Student loan forgiveness: a key step in achieving health equity for minority physicians and patients
As student loan forgiveness awaits a decision from the Supreme Court, the Department of Education has launched a program that can forgive student loan debt for over 40,000 Americans and ease student debt burdens for up to 3.6 million borrowers. As this news circulates, what is less discussed is how student loan debt affects doctors and everyday citizens’ health – especially those who are underrepresented minorities.
Excessive student loans are …
Direct primary care: more access, more savings, more care
Your doctor will see you now. Really, now. Come on in! Forget about waiting for two months for an appointment, hours on hold, or a six-hour wait at an urgent care clinic. Your doctor can see you now; shoot them a text.
More and more primary care clinics are providing a more personal, accessible, convenient, and affordable health care option called direct primary care (DPC). This model focuses on patients rather …
Doctors struggle with unrealistic expectations and lack of self-care, leading to a lack of mercy towards colleagues
“Mercy and consideration for the other man, but none for yourself, upon whom you have to keep an incessant watch.”
– Sir William Osler, MD.
Ironic, isn’t it? The physician is expected to go above and beyond, superhuman even, held to an unrealistic standard above most others, and yet, is their own worst critic. (Or was until social media, but that is another writing for another day.)
We continuously hold ourselves to that …
The decline of whole-person treatment in modern medicine
Recently, a nurse practitioner responded to one of my op-eds in which I discussed the doctor-patient relationship. The nurse said:
I feel so frustrated at times, by the time constraints forced on us by using a business model of practice. In the 30-plus years I’ve been a nurse, we have moved from patient-centered care (which is the current inaccurate buzzword for the type of care we provide) to …
Creating a trauma-informed society: the role of government policy in reducing adverse childhood experiences [PODCAST]
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In this episode, we speak with Ariane Marie-Mitchell, a preventive medicine physician who discusses the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health and development. She discusses the challenges of using a clinical tool to diagnose patients …
A physician’s story of survival: the importance of seeking help
“Remember, today you could be standing next to someone trying their best not to fall apart. So whatever you do today, do it with kindness in your heart.” – Unknown
Today, I want to talk personally from the perspective of a Black, female, physician. I have a confession, I struggle with setting boundaries. I did not know how detrimental this challenge was until I started studying it more deeply. Did you …
A mundane ultrasound? The emotional weight of diagnostic tests.
The word mundane is defined as an occurrence that is very ordinary and, therefore, not interesting. However, what may be mundane for one may be monumental for another, especially if one’s health is in question.
An ultrasound provides needed information to trained medical personnel for the evaluation of the health status of an individual. In many situations, it is a means to alert the physician to a potential problem situation for …
The abusive surgeon and the sleep-deprived intern: a novel
An excerpt from Doctor Zhulik.
Christmas Eve
“You know, you’re the worst f*cking intern I have ever seen.”
“I don’t know why the hell you’re even trying to become a surgeon, Appleby. You have the manual dexterity of a chimpanzee.” A heavy man, Bernstein’s belly burst out of the gown, threatening to push …
The medical school selection process may be more crucial for shaping the future physician workforce
Every year, thousands of applicants in the United States register for the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Many graduate medical education (GME) programs receive thousands of applications that are reviewed by recruitment teams with fewer than ten faculty members. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of applications for GME programs and an overwhelming number of interviews for ERAS applicants, even though only a few hundred …
Healing hearts: the power of authentic connection in medicine [PODCAST]
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In this episode, we speak with Elizabeth LaRusso, a psychiatrist who shares her experiences and insights on the importance of cultivating meaningful connections and holding space for others. She discusses the challenges of learning to hold space …
How to recognize and stop gaslighting in your relationships
An excerpt from The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide: Your Personal Journey Toward Healing from Emotional Abuse.
