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A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools

Ruhi Saldanha

Conditions

September 29, 2023

Mental health in children and teens is worsening, and there are not enough providers to support them. This is a cause for significant concern.

As a teenager who has experienced firsthand the challenges of maintaining positive mental health amidst a demanding school environment, I strongly advocate for the inclusion of mental health days as a means to support the well-being of students nationwide. May has been observed as …

Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD

Physician

September 29, 2023

The mediation was scheduled for noon. When the attorney in charge of the mediation was an hour late, his assistant began earnestly to find him. This was not typical behavior at all. A phone call to the condominium where the attorney lived sent security guards to his residence and then to the parking garage, where they found him slumped behind the wheel, seat belt securely fastened, and his keys in …

The art of pediatrics: Connecting through observation

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Conditions

September 29, 2023

On my first day of inpatient rounds during intern year, I was taken aback when the attending stated, “Let’s stop outside the room and just spend a few moments watching the child and mom.” I started my residency on my community rotation site in Chester, PA, where several of the Philadelphia training programs at that time were sending residents. It was a nice introduction to pediatrics with a smaller inpatient …

Assertiveness in health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

September 28, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

We’re joined by Beth Boynton, a nurse consultant and author, to discuss the critical role of assertiveness in health care. Explore how assertive communication influences patient safety, workforce well-being, and more. Join us for actionable insights and …

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Assertiveness in health care [PODCAST]

Epigenetics and our inheritance to future generations

Vishruth Nagam

Conditions

September 28, 2023

The concept of epigenetic inheritance is fairly recent, having emerged in the late twentieth century. Yet, epigenetic inheritance is gaining more and more attention and interest in the scientific community. Research on epigenetic inheritance continues to be published in the world’s foremost scientific journals, such as a study recently published in the journal Nature Communications. What is epigenetic inheritance, and what makes it so interesting to the scientific community?

A …

Practicing medicine with conviction

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

September 28, 2023

What does it take for physicians to practice with conviction – to practice medicine with a sense of confidence and commitment, passionate about your work? What factors allow medical students to enter the resident pool each July and turn their timidness into poise? How do you learn to stand by your medical convictions and base your decision-making on a deep understanding of the patient combined with the latest evidence-based practices? …

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Practicing medicine with conviction

The power of memory in shaping human identity

Emily F. Peters and Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD

Physician

September 28, 2023

An excerpt from Artists Remaking Medicine: The practice of imagination and the power to create a better healthcare future.

The following is a conversation edited by Emily F. Peters with Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD, practicing cardiologist and New York Times best-selling author.

On remembering

So much of what makes us human is tied …

How Tratak yoga reshaped my USMLE Step 2 prep

Dr. Nikita Mehdiratta

Education

September 28, 2023

This is a notable example of the impactful outcomes that can arise from venturing beyond conventional routes to chart distinctive journeys toward success.

Like countless other medical students, I committed months to intensive preparation, diligently taking mock tests, revising tirelessly, and faithfully adhering to the trusted USMLE Step 2 study resources. Yet, each mock test I undertook delivered the disheartening verdict of “fail.” It was an emotionally taxing struggle, and despite …

Transforming primary care for physician well-being [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

September 27, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

We sit down with physician executive Christopher Crow to discuss the pressing issue of physician burnout and the need for transformative changes in the primary care model. Join us as we explore the history, causes, and potential …

COVID-19 unleashed an ongoing crisis of delirium in hospitals

Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, MD, Nathan Stall, MD, and Paula Rochon, MD

Conditions

September 27, 2023

Older adults have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Canadians aged 60 years and older make up only 20 percent of the population, they account for 69.5 percent of all COVID-19 hospitalizations, and most — 91.7 percent — of all COVID-19 deaths.

One aspect of health care during the pandemic that has received considerably less attention is the failure of effective delirium care.

Delirium is a …

Doctors and disability insurance: Protecting your income

Amarish Dave, DO

Finance

September 27, 2023

What is disability insurance?

