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Advice to aspiring medical students on work-life balance

Physician

November 18, 2020

I recently met a student and aspiring surgeon who asked me if I was happy with anesthesiology and a career in medicine in general. I told him that aspiring to medicine is wonderful and that while I am indeed happy with my career choice, it does come with daily challenges, both professional and personal. This led to a discussion of work-life balance, particularly with regard to family life, in which …

Why the pandemic is the perfect opportunity to introduce meditation to children [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 17, 2020

“While there is a myriad of expert opinions on what long term effects this pandemic will have on our children and their physical and mental health, we must also remember the age-old idiom: this too shall pass. We must also be sensitive to not add to parents’ already full plates. Meditation …

The value of intergenerational relationships

Satya Moolani

Education

November 17, 2020

With the rapid growth of modern medicine and awareness in lifestyle and environmental influences, individuals can live longer and healthier lives. Approximately 15.2 percent of the U.S. population consists of individuals 65 years and older. To make the added years of life expectancy fulfilling, older adults need to stay socially connected and involved. One key method is through the development of meaningful …

Appreciation in the personal finance world [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 16, 2020

“Appreciation in the personal finance world has two different components to it:

Quantitative: increasing value of net worth and financial assets
Qualitative: feeling of gratitude for one’s finances, resources, and circumstance. This is not dependent on the dollar amount.

These are both important, but the qualitative is the best predictor of increasing …

COVID-related stressors and increasing instances of substance abuse [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 15, 2020

“While the rise in substance use disorders during COVID will become more apparent as the pandemic eventually ebbs, the silver lining is that this is not a novel problem. We understand substance use disorders far better than we understand COVID-19, and we also know that one of the largest obstacles to treatment is the shame associated with admitting that one has …

The pedestal that’s killing doctors

Patricia Celan, MD

Conditions

November 15, 2020

Doctors are often called “heroes” – a surprisingly uncomfortable label. Physicians are already tired of being held to a higher standard than the average person; raising the pedestal is problematic. While doctors are compassionate individuals who care about bettering lives and curing illnesses, we are also human. At the end of a standard workday, we would like to live normal lives. Unfortunately, the hours are longer, and we are never …

Read more…

The pedestal that’s killing doctors

Let’s make compassion go viral [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 14, 2020

“We are social beings. Evolution has taught us that in order to survive, we must work together. Community trust (trusting your fellow citizen) is a very effective way to build community resilience when hardships strike. Studies have been done in the wake of natural disasters and have shown that social infrastructure and connections have equal, if not more, impact on the …

To the third-year medical students who feel like they aren’t learning anything

King Pascual

Education

November 14, 2020

First of all, congratulations on making it this far in your journey towards becoming a physician. It truly is a privilege to be in the position of a third-year medical student because unlike the previous two years, we are now able to address the needs of actual patients, and in many cases, their family members and caregivers, whether they be emotional, mental, physical, or socioeconomic.

I admit that it sounds trite …

Hassle-free real estate investing for busy doctors [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 13, 2020

“Why real estate?

By having a ‘why’ you want something, it’ll help keep you motivated to pursue your goals when setbacks and mistakes occur.

For our family, we wanted passive income streams.

Passive income gives you options. I love options.

It doesn’t matter if you want to work forever, retire early, or change careers, multiple income sources can make it happen.

Our passive income is not …

Proponents of independent non-physician practice make a dangerous assumption

Rebekah Bernard, MD and Niran S. Al-Agba, MD

Physician

November 13, 2020

An excerpt from Patients at Risk: The Rise of the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant in Healthcare.

On a sunny Tuesday in March 2015, the steps of Capitol Hill were draped in white as nurse practitioners from across the United States descended on the nation’s capital. Their …

A nontraditional approach to fear and stress [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 12, 2020

“Like 9/11, we have a new reference point touching everyone on the planet: life before COVID-19 and life after. Regardless if you get it or don’t, the unknowns and secondary consequences are scary. Life before COVID was scary, too, minus the urgency.

Before COVID, we sensed the weight of living on a sick planet. We felt powerless to change the tide of …

A call for a moratorium on the sale of inhalable products [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 11, 2020

“The inflammatory response elicited by the novel coronavirus can do great damage to the essential function of lungs. People with underlying lung disease are more vulnerable to this coronavirus, including people with asthma, emphysema, lung fibrosis, and even people with high exposure to air pollution. Smoking and vaping are perfectly preventable forms of high-intensity air pollution. We strongly urge city, county, …

What to do financially when you’re a doctor getting a divorce

Smart Money, MD

Finance

November 11, 2020

I remember reading a post recently on a Facebook physician group that involved a cardiologist who asked for help on how to manage her finances after a divorce.

The pertinent aspects of this situation involves the physician being left with essentially nothing in retirement savings. She is mid-career with children and wants an option to reduce her schedule eventually to spend time with her children during the weeks she has custody. …

Medical ethics and medical school: a student’s perspective

Jacob Riegler

Education

November 11, 2020

The symptoms of systemic discrimination and sweeping organizational problems are ubiquitous in the news and health care literature. Yet, medical students’ curricula focus on codes of professionalism, setting these issues, and the historical forces that created them to the side. While professionalism is undoubtedly an important aspect of being a physician, it is simply not enough to give students the background they need to recognize the historical contextualization of ethical …

Palliative care and the importance of holding space [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 10, 2020

“Holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone. It means putting your focus on someone to support them as they feel their feelings. An important aspect of holding space is managing judgment while you are present.

Like when you tell a patient that they have stage IV pancreatic cancer and that it is nonsurgical and even with the best …

What not to do after a medical mistake

Pamela Wible, MD

Physician

November 10, 2020

If you are a doctor (or med student/health professional) and are human, you’ve probably made a medical mistake. You’ve probably not received emotional support for the mistake. Maybe you’ve never told anyone about a mistake that still haunts you today.

The truth is that almost all physicians have admitted to medical mistakes sometime in their careers. Depending on the patient outcome, many doctors carry the distress of medical errors for months, …

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What not to do after a medical mistake

How to balance family and professional needs during the pandemic [PODCAST]

Sharon M. Batista, MD

Podcast

November 9, 2020

“The reality of being a medical practice owner is that we are small business owners and very vulnerable to the impact of COVID. Having previously worked in the telemedicine industry and because I am a psychiatrist, I initially felt that I was in a good position to adapt to this crisis – and this has been overall true, but the reality …

You have options when it comes to board certification

Emmanuel K. Konstantakos, MD

Physician

November 9, 2020

It’s good to have options, isn’t it?

So why isn’t there an option when it comes to taking your boards? In other words, can’t residents have a say with which board to become certified with once they’re done with their residency?

Well, there’s good news for you. The answer is yes. You definitely have options. There are other boards for your initial written exams. (And that also includes the oral exams for …

The trauma of a combat doctor in Iraq

Reagan Anderson, DO

Physician

November 9, 2020

An excerpt from Universal Death Care.

Machine gun fire ripped me open—From Left to Right. There were too many bullets. No way could I feel each wound. They blended together like a single strike of lightning. I was paralyzed by pain. It had taken root in me. …

Read more…

The trauma of a combat doctor in Iraq

The benefits of early clinical exposure in medical education

Karan Patel

Education

November 9, 2020

Medical schools are increasingly emphasizing early clinical exposure for their medical students. While the traditional medical education format — in which the basic sciences are taught during the first two years, and clinical rotations are stressed during the latter two — are still generally followed, many schools provide their students with exposures to the hospital or clinical settings much earlier in their medical education. For example, just two months into …

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