Yes, I said it. Health care is a dumpster fire—a meme-worthy catastrophe of epic proportions. It’s the chaos that future comedians and historians will roast with gusto, leaving us shaking our heads in embarrassed agreement. My somewhat cynical sense of humor is helping me mentally process the dumpster fire that is the current U.S. health care system. But as bleak as it feels, there’s a glimmer of hope. When health …
“Are you the medical student?” the resident asked me in between bites of his vegetable lo mein. We were in the hospital conference room, and I was sitting at the table by the projection screen while he was scarfing down a quick meal before the noon lecture. “Actually, I’m the attending,” I replied. He paused with fork in hand and turned beet red. “Sorry,” he murmured.
I couldn’t blame him for …
It is heartbreaking to recount the journey my husband and I have been through. My husband, an award-winning triathlete, and I had a rich and vibrant life together. We traveled extensively, taking nine trips in 2014 alone, including attending the World Triathlon Finals in London, visiting Paris, cruising the Hawaiian Islands, and enjoying a helicopter tour. Even in his late 80s, he had a strong spirit, shaped by years of …
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Jeffrey Gladd shares his transformative journey from burnout to a thriving career in integrative medicine. Discover how shifting from treating symptoms to addressing whole-person care changed his life and practice. From battling burnout …
Have you ever thought of someone, and then a few minutes later, they called or texted you?
Have you ever felt or had a whole conversation in your mind to later be told that is exactly what someone was saying about you at the same time, even though you were physically in a different place?
How can that be? Is it merely a “coincidence,” or are these beautiful hints from the universe …
Maternal mortality crisis in the U.S.
The U.S. faces a significant maternal health crisis, with alarmingly high maternal mortality rates compared to other developed nations. As of 2022, the overall maternal mortality rate was 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, with a disproportionately high rate of 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births among Black women. These figures starkly contrast with much lower rates in countries like Germany, Australia, Japan, and Sweden.
Maternal …
The current U.S. medical education and health care systems undeniably benefit from the immigration of talented international medical graduates (IMGs). Many of my favorite teachers, residents, and colleagues have been IMGs. However, the longstanding U.S. reliance on immigrant physicians raises questions about what policies best support both domestic and international priorities moving forward.
Beyond medicine, the immigration of talented scientists and engineers has also sparked recent public debate. Elon Musk recently …
Every year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) claims the lives of thousands of students and student-athletes in the United States, making it one of the leading causes of death. The condition is particularly insidious as it often strikes without warning, leaving schools and communities grappling with preventable tragedies. While student-athletes are at a higher risk due to the physical demands of sports, SCA can affect any student, highlighting the urgent need …
Providers must stop subsidizing payors’ profit margins. Consider UnitedHealthcare, which boasts a 6 percent margin on revenue (equivalent to $22 billion), while hospitals manage a slim 3 percent margin, and physician practices often struggle to stay financially viable. This imbalance underscores the urgent need for hospitals, health systems, and physicians to negotiate rates that not only cover their costs but also generate margins sufficient to offer competitive salaries and reinvest …
This wasn’t the article I had initially planned to publish. I had intended to discuss the health care system, calling it a “proverbial dumpster fire.” But in a year marked by relentless challenges, the metaphor feels too raw, too real, so I will save that for a later date. Parts of the country are literally on fire, with Los Angeles and nearby areas battling raging infernos that have torn families …
Even a half-century later, a physician cannot forget the first death of a patient under their care. It happened for me during my postgraduate medical training in the 1970s in an academic medical center hospital in the western half of the United States.
She was a delightful young married woman who was the mother of three small children. She was admitted to the hospital for recurring seizures. Her workup revealed a …
Since the release of large language models such as ChatGPT in November of 2022, medicine has been transformed in ways previously unimaginable by using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to solve problems. The use of natural language processing (NLP) in a transformer model allows physicians to explore the massive amount of data in a patient’s electronic medical record to identify key opportunities to improve patient care. In addition, machine …
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We dive into the powerful connection between sleep and fertility with guest Oluyemisi Famuyiwa, a fertility specialist. Discover how sleep impacts reproductive hormones, gamete quality, and the success of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). …
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming health care, with a particular focus on enhancing patient care through precision medicine, advanced ultrasound guidance, and real-time treatment adaptation. These innovations promise a future where personalized treatment plans, more accurate diagnostics, and optimized care are not just possibilities but routine practice. Health care professionals are beginning to see the benefits of AI in real-world settings, and the potential for improving patient outcomes is nothing …
Watching the images of fires burning in and around Los Angeles is very triggering. I’m sure it is the same for other Western North Carolinians. It has not been that long since Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic flooding that devastated our communities, and it is not over for us.
At first, you are energized to do what needs to be done in the moment. But then, you are left with emptiness, exhaustion, …
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Agatha Christie was onto something when she stated, “The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.” Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of the United Health Care insurance company, was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan on December 4th in broad daylight. His assailant, Luigi Mangione, has become a media-fueled darling, with multiple documentary projects already underway to explore the complexities of his crime. …
Across industries, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how we approach innovation, and the life sciences and drug development sectors are no exception. This transformative technology is reshaping the way researchers discover and develop new products, particularly in the quest for groundbreaking treatments. While an AI-derived drug may feel like a distant reality, the integration of cutting-edge science, biomathematics, and computational power is accelerating the pace of discovery and testing. These advancements …
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We explore the groundbreaking efforts to advance autism research through postmortem brain tissue donation with David G. Amaral, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Learn how brain donation provides unique insights into the …
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A former ICU nurse and close friend told me tonight that she wanted to start the new year on a positive note. I nodded, trying to absorb her optimism, but deep down, it felt like an impossible belief to hold onto.
Earlier in the evening, I finished watching Selena: The Series on Netflix. Tears streamed down my face, not just for Selena but for all those whose greatness was taken too …
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