Combining academic medicine and private practice: a success story

Physician
February 26, 2023

In the United States, physicians are typically categorized as either academics or private practitioners. However, a case can be made that it is possible to construct a career path that incorporates both professional avenues. I was put in an excellent position to realize this during my fellowship at LSU, which structured some parts of its community medicine program in a way that resembled private practice.

I enjoyed my experience as a …

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Why your intuition is key to better physical and emotional health

Physician
February 26, 2023

In residency, we are trained to follow our intuition. In pediatrics,  this translates into learning how to recognize a sick kid. Of course, we are taught what to look for on the physical exam and the labs and what protocols to follow, but we are also taught how to listen to our instincts. When our gut tells us we have a sick kid, we don’t overthink; we set into action. …

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Unlocking the power of gratitude [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 25, 2023
YouTube video

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Join us on this episode as we explore the power of gratitude with Cindy Tsai, an internal medicine physician. We all hear about the benefits of gratitude and the importance of being thankful for what we have. …

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Miscommunication leads to misunderstandings: the tragic consequences of misinterpreted sobriety

Conditions
February 25, 2023

At her first visit, still lightly jaundiced, Jennie wanted to talk about a liver transplant.

I told her that she had to be sober for six months before they would consider putting her on the list. She told me proudly that she had been sober for three weeks.

“How are you doing without alcohol?”

“Going without alcohol would be very hard for me,” she said, “I have just one glass of wine each …

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The power of listening: a poem from a chronic pain patient to their doctor

Physician
February 25, 2023

Per the CDC, 11 to 40 percent of Americans struggle with chronic pain. All physicians must treat patients with chronic pain, whether they are spine surgeons or primary care physicians. It is a disease we can not escape.

 We do not have a one-time pill to fix chronic pain.

Unlike other diseases, we do not necessarily have a cure for chronic pain. In medical school and residency, we are provided with …

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The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

Policy
February 25, 2023

Nebraska has taken another step towards effectively banning abortion and criminalizing the practice of medicine. I want to try to clarify that this bill is not supported by the medical community. It does not seek to improve the lives of Nebraskans. In truth, this bill is not what it seems, and I hope you will take a minute with me to turn down the emotional noise from both sides and …

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Does ageism lurk behind mandatory retirement for physicians?

Physician
February 25, 2023

Several years ago, a good friend and colleague – the chairman of a psychiatry department – notified people about his retirement in a department newsletter. He wrote, “I sent out a letter to the alumni and adjunct faculty that I will retire on June 30 [2021]. I had decided five years ago that when I reached a certain age, I was going to retire. Such decisions have multiple determinants and …

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Moving beyond weight-centered approaches in childhood obesity [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 24, 2023
YouTube video

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In this episode, we sit down with guest Wendy Schofer, a pediatrician, to discuss the current state of childhood obesity and the need for a change in approach. Over the past two decades, the prevalence of children …

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From stroke to strength: one person’s story of overcoming challenges

Conditions
February 24, 2023

My story began in the early morning of November 17, 2021, and resulted in a re-birthing of who I am and what I’m becoming. I had a massive stroke that caused paralysis of my right side and left me unable to speak. I was life-flighted to the hospital where I work, and suddenly, I became the patient, not the caregiver. I received thrombolytics, then went to the neuro-interventional suite, where …

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Unlocking the power of graphic medicine: the key to improving health literacy

Conditions
February 24, 2023

According to the Office of the Surgeon General, only about 12 percent of the U.S. population has suitable health literacy skills. Health literacy is the repertoire of knowledge we fall back on to comprehend medication instructions, understand our risks for certain diseases, and make decisions regarding our own well-being. Wading through a convoluted medical system like the United States is difficult even for those fortunate enough to have access to …

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The ICU experience that changed a young doctor’s perspective forever

Conditions
February 24, 2023

As a healthy 30-year-old intern with an infant, I never expected to land in the ICU on a random Thursday at 10 a.m. As I prepared to start my first precepted thoracentesis at the VA, I suddenly began to experience double vision. Assuming it to be a weird manifestation of anxiety, I politely stepped out to try to gather myself. I ran some cold water and splashed it on my …

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Breaking down the broken medical system: a physician’s eye-opening experience with patient neglect

Physician
February 24, 2023

I am asking my fellow medical professionals to give a sincere show of hands: How many of you are terrified of your fate should you become the patient?

The prospect of navigating the medical system as a patient should strike fear in your heart, especially if you cannot advocate for yourself (although the system will also make that next to impossible).

The current medical/hospital system of care in the United States has …

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From CV to career: How to enhance your medical portfolio [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 23, 2023
YouTube video

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In this episode, we’re talking about how to stand out from the crowd in a competitive job market for physicians. Our guests, Aaron Morgenstein, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, and Claire Unis, a pediatrician, will discuss how to …

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Finding emotional presence in a dehumanizing system: a physician’s journey

Physician
February 23, 2023

Virtue and self-sacrifice were supposed to be my protection. As a first-generation immigrant, the necessity of hard work had long been ingrained like a birthmark. I never questioned the belief if I overworked and overprepared, I would fulfill my responsibilities, be accepted, and become worthy of happiness. By the time I finished medical training, I had checked off the first two boxes, but worthiness? Fulfillment?

I never considered asking those questions …

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Candy weed: no protection for marijuana child poisoning

Conditions
February 23, 2023

Timmy’s eyes were rolling side to side in his head as his limp body did not respond to his mother’s calling. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted to the ICU. The 4-year-old ate one of his mother’s cannabis-infused, rainbow-sherbet-flavored gummies and ended up with marijuana poisoning and in a coma. There is no antidote to THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, so Timmy had to wait and detoxify …

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Voices unheard: the plight of patients and clinicians in the health care system

Policy
February 23, 2023

“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.”
– William Osler

I hear a voice in the still of the night when all the sounds of the world have been hushed. It should be a time of peace and rest for me, but instead, concerns and fears rise to the surface. Who …

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Saving lives, one heart at a time: the fight against women’s heart disease

Conditions
February 23, 2023

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease killed 314,186 women in 2021. This means that approximately one out of every five female deaths was due to heart disease, with the worst mortality burden on African American women.

It is abundantly clear that we are not where we need to be in terms of …

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