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“A prospect seeking a career in medicine must start with their own awareness of boundaries and perfectionism before entering the field. This inner work must be indoctrinated in schools and encouraged through residencies and mentorships. Furthermore, administration must model this and valued it …
What needs to change in medicine for it to be sustainable? [PODCAST]
Nurses are notoriously tough, resilient, and caring. Their ability to deliver health care with a mindful spirit is uncanny. Multitasking is soon ingrained in even the greenest of this kind.
Go ahead, inundate them with requests, some admittedly regretful, and you will witness amazing things being accomplished with few exceptions. They can be mischievous as well. After all, they’re human, right? Surely the new haughty unsuspecting intern deserves a 2:45 a.m. …
The nurse who walked a million miles
Here’s the story of a girl who got a comprehensive sex education and still chose abstinence. That girl was me.
Did I gain this knowledge from school? Heavens no. I grew up in the South at the turn of the 21st century. Abstinence-only sex education was the name of the game (still is, last I checked), especially in the school district I was in. Ironically (or maybe not so, in light …
I received a comprehensive sex education. I still chose abstinence.
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“He needed to be taken to the hospital to be pronounced, and he was put on a gurney. One frequently mouthed wish was to be taken from his home feet first. I stood beside him as he was placed in the ambulance. His …
What a good death looked like [PODCAST]
Your parents likely spent months searching through baby name books, polling the family, and looking through the photo albums of ancestors to pick the perfect name for you.
Maybe your parents had to see your face before they could pick the perfect one. Names have history, they have power, and they embody your personality.
My daughter was officially named Daniela, yet we called her Bimbi months before she was born. That is …
I’m a physician, not a provider
Completing my second year as an attending during a pandemic has been, well, interesting. It has brought up a variety of emotions. It’s all you’ve dreamt about for the past 7+ years of training, finally making it — the ability to “call the shots.” It is exhilarating yet mortifying, all wrapped in one!
You have those occasional cases you have never been exposed to during training. You lean on colleagues for …
Health care takes its toll. Look for the moments that remind you why you’re in it.
About a month ago, I had just finished hospital rounds when I heard “code active threat” on the overhead intercom. Thinking it was a drill, I continued typing patient notes until I heard a more urgent: “Please barricade in place or, if able, evacuate the premises immediately.”
My heart raced as I quickly weighed my options: barricade myself alone in the physician lounge or run to the parking garage, risking the …
Gun violence is our society’s disease
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“As doctors, we are called to heal. We are called to serve. It’s in us. Our ability to heal and serve others does not have to be limited to the hospital and clinic walls. I want all our brilliant doctor minds to be …
Allow yourself the space you need to heal [PODCAST]
5G and its related cell towers are still causing controversy around the U.S. Earlier this month, residents in Indiana and Nevada were against 5G cell towers being placed in their neighborhoods. In Charlotte County, Florida, one resident against the towers was concerned about his neighborhood being the guinea pigs of possible health implications caused by 5G. Before these complaints surfaced, 107 …
Clearing up common misconceptions surrounding cellular technology and radiation
The first occurred when the ethics committee gathered to discuss one of the residents on the nursing wing. She was in the late stages of dementia and unable to speak. She had developed an ulcer on her foot, and the doctor recommended antibiotics and whirlpool treatments. These might prevent having her foot amputated.
Her health care agent with medical power of attorney was her daughter. She said that her mother had …
We’ve all heard the tired cliché about July being the most dangerous time of the year to go to a hospital. All new interns — freshly minted doctors straight out of medical school — are on the loose. And you better watch out, the tale goes. That’s demonstrably false, and July is as safe as any month for medical care.
But there is still a big reason to worry — not …
What no one tells you about being a new doctor
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“If I knew back in training and practice what I know now, I would have looked for the support and mentoring that would have helped me to forge a path in clinical medicine. But I saw help as an admission of weakness. I …
We are humans first and gifted healers second [PODCAST]
It’s 4 a.m. when a 17-year-old awakens at home with severe left shoulder pain that his worried parents call 911. By the time he reaches the emergency room (ER), he has pain all the way to his wrist.
“Any recent injuries?” asks the doctor.
“Yeah, about three days ago, I was lifting about 200 pounds at the gym and noticed that my shoulder was really sore.”
When questioned further, he admits that he’d …
Teen dies when blood culture protocol botched: What can we learn from this tragedy?
The headache wasn’t that bad. The fatigue was worse. I had slept about six hours total in the past three days. I was fortunate to have dutiful help from my husband and both grandmas, but I was still exhausted. Between breastfeeding, diaper changes, snuggling, trying to eat and maybe shower, adjusting to being thrust into the most important role in my life, feeling the joy and anxiety as only someone …
My blood pressure spike on postpartum day 3
Are you a perfectionist?
Did you know that perfectionists are actually some of the biggest procrastinators? Yes, really.
In theory, perfectionism sounds like a good thing. Who doesn’t want to do and be their best? It can even seem like a harmless way to motivate yourself.
But the reality is, nothing is perfect.
What does “perfect” even mean? What does it look like? Who has the instruction manual?
It’s different for everyone. What’s “perfect” in …
Perfectionism is a myth: Are you ready to hear the truths about perfectionism?
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“I acknowledge that as a physician, I am overall financially secure. However, after jumping over multiple extra hurdles to prove myself throughout my medical career, I couldn’t help but feel I have been handicapped financially compared to my non-immigrant colleagues. While others are …
Stop financially handicapping non-citizen physicians [PODCAST]
Ergonomics is the study of how humans and machines interact. More specifically, it addresses the interplay between humans and machines through an examination of optimal positioning of equipment and personnel to allow for the most efficient work play and use of time and space. With its study and importance growing in scope following the invention of the assembly line by Henry Ford in 1913, ergonomics has now found itself as …
Ergonomics: How to live pain-free and have a long surgical career
It has always been difficult for medical professionals to balance the time needed for personal care, both physical and emotional, against the overwhelming demands of their time. This is particularly true today, given the extraordinary pressures created by health challenges generated through external factors, such as the pandemic and those caused by genetics or lifestyle choices. However, focusing on this balance is critical for the welfare of both the doctors …
The importance of non-judgmental empathy
Medical training has historically been known for its intensity, during which work-life balance is traded in for intensive study sessions and early morning rounds. In recent years, medical schools have become increasingly interested in programs to improve student wellbeing. Many of these programs teach students the importance of wellness, touting the value of exercise, hobbies, and spending time with friends and family without providing the time …
To fight medical student burnout, focus less on the clinic and more on life
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“Nineteen children were killed in a mass shooting in Texas. I have barely escaped the pandemonium of the pediatric emergency department to scarf down a bowl of pasta when I hear the announcement on the breakroom TV. My stomach drops. Again? How is …
Guns and public health advocacy [PODCAST]
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