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Nationally recognized psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article, “The rise of digital therapeutics in medicine.” Muhamad explains what prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) are, emphasizing they are …
As a psychiatrist, I often find myself confronting not only the symptoms of mental illness but also the deep scars left by stigma. Even in 2025, despite advances in neuroscience and a growing cultural focus on mental health, stigma remains one of the greatest barriers to healing. It manifests in silence, shame, and misunderstanding, and it affects patients, families, and even those of us within the psychiatric profession. Addressing stigma …
Developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) has lost its identity, and my career shows what happens when leadership retreats.
When I applied for positions in Tucson and Jacksonville, I was not seen as a developmental pediatrician with expertise in neurodevelopmental disabilities. Instead, I became the dumping ground for “Stranger Things” (children whose needs were psychiatric, not developmental). Administrators and chiefs, lacking even a basic understanding of DBP, misrouted cases into my lap. The result …
We put on that strong face. Resilience. We learn to handle anything. But our outside appearance can fool you as our inner turmoil plays havoc emotionally.
I learned quickly that nursing was not all about holding hands with a sick child in the emergency room or fluffing up a pillow for a dying grandma. My initiation into the dark side of nursing began in the emergency department. I was fresh out …
There was a time when I thought burnout was easy to recognize, that it came with flashing red lights and emotional breakdowns. I imagined it as the dramatic kind of collapse you see in movies: a physician walking out mid-shift, tears in their eyes, leaving their stethoscope behind.
In those days, I didn’t really think about burnout. I believed burnout happened to other people, the ones who hadn’t mastered time management …
As a practicing (“licensed”) psychologist, this issue comes up frequently. What are the differences among the myriad of mental-health professionals and does it even matter? As a researcher, as well as a clinician, my first inclination is always to look at the literature when seeking answers. What have others written on whatever topic it is that I am trying to better understand? Did someone else already answer my question? So, …
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Urologist William Lynes discusses his article, “The decline of the doctor-patient relationship.” William explains why he believes this relationship, the critical center of medical care, is broken after 40 years of insidious …
Studies show that many patients have strong convictions regarding their rights and values. Some avoid or delay life-saving medical procedures due to modesty concerns, which can stem from religious, cultural, or personal reasons, or anxieties from previous bad experiences in medical settings. Some patients even travel to another state or country to seek medical care. Others who have been diagnosed with PTSD from abuse in medical settings avoid medical care …
In a valuable episode of the Wealth Planning for the Modern Physician podcast, host David Mandell, JD, MBA, welcomed two guests who have navigated a common trend in independent medicine today: private equity. Dr. Steve Hamilton, sports medicine physician and orthopedic surgeon at Beacon Orthopedics, and Andy Blankemeyer, CEO of Beacon and OrthoAlliance, shared their firsthand experiences with practice growth, private equity partnerships, and what physicians should consider when approached …
“If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I’ll tell you what you are. That determines your character. That is the most significant thing about you.”
– Dale Carnegie, How to Make Friends and Influence People
We all want to feel seen, recognized, and appreciated. That’s human nature. But where do you get your feeling of importance? What aspects of yourself are essential to who you are and how …
It’s a moment I’ve come to recognize too well as a psychiatry resident: a patient walks into my office already convinced of their diagnosis. They’ve watched a dozen videos, followed mental health influencers on Instagram, and taken online quizzes that “confirmed” what they suspected. They have ADHD, or autism, or borderline personality disorder. They’re not here for an evaluation; they’re here for validation.
On one hand, this moment feels like progress. …
I wield my instrument with confidence and precision. It slices through the air as an extension of my dominant hand. My feet shift slightly; I anticipate needing to reposition my body for the next step. I execute the move flawlessly. No, I’m not in the midst of performing a medical procedure: I’m on the tennis court. My husband had been encouraging me to take up tennis for a while, but …
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Gerontologist Michael Pessman discusses his article, “Why what you do in midlife matters most.” Michael explains why the ages of 45-55 are a critical window and final opportunity to build healthy habits …
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Testosterone therapy is receiving renewed attention, not only from patients but also from regulatory agencies. In recent months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the safety information for testosterone products, reflecting new evidence on cardiovascular risk. This has generated understandable questions among men who are considering therapy and clinicians who prescribe it.
As a urologist, I frequently meet patients who are uncertain about the safety of testosterone treatment, particularly …
Delta Airlines has been raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation by selling cocktails and rosé on board flights for 20 years. This month, it’s Une Femme Sparkling Rosé. Delta also serves gouda and cheddar slices, along with chicken salad sandwiches topped with queso. Have a drink or two, snack on cheese, and feel good about sending money for research, a party for a cause.
Yet, studies have shown that …
Something unsettling is happening in medicine, and many of us feel it even if we haven’t said it out loud: evidence-based medicine is slowly being eroded, not just by outsiders, but from within our own profession.
Patients today are searching more than ever before for quick fixes, and physicians are increasingly stepping into the marketplace to meet that demand. Hormone pellets. “Longevity protocols.” Peptides that sound scientific but have no real …
Infertility affects one in six people of reproductive age worldwide, yet it remains one of the most overlooked public health challenges of our time. For decades, millions of individuals and couples have navigated this journey in silence, carrying grief, stigma, financial strain, and deep uncertainty about their reproductive futures. Despite its prevalence, infertility has rarely been treated as a global health priority.
That changed this year when the World Health Organization …
Many of the physicians I work with live with a quiet weight of imposter syndrome. They show up every day for patients, teams, and families, yet doubt their own belonging.
I wrote a short reverse poem, “Worthy in Reverse,” as a way to explore how self-talk can shape that inner experience. This poem was inspired by “Worst Day Ever?” by Chanie Gorkin, which creatively uses structure to shift perspective.
It is simple …
Two years ago, I asked, “Doctors diagnosing addiction: Are the blind leading the blind?”
The estimated rates of substance use disorder among clinical patients treated for pain vary greatly, depending on whom one believes. Studies also suffer from a widespread failure to address genetically mediated variability in minimum effective opioid dose between individuals. Thus, I have many times respectfully suggested that the entire body of literature on opioid …
As a pain management specialist, my intent is not to promote unchecked opioid prescribing or overlook the serious risks these medications pose. Instead, I advocate for viewing the full picture in patient care. Physicians, trained in medicine and its side effects, must be empowered to use their knowledge and direct observations, including subtle cues like body language and patient interactions during brief visits, to make tailored decisions. Documentation in charts …
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