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We sit down with William Lynes, a urologist and author of A Surgeon’s Knot, as we delve into the captivating narrative of the highs and lows of a surgical internship. Join us as …
A Surgeon’s Knot: the realities of a surgical internship [PODCAST]
The parable of the Chinese farmer is a story with many versions. In shorthand, it goes something like this: a farmer’s horse escapes – the neighbors say, “How terrible!” The farmer says, “Maybe.” The horse returns, bringing some wild horses with it. The neighbors say, “How wonderful!” The farmer says, “Maybe.” The farmer’s son falls off one of the wild horses while trying to tame it and breaks his leg. …
My journey through the parable of American health care
As a family doctor, I want to extend my gratitude to my colleague and friend who has transitioned from primary care to weight management as of January 1, 2024. This serves as a reminder that primary care thrives on heartfelt connections, which remain fundamental to our approach to health care.
Your consistent care is already missed in these first few months of 2024. I am so grateful for your years of …
Honoring our trusted family physician
Next time you hear “cuffing season,” think of blood pressure cuffs. As winter has properly set in with shorter, darker, colder days, you might see the impact on blood pressure control rates.
A new study examined the health records of more than 68,000 adults being treated for hypertension and found that on a population level, BP control rates decreased by up to 5 percent during the winter months …
Did you know that colder weather can complicate blood pressure control rates and treatment?
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 …
Is there a place for audiovisual recording in medicine?
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Join us as we sit down with Olivia Ong, a pain and rehabilitation medicine physician based in Australia, as she opens up about her incredible journey of resilience and self-discovery. In 2008, Olivia …
From paralysis to possibility: an unexpected awakening [PODCAST]
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 …
Confronting the damaging hierarchy in graduate medical education
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 …
Medical debt-driven homelessness
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 …
Physician-led health care transformation: Debunking myths
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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 …
Tax tips for employed doctors [PODCAST]
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 …
Breaking free from sugar addiction: Why cold turkey doesn’t work
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 …
When this doctor gets a zero star rating
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 …
Telemedicine’s impact on lifespan and cancer eradication
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Join Thaddeus Mason Pope, an expert in medical law and clinical ethics, as we delve into the complex landscape of medical aid in dying (MAID) legislation. Explore the evolution of MAID legislation over …
Medical aid in dying legislation for end-of-life care [PODCAST]
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 …
It is literally possible to be a woman in medicine! We are doing it every day.
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 …
Psychiatry in 1984 vs. now: Has progress come at a cost?
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 …
Harmonies of medicine: the biopsychosocial symphony
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 …
From Afghanistan to hope: a cancer patient’s remarkable story
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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, …
Exploring gene therapy for chronic pain [PODCAST]
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 …
Bringing vital medical care to St. Lucia’s underserved
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