Coronavirus takes a toll on IMGs: anxieties over USMLE Step 1 becoming pass/fail

Education
July 27, 2020

The NBME has announced that the USMLE Step 1 exam is changing from graded on a curve to pass/fail no earlier than Jan 1, 2022. This announcement came before the coronavirus pandemic took hold and significantly disrupted pretty much everything, including medical education. Since then, given widespread Prometric center closures, study schedule disruptions, altered medical school curricula, and a whole host of other unexpected challenges, many …

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Physicians and the psychological trauma of COVID-19 [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 26, 2020
YouTube video

“As COVID-19 devastates America and the world, I hope that fundamental change to our health care system results from its horrific exposé. Without COVID-19, the pressures placed on physicians are already immense. In the age of COVID-19, these pressures are proving to be insurmountable. Being a physician is difficult, but it does not have to be deadly. Physicians deserve proper stigma- …

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Social isolation in the elderly [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 25, 2020
YouTube video

“COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the nation, leading to the implementation of stringent social distancing guidelines by local and regional authorities. In a desperate effort to limit infection rates, in-person social interactions have been reduced, and many have turned towards indoor hobbies and online platforms to connect with their loved ones.

Still, this solution to mitigate the spread of the virus deeply …

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Is upspeak really that bad for women in medicine?

Physician
July 25, 2020

A few weeks ago, I was delighted when KevinMD accepted an opinion piece I’d submitted. But I withdrew it just before publication because, on reflection, I realized that I’d been wrong.

While sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve become an avid consumer of medical podcasts, such as those presented by JAMA and the New England Journal of Medicine. The opinion piece …

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Why storytelling and writing are so important in medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 24, 2020
YouTube video

“They needed the final story to let go of her body, yet retain her spirit.

Looking back on it, that’s when I saw the greatest honor of all — the everyday honor of storytelling for our patients. Maybe that’s the only cure we have for death … translating what happens from the body into the world. Perhaps that is the last frontier …

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Tips for applying to medical school in a pandemic [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 23, 2020
YouTube video

“If you are finding yourself with trouble studying or focusing due to the state of the world, or due to changing circumstances in your own household, remember that a delay in this test or in any part of your application is not the end of the world. You need to focus on your health and well-being first so that you have …

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Meet the physician who left concierge medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 22, 2020
YouTube video

“Much is written about the advantages for primary care physicians and patients of working within a retainer model, direct primary care, concierge-type care model. Little is written about the downside or disadvantages. It is time to shine a light on the benefits and challenges of concierge and standard models through an experienced lens, particularly as drivers of burnout and the primary …

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Anatomy of locum tenens contracts: a physician’s guide to understanding contractual provisions to maximize opportunities and minimize risks

Physician
July 22, 2020

Locum tenens means “to hold the place of, to substitute for” and locum tenens contracts are a common form of agreement for physicians who provide temporary medical services in place of full-time physicians.

Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased demand puts physicians in a better position to negotiate their locum tenens contracts.  However, too many practitioners sign them without fully understanding their implications. This is a mistake. A well-drafted …

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Obesity and the diet-microbiome connection: a conversation with a gastroenterologist [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 21, 2020
YouTube video

What should patients know about diet and its effects on the microbiome? How should primary care clinicians address diet and its effects on the microbiome? What are your tips to address obesity? What are the gastroenterological manifestations of COVID-19?

Supriya Rao is a gastroenterologist.

She shares her story and her expertise in obesity and the diet-microbiome connection.

Did you enjoy …

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A physician’s struggle with mental illness [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 20, 2020
YouTube video

“Was I that different? I had severe anxiety necessitating medication, compounded by stress, my own narcissistic tendencies, and a series of life choices—but Jason had something much worse. It all gave me pause. I was now twenty-four, just barely older than Jason when the committee took residence. Would I soon begin hearing voices as well?

I supposed that beginning the long and …

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Food allergies are not funny

Conditions
July 20, 2020

It seems that adults need to be reminded and educated of the dangers life-threatening food allergies possess. If you think taunting people that have life-threatening food allergies occur only with very young children, you would be sadly mistaken. Case in point, comedian Jimmy Fallon’s in his recent sketch “Masculine Man Masks Commercial” states that his character’s masks “don’t have to make you look like a big sissy with a shellfish …

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How this physician discovered the power of mindfulness [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 19, 2020
YouTube video

“Could COVID-19 be an opportunity that brings the plight of health care professionals finally to the forefront? Protect us so we can protect you.  Do your part and stay home.  Flatten the curve to give health care professionals a chance.  Donate PPE. Donate food.  And yet through this war, we, health care professionals, along with the entirety of humanity, are united …

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Why medical students should be taught the business side of medicine

Education
July 19, 2020

The field of medicine is always changing. In fact, half of what students learn in medical school will either be wrong or outdated five years after they graduate. As future physicians, medical students must learn to adapt to these changes. In fact, the medical school curriculum itself has evolved greatly over the years. In addition to basic science, pharmacology, and clinical medicine, curriculums now include content …

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How hospitals allocate scarce resources [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 18, 2020
YouTube video

“We are grateful to be avoiding the need to use draconian measures for resource allocation. We have been afforded the blessing of lead-time here in Los Angeles and have the chance to learn from other parts of the world, as well as other areas within the United States. We are preparing our personal protective equipment, re-organizing team structures and hospital workflow, …

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The daily medical podcast packed with information, insight, and inspiration

Podcast
July 17, 2020
YouTube video

The Podcast by KevinMD is now on the Health Podcast Network. Fifteen minutes a day, seven days a week. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app.

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Infection control lessons that we have learned so far [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 17, 2020
YouTube video

 

“We are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s already very clear that the infection prevention community in the U.S. has never faced such an enormous challenge. We have learned many things that will make us better prepared for the long term.

We are far too reliant on single-use disposable products. Having a large supply of cloth surgical gowns and …

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The power of story and other essential physician speaking tips [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 16, 2020
YouTube video

“People remember stories in your speech. The rest fades away.

I learned that pearl of wisdom from studying great literature and telling personal stories, and now teach it to students of speech. Who can forget the stories of The Iliad and The Odyssey having once read the books or heard of these tales of Homer? And when I want to tell a …

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How to handle family and parenting stress as a physician [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 15, 2020
YouTube video

“Being a parent in the middle of a pandemic is not easy. Sheltering in place with canceled daycare, school, and college, while also being a doctor or other healthcare worker, working in high-risk, high-intensity situations, presents many challenges.  It also presents many opportunities.

It is possible to choose thoughts about being a physician and a parent during the COVID-19 situation that can …

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Declaring racism as a public health crisis from the lens of two Latinx student doctors

Policy
July 15, 2020

“I often heard as a child that Mexicans were lazy and dirty. As a Mexican-American, I did not wear shorts for years despite the heat because I thought my knees looked dirty. Now I fully embrace my identity. However, as a medical student, I still feel the pressure to disprove these stereotypes.”
– Camila Hurtado

“Growing up in the barrio, my white classmates would tease and bully the brown Latino kids constantly. …

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