In late 2017, I was standing in the hallway between two different departments in a hospital where I was rounding on a particularly busy day. As a hospitalist, I was very familiar with this facility and where to go in order to find a moment of peace away from the hustle and bustle of my workday.
As I held the stack of rounding sheets in my hand, I had a fleeting …
How direct primary care saved my career and my life
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Join us in this insightful podcast episode as we debunk common misconceptions surrounding automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) therapy. Our guest, Carly Newton, a registered nurse specializing in apheresis treatments, will share her expertise and shed …
Debunking myths about automated red blood cell exchange [PODCAST]
We take care of the living, and remember those who passed, what they taught us, and how they touched us.” These were some of the words my parents said to me after I called them, sobbing in tears, that my patient had passed away. She was only eight years old. To most of her doctors, she was the patient with retinoblastoma that had metastasized to her liver, causing her to …
Unveiling the emotional toll: a resident physician’s journey through pediatric loss
Letters of recommendation help open gates to university admissions, jobs, and scholarships. Now that more colleges are ditching SAT/ACT requirements and medical schools are grading pass/fail, these letters will likely rise in importance. As a decision-maker myself, I rely on a letter writer’s personal judgment in vouching for (or not mentioning) an applicant’s work ethic, experience, and character.
At least I did—until the subject of one of my own letters …
Let’s rethink letters of recommendation
During my fellowship in palliative medicine, I have learned the value of home visits. I learn more about my patients’ lives in two minutes of seeing their homes than I could in a lifetime of clinic visits. During home visits, I get to pet dogs, touch quilts, study photos, and admire charming heirlooms that would fetch only a few dollars in a garage sale, but that in these homes are …
Embracing compassion: a physician’s journey in overcoming prejudice
“In July 2015, journalist Johann Hari gave a TED Talk that over 20 million people have since viewed. Hari offered convincing evidence that vulnerability to opioid addiction is a consequence of the conditions under which people live — the social determinants of health — rather than simple exposure to opioid pain relievers. This theme is brilliantly elaborated by economist Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton …
Everything the government thinks it knows about the opioid crisis is wrong
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Join us in this episode as we discuss the critical shortage of health care workers, especially in the dental field, with our guest Theekshana Fernando, a research scientist. We explore the connection between oral health and overall …
Addressing America’s dental health crisis [PODCAST]
ChatGPT and Epic Systems
This year’s buzzword in academic and now business technology is ChatGPT. Epic Systems, Microsoft, and OpenAI (the owners of ChatGPT) have announced the release of the next evolution in artificial intelligence (AI) called GPT-4. This new system integrates AI with electronic health records with the hopes of advancing medical care and associated services.
In-basket messaging is the first section of electronic health records that will be significantly changed. …
In the dynamic field of health care, physicians hold a vital role. Their invaluable contribution as life-savers, pain alleviators, and guides towards healthier living necessitates continuous learning and improvement. A potential catalyst for such progress is friendly competition among physicians. This concept isn’t about outdoing each other for a prize but striving for better patient outcomes, refining medical practices, and nurturing a culture of excellence.
A study by the National Bureau …
The role of competition in health care: a complex interplay
I love medical ethics, and I am fortunate to be able to spend a substantial portion of my professional life working within this growing field. I recently demonstrated that when medical students engage in debates involving bioethics, it improves their tolerance for ambiguity. Medical school, and the years leading up to it, focus mostly on multiple-choice tests – with one correct answer. Licensing exams do the same. The young physician …
Medical ethics: Navigating ambiguity, honesty, and patient well-being in health care
Kindness is a quality of being considerate, compassionate, and generous towards others. It is a virtue that has always been valued throughout human history and remains an essential quality for creating a harmonious and compassionate society. In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, kindness holds even greater significance. It has the power to transform lives, build stronger communities, and foster understanding and empathy among people.
In a society where stress, anxiety, and …
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Join us in this episode as we hear the inspiring story of Alice S. Y. Lee, an emergency physician diagnosed with lung cancer despite being a never-smoker. Discover the unique challenges faced by Asian American female nonsmokers, …
From never-smoker to lung cancer survivor [PODCAST]
Yes, this sounds very ominous. However, there is a reason why I wanted to alert you to the fear of mismanaging your finances. Doctors live in the limelight and are highly traceable on the internet. Also, physicians earn large amounts of money, which can sometimes be overwhelming, giving a false sense of never running out of it. Therefore, I want to review the top four mistakes doctors make with their …
Top 4 money mistakes doctors make
As an allergist-immunologist who trained at Mayo Clinic, one might assume that I’m up to date on my COVID-19 booster vaccinations. However, I realized months ago that I was overdue for a booster; it’s been over a year since my third vaccination. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I didn’t stop at the pharmacy or schedule an appointment with my primary doctor. I was among the roughly 85 percent of …
COVID-19 vaccine neglect: a tale of regret and debilitating symptoms
Four clicks. That’s all it took. Four additional clicks were added to the process of putting in a post-op order after surgery, arriving without any warning or explanation. Eleven seconds of additional work on top of the tripling of the time taken to complete paperwork my way out of the operating room, necessitated by the advent of EMR. That’s all it took. Why? Why did we have to add this …
From four clicks to burnout: How tiny stressors pushed me to the edge
Over the past five years, the term “burnout” has become closely associated with the health care field. It has reached the point where more than 60 percent of surveyed physicians reported experiencing burnout in 2021, indicating that it has become an epidemic within our profession.
It’s important to understand that burnout is not a personal flaw or a psychological disorder; rather, it is a response to chronic stress in the workplace. …
Burnout and compassion fatigue: chronic workplace stress and emotional withdrawal
Allow me to share with you two remarkable stories that unfolded before my very eyes in the course of this past week. The lessons learned resonate deeply within my soul, and it is my hope that they will awaken your true essence.
It was June 3rd, a busy Saturday prior to Memorial Day. The atmosphere at home brimmed with excitement as we celebrated my wife’s birthday. After a nice family dinner, …
Unveiling the profound lessons: Remarkable stories of life’s fragility and resilience
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Join us in this episode as we hear the remarkable story of Tami Burdick, a patient advocate and author of the book Diagnosis Detective: Curing Granulomatous Mastitis. Tami takes us on her journey of being diagnosed with …
Unraveling the mysteries of granulomatous mastitis: a patient’s inspiring journey [PODCAST]
I love two nurses. One of them is my son, and the other is someone very close to me. She’ll have her own article.
My son has just finished his seventh 12-hour ICU shift. He’s wiped out, devastated, and shell-shocked. Let me introduce him to you before sharing his pain.
The kid was always enthusiastic about medicine. He wanted to be a physician more than anything. Maybe it runs in the family; …
The heartbreaking reality of a nurse’s struggle: a father’s tale
In today’s digital age, it’s hardly surprising that our lives are intricately woven with technology. From smartphones to laptops, smart homes to artificial intelligence (AI), these innovations have brought about a remarkable shift in our lifestyle. OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model, colloquially known as ChatGPT, holds a special place among the pantheon of AI applications. Its users enjoy an interactive text-based AI experience, capable of composing prose, answering questions, and even …
Unraveling the complexities of ChatGPT-dependency disorder: Are we over-reliant on AI?
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