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A conversation on death and hope a pediatric palliative care physician

Angie Anderson, MD, Amador Delamerced, and Lindsey Pileika

Physician

August 1, 2021

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 …

Robotic surgery’s impact on training the next generation of surgeons

Barry Greene, MD

Education

August 1, 2021

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 …

Medical school and the lessons learned from football [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 31, 2021

“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 …

Why becoming a “doctorpreneur” made me a better physician

Geeta Arora, MD

Physician

July 31, 2021

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 …

An underutilized way to relieve stress [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 30, 2021

“As a former hospitalist who transitioned out of clinical practice in 2015, I’ve been deep in the physician wellness space for years. Far and away, the most effective way I’ve supported health care professionals during this time (often in my role as a founding board member of the mindful health …

This obstetrician recommends midwifery care

Leslie Farrington, MD

Physician

July 30, 2021

In 2014 I learned about the worsening maternal mortality statistics in the U.S. and the racial disparities in maternal health, which socioeconomic or medical risk factors could not explain away. I decided a community-based solution was necessary because, as an African American obstetrician, I had no expectation that my fellow obstetricians would soon recognize how racism permeated our specialty and impacted …

Remote patient monitoring: a health IT perspective [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 29, 2021

“The primary benefits for mobile care units are the fact that they decrease patient travel times by arriving at their residences and ensuring that appointments are never missed. It also relieves the stress of finding transportation for dialysis patients, outright eliminating the need for the CMS to find alternative transport …

Burnout and bias? Or medical gaslighting?

Kara Wada, MD

Physician

July 29, 2021

Five years into my practice as an academic allergist/immunologist, my perceptions continue to evolve. Though once primarily informed by my mentors’ wisdom, I continue incorporating my experiences as both physician and autoimmune patient to guide my practice. Though we all know medicine isn’t like it used to be, nostalgia is bittersweet. In its wake, the real question remains: how are we going to respond to ongoing changes and fight for …

If Simone Biles were a doctor she would be vilified, not praised

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

July 28, 2021

When the greatest-of-all-time gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the Olympics to focus on her mental wellbeing, most observers applauded her decision, viewing it as an act of courage and bravery, an eye-opener for breaking the stigma around mental health. Many felt it was a positive step (no pun intended) because it reignited conversations about elite athletes and other high-stress professionals and their ability to perform under psychological adversity. However, does the …

President Biden’s tax proposal and its effects on estate and income tax planning for physicians

Syed Nishat, BFA and Aadil Zaman, MBA & The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 28, 2021

This article is sponsored by Wall Street Alliance Group.

While physicians provide a vital service to the U.S., they often have blind spots when it comes to maintaining their own financial health. Many in the …

The Apgar Olympics: The race is on

Russell Johnson, MD

Physician

July 28, 2021

The page comes during a lull on an otherwise busy day in the well-baby nursery (WBN). My pager’s shrill cry rouses me like the blast of a starting pistol.

DI-DI GESTATION. 37 WEEKS. BABY A WITH NON-REASSURING HEART TONES. BABY B BREECH. OPERATING ROOM A. COME STAT.

Translation: Twin birth. Baby A is STRESSED. Baby B attempted a front flip but got stuck. HURRY.

The race is on, and I am determined to …

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The Apgar Olympics: The race is on

CDC updates indoor mask guidance

Molly Walker

Conditions

July 28, 2021

Due to emerging science about transmission in vaccinated people, the CDC now recommends all teachers and students wear masks in school, and that people living in COVID-19 hotspots, or areas of the country with large outbreaks, wear masks indoors, CDC officials said on Tuesday.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, attributed this updated guidance to new science surrounding the Delta variant, showing that “some vaccinated people infected with the Delta …

Read more…

CDC updates indoor mask guidance

Health literacy: the missing piece to caregiver support and empowerment

Sandra Vamos, EdD and Deanna Lernihan, MPH

Policy

July 28, 2021

Caregiving in the United States has reached a crisis due to an aging population, a lack of investment in a professional caregiving infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors pushed millions of Americans out of the workforce and into a caregiving role, particularly women. Those Americans already providing care for a loved one experienced a 36 percent increase …

Doctors beware: There’s a $400,000 target on your back [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 27, 2021

“President Joe Biden recently signaled that a multi-trillion-dollar spending plan for our country should be paid for by the rich corporations and wealthy individual Americans who make over $400,000. Doctors fit the latter category and should tune in.

Beyond the government, the unique qualities of doctors make us a target for …

Major medical groups back mandatory COVID vaccine for health care workers

Molly Walker

Policy

July 27, 2021

Medical groups’ calls for COVID-19 vaccination mandates for health care workers reached a fever pitch on Monday, with the American Medical Association (AMA), American Nurses Association, and 55 other organizations joining the chorus supporting mandatory vaccination.

“It is critical that all people in the health care workforce get vaccinated against COVID-19 for the safety of our patients and our colleagues,” said Susan R. Bailey, MD, immediate past president of the AMA, …

Health care workers betrayed: Mask mandates were lifted too early

Nicole M. King, MD

Conditions

July 27, 2021

A year ago, I started writing. I wrote to process what I had seen and done and to prepare for what I knew was to come. It was inevitable. Humans would return to their normal activities, and despite mine and so many others’ advice, would do so without utilizing mitigating behaviors or respect for others. We knew it was coming, and it did. The summer surge, followed by the darkest …

Why it’s important for physicians to change the system [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 26, 2021

“What if I had access to real solutions? What if I had resources to provide to a person to help them overcome their problem? As a primary care provider with over 20 years of experience, I know viscerally that I will never “fix” anyone. I can teach, I can guide, …

DO and MD: If perceptions matter, which one matters most?

Colburn Yu

Education

July 26, 2021

I remember the second I received my first phone call from admissions to a medical school. I was sitting at an airport, after having finished another interview. After putting down the phone, I started to cry. All of those years of hard work had been recognized, and I was finally welcomed into the profession of my dreams. I never thought that I accomplished something less meaningful because it was a …

The non-acceptance of vaccine-hesitant families is a problem in pediatrics

Sean Gallagher, MD

Physician

July 26, 2021

Some pediatric practices refuse to provide care for children with vaccine-hesitant parents.

Those pediatricians are quick to offer rationalizations for this decision. Many of their reasons are compelling. I’m confident you yourself are thinking of some right now. This piece isn’t intended to be a deep dive into those reasons. No justification for refusing care to certain children changes the outcomes.

We assume that these families end up at organizations like mine: …

A new vaccine emoji to get more COVID-19 shots into arms

Amanda D'Ambrosio

Conditions

July 26, 2021

A public health expert and a web developer have created a new digital communication tool to get more COVID-19 shots into arms — a vaccine emoji.

Social media users have been using the syringe, microbe, or mask emoji in their posts to talk about the pandemic. The new vaccine emoji, however, will display a flexing bicep patched up with a Band-Aid, representing an …

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