The surprising power of laughter and creativity in medical training

Education
October 3, 2024

Teaching is a blast! As an attending, I love to employ offbeat methods, with absurdity and humor, at times skirting the edge of political incorrectness, all for the purpose of enhancing one’s medical education.

Educating medical students and residents by practicing physicians is a tried-and-true element of medical education, a practice dating back through the ages, where those without formal education in the art of teaching provided instruction. This tradition continues …

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Reclaiming joy in health care: Taking control amidst systemic challenges

Physician
October 3, 2024

The American Medical Association recently reported a decline in physician burnout rates, which is fantastic news. Decreasing burnout means happier doctors, improved patient care, and healthier relationships with family and friends. Yet, even with this progress, burnout rates in my own specialty, family medicine, along with other primary care specialties, remain staggeringly high—over 50 percent. As primary care providers, we are often the first point of contact in the health …

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The surprising struggles of retirement no one warned you about

Finance
October 3, 2024

It took me forever to retire—three years or so. It took so long that my nurses got tired of bringing me purple cakes decorated with whipped cream stethoscopes, but I did it. Now, a few years later, I can tell you that the things I worried about were not the ones that gave me trouble.

I had mostly agonized about money—had we saved enough to last us the rest of our …

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Fall prevention in hospitals: How technology can save lives [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 2, 2024
YouTube video

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We dive into the persistent challenge of fall prevention in hospitals with our guest, Christine Gall, a nurse executive. Despite advancements in patient safety, falls remain a significant issue, resulting in severe injuries …

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A lack of specialized care continues to shortchange Medicaid moms who face the greatest threat from the maternal mental health crisis

Policy
October 2, 2024

In the shadow of America’s maternal health crisis, Medicaid mothers are fighting an uphill battle against systemic neglect. Many of these mothers are facing a cruel reality: the more they need help, the harder it is to get.

It is far from uncommon for new mothers in the United States to find themselves thrust into the throes of postpartum depression after welcoming a new life. Most of them, about three-quarters, …

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Why EHRs are ruining health care: a doctor’s shocking truth

Physician
October 2, 2024

Here it is … an epic post about EHRs.

I’ve been waiting for years to write this. Literally, years.

Ever since 2014, when I was required to attend 30+ hours of unpaid training for this new EHR, I knew this post would be written. I did have the option of 10 additional unpaid training hours to become a “gold star super user.” That status would have allowed me to teach every confused …

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How social media shaming is hurting future doctors [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 1, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with anesthesiologist Jonathan Cohen to explore the impact of social media on the medical learning environment. Recent posts by senior physicians have sparked debate on the public shaming of trainees …

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Save the economy: Choose a surgery center for your procedure

Physician
October 1, 2024

“In this short Life
That only lasts an hour
How much – how little – is
Within our power.”
—Emily Dickinson

Health care around the world faces an existential crisis. While the quality of medicine continues to improve, its cost remains unbridled and out of control. Better means more expensive, be it a drug or an imaging modality. The whole world is aware of this impending financial crisis, and heads are hunched together to find …

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Stop using “whole person care” if you are not assessing and providing whole person care

Physician
October 1, 2024

The latest term hitting the health care benefit, insurance company, and point solution ecosystem is “whole person care.” This term is beginning to be used as a marketing buzzword and is losing its meaning.

What is the definition of whole person care? The DHHS/NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health defines it as “looking at the whole person—not just separate organs or body systems—and considering multiple factors that promote …

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The shocking fall of a respected ICU nurse

Conditions
October 1, 2024

In the ICU, there was an experienced nurse. She was full of information and knew the policies and procedures inside and out. She was proficient in her role as an ICU nurse.

But she was flawed. Something was wrong.

Each day, she came to work wearing a gold bracelet, which she made sure everyone knew was valued at $15,000. She wore two-carat diamond rings. She would arrive, showing off her fancy pocketbook …

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Don’t let the SECURE Act devastate your legacy [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 30, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Freddie Rappina, a financial advisor, chartered financial consultant, and accredited investment fiduciary, to explore how the SECURE Act and SECURE Act 2.0 have changed the landscape of retirement and …

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Redefining failure in neurosurgery: a student’s perspective on growth and learning

Education
September 30, 2024

Failure is a word that carries a heavy burden, particularly in the field of neurosurgery, where precision is paramount and the stakes are often life and death. As a 4th-year medical student preparing to enter this demanding specialty, I have come to realize that failure is not something to be feared, but rather an essential part of the learning process. During my rotations, I have witnessed and experienced firsthand how …

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What you need to know about near-death experiences

Conditions
September 30, 2024

Imagine a medical syndrome so common that as many as one in five patients who nearly die in a medical setting experience it. Also, imagine that this syndrome has a profound, lifelong effect on both the patient and their family. Finally, imagine that if this syndrome is mishandled by the patient’s physician, it may have major adverse consequences for the patient and their loved ones.

Sounds like something all physicians and …

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Performing in the clutch: lessons from a pediatric airway surgeon

Physician
September 30, 2024

I have a confession to make: I have blood on my hands. My actions have led to the death of children. Now, that sounds extreme, and in reality, it is. Not in the course of everyday life, of course. But as a pediatric otolaryngologist (ENT) and airway surgeon, I have had to make near-instantaneous decisions with life-or-death consequences for the patient. Fortