I was listening to Marty Smith of ESPN do the Fore Please, Now Driving podcast for the 87th Masters Golf Tournament this year. The discussion turned to how some places like the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, are just full of memories, ghosts, wisps of recollection, and echoes of voices and cheers long gone that sometimes seem to be brought forward and magnified in our own day and …
Thin places: Where memories come alive
Young children have different hobbies and preferences while playing in every part of the world. Some things are universal, but many are influenced by the culture of that specific area or the living conditions of that family. In the subcontinent, young girls are very fond of playing with dolls. Most of the time, these dolls are handmade by their moms or …
From fear of loneliness to embracing solitude
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Pediatric nephrologist Katherine Twombley opens up about her personal journey and her book, First Do No Harm: A Physician’s Burnout and Mental Health Guidebook from Medical School to Retirement. Join us as she …
Physician mental health: Breaking the silence [PODCAST]
The words “gap year” are enough to panic any high-achieving premedical student with their heart set on matriculating straight into medical school. Many students feel like a gap year will set them back in their journey to become a doctor, adding more years to the ever-long path to an MD behind their name. What these students do not realize is the value that a meaningful gap year, or more, can …
Medical school gap year: Why working as a medical assistant is perfect
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) marks a pivotal change in the swiftly evolving health care landscape. The adoption curve of AI in health care mirrors the classic early adopters versus late adapters scenario seen in technology uptake. As an emergency room (ER) doctor with a futurist outlook, the comparison between human roles and AI is intriguing and pivotal for understanding and navigating the future of medical care.
Early adopters. These pioneers integrate …
AI adoption in health care: early adopters to late adapters
“Get Over It” is a 1994 album track that marked the Eagles’ reunion after a 14-year hiatus. The tune reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song was written by band members Don Henley and Glenn Frey (1948-2016). Henley is known for his biting, often cynical lyrics, and “Get Over It” is no exception. The song is a commentary on the ‘victim mentality’ that the songwriters felt was …
Get over toxic situations by leaving them
Our physician coaching team and I have extensive experience working with thousands of doctors over the past 13 years who have approached us feeling burned out, exhausted, and uncertain about their future.
We have developed a structured method to assist them in recovering from burnout by focusing on new strategies aimed at constructing their ideal practice.
For years, we’ve recognized that these strategies can be categorized into seven distinct groups.
It has recently …
The spiritual crisis of the employed physician
Despite technological and pharmaceutical improvements in the advancement of medicine, many changes that have occurred in the delivery of medicine during my 15 years of private practice in plastic surgery have had detrimental consequences for both patients and physicians. I will briefly review these changes and provide my perspective on the future of medicine in the United States.
The development of electronic health records, with the ability to access, chart, and …
Corporatization of medicine: Are patients and physicians the losers?
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We join Tami Burdick, a patient advocate and the author of Diagnosis Detective: Curing Granulomatous Mastitis. Tami’s story is one of resilience, empowerment, and the quest for comprehensive health care solutions. Join us …
From misdiagnosis to advocacy [PODCAST]
Has a highly fatal SARS coronavirus already been discovered? Maybe yes, but just its report is highly concerning. On January 4, 2024, a letter to the editor was uploaded to a preprint server which gave too few details but described a 100 percent fatal virus in genetically modified mice. The modifications made these mice similar to humans by adding a human ACE2 receptor to their cells, including in …
A potential discovery of highly fatal SARS coronavirus?
Topoisomerase inhibitors emerged in the American medical landscape in 1971, thanks to the discovery by Dr. Jim Wang of the E. coli omega protein. Topoisomerase I, an enzyme identified by Dr. Wang, plays a crucial role in DNA unwrapping from supercoiling. Supercoiling involves tightly wrapping DNA for storage and protection, requiring unwrapping for reading, a process in which topoisomerase is indispensable.
Topoisomerase comprises two main types, aptly named types I and …
Topoisomerase inhibitors and chronic pain
Alaska Air Flight 1282 was on a trip from Portland to Ontario, California, on January 5, 2024. Barely six minutes into the flight, passengers heard a loud bang and a whoosh as the door plug in the middle section of the aircraft blew out. An unused exit door in the mid-part of the aircraft’s main cabin detached and fell out of the sky. One of the passengers sitting close to …
The Alaska Air Flight 1282 door blowout and patient safety
The allure of joining a startup as a health care professional is undeniable. With over 70 percent of physicians now employed by health systems and other corporate entities – we often feel like invisible cogs in a machine and feel excluded from any opportunities to contribute to real change. Social media is seemingly filled with success stories of physicians founding or joining startups and being involved in innovation, impact, and …
The truth about health care startups: financial sacrifices and emotional toll
A recent TV advertisement attempted to recruit clients for a class action suit against a pharmaceutical manufacturer (PM) for a medication side effect (SE). The “cause of action” was unstated: was it the side effect’s existence or that the company failed to emphasize its severity?
The SE was acknowledged not only by the company but also the FDA, which nonetheless approved the medication (RX), determining that its benefits outweighed the side …
Off-label prescriptions, side effects, and lawsuits: Navigating ethical and legal dilemmas
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We dive deep into the topic of taking a leave of absence from medical school with Stephanie E. Moss. Stephanie, a medical student who made the decision to take a break between her …
Navigating a medical school leave of absence [PODCAST]
As Black History Month draws to a close, it is crucial to recognize the ongoing challenges faced by Black physicians and the importance of fostering diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and belonging in the medical field. National rhetoric condemning DEI efforts has made for an increasingly difficult environment for Black medical trainees to thrive. This Black History Month, we had the honor of hosting three events aimed at celebrating Black excellence …
Fostering Black joy in an anti-DEI environment: community, resilience, and equity
Despite their idealized oath to do no harm, physicians are still human, and as such, mistakes, errors, and the unpredictability of life still occur. Although the stories that grab headlines are of doctors intentionally harming patients, such instances are exceedingly rare. Far more prevalent, however, are the cases of physicians who begin their careers with the best intentions, only to encounter challenges along the way. According to the American Medical …
Beyond the oath: the unaddressed challenge of physician impairment
On a fine afternoon, my nurse came in and gave me a heads-up. “Doctor, the next one’s a bit of a handful. Made a fuss scheduling, complained about her old doctor endlessly at reception … doesn’t seem like a picnic.” I smiled reassuringly, reminding her (and myself) that non-judgmental care is the cornerstone of medicine. However, my mind let out a little sigh, knowing that the next half hour was …
Challenging patients and the art of empathy
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Join Lyle Berkowitz, a physician executive, as we explore the challenges faced by health systems during this time, from overcrowded emergency departments to increased demand for care. Lyle shares insights into traditional strategies …
Health care surges: the role of virtual care partnerships [PODCAST]
As the summer sun bids its farewell, a distinct group of people seem to “fall back” as a mysterious change begins to take hold. Several individuals get caught in the embrace of the transitions of fall and winter, revealing a shift between their mood and energy levels. Ever felt a subtle dip in energy, a touch of melancholy, or an unexpected irritability as the days grow shorter? I’m here to …
Understanding seasonal affective disorder: more than just winter blues
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