerful regulation. It’s true that HIPAA does require health care workers to follow a number of rules, with pretty harsh penalties for violations. But from a patient’s perspective, how well does U.S. law protect overall health information privacy? Unfortunately, not very well, and things are getting worse.
The …
The struggle of internationally trained physicians in Canada
I moved to Ontario, Canada, a little less than a year ago, with a sense of adventure and a spring in my step. I was excited at the thought of being reunited with family, apprehensive about the hurdles in my path to becoming a practicing physician, but hopeful that there would be light at the end of the tunnel. There had to be.
I had been chief resident at an ACGME-accredited …
Ensuring fair compensation and benefits in physician contracts [PODCAST]
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In this episode, we discuss the important factors that physicians need to consider when reviewing their employment contracts with guest Dennis Hursh, a physician contract attorney. From compensation to benefits, we dive into the details of what …
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A pediatrician’s view on critical self-talk among patients and doctors
A young teen patient, eyes averted, clutching a cell phone, sits in my office. It’s a scheduled annual exam, and the patient reports some ailments—fatigue, anxiety, and poor sleep. Across the room, the parent sits in apparent composure, but as my eyes meet the parent’s gaze and hover here for an instant, I register pain, frustration, and desperation. The patient’s symptoms are not new, and there may have been calls …
Revolutionizing patient care: the power of AI and GPTs in health care and combating physician burnout
Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) have made significant advancements in recent years, with potential applications in various industries. The health care sector stands to benefit significantly from AI and GPTs, as they offer promising solutions for improving patient care, diagnostics, and treatment. This article will discuss the role of leading AI models like Copilot Bing, Bard, BioGPT, GatorTron, and …
What I’ve learned from 10,000 needle procedures
How can health care professionals put patients at ease before and during stressful procedures? A new virtual reality (VR) technology might be the answer for millions of patients with fears and concerns about visiting the clinic.
Needles are the most common office procedure, and needle fear is nearly universal in young children. Studies show nearly two-thirds of children and one-fourth of adults have a fear of needles. Poorly managed …
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Why poor diets are contributing to a surge in colorectal cancer cases among young people
An alarming trend has emerged in my medical practice in recent years: I’m seeing more and more young adults with colorectal cancer.
When I began practicing as a family physician 21 years ago, I never saw patients in their 40s and 50s with the disease, much less ones in their 30s. Now, I diagnose two to three people in those age groups every year.
On the heels of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness …
Past Week
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What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
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A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how
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Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check
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The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?
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A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?
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Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care [PODCAST]
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Past 6 Months
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What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
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The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
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Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting
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What happened to real care in health care?
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Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?
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The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain
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Recent Posts
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Why great patient outcomes don’t protect female doctors from burnout [PODCAST]
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Why ADHD in women is finally getting the attention it deserves
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How a $75 million jet brought down America’s boldest doctor
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Why ruling out sepsis in emergency departments can be lifesaving
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The hidden cost of delaying back surgery
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Precision and personalization: Charting the future of cancer care [PODCAST]
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Past Week
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how
-
Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check
-
The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?
-
A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?
-
Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care [PODCAST]
-
Past 6 Months
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?
-
The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain
-
Recent Posts
-
Why great patient outcomes don’t protect female doctors from burnout [PODCAST]
-
Why ADHD in women is finally getting the attention it deserves
-
How a $75 million jet brought down America’s boldest doctor
-
Why ruling out sepsis in emergency departments can be lifesaving
-
The hidden cost of delaying back surgery
-
Precision and personalization: Charting the future of cancer care [PODCAST]
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