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Direct primary care: more access, more savings, more care

Physician

January 19, 2023

Your doctor will see you now. Really, now. Come on in! Forget about waiting for two months for an appointment, hours on hold, or a six-hour wait at an urgent care clinic. Your doctor can see you now; shoot them a text.

More and more primary care clinics are providing a more personal, accessible, convenient, and affordable health care option called direct primary care (DPC). This model focuses on patients rather …

Doctors struggle with unrealistic expectations and lack of self-care, leading to a lack of mercy towards colleagues

Brandi Fontenot, MD

Physician

January 19, 2023

“Mercy and consideration for the other man, but none for yourself, upon whom you have to keep an incessant watch.”
– Sir William Osler, MD.

Ironic, isn’t it? The physician is expected to go above and beyond, superhuman even, held to an unrealistic standard above most others, and yet, is their own worst critic. (Or was until social media, but that is another writing for another day.)

We continuously hold ourselves to that …

The decline of whole-person treatment in modern medicine

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

January 19, 2023

Recently, a nurse practitioner responded to one of my op-eds in which I discussed the doctor-patient relationship. The nurse said:

I feel so frustrated at times, by the time constraints forced on us by using a business model of practice. In the 30-plus years I’ve been a nurse, we have moved from patient-centered care (which is the current inaccurate buzzword for the type of care we provide) to …

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The decline of whole-person treatment in modern medicine

Creating a trauma-informed society: the role of government policy in reducing adverse childhood experiences [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 18, 2023

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In this episode, we speak with Ariane Marie-Mitchell, a preventive medicine physician who discusses the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health and development. She discusses the challenges of using a clinical tool to diagnose patients …

A physician’s story of survival: the importance of seeking help

Samantha Benjamin-Allen, DO, MBA

Conditions

January 18, 2023

“Remember, today you could be standing next to someone trying their best not to fall apart. So whatever you do today, do it with kindness in your heart.” – Unknown

Today, I want to talk personally from the perspective of a Black, female, physician. I have a confession, I struggle with setting boundaries. I did not know how detrimental this challenge was until I started studying it more deeply. Did you …

A mundane ultrasound? The emotional weight of diagnostic tests.

Michele Luckenbaugh

Conditions

January 18, 2023

The word mundane is defined as an occurrence that is very ordinary and, therefore, not interesting. However, what may be mundane for one may be monumental for another, especially if one’s health is in question.

An ultrasound provides needed information to trained medical personnel for the evaluation of the health status of an individual. In many situations, it is a means to alert the physician to a potential problem situation for …

The abusive surgeon and the sleep-deprived intern: a novel

Joseph Baskin, MD

Conditions

January 18, 2023

An excerpt from Doctor Zhulik.

Christmas Eve

“You know, you’re the worst f*cking intern I have ever seen.”

“I don’t know why the hell you’re even trying to become a surgeon, Appleby. You have the manual dexterity of a chimpanzee.” A heavy man, Bernstein’s belly burst out of the gown, threatening to push …

The medical school selection process may be more crucial for shaping the future physician workforce

Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD

Education

January 18, 2023

Every year, thousands of applicants in the United States register for the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Many graduate medical education (GME) programs receive thousands of applications that are reviewed by recruitment teams with fewer than ten faculty members. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of applications for GME programs and an overwhelming number of interviews for ERAS applicants, even though only a few hundred …

Healing hearts: the power of authentic connection in medicine [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 17, 2023

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In this episode, we speak with Elizabeth LaRusso, a psychiatrist who shares her experiences and insights on the importance of cultivating meaningful connections and holding space for others. She discusses the challenges of learning to hold space …

How to recognize and stop gaslighting in your relationships

Robin Stern, PhD

Conditions

January 17, 2023

An excerpt from The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide: Your Personal Journey Toward Healing from Emotional Abuse.