Disability insurance, sometimes referred to as income protection or disability income insurance, is a financial safety net designed to replace a portion of your income if you become unable to work due to illness or injury. It ensures that you can continue to meet your financial obligations, even when your medical practice is put on hold.

Why do doctors need disability insurance?

Doctors, like any other professionals, are susceptible …

Emergency care nightmare: the urgent need for experienced nurses

Rachel Basham, RN, CCRN

Conditions

September 27, 2023

Imagine you are in a bad car accident. You are in and out of consciousness. There are lights and sirens and the smell of gasoline. Everything hurts more than you can bear. Hands pull you from the car and place you on a hard backboard with a rigid cervical collar around your neck. You bump down the road in the back of an ambulance as you start feeling like you …

Physicians have no autonomy. Here’s how to change that.

Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH

Physician

September 27, 2023

“Physicians have no autonomy.” I read and hear versions of this every day, expressed with anger, resignation, or both. It’s also called agency, control, and power (as in feeling empowered).

I’m the first one to admit that physicians have way less autonomy than in the ten decades that preceded this one. Moving from private practice to employed models, heightened focus on productivity, compensation via RVUs, and mergers have shifted the power …

Understanding intersex health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

September 26, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Rosemary Eseh-Logue, an internal medicine physician, as we delve into the often-overlooked topic of intersex variations in sexual development. We explore the importance of understanding intersex identities, breaking down misconceptions, and improving health care experiences for …

The erosion of patient care

Laura de la Torre, MD

Physician

September 26, 2023

The Black Eyed Peas asked, “Where is the love?” and that’s what I wonder, too. As medicine – oops, I’m supposed to say “health care” – has become more and more corporate, what has been slipping away is the love. What do I mean by that? There were specific ways we old docs were trained to care for patients.

Let’s start with bedside manner. We were trained to sit with the …

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The erosion of patient care

Debating the role of psychiatric assessments in medical decisions

Christian Youssef & Francisco M. Torres, MD

Conditions

September 26, 2023

I recently had an incident involving a long-time patient. This particular encounter proved to be challenging. The patient had chronic pain for years and had already exhausted all conventional treatment options. Ironically, he was otherwise healthy and fit. His recalcitrant condition made him a prime candidate to be treated with a spinal sord stimulator (SCS).

An SCS is an implantable device with two electrode leads connected to a battery-powered pulse generator. …

Navigating adulthood in the digital age

Eleanor Menzin, MD

Physician

September 26, 2023

When my parents were 22, they were two years out of college. My mother was married and commuting from Dallas to graduate school in Houston, on the verge of another cross-country move and a metaphorical world away from her New York City upbringing. My father was the officer running the kitchen on a United States Navy frigate somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, a literal world away from his Brooklyn childhood.

When …

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Navigating adulthood in the digital age

5 things to know about weight from a bariatric surgeon

Maria Iliakova, MD

Conditions

September 26, 2023

You’ve probably had friends and family corner you to look at a rash or talk about medications. With social media exploding about Ozempic, these questions and even curbsides from physicians have boomed. We all want to know more about weight.

As a bariatric surgeon, here are five things every physician should know about weight:

How to start a conversation with a patient about weight
When to refer a patient to a …
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5 things to know about weight from a bariatric surgeon

Out-of-office infusions in oncology care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

September 25, 2023

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!

Join Banu Symington, a hematology-oncology physician, as she shares her expertise and insights on the topic of out-of-office infusions, discussing patient safety, experience, and the potential impact on cancer care.

Banu …

The power of business knowledge for medical professionals

Curtis G. Graham, MD

Physician

September 25, 2023

My own hundreds of medical articles floating around in the media today about business education being the rigorous standard for profitable and successful businesses, such as private medical practice business, seem to be unworthy for consideration by the dominant leadership in medical school education.

But when I find myself being sucked into reading deep thoughts uttered by world-renowned business experts such as Dan S. Kennedy, Peter Drucker, Maxwell Maltz, MD, Michael …

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