At age 80, I am an old man. I am also an experienced writer and voracious reader. I’ve been active in internet bulletin boards and social media interest groups since the 1980s—in what we used to call “users net” (USENET)—before the emergence of the World Wide Web.
In the 1980s, I briefly moderated a community on the internet called “Internet Village Elders.” The forum was intended to share information between librarians …
I didn’t know who Emmitt Smith was. I didn’t know September was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I didn’t know what was going on in the weekend football game my husband was watching next to me on the couch. I was typing a clinic note because, in general, that is what I am doing if I am sitting down, regardless of the day or time. I am an academic physician with …
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We dive into navigating stipend structures for final-year medical residents with insights from Jon Appino, the CEO of Contract Diagnostics. He shares expert advice on what to consider when evaluating stipend offers, understanding …
It is not every day that a children’s movie can touch and challenge the soul of an adult. This is how I felt recently during one part of Pixar’s movie Soul. Whether you’ve seen this movie or not, I want to write about one particular scene that has really affected how I approach life.
The setup (no spoilers!): the main character Joe has received the job opportunity of a lifetime only …
The U.S. is grappling with a mental health crisis. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one in five US adults live with a mental illness. This includes disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more, ranging in severity from mild-moderate to severe.
Telehealth has proven to be an effective tool in addressing the crisis by improving access to care, reducing stigma, and providing flexible, timely support.
Imagine …
Here’s something you may already know. I didn’t until recently, but I sure do now, and it’s a lesson I won’t forget—something I wish I’d known three weeks ago.
Rabbits love cone flowers.
We recently downsized to a cute house with window boxes. I’ve never had window boxes before and am honestly not much of a gardener. I went to the local place where we buy plants and picked out some tall …
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We sit down with family medicine physician Jennifer Tillman to explore the transformative journey from early academic struggles to a fulfilling medical career. Jennifer shares her personal story of overcoming a pivotal setback …
During my time as a medical student shadowing in the intensive care unit, I met Ms. Stacey, hospitalized with a severe intestinal infection. As I entered her room, I saw her frail form lying amidst a web of tubes and monitors. Her prolonged hospital stay had visibly drained her, leaving her dependent on the vigilant care of both the medical staff and a quiet, devoted man sitting beside her bed—her …
Are you a medical student or resident rotating through new parts of the hospital? Then it’s a good time for some nuts-and-bolts advice about what you should wear on your upcoming rotations.
No, it’s not about looking like a doctor (whatever that is). It’s not about whether patients like white coats or not. Or whether white coats carry germs. It’s not about style and personal expression. It’s about how to have …
When a 26-year-old male with a history of tracheostomy arrived in our emergency department, the case appeared routine—until we uncovered an unusual detail. The patient’s sister had recently changed his tracheostomy tube at home but noticed something concerning afterward: the terminal piece, or the distal end of the tube, was missing. Despite searching, the piece couldn’t be found. This immediately raised concerns that it might be lodged within his trachea, …
In medicine, there’s a rhythm we grow accustomed to—diagnose, treat, move on to the next patient. But for me, beneath that rhythm, there’s always been a quiet hum: belief. Not the kind that seeks to explain every event or outcome, but the kind that reassures you that even when things go wrong, you are exactly where you need to be.
Faith in God didn’t arrive through one grand moment for me. …
In previous flu seasons, only about half of all Americans got the flu shot. Now we face pan-respiratory season, when we must worry about RSV, COVID, and the flu. The good news is these vaccines are lifesaving. The bad news is that if people don’t get them, they aren’t very effective and we might see fewer people get them at all.
As a clinical psychologist, I’ve spent my career thinking about …
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In the rapidly evolving landscape of health care, startups promising disruption often make headlines. But not all disruption leads to success. Forward Health, once hailed as a pioneer with its ultramodern clinics and AI-driven “doctor-in-a-box” CarePods, recently announced its abrupt closure. Despite raising over $650 million in funding, Forward’s inability to deliver on its ambitious promises is a case study in the pitfalls of prioritizing technology over patients.
The story of …
I went to the emergency room 16 times for allergies and asthma as a college freshman. Each time I was given a prescription for an EpiPen, an auto-injector pen that administers a dose of epinephrine, used for the emergency care of an acute allergic reaction.
I was told to figure out what I was allergic to. I tried very hard but couldn’t. All my life, I have had hives, eczema, asthma, …
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Fundamental in a medical malpractice lawsuit is determining whether an unfortunate outcome is an error of nature or a medical error. An error of nature results from a medical intervention that aligns with the standard of care. A medical error, on the other hand, results from a medical intervention that departs from the standard of care.
The problem in medical malpractice is that errors of nature can be random occurrences even …
I enjoy buying gifts for people I adore. It’s my love language. I enjoy seeing the smile, joy, or surprise in the eyes of those who receive my gifts. I live for these moments.
There were times when people did not express how much they appreciated my gift, but I could see it in their eyes. It’s not just my wild imagination; it’s because I’m always confident that what I buy …
It was recently reported that barely 10 percent of U.S. doctors work in rural health care. That number is continuing to shrink, while over 20 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, and more than 80 percent of rural Americans are considered medically underserved.
There are many reasons why doctors, mid-levels, and other health care workers are avoiding rural practice opportunities.
The one I want to focus on today is …
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Join us for an enlightening conversation with Julia Hotz, journalist and author of The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging. We explore the transformative potential of social …
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