“Our nation is at a crossroads, but one thing is clear – the health of our country depends on the health of all individuals in it, regardless of income, gender, or race. ACPM is committed to doing our part to promote and advance health and safety for all populations. On …
Addressing racial disparities in health begins upstream with racial equity in society [PODCAST]
“You will be asleep for your surgery,” anesthesiologists often reassure their patients. Just before the start of anesthesia, a patient may hear the nurse saying, “Think of a nice dream as you go off to sleep.”
While these statements are intended to soothe patients during a stressful time, they gloss over this critical fact: Anesthesia is not like normal sleep at all. That’s why you need medical doctors – anesthesiologists – to take …
You are not “asleep” under anesthesia
Hidden in the epigastric region of the abdomen concealed by a curtain of peritoneum is a moody, often forgettable little organ. Of course, the term organ is a somewhat generous description for this rather overqualified gland. The pancreas has its own set of rules as it mischievously lurks behind the stomach waiting for its cue for chaos.
In a moment of theatrical exaggeration, it can go from completely forgettable to a …
Last year, a physician friend began experiencing what she believed was burnout. She felt constantly overwhelmed, had difficulty sleeping and eating, and began to dread going into her office. She worried excessively about patient outcomes, decisions she had made, and whether she was actually a good doctor. She even began to cry unpredictably. Like so many physicians who struggle with these kinds of symptoms, she avoided seeking help until she …
Why physician-specialized private counseling practices are important
“I think back to the first time I ever brought Natalie to an emergency room. It was my fault. It was an odd accident. I had lifted her out of her car seat, grabbing my purse and a bag of groceries at the same time while turning and closing the …
A daughter’s addiction. A mother’s love. [PODCAST]
Is your health care organization reeling from a bad EHR implementation?
There have been rumblings from hospital leadership and congressional committees about the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospitals’ implementation of the Cerner Corporation electronic health record (EHR) replacing the VistA EHR. The $10 million EHR overhaul has been controversial since the staggered rollout started in Spokane, Washington. One report noted that months after the go-live, fewer users knew how to operate the …
How to recover from a bad electronic health records implementation
An excerpt from Becoming Doctors 25 Years Later: Twenty five physicians sharing the journey from medical student to retirement.
If I get out of bed now, I can squeeze in that ten-minute morning yoga routine on YouTube. But it feels so nice lying here, sunlight streaming in, sips of coffee warming my body and boosting my heart rate up a notch. If …
Primary care: I love the variety and the intimacy of the problems that are placed before me
In a world full of white coats, wear a leotard.
The news of Simone Biles’s recent withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympic Games shocked the world. What was surprising to many was the reason—not a physical injury, but a commitment to prioritizing her mental health. Biles later revealed that she had been experiencing a case of the “twisties.”
So, what are the twisties?
Twisties is a term that refers to a mental block or …
Be the Simone Biles of health care
“If you don’t ask for something you want, then you have already accepted the answer of no. Go ahead and ask for what you want and need. You may not get it this time but ask again in the future.
We …
Replaceable thoughts and essential books to help you survive burnout [PODCAST]
When Linda said she wanted to weigh 150 pounds, her doctors balked. In the fall of 2020, Linda weighed over twice that number. Her obesity was causing her debilitating knee pain, leading her to miss work as a mammography technician, a job she loved.
Wanting to return to what she enjoyed, Linda underwent bariatric surgery. With a large portion of her stomach removed, she began a stringent diet and exercise regimen, …
Do you ever wonder why some issues are global or universal? It does not matter if you are a surgeon, a mega soccer star or a world-class runner—we all have things in common. Whether you are at the top of your game or just climbing your way, we must always fight for equality, for basic rights, for humanity?
While driving home, I heard an NPR interview with Megan Rapinoe, the U.S. …
Don’t let anyone tell you to stay in your lane
Can doctors have personalities? I get this question a lot, or, rather, I get told by patients as a running joke that physicians typically lack the fun gene. Understandably, we have dedicated our youth to the medical profession and have missed out on most of our twenties and thirties by completing rigorous training and building our new careers to where we do lose a crucial time in early adulthood development. …
Can doctors have personalities?
“A few weeks ago, a white physical therapy colleague of mine unconsciously committed a racial microaggression. She was interviewing her patient, a middle-aged Black male, about his living environment. She asked him if his daughter was at home with him all day or if she went to work.
He asked her …
How racial microaggressions lead to poor care outcomes [PODCAST]
I cannot accept that others have control of how I feel, act and think. I admit it’s easier to blame others — the disrupted system, the incompetent “leaders,” the unhealthy environment and the micro-aggressive behaviors. But I refuse to give that power to others! I’m the owner of my goals, thoughts, feelings and actions. And I refuse to burn out!
Burnout
Dr. Freudenberger first coined the term in 1974 to define …
Take back the power and joy of being a doctor
A 2020 President’s Message by Dr. Douglas DeLong struck a reassuring, optimistic note regarding the future of general internal medicine, a primary care specialty that has struggled in the last decade with decreasing numbers of residents choosing to join its ranks. Data shows that since 2011, the percentage of U.S.-trained physicians who have matched into primary care positions has been on the decline.
Many factors …
The future of general internal medicine is bright
“When harnessing easy-to-use technology to provide answers to frequently asked questions such as the ER wait time, or the ER’s address, for instance, patients and their families are properly informed, and clinical staff are given the time to focus on their most important job: caring for patients. The use of …
How technology in the ER boosts the patient experience [PODCAST]
As rising fourth-year medical students, we talked about caring for dying patients with Dr. Angie Anderson (AA), a pediatric palliative care specialist. An abridged version of our conversation is transcribed below.
Lindsey Pileika (LP): Honored to speak with you, Dr. Anderson. I just wanted to preface our interview with experiences that I’m bringing to this conversation. During my third year, I was working on the pediatric hematology-oncology service, where we frequently …
A conversation on death and hope a pediatric palliative care physician
While we’re not there yet, we may be approaching a point where we’re facing a significant skills shortage among surgeons. A 2017 study by Meritt Hawkins found that 52 percent of orthopedic surgeons were 55 and older, as were 48 percent of general surgeons. As many surgeons approach retirement age, there is a pressing need to up-skill and up-level the next generation of surgeons, especially with demand …
Robotic surgery’s impact on training the next generation of surgeons
“In the Spring semester of my final year as a football player, my college team faced necessary coaching, staff, and player position changes. At this point in my college career, we had yet to have a winning season. These changes were made to shift our program’s culture and give …
Medical school and the lessons learned from football [PODCAST]
I have been a “doctorpreneur” for the past decade. I’ve done everything from locums work to real estate to coaching women physicians and residents to advising companies and venture capital firms, and the list goes on. If it’s inspiring to me, I dive in. What I’ve found out from all of my business ventures is that once I decided to make medicine something I did because I loved it, and not my primary …
Why becoming a “doctorpreneur” made me a better physician
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