Gaslighting is insidiously pervasive in today’s culture. We are inundated by an onslaught of news and information that we’re aware might not be accurate. In such a climate, we are presented with more occasions to …
Saying goodbye: the tragic impact of COVID-19 on families
“No, no, no! I’m having a nightmare!” She shrieked through the phone. I couldn’t bear to hear it as words fell clumsily out of my mouth. “Your husband couldn’t breathe on his own. We had to put him on a ventilator. I’m so sorry.”
I was apologizing already. I’m sure she knew that it wasn’t a good sign when a physician opened with an apology. “What does that mean?” she stuttered. …
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A couple’s journey with a rare neurodegenerative disorder
It was in 2012 that I started to realize that my wife Jennifer’s memory lapses were a significant sign to be taken seriously. That insight set us on a four-year journey, during which we engaged four neurologists in our quest for an answer. At last, Dr. Brent Fogel at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA diagnosed Jennifer with adult polyglucosan body disease (APBD), an ultra-rare, neurodegenerative disorder characterized …
The importance of a clear contract with your defense counsel in medical malpractice cases
The prevailing party contract is not the only contract that can protect a doctor in medical malpractice litigation. There is also the doctor-defense counsel contract.
Because of the risk of litigation, doctors often have a contract with a medical malpractice insurance carrier. The carrier offers to cover litigation costs in exchange for premiums, limits on liability, and other terms of coverage. The insurance company is then obligated to appoint and pay …
Finding purpose: How physicians can craft meaningful careers in medicine [PODCAST]
New employment contracts: What physicians need to know about compensation and benefits
Physicians receiving a new employment contract need to be aware of issues that can arise related to their compensation and benefits. These are some of the things that should be carefully reviewed before signing the agreement.
Compensation
The agreement should clearly provide what productivity is expected. You can frequently gauge expected productivity by the salary level. If one employer is paying significantly more than another, it is a safe bet that the …
The endless race: How to find peace in a world obsessed with productivity
I live in a state of chronic dissatisfaction and disillusionment, particularly when it comes to time. Is it the curse of the modern age to try to do too much? Is it just my location or life path? Have people always struggled with this?
If this constant struggle with time was a crime against anything else, I might be seen as an oddity or someone who doesn’t learn from their experiences. …
Lean on me: the power of human connection and the support of a caring doctor
Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, and we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise, we know that there’s always a tomorrow.
Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend; I’ll help you carry on,
for it won’t be long ’till I’m going to need somebody to lean on.
Some might recall these lyrics from the song Lean on Me, written in 1972 by American singer-songwriter Bill …
How people of faith can respond to our broken health system [PODCAST]
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In this episode, we speak with G. Scott Morris, a physician and ordained minister who has dedicated his career to treating patients with chronic conditions at Church Health. He shares his experiences working with individuals to improve …
Past Week
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How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders
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International doctors blocked by visa delays as U.S. faces physician shortage
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How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments
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How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery
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Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]
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Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink
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Past 6 Months
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Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients
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What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab
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Why medical students are trading empathy for publications
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Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty
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Why fixing health care’s data quality is crucial for AI success [PODCAST]
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How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight
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Recent Posts
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International doctors blocked by visa delays as U.S. faces physician shortage
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A world without vaccines: What history teaches us about public health
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Combating physician burnout with a coaching leadership style [PODCAST]
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How I redesigned my life as a physician without abandoning medicine
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Past Week
-
How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders
-
International doctors blocked by visa delays as U.S. faces physician shortage
-
How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments
-
How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery
-
Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]
-
Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink
-
Past 6 Months
-
Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients
-
What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab
-
Why medical students are trading empathy for publications
-
Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty
-
Why fixing health care’s data quality is crucial for AI success [PODCAST]
-
How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight
-
Recent Posts
-
International doctors blocked by visa delays as U.S. faces physician shortage
-
A world without vaccines: What history teaches us about public health
-
Combating physician burnout with a coaching leadership style [PODCAST]
-
How drugmakers manipulate your health from diagnosis to prescription
-
How I redesigned my life as a physician without abandoning medicine
-
Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR
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