Gaslighting is insidiously pervasive in today’s culture. We are inundated by an onslaught of news and information that we’re aware might not be accurate. In such a climate, we are presented with more occasions to …

Saying goodbye: the tragic impact of COVID-19 on families

Marissa Lombardo, MD

Physician

January 17, 2023

“No, no, no! I’m having a nightmare!” She shrieked through the phone. I couldn’t bear to hear it as words fell clumsily out of my mouth. “Your husband couldn’t breathe on his own. We had to put him on a ventilator. I’m so sorry.”

I was apologizing already. I’m sure she knew that it wasn’t a good sign when a physician opened with an apology. “What does that mean?” she stuttered. …

A couple’s journey with a rare neurodegenerative disorder

Bruce Rosky

Conditions

January 17, 2023

It was in 2012 that I started to realize that my wife Jennifer’s memory lapses were a significant sign to be taken seriously. That insight set us on a four-year journey, during which we engaged four neurologists in our quest for an answer. At last, Dr. Brent Fogel at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA diagnosed Jennifer with adult polyglucosan body disease (APBD), an ultra-rare, neurodegenerative disorder characterized …

The importance of a clear contract with your defense counsel in medical malpractice cases

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

January 17, 2023

The prevailing party contract is not the only contract that can protect a doctor in medical malpractice litigation. There is also the doctor-defense counsel contract.

Because of the risk of litigation, doctors often have a contract with a medical malpractice insurance carrier. The carrier offers to cover litigation costs in exchange for premiums, limits on liability, and other terms of coverage. The insurance company is then obligated to appoint and pay …

Finding purpose: How physicians can craft meaningful careers in medicine [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 16, 2023

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In this episode, we speak with David Danhauer, a seasoned pediatrician and former CMIO. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to gain a wealth of experience and knowledge, and as he approaches retirement, he reflects …

New employment contracts: What physicians need to know about compensation and benefits

Dennis Hursh, Esq

Physician

January 16, 2023

Physicians receiving a new employment contract need to be aware of issues that can arise related to their compensation and benefits. These are some of the things that should be carefully reviewed before signing the agreement.

Compensation

The agreement should clearly provide what productivity is expected. You can frequently gauge expected productivity by the salary level. If one employer is paying significantly more than another, it is a safe bet that the …

The endless race: How to find peace in a world obsessed with productivity

Ian Maclean, MD

Physician

January 16, 2023

I live in a state of chronic dissatisfaction and disillusionment, particularly when it comes to time. Is it the curse of the modern age to try to do too much? Is it just my location or life path? Have people always struggled with this?

If this constant struggle with time was a crime against anything else, I might be seen as an oddity or someone who doesn’t learn from their experiences. …

Lean on me: the power of human connection and the support of a caring doctor

Michele Luckenbaugh

Conditions

January 16, 2023

Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, and we all have sorrow.

But if we are wise, we know that there’s always a tomorrow.

Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend; I’ll help you carry on,

for it won’t be long ’till I’m going to need somebody to lean on.

Some might recall these lyrics from the song Lean on Me, written in 1972 by American singer-songwriter Bill …

How people of faith can respond to our broken health system [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 15, 2023

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In this episode, we speak with G. Scott Morris, a physician and ordained minister who has dedicated his career to treating patients with chronic conditions at Church Health. He shares his experiences working with individuals to improve …

Balancing motherhood and medical school: tips from those who’ve done it

Janet Tamaren, MD

Physician

January 15, 2023

I was in my first year of medical school when I discovered I was pregnant. This was not a planned pregnancy, as no one would intentionally plan to have a baby during medical school, as it is extremely difficult to manage both. However, there I was, and to my surprise, I was happy about it. I had previously thought that I was infertile after trying to get pregnant for five …

Protecting reproductive rights: the importance of abortion training for medical trainees

Shreya Sridhara

Education

January 15, 2023

As I was walking between classes as a pre-medical undergraduate student in 2018, I saw that the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment was distributing hats that read “PROTECT ROE v. WADE.” I picked one up and stepped into my classroom, only to be greeted by a classmate who said, “Protect Roe v. Wade? Why would it need protection?”

Fast-forward four years, I sat in my bedroom, selfishly thankful that I had …