An excerpt from Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine: Finding Purpose, Fulfillment, and Happiness in Today’s Medical Industry.
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”
– Maya Angelou
When I was experiencing burnout, I felt something was wrong with me. I kept questioning myself.
Why couldn’t I fulfill all the demands …
Discover the secrets to regaining joy in medicine
We all do it at one time or another.
Maybe the office or clinic is closed, but you’re on call, waiting for the phone to ring and take your attention away from family, friends, and festivities.
Is it a source of stress, or have you learned to go with the flow?
There are many things that trigger us in medicine and in life.
In the first few years as an attending physician, holidays were …
How to thrive in medicine during festive seasons
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We welcome Matthew Allen, a medical student, as we delve into the significant findings of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 25×5 Task Force, which aims to reduce the clinician documentation burden by 25 percent in five …
How AI is redefining clinical documentation [PODCAST]
Before delving into the heart of joy’s pursuit, it’s essential to grasp the complexities faced by medical professionals in today’s health care environment. The modern health care system, with all its advancements, presents unique challenges that can often overshadow the intrinsic joys of the profession.
The burden of bureaucracy. One of the significant hindrances to joy in medicine is the ever-increasing administrative demands. Doctors find themselves spending more time on paperwork and …
The challenge of seeking joy: Navigating the current health care maze
What will your workday look and feel like when it has eliminated your need to document, answer messages, or deal with your inbox? Isn’t that what we all want: freedom from electronic medical records and all the other documentation tasks? Yes? For decades now, the physician’s lament has been, “I just want to see patients.” A recent article, revealing the Mayo Clinic’s AI task automation strategy, hints at a future …
The double-edged sword of AI in health care
One thing is for sure: in today’s modern world, and as we recover from the impact of a pandemic, we are busier than ever. Another certainty is just how many of us are constantly on the move, with over 900 million people traveling internationally every year. Whether you’re traveling for pleasure or business, many do so without ever considering the health risks and security concerns to which we are exposed. …
Behind closed doors of traveling: the concerns often overlooked
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We welcome Ryan McCarthy, an internal medicine physician, to delve into the multifaceted challenges of providing primary care in Appalachia. Ryan shares his firsthand experiences from Martinsburg, West Virginia, a region grappling with the invisible effects of …
Inside Appalachia’s health crisis [PODCAST]
Are you satisfied with your health benefits plan? That’s one of the many questions asked of over 2,000 employers, running large and small businesses, by the annual survey from KFF. Approximately 153 million workers and their families receive health benefits from employers in the U.S. Therefore, the survey results offer a window on the current satisfaction (or lack thereof) of health plans, whether by self-insured entities or as part …
Employer health plans need a makeover
When the University of Pennsylvania’s president Liz Magill was forced to resign her position due to her equivocal stance regarding antisemitic harassment on Penn’s campus, J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, was soon announced as her interim successor. Jameson had served as executive vice president of Penn’s health system and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine since 2011.
Jameson is a prominent molecular endocrinologist, author of over 350 scientific …
A test of medical leadership for Penn’s new president
An excerpt from Dr. T’s Drop the Fat Diet: 12 Steps to Leaner You Forever.
Semaglutide, a medication often marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, has gained immense popularity in recent years. This is especially true in an age where diabetes and obesity are on the rise. The medication is being …
Ozempic: miracle drug or a band-aid for obesity?
The banner in front of the ED where I work proclaims “magnet hospital.” “Magnet” status tells patients and visitors that the care from nurses (and ED technicians and patient care associates staff under their auspices) is so good that the ED should be a magnet, attracting patients and nurses to come here and inspiring other EDs emulation.
For many years, our ED’s annual census has been 100,000 patients. One might think …
From task-oriented to goal-driven: the power of habits in “magnet” hospitals
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Join Dike Drummond, a family practice physician, as he brings his rich experience and deep understanding of the medical profession to discuss a critical issue that touches many in the health care field: physician burnout. Through our …
Physician burnout’s little voice [PODCAST]
I’ve been conceptualizing this for several years now – ideas about what I would like to do with perspectives from my long-time practice as a physician and those always developing as a psychotherapist. I love both; each brings a unique skill set and way of being in the world, and I am well-immersed in the confusions one has for the other. I am an adult therapist with a deep love …
Unlocking the healing power: Bridging medicine and psychotherapy
This article is sponsored by Nuance, a Microsoft company. Discover clinical documentation that writes itself™.
There’s no doubt about the biggest story in tech over the last year: the rapid rise of generative AI. Although the underlying technology that powers generative AI has been around for many years in various forms, …
Navigating the rise of generative AI in health care: 5 key factors beyond the hype
A Harvard medical school student realized in his third year that he had lost his desire to become a doctor. Nevertheless, the student decided to complete his fourth year and obtain his MD degree. The student is now planning for a career in pharma or even comedy. Some individuals who read his online essay found the student’s decision-making comical in itself. Overall, their comments were evenly divided about the …
Is it noble or selfish to never practice medicine after getting a medical degree?
Provider feedback is a powerful tool for behavioral health practices, as it is a valuable indicator of whether or not patient care is on the right track. Gathering feedback, and then acting on it, can also improve a practice’s efficiency.
Fostering an open environment, one where providers feel heard and valued improves provider retention. Provider retention is key for any behavioral health practice because when a provider leaves, there is a …
Gathering clinician feedback at a growing practice
No one knows exactly why we need to sleep, but we certainly do. Although the brain can’t thrive on sleep alone, good sleep is an essential ingredient necessary to keep your brain functioning at its best. New research is shedding light on how a good night’s sleep may protect your brain from neurodegenerative diseases.
In 2022, Canadian scientists evaluated the medical literature regarding sleep apnea and its link to the risk …
Protect your brain with a good night’s sleep
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We sit down with Sogol Pahlavan, a pediatrician, and hear her powerful story of personal transformation. Join us as she shares her journey from achieving the American dream to discovering the importance of self-awareness and self-acceptance. Learn …
A pediatrician’s quest for self-discovery [PODCAST]
The alarming rise in physicians resigning from their roles is a testament to the severity of the crisis. Where physicians were once the pillars of health care, delivering vital services to their communities, they now find themselves struggling with diminishing job satisfaction, declining productivity, and inadequate self-care routines. The result is a mass exodus from the profession, leading to a shortage of health care professionals and jeopardizing patient care.
The advent …
Why physicians are leaving: Exploring the burnout crisis
When I started medical school thirty years ago, and learned about the discovery of streptomycin, I wondered what it must have been like for the doctors who first used it to cure the “white death.” How satisfying it must have been to tell a previously hopeless patient, “We can cure you.”
What brought this to mind was my rotation at an old part of the hospital where I was training. I …
How gene editing and immunotherapy are changing lives
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