Some years ago, I came across a very useful little device – a thumb (flash) drive that also had the ability to record sound. It powered up simply by being slotted into a USB port. Inserting the drive did not raise any suspicion that I was recording.
Sometimes I used this overtly, such as when obtaining informed consent or giving instructions that were vital to be followed.
Rarely I would use it …
Although I have a deep respect for everyone who contributes to the education of our next generation of physicians, I also feel that the current hierarchy in graduate medical education is damaging U.S. health care. That is, the best students go to the best residency programs and get the best jobs and subsequently teach the best students, and so on, creating highly respected centers of excellence. That’s wonderful, but how …
The fictional 2007 television story depicting the plight of a widow with two daughters who, as a family, became homeless due to medical debt incurred during her since-deceased husband’s health care, is an eye-opener and heartbreaking. However, nowadays, the fact is emulating that fiction when statistics of homelessness risk due to medical debt are bewildering and shocking.
As compared to credit card debt, where buyers can at least gauge the maximum …
In the ever-evolving landscape of modern health care, physicians often grapple with myths and misconceptions that can hinder our ability to provide the best possible care to our patients. As we stand at the precipice of change in 2023, it’s vital to confront these fallacies with courage, humility, and self-awareness. The path to a better health care system is paved with the stones of truth found in the counterpoints to …
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Join Tod Stillson, a family physician and entrepreneur, as he navigates the intricacies of tax planning and financial well-being for employed doctors. Tod provides valuable insights on transitioning from a traditional W-2 employee …
We know how dangerous sugar can be to our health. Excess sugar intake has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even our immune system health. But giving it up is easier said than done. One question that people often have is, “Do I have to completely give up sugar, like, all of it? Cold turkey?” The answer is: nope! For most people, systematically identifying, replacing, and reducing sugar in …
I can’t stop thinking about “customer satisfaction,” which is weird because I don’t actually have customers. I’m a primary care doctor for a group of patients in Martinsburg, WV, and have done so for almost twenty years. At its core, my job is the opposite of having it your way, like I’m told you can do at Burger King.
I don’t sell anything in my office except, perhaps, the benefits of …
Forty years ago when I first started in medicine, there were no CT scans or MRIs. In the next forty years, I foresee cancer as an illness of the past, and life expectancy will be over one hundred years old.
Scientific advancements will push medicine ahead, improving quality of life in increments, slowly taking two steps forward and one step back. The pandemic caused us to take one step back, but …
I love America Ferrara’s monologue in Barbie. Similarly, the impossibility of being a woman in medicine, as so clearly stated in Dr. Jennifer Lycette’s recent essay in KevinMD, absolutely resonates with me.
And yet, let’s not forget that in 2021, two of five practicing physicians were women, with certain fields including (my own) dermatology, internal medicine, and pediatrics having a female predominance. Studies support that these female physicians have …
This essay is part satire. The trouble is, I don’t know which part.
As far as I know, time travel is fodder for science fiction thrillers and movies. It doesn’t actually exist on Earth. However, I can time travel in my mind, and I do it frequently, reminiscing about the 40 years between the time I completed my psychiatric residency (in 1984) and now. What has changed in my specialty in …
In the heartstrings of medicine, a symphony resonates—a tale of profound connections and compassionate care. Envision a middle-aged man thrust into a harrowing journey: diagnosed suddenly with a life-threatening vascular disease, haunted by depression with suicidal thoughts, and navigating the complexities of life without social support. This narrative is both prologue and sonata, weaving through the very fabric of healthcare, unraveling the poignant threads that bind us to our patients.
The …
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A few weeks back, a young male from Afghanistan visited us in the oncology clinic. He was in his late 20s and came with a translator to facilitate his consultation. He was not very fluent in either Urdu or English but could still understand most of it. He seemed very anxious and perplexed in the initial assessment room. I observed him closely and noticed that there was no family member …
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
Join L. Joseph Parker, a research physician, as we explore recent breakthroughs in gene editing, including its use in curing deafness and treating sickle cell anemia. Joseph discusses the ethical implications, accessibility challenges, …
Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is seemingly simple: we are to join forces with another non-profit group in order to deliver medical care to those that need it most on St. Lucia, a West Indian island nation variously colonized by the English and French, with Arawak and Carib roots. It will be our inaugural trip to this Caribbean idyll and our first collaboration with another non-profit, but …
The absolute belief in a vast conspiracy is often associated with an unbalanced mind. People suffering from some forms of mental illness are prone to these beliefs, seeing the invisible hand of the CIA behind the music choices on their radio stations. But that’s not always the case. Dr. Andrew Wakefield was born in 1956 and completed his medical degree in 1981, becoming a fellow of the Royal College of …
An excerpt from of Paint and Pancakes.
The epicenter of Jane’s cancer occupied some very expensive real estate between Broca’s area and the motor strip. Her ability to speak and form coherent words resided in Broca’s. A little further back was the Motor Strip, which controlled the movement of the right side of her body.
It all looks the same … so damned normal. Mike cleared his throat. High-price …
My son was born in a small community hospital with breathing and heart issues requiring transfer to a children’s hospital several hundred miles away. I arrived at the children’s hospital, worried, exhausted, and overwhelmed many hours after he did. Everything had happened so quickly my head was spinning.
After I checked on my son, I was directed to the Ronald McDonald house. I arrived in the wee hours of the morning …
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