In recent years, the health care industry has undergone a significant transformation, and one of the main drivers behind this change is artificial intelligence (AI). As the adoption of AI continues to accelerate, it is becoming a topic that cannot be ignored. However, despite its potential to revolutionize health care, it remains the elephant in the board room – a topic often …
AI and health care: the elephant in the board room
“I feel tired,” said Mr. T. Mr. T was a 72-year-old man who came to our ED. For the last three days, he had been passing reddish urine. Two weeks before this, he had a bout of bronchitis that did not require hospitalization, just ciprofloxacin. He had made a full recovery. The emergency department ordered many tests, among which was a comprehensive metabolic panel and a complete blood count. It …
When losing a patient is more than just a defeat: a doctor’s story
For several years, I fixated on what was wrong with me rather than seeing what was right with me when I developed symptoms of severe depression.
If you’re struggling, too, you’re not broken, either. What is your brain telling you?
While I am not a mental health professional and strongly advocate for people to get the support they need, as I have done throughout my journey, I share this reflection as a …
What was right with me when I developed severe depression?
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In this episode, psychiatrist Maryna Mammoliti discusses the importance of collaborating with occupational therapists. Occupational therapists are health care professionals who can help assess and accommodate patients’ daily activities, including work and home life. Maryna shares her …
Collaborating with occupational therapists: a game-changer for behavioral health [PODCAST]
The allopathic medical system has failed me – as a patient, mother, and physician. Like many physician peers, I entered the health care world with grand visions of healing others. I quickly learned during my clinical rotations in medical school that healing (in the truest sense of the word) was less likely but that helping was still possible. So I rolled up my sleeves and entered pediatric residency, where I …
Breaking the cycle of failure in modern medicine
The rise of the digital age brought with it various breakthroughs that have fundamentally changed the way we live and interact with technology. Among these breakthroughs are Napster and ChatGPT, two innovative technologies that potentially transform industries. Napster revolutionized the music industry in the early 2000s, and ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, is poised to create a similar impact across multiple …
ChatGPT: the Napster of the AI world?
What is the purpose of a financial plan? I believe that it’s ultimately a plan for using your money as a tool to live out your best life. Financial plans done right are fantastic at accomplishing this. But unfortunately many plans are missing an essential component. I’m going to be sharing what this missing piece is, why it’s the most important component in actually improving your life, and then I’ll …
The missing piece of physicians’ financial plans
The timing of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s One Pill Can Kill campaign is crucial, considering the recent Carrollton teen tragedy in which Fentanyl-laced pills posing as oxycodone were distributed through a “juvenile dealer” to high school students who then sold the deadly drugs to high school and middle school students. Commenting on the dramatic increase in drugs laced with Fentanyl in North Texas, Nexus Recovery Center’s …
Counterfeit drugs: a hidden danger lurking in your medicine cabinet
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Joining us today is Raj Sundar, a family physician with expertise in cultural humility and safety.
Raj explains that the traditional approach to such situations tends to ignore the patient’s cultural values and beliefs, with the health care …
How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]
My email delivered a terse reminder. The board of medicine notified me that they had not yet received my license renewal application, just one month until the expiration of my current license. For a mere $100, I could sit through the required online child abuse reporting course and answer the questions as they arise. My CME is more than ample, as my other state license requires far more and is …
From license to loneliness: the dilemma of retired physicians
The United States is grappling with a significant health care crisis as physician and nursing shortages impact the nation’s ability to provide adequate care to an aging population. A combination of factors contributes to these shortages, with consequences that can be far-reaching. This article will explore the factors contributing to these shortages, their potential impacts, the ongoing efforts to address them, and …
Ms. Laura was a vibrant and feisty lady with a personality that filled the room. She had been my patient two months ago when she was admitted for an irregular heartbeat and COPD exacerbation. She was a smoker, and despite her heart issues, she had a strong will to live. I had advised her to quit smoking, but it was a habit that was hard to break.
When I saw her …
From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU
Not too long ago, I was struggling over a plate of meatloaf in the doctor’s dining room. Fortunately, the table conversation was better than the food. Somehow it turned to how early career doctors tend to mirror the culture and clinical habits from their training program and how it often takes years to unlearn habits that don’t serve us well in the long run, particularly habits related to work-life integration. …
Unlearning our habits: a journey from intelligence to wisdom
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Today’s episode features John Chase, an orthopedic surgeon and author of You What?!: Humorous Stories, Cautionary Tales, and Unexpected Insights About A Career in Medicine.
John shares some of his most memorable moments interacting with patients throughout his …
Lessons from an orthopedic surgery journey [PODCAST]
March 30, 2023, is National Doctors’ Day in the United States.
It’s that one day when the leaders of our profession, at every level, take a moment and thank us for the work we’ve done. Nothing says “thank you for ensuring that I get a 4-6 figure bonus this year,” like a slice of cold pizza or donut. Currently, I work at a pretty great place – but at other sites, …
Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives
Every day, in my job as an anesthesiologist, I am called upon to manage conflict. Sometimes, it’s between two members of my team, sometimes it’s between coworkers, and many times it is a conflict I may have with my own co-worker or peer.
Whether it’s because someone I supervise is chronically late or underprepared, I have to go …
The education landscape is rapidly changing as technological advancements, and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly integrated into learning environments. One of the most exciting aspects of this shift is the potential for AI to revolutionize the way we educate and empower students. Soon, we can expect more YouTube college credits and widespread utilization of AI-driven platforms like Khan Academy, which already uses …
This is not an ordinary 1000 Rupee note. It’s a happy memory for me.
For those who say I always share depressing stories, this one is for you, for a change.
We performed concurrent chemotherapy and radiation on a 70-year-old lady with nasopharyngeal carcinoma a few months back. She was elderly and frail, and she experienced a lot of mucositis and skin radiation …
The beauty of a patient’s gratitude
As we pause on Doctors’ Day to salute America’s physicians and all the ways they’re contributing to healthier families and communities, it’s important we also recognize the extraordinary pressures physicians are facing in a time of rising burnout, proliferating obstacles to delivering care and increasing governmental interference into the once-sacred patient-physician relationship.
Three years after we were first introduced to COVID-19, there …
Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect
I now understand. As soon as I clocked out for the last time, I started to breathe again. The race, the rat race, everything is fast-paced and there’s no time to breathe when you’re in it.
But now I have time, and I don’t know what to do with it. I sleep, I wake up, I make some coffee, walk the dogs, and the rest of the day is empty. I …
From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement
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