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Psychiatry in 1984 vs. now: Has progress come at a cost?

Conditions

March 1, 2024

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 …

Harmonies of medicine: the biopsychosocial symphony

Shanice Spence-Miller, MD

Physician

March 1, 2024

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 …

From Afghanistan to hope: a cancer patient’s remarkable story

Dr. Damane Zehra

Conditions

March 1, 2024

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 …

Exploring gene therapy for chronic pain [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 29, 2024

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, …

Bringing vital medical care to St. Lucia’s underserved

Belen Gallarza-Wilson, MD and Lisa Sanders, MD

Physician

February 29, 2024

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 opioid crisis: profits, lawsuits, and pharmaceutical influence

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Meds

February 29, 2024

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 …

Heart-stopping brain surgery: a surgeon’s harrowing dilemma

Marc Arginteanu, MD

Conditions

February 29, 2024

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 …

How a simple chore transformed my perspective on medicine

Christine Marie Deeths, MD

Physician

February 29, 2024

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 …

Violence against health care workers [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 28, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Harry Severance, an emergency physician, as we delve into the alarming rise in violence against health care workers. We’ll explore the root causes of this issue, the impact on health care professionals, …

Surviving a 28-hour hospital shift: a resident’s struggle and passion

Stephanie Wottrich, MD

Physician

February 28, 2024

I recently worked a 28-hour shift in the hospital. I am on a rotation where I work these long shifts every four days, and my last 3 or 4 of these shifts have been the kind that really tries a person’s soul. I got called all night to see new patients and take care of existing ones, and mind you, this is after a 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. day …

Sham peer review epidemic: A doctor’s career destroyed

Aysun Alagoz, MD

Physician

February 28, 2024

An excerpt from The Medical Matrix: One Physician’s Story Maneuvering the Minefields of Medicine.

It was a routine Monday morning in the middle of May 2011. I had custody of my boys that day, so I dropped them off at school and headed to work.

As soon as I got to work I received a phone call from the vice CEO of the hospital. Maria (name changed) was a short woman …

Discover the physician who made a village his family

Zoran Naumovski, MD

Physician

February 28, 2024

I finished my residency training on June 30th, 2000, in a combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency program at Ohio State University and Columbus Children’s Hospital (before it was renamed Nationwide Children’s Hospital). One month later, I was slated to begin my first “adult” job as I joined a private family medicine practice in Southern Ohio – practicing traditional medicine (outpatient and inpatient care). There were no hospitalists back then …

Beyond medical vs. N95: strategic masking for COVID protection

P. Dileep Kumar, MD, MBA

Conditions

February 28, 2024

Do masks prevent COVID-19 infections? You might be thinking that it is a bit late to ponder these questions. But better late than never! As shown in the following graph provided by the CDC, COVID is here to stay with us, at least for the time being. Even though nothing compared to the 140,000 hospitalizations per week during the early 2022 wave, there were still about 40,000 weekly hospitalizations a …

The untold truth of medical residency: a look at its grueling past and present

Katherine Twombley, MD

Physician

February 28, 2024

An excerpt from First Do No Harm: A Physician’s Burnout and Mental Health Guidebook from Medical School to Retirement.

Residency requirements have changed drastically since my father completed medical school in the 1970s. Residents needed to be fully focused and alert despite working forty-eight- or seventy-two-hour days, which led some to substance misuse. Some residents took stimulants to help perk themselves …

Contract negotiations: When physicians ask for too much [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 27, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Dennis Hursh, a health care attorney. Dennis sheds light on the often misunderstood world of physician contract negotiations, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s true value. He shares insights from his practice, …

Is your persistent cough more than a cold? Understanding micro-choking.

West Haven VA Center of Education in Interprofessional Primary Care

Conditions

February 27, 2024

These days, everybody is coughing. The resurgence of COVID, RSV, and flu has overwhelmed emergency rooms and hospitals this early winter. But not all coughs are viral. If you recently visited a family member for the holidays and noticed a persistent cough after dinner, you may have witnessed not a viral illness but what’s known as an aspiration event.

As primary care providers, we frequently take care of people who are …

The costly divide: tech innovations and global health inequality

Kayra Cengiz

Tech

February 27, 2024

“You have various options for this procedure. However, we will only be able to get the best results with the newest artificial lens on the market. Unfortunately, this type of lens is not covered by any insurance provider since it is sold by a single company in U.S. dollars. Unless you can afford it out of pocket, we would have to go with the older version.”

This is part of a …

Why the medical community should be invested in understanding chronic wasting disease

Jackson J. McCue

Conditions

February 27, 2024

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prion disease seen in the deer family – including mule deer, whitetail deer, elk, and moose – in countries throughout the world. The prion affects nervous system tissue in infected animals. Eventually leading to erratic behavior and certain death. Currently, there is no evidence of direct transmission of CWD to humans. However, given the biological plausibility for transmission, equity/ecological concerns, and the …

Breaking boundaries in health care: untold stories of triumph and transformation [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

February 26, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Kim Downey, a physical therapist, alongside Brittany Lamb, an emergency physician, and Adam Harrison, a physician, lawyer, and leadership coach. Together, they share their unique journeys and discuss common themes of empowerment, …

How narrative medicine empowers neurodivergent patients

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Conditions

February 26, 2024

It’s been said that the challenges neurodiverse people face are the ones that neurotypical people view as easy, and vice versa. It speaks to the hard-wired diversity of cognitive styles and perspectives among different individuals.

Neurotypical people, who generally fit within the societal norms of cognitive functioning, might find certain tasks or social situations easier due to their alignment with mainstream expectations. On the other hand, neurodivergent individuals, who have variations …

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