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The future of medicine: Advancements and greed collide

Tech

August 12, 2023

In the future, I foresee a world without pandemics, cancer becoming a thing of the past, and advancements that enable bionic adaptations to our bodies, leading to a life expectancy of easily over one hundred years.

While some of these advancements may seem distant, we are on the cusp of making them a reality within the next few decades. However, it’s essential to question whether human greed could hinder technological progress, …

Teaching moments in medicine: Balancing autonomy and comfort

Nirav Chaudhari, MD

Physician

August 12, 2023

Late last year, I decided I needed to get my health checked up on. I went through the motions, trying to make an appointment with the doctor that was assigned to me. Nothing was available for months. I called every other day, asking about cancellations that would fit into my schedule for days I already had off. It was a pain and difficult as well to switch a single workday …

Empowering physicians: the benefits of personalized coaching [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

August 11, 2023

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Join Kim Downey, a physical therapist, and Michael Hersh, a gastroenterologist, and discover how coaching can help physicians navigate challenges, change their lives, and find personal and professional growth. Don’t miss their insights on finding the right …

Lessons from Momma: the power of being present

Theo Boyd

Conditions

August 11, 2023

An excerpt from My Grief is Not Like Yours.

In March of 2018, I took Momma to a women’s conference in Dallas. We didn’t get great seats, but we were in the middle section, halfway back in a group with about 2,300 other people. I was hoping there would be a …

Personalized hypertension care in pregnancy: Beyond evidence-based thresholds

Alan Lindemann, MD

Conditions

August 11, 2023

There has always been a research bias against the case of one. A success story that isn’t part of a research pool is called “anecdotal.” The implication is that no doctor should base treatment on a story of one. Then we devised the term “evidence-based” to reinforce the notion that physician decisions should be based entirely on numbers in research studies. However, the physician’s prerogative has always been to read …

Iranian doctors’ bravery: Upholding medical ethics amidst oppression

Anonymous

Physician

August 11, 2023

According to Sir William Osler, “The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business …” This calling inherently involves sacrifices. How many of us would sacrifice our freedom, livelihood, or even lives for this calling as the clinicians in Iran have been doing? Iranian doctors demonstrated their bravery in September 2022 when 800 members of the Iranian Medical Council denounced the authorities’ attempt to …

“YES AND”: a vital, versatile, and visionary leadership tool

Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP

Conditions

August 11, 2023

Patient safety, patient experience, workforce health, and cost-effectiveness are critical outcomes that share important common roots. They are all impacted by our ability to communicate effectively and respectfully. This can be challenging, in part, because communication involves underlying emotional intelligence, which is hard to develop and practice, especially in high-stakes, high-stress work environments or toxic cultures.

Furthermore, our ability to communicate affects our capacity to establish healthy professional relationships, collaborate in …

Disparities in DO vs. MD applicants to subspecialties: Identifying challenges and bridging the gap

Hannah Kopelman, DO, MBA

Physician

August 11, 2023

In recent years, the disparities between doctor of osteopathy (DO) and doctor of medicine (MD) applicants in securing coveted residency slots across various medical subspecialties have garnered increased attention. Despite the acceptance of DO-trained physicians within the broader medical community, there remains a significant discrepancy in match rates between DO and MD applicants in highly competitive specialties. This disparity is complex and multifaceted, requiring efforts from every level of the …

The Little Mermaid’s impact on storytelling [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

August 10, 2023

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Join Erkeda DeRouen, a family physician, as we delve into the recent remake of The Little Mermaid. Discover how this Disney film led Erkeda on a journey to explore the inspiring story of Howard Ashman, his battle …

The art of compassionate leadership during employee turmoil

Anjani Mahabashya, MD

Physician

August 10, 2023

Introduction: In the face of adversity, my journey from being a hospitalist to a utilization management physician advisor was not without its challenges. However, this transformation’s story is filled with hope, networking, and empathy, showcasing the power of compassionate leadership during times of employee turmoil.

