What should you do if your child is diagnosed with bronchiolitis this cold and flu season?

Conditions
December 26, 2023

The cold and flu season is already causing a surge of viral infections among children in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. Health care providers are urging parents to brace themselves for what’s expected to be another season of COVID-19, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common viruses all circulating at the same time.

In young children, these viruses can cause bronchiolitis – a lung infection which is similar to …

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How medical-grade AI is changing the game [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 25, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Tim O’Connell, a physician executive. In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of medical-grade AI and its transformative impact on health care. Tim provides valuable insights into the evolution of AI in medicine, recent advancements, …

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The surprising science of gratitude: How it boosts your well-being

Physician
December 25, 2023

I have never been a very touchy-feely person. I was trained as a biologist and chemist, then went to medical school where more science on top of science was aimed at me like a gushing firehose. I learned to put science and evidence first and to try in my practice of medicine to use only the therapeutic techniques that had some evidence base. That assured me that my patients would …

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Rosalynn Carter’s impact on caregivers

Conditions
December 25, 2023

I’m writing this in November, which is National Caregiver Month. It’s also Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. But regardless of when you’re reading this, if you’re a caregiver, every month is “caregiver month.”

Ironically, it’s also just a few days after the former first lady, Rosalynn Carter, passed away. She was acutely and astutely aware of the role of the caregiver and the toll that it can take on you. She so insightfully …

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Academic career versus private medical practice: a guide to the right decision for you

Physician
December 25, 2023

You are so close to completing your medical training: Congratulations! You worked and studied hard through grade school, college, and medical school. You completed—or are about to complete—residency training or perhaps a subspecialty fellowship. You gained valuable skills and knowledge, but—more importantly—you also grew to realize that your MD (or DO) stands more for “making decisions” than medical doctorate! In brief, you are now close to another finish line, and …

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Why patients ghost their therapists [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 24, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Holly MacKenna, an integrative psychiatrist, as we explore the challenges and nuances of acknowledging goodbyes in the world of mental health treatment and professional relationships. Discover why patients often “ghost” their providers, the impact of business …

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Uncovering the truth behind my father’s tragic end

Conditions
December 24, 2023

I was the “stranger” at my father’s bedside. Shortly after his 84th birthday, my father fell and landed in the hospital with a split scalp. His metastatic prostate cancer was an incidental finding, and superimposing this wildly invasive tumor on his Parkinson’s-compromised body marked his first steps onto his death path.

I came to my father’s final illness as his daughter, a doctor, and a clinical bioethicist. While I was unable …

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What the media gets wrong when reporting on “overprescribing”

Meds
December 24, 2023

A recent article in the Macomb Daily reported that a “Shelby Township doctor was convicted last Thursday of all counts for conspiring to distribute more than 300,000 opioid prescription pills valued at over $6 million, following a trial in U.S. District Court in Ann Arbor, according to federal authorities.”

This sounds very serious on its face. But without context, the public, and even we, have no idea what this means. …

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Why clinical pathologists should learn poker theory

Physician
December 24, 2023

Texas poker, also known as Texas hold’em, is one of the most popular variations of poker played around the world. It’s a game of skill and strategy, with a bit of luck thrown in, and understanding the underlying theory can help you improve your game and increase your chances of winning. Poker and clinical pathology may seem like two very different fields, but there are some interesting similarities and differences …

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Thriving under pressure: How medical residents can excel with distress tolerance [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 23, 2023
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Join Frances Mei Hardin, an otolaryngologist, as we delve into the world of distress tolerance in medical residency training. Discover practical techniques, real-life anecdotes, and evidence-based practices to help residents navigate the intense and challenging environment of …

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The path forward for telepsychiatry: a call for permanent policy

Conditions
December 23, 2023

The U.S. is facing a significant mental health crisis that has united us in our efforts to make positive changes across the health care ecosystem for those in need of care. As health care providers and experienced clinicians, we hope our joint dedication to addressing barriers to care and expanding digital services to those experiencing mental health challenges can make a lasting impact and start to improve health outcomes.

To …

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Down with diversity in 2024?

Physician
December 23, 2023

Since the December 5, 2023, Congressional hearing into antisemitic harassment at Penn, Harvard, and MIT, I was shocked to learn how universities, large and small, public and private, have been hijacked by extreme right-wing leaders connected directly or indirectly to the GOP.

Examples include:

Youngstown State University bypassed the normal search process to select its new president, Republican U.S. Representative Bill Johnson. Johnson has no experience in academia and voted with dozens …

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Words of caution when considering the use of “terminal anorexia”: perspective from lived experience

Conditions
December 23, 2023

After reading the article “Terminal anorexia nervosa: three cases and proposed clinical characteristics,” I was grateful to have not had access to the article a year earlier – when I would have personally met criteria. I was holding on to a sliver of hope at the time that I could enter back into a quality of life worth living, though my exhausted mind wanted to allow anorexia nervosa to …

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Addressing the enormous scale of work-related burnout and mental injury in doctors

Conditions
December 23, 2023

When a 24-year-old laborer’s apprentice used a chainsaw without training, they sustained a jagged laceration through their left quadriceps. When I saw them 12 months later in my general practice, their laceration was well healed. However, they remained unemployed because their untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was aggravated on their return to work when their boss put a chainsaw in their hands to help …

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Breaking down weight management: insights from a bariatric expert [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 22, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Maria Iliakova, a bariatric and general surgeon. In this episode, we’ll explore essential topics in weight management and bariatric surgery. Discover effective ways to start conversations about weight with patients, learn when to refer to a …

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The hidden costs of “free” medical interpretation

Physician
December 22, 2023

He is a typical patient of our academic primary care internal medicine practice: elderly, frail, and with several complex conditions, including a history of a liver transplant requiring chronic immunosuppression, recurrent venous thrombosis requiring treatment with blood thinners, and type 2 diabetes. But in one very important way, he is different: our doctors don’t speak his language.

It is his fourth visit in the past six months, and, as usual, the …

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The doctor’s guide to dividend wealth: Building a resilient portfolio with smart investments

Finance
December 22, 2023

Dividend investing, a strategy centered on generating income through regular dividend payments, holds particular relevance for doctors aiming to build a resilient and diversified financial portfolio. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits, risks, and tax implications of incorporating dividends into a doctor’s financial strategy.

Benefits of dividend investing for doctors

Stable income stream. Dividend-paying stocks, often from established and financially sound companies, provide a consistent and reliable income stream. For doctors, this …

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A doctor’s path to recognizing her own humanity

Physician
December 22, 2023

“Today is the first day of the rest of my life!”

I’m sure you’ve heard that many times before; I’m sure I have. But in my obscure point of existence in this endless universe, that statement has never been more accurate than it is today.

Being a physician has been a flame burning inside my chest my entire life. I decided on it when I was three years old, and aside from …

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Time to retire quarantine: Why 5-day isolation guidelines are doing more harm than good

Conditions
December 22, 2023

I’m making morning rounds on the pediatric unit today: First up, 4-year-old twins with a severe asthma flare; next an infant with bronchiolitis on supplemental oxygen; then a dehydrated 3-year-old listless in bed. These children are all hospitalized with viral illness – but none of it is COVID-19. Meanwhile, their sniffling peers fill daycares and classrooms, and my daughter is among them. “Maybe it’s allergies,” I said to myself this …

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