Mother’s Day miracle: How our daughter’s Down syndrome diagnosis transformed our lives with gratitude

Physician
May 14, 2023

Like Seattle rain, the tears were persistent and recurrent for months. Hearing the words, “Your prenatal screening shows a high probability of Down syndrome,” followed two days thereafter by an ultrasound and the doctor’s words, “Well, you saw the ultrasound. This looks like Down syndrome and a cystic hygroma. You’ll need to come back for another ultrasound in a few weeks.” It was the first and last time we ever …

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Surviving TMI and AI: the importance of self-initiated self-learning for future physicians

Tech
May 14, 2023

Although adult education is meant to be accomplished without spoon-feeding, academic physicians find it challenging to avoid spoon-feeding their medical students, residents, and fellows when designing curriculums for them during medical school and graduate medical education (GME). With the advent of the internet and digital information, the situation has become worse instead of better. Artificial intelligence (AI) has not done enough to help humanity or may be helping too much, …

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“Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

Physician
May 14, 2023

There is an underbelly to every profession, and medicine is no different.

We know physicians are the “best and the brightest,” yet there is a secret lurking in hospitals, clinics, and academic institutes that poses a threat to public safety.

You might expect a cardiac or neurosurgeon to be blessed with great skills and hand-eye coordination. I have worked with doctors who are not only deft with a scalpel, but who can …

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Journeying towards ending oppression and becoming trauma-informed for meaningful change [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 13, 2023
YouTube video

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In this episode, we sit down with Maiysha Clairborne, an integrative family physician and co-author of Conscious Anti-Racism: Tools for Self-Discovery, Accountability and Meaningful Change. Maiysha shares her insights on the journey towards ending oppression, and the …

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Breaking down barriers: Illinois bill calls for cultural competency training for physicians to improve health care for LGBTQ+ community

Policy
May 13, 2023

Illinois HB 4654 is a bill requiring physicians to undergo cultural competency training focusing on caring for patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and two-spirit LGBTQ2S+, or questioning LGBTQ+. This training is critical for ensuring that all patients receive the best possible care, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the state of Illinois. Even though the bill has been …

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The incredible journey of pregnancy: endurance, resilience, and unconditional love

Conditions
May 13, 2023

“Pregnancy is the longest duration and highest energy expenditure that humans can experience. Mothers probably aren’t surprised by this.”
-Herman Pontzer

How fast you can run depends on why, for how long, and, more importantly, the drive that sets the purpose for why you are running in the first place. In all emergencies, trying to avoid becoming a tiger’s lunch does not take long: You either run as hard as ever to …

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Unlocking the power of morning intentions: a physician’s self-care practice for finding ease and flow in life

Physician
May 13, 2023

The conversation of physician wellness includes self-care and self-care practices.

As a practicing physician, I adopted many self-care practices as the vehicle to restore peace and connect to the flow of life.

One practice has taken center stage for me, creating the pattern interrupt needed to get back in the flow of life when faced with stress and overwhelm.

My morning routine, whether I am waking up at home or in the hospital …

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Mastering the art of transition: essential tips for leaving your medical career behind and pursuing a new path

Finance
May 13, 2023

You have had a long, fulfilling career. Or maybe you’re in the middle of practice, realizing you’re burned out and tired, and wanting to do something else. Maybe the practice you joined no longer fuels you, or you realize you’re working too hard. It could even be a family or health issue that forces you to look elsewhere. Or you think, “How can I transition from a practicing doctor to …

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Unveiling the power of spirituality in health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 12, 2023
YouTube video

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In this episode, we sit down with John T. James, a patient safety advocate, to discuss the intersection of spirituality and health care. We delve into John’s personal experiences with loss and how they shaped his understanding …

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Is FDA-approved Veozah a game-changer in menopause hot flash treatment?

KevinMD
May 12, 2023

The medical world is buzzing following the FDA’s green light for Veozah. This is a one-of-a-kind, non-hormonal drug designed to tackle hot flashes in menopausal women. It brings fresh hope to countless women in the U.S. who’ve been grappling with these troublesome symptoms.

Around 80 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes, which bring sudden spells of sweating, flushing, and chills. This unpleasant condition is caused by a glitch …

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Discover the surprising lessons of being a terrible patient: How it made me a better doctor

Physician
May 12, 2023

As an ER doctor for many years, I recently retired from medicine to write and explore the world. My husband and I sold our lovely lake home and downsized to a three-season cabin in the woods, smaller than a school bus, and got a tiny RV and a place in Thailand. COVID be damned, we froze our assets camping on the Rio Grande, wintered in Corsica, hiked in the Atacama, …

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Proactive risk management: a game-changer in preventing physician burnout

Physician
May 12, 2023

Readers familiar with my earlier posts understand that I believe nothing causes physician burnout more than the threat of a lawsuit. The risk for any doctor is 5% per year; hence, a malpractice suit is inevitable for every 20 years in practice. The common denominator is a complication from which no doctor has immunity.

Those who deny ever being sued are either not practicing long enough or the complication has little …

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The deadly consequences of a shortage: The Pluvicto crisis leaves metastatic prostate cancer patients in limbo

Meds
May 12, 2023

You’ve recently been diagnosed with metastatic cancer. You started the recommended first-line therapy, but it isn’t cutting it. There is another available treatment, but your hopes are crushed upon learning that you will have to wait at least three months before the life-extending medication can be produced for you and reach your location. All the while, your cancer will continue to grow and spread, slowly eating your body from the …

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Unveiling the hidden heroes: Nurses – the lifeline of medicine

Physician
May 12, 2023

It is National Nurses Week, a time when we recognize and appreciate the vital role nurses play in health care. As medical doctors, we understand firsthand the significance of nurses in enabling us to fulfill our responsibilities effectively.

I have a saying that emphasizes the importance of nurses to physicians:

If the doctor is good and the nurse is good, the patient will be well.
If the doctor is bad but the nurse …

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Stopping the cycle of bullying: How empathy and inclusion can change lives

Conditions
May 12, 2023

The most vivid memory of my childhood is of me, a six or seven-year-old boy, crying in the playground corner every day for months. It is so intense that I wonder if that is a product of imagination. However, the same scene, with the blue bench, in the dark right corner of the playground, keeps on playing in my head when I think about those early days of my childhood.

It …

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Raising awareness and building trust for better patient care [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 11, 2023
YouTube video

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Join Paul Pender, ophthalmologist and author of Standing Up & Speaking Out for Patients & Doctors, as he discusses the need for a change in mindset and a willingness to adopt new concepts in health care. Paul …

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Remembering Heather Armstrong: the tragic loss of the “Queen of Mommy Bloggers” sparks a global conversation on mental health

KevinMD
May 11, 2023

The blogging universe mourns the loss of a remarkable figure, Heather Armstrong, fondly known as the “Queen of the Mommy Bloggers.” Armstrong’s blog, Dooce, was a sanctuary for mothers and individuals wrestling with mental health issues and addiction. Tragically, Armstrong ended her life prematurely in an apparent suicide following a sobriety relapse. The legacy she leaves behind extends far beyond her two children, etching her name as one …

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An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

Conditions
May 11, 2023

“He had an intuitive gift as a physician in diagnosing and managing breast cancer. His expertise helped countless patients, and he was deeply appreciated by those he cared for. He felt an enormous sense of gratitude to be able to help his patients and be an integral part of their care.”

I didn’t want to have cancer again, and who would? It was December 29, 2021, just over a year since …

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