Hope: Even in the darkest days, when injuries prevented me from fulfilling my duties as a physician, I clung to hope. Believing in the possibility of …

Patient respect in medicine: Ensuring well-being and trust

Francisco M. Torres, MD

Physician

August 10, 2023

Treating patients with respect and dignity is essential to the medical profession. This is true even when the patient lies unconscious in the operating room. It seems unnecessary to stress the importance of creating a secure and comfortable environment to ease the patient’s anxiety and stress and develop confidence. Respect is also crucial to promote successful outcomes. By prioritizing these values, medical professionals can ensure that patients feel valued and …

Thriving through transitions: lessons from a hospitalist’s journey

Miguel Villagra, MD

Physician

August 10, 2023

We all know that life is in transition, and we all go through different changes during our careers, from personal to professional growth. We all strive for a reasonable life-work balance.

Early in my career, after completing my residency training, I was discouraged by many of my mentors from pursuing a hospitalist career. The common agreement at the time was that hospital medicine was the recipe for burnout, and a fellowship …

Programs that recruit and retain Black and Latinx students in health care fields are essential to address racial health disparities

Alia Richardson

Education

August 10, 2023

“We need more doctors who look like us.”

I led a small group discussion with high school students enrolled in the Medical Careers Education and Emergency Preparedness (MedCEEP) ‘s Summer Pipeline Program. Our task was to brainstorm solutions to address a critical health disparity, and our group was assigned the topic of “Maternal Health.” The students, all young Black and Latina women from the Southside of Chicago, unanimously agreed that increasing …

Reshaping opioid policies: a patient advocate’s call [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

August 9, 2023

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Join patient advocate Richard A. Lawhern as he challenges prevailing myths surrounding the opioid crisis. With insights from medical literature, he questions the link between opioid prescribing and toxicity, highlighting the need for evidence-based public health policies. …

Medical schools’ hidden crisis: the dark truth behind physician burnout

Curtis G. Graham, MD

Physician

August 9, 2023

The annual suicide rate of physicians over the past few decades has amounted to about 400 highly trained and competent American physicians per year and is now increasing. That wipes out about one large medical school four-year class each year in our nation.

Our medical school education system has for the last century rejected and intentionally prevented offering an academic business education to all medical students, which has unfortunately become a …

Understanding the changes in migraine treatment

Elaine C. Timm, MD

Conditions

August 9, 2023

This article is sponsored by Pfizer.

As a primary care provider (PCP) specializing in headaches and migraine, I cannot stress enough the important role of PCPs in diagnosing and treating migraine disease. Almost 40 million Americans and over a billion people worldwide live with migraine and the significant burden that comes with the disease. Migraine is classified as a primary headache …

The Cactus Kid: an analogy for parents and youth who are living with mental dis-ease

Shivana Naidoo, MD

Conditions

August 9, 2023

Everyone has phases, stages, and degrees of mental disease throughout their lives, especially children, adolescents, and young adults. It is a part of normal growth and development to go through phases of change. Sometimes, a young person gets stuck in a phase, and it becomes something more—a mental health disorder—and they may receive a diagnosis. Often, if the young person can receive the help and support they need, this phase …

The pursuit of medicine through dyslexia

Yaacov Bergman

Conditions

August 9, 2023

Sitting in class was always a terrifying experience, not knowing if I was going to be the next one called on to read. My mind would race ahead trying to figure out a strategy on how to get out of it. I would excuse myself from the room or blame a sore throat, anything to avoid reading in front of my peers. On the rare occasions that I was called …

Understanding nipple discomfort in breastfeeding [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

August 8, 2023

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

Join Cindy Rubin, a pediatrician and breastfeeding medicine specialist, as she discusses the common challenges of nipple discomfort during breastfeeding and the controversial use of all-purpose nipple ointment (APNO). Learn about evidence-based approaches to diagnose and treat …

Princess Diana: Unraveling the enduring fascination of gossip and our innate curiosity

Alexandra Kharazi, MD

Physician

August 8, 2023

“What heart surgeon did Diana date?”

According to data from a popular search trend analysis website, this is one of the most highly searched phrases about heart surgery.

According to Cosmopolitan, Princess Diana dated cardiac surgeon Hasnat Khan for years and called him “Mr. Wonderful.” Mehera Bonner did a lovely job discussing this topic.

Nonetheless, it left me to ponder the following: Why do we want to know who the Princess of …