KevinMD.com

How a Zoom nursing interview killed my self-worth

Conditions

May 11, 2021

I have dedicated 35 years of my life as a nurse: in the ICU for 33 years and behavioral health/intensive management for the last two.

I thought it would be time to take a break from ICU nursing. Surely behavioral health would be a lot easier — kind of a slide into my near-future retirement.

I entered into the land of psychotics and schizophrenics, bipolar, homeless, dangerous patients from prison, like those …

How 5-star reviews generated over $225,000 in practice revenue [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 10, 2021

“With my natural affinity for numbers, I analyzed the reviews’ precise impact after a few years, and the results were astounding. The system generated over $225,000 during a 3-year period. My practice acquired 162 new 5-star reviews on Google, and my partner and I generated over 200 5-star reviews on Yelp. I …

A physicians discovers the power of mastermind groups

Jeanne-Marie Guise, MD, MPH

Physician

May 10, 2021

“My whole world has changed, but my workplace’s expectations haven’t. I am paying twice as much for childcare and caring for my children’s mental health needs on top of my normal job. This has been going on for a year, but expectations for my performance in the workplace haven’t changed.”.

“I was watching an old home movie of my son’s baptism with my seven-year-old when he turned to me in horror, …

This doctor has post-litigation stress disorder

Maryanna Barrett, MD

Physician

May 10, 2021

I am sure that I have post-litigation stress disorder. It does not actually exist yet as a recognized disorder, but I definitely have it.

You know what else? Countless other physicians have it too.

We don’t talk about it. Besides the fact that lawyers forbid you to speak of ongoing litigation to anyone, especially colleagues, there is such a culture of shame surrounding this subject. Although we now live in a world …

What to do when physicians get subpoenaed as witnesses: A forensic pathologist explains [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 9, 2021

“You’re a clinician. You had a patient die under your care, and now your hospital is being sued. You are not named in the lawsuit, but you are being asked to give a deposition. How much of your time is this going to take? If some lawyer sends you thousands of …

Asking patients to write letters illuminates new aspects of the physician-patient-family relationship

Sneha Mantri, MD, Lana Chahine, MD, and L. Addison Diehl, RN

Physician

May 9, 2021

In 2019, we (authors SM, LC) initiated a research study on the experience of care partners of people with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). Among other activities, participants wrote a letter to their care recipient’s doctor to the prompt: “Understanding that you know the most about this person, specifically their PD psychosis because you likely spend the most time with them (certainly more time than the doctor gets to spend with …

How this physician escaped the system [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 8, 2021

“If you are happy with where you are in the current system – that is wonderful, continue what you are doing. However, if you are feeling trapped, frustrated, or like the work you are doing is no longer meaningful, then there are plenty of opportunities for you to get out of the …

5 tips to become a millionaire

Altelisha Taylor, MD, MPH

Finance

May 8, 2021

1. Setting up automatic investments. The vast majority of young millionaires achieved their financial status by investing money. Unless they are a celebrity or were born into a wealthy family, they had to be diligent about investing money either in the stock market, a business venture, or real estate. You must do the same. One way to do this is by making your investments automatic. Have a certain amount of …

Read more…

5 tips to become a millionaire

A student’s volunteer experience at a mobile outreach clinic

Juan Arnoletti

Education

May 8, 2021

In my junior year of high school, I applied for and went on an educational mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Being the son of Uruguayan immigrants, I felt at home in the rural setting while my many classmates marveled at their first view of a culture different from theirs. On that trip, my ability to fluently speak two languages formed a common ground on which I could build relationships. …

Responding to the COVID pandemic: a lesson in coalescence [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 7, 2021

“When faced with an existential crisis, any organization, as large as a nation or as small as a marriage, will go one of two ways. Either it will bond together, coalesced in a common purpose, or it will collapse in a spasm of blame and shame. While our health care institutions …

A transformative year for GME recruitment: How the process has changed forever

Jason Reminick, MD, MBA

Education

May 7, 2021

The 2020-2021 GME recruitment season was transformative. While it was full of new and old challenges for stakeholders, the impact of the first-ever entirely virtual recruitment season will be substantial and long-lasting.

Before COVID-19, the long-standing process of in-person interviews was considered “sacred” by many. But this system was simply not possible during a global pandemic. In the transition to virtual interviews, applicants saved significant time and expense but the canceling …

Gender disparities in medicine: How popular literature mirrors society [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 6, 2021

“Coffee in hand, I decided to try and collect my thoughts. I realized that a large portion of the literature we grew up reading has in many ways tried to implant this subconscious bias that contributes to gender disparities and these ideas about women that have continued to ruminate throughout parts of …

Paid parental leave is long overdue

Catherine Spaulding, MD

Policy

May 6, 2021

Recently, President Biden introduced legislation that would provide federal funding for paid parental leave for all parents for up to 12 weeks.

As a pediatrician and hopeful soon-to-be parent, I am ecstatic. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long advocated for a minimum of 12 weeks of parental leave to promote the health and well-being of both the …

Read more…

Paid parental leave is long overdue

A nurse is to a patient what a mother is to a child

Farhan S. Imran, MD

Physician

May 6, 2021

I was on inpatient service and had already seen most of the patients on my list. I just had to see one more before I could call it a day and rush out just in time to take my daughter to her tennis lesson. I reviewed the patient’s chart to find out that her cancer had spread to her spine, which had incapacitated her to the point that she could …

A plea for help from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic

Kristin Adams Forner, MD

Physician

May 5, 2021

I am a palliative care physician in a hospital in our nation’s capital region. Like most urban hospitals, ours has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. My colleagues and I are exhausted and emotionally devastated. We are not alone. Yesterday I learned a friend of mine from medical school, a selfless and compassion-driven emergency medicine physician in Los Angeles, died by suicide. Before the pandemic, between 300 to …

Doctors’ mental health: Don’t wait until it’s too late

Jennifer Reid, MD

Physician

May 5, 2021

One of our most talented residents committed suicide during my psychiatric training. I remember relaxing with him in a VA hospital call room several months before his death, laughing together at some of the idiosyncrasies of our unit attending.

He opened up to me about his doubt in his choice in psychiatry and how he was considering a transfer into internal medicine. Having made the opposite transition just months before, I …

Rest in peace, primary care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

May 4, 2021

“The corporatization of medicine has destroyed primary care as a specialty. The primary care physician is supposed to be your go-to doctor, your advocate, the coordinator of your health care. Now that corporations buy out hospitals and private practices in an almost predatory fashion, the priority is turning a profit for …

Read more…

Rest in peace, primary care [PODCAST]

Tenacity in children and the 7 instincts

Sam Goldstein, PhD and Robert B. Brooks, PhD

Conditions

May 4, 2021

An excerpt from Tenacity in Children: Nurturing the Seven Instincts for Lifetime Success.

Did you ever wonder why babies quickly develop a social smile and look you in the eyes? Is it surprising to learn that the muscles in your ears are set within the range of women’s voices at birth or that babies prefer looking at women’s faces …

Physicians should heal themselves first

Maheswari Raja, MD

Physician

May 4, 2021

I was trained in delivering bad news.

I knew what to expect.

I knew the questions that would come.

I have learned the stages of grief.

More importantly, I had done this before many times in the past 15 years.

This is my job and my responsibility, I told myself.

I got to work earlier than usual, diffused some comforting essential oils, and did my routine 10-minute morning meditation. Then I slowly sipped my tea and …

Read more…

Physicians should heal themselves first

Bloated notes are a huge problem and a time suck

Craig Bowron, MD

Physician

May 4, 2021

In a moment of caffeine-depleted delirium, I volunteered to head the creation of a “notes committee” for my 80-member hospitalist group.

I placed myself on a 72-hour hold and quickly established a group consensus: “Bloated notes are a huge problem and a time suck. I’m glad you [rather than me] are working on this. My notes are fine, though. It’s other people’s notes that are bad. Other people’s bad notes are …

Most Popular

Past Week

Past 6 Months

Recent Posts

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Most Popular

Past Week

Past 6 Months

Recent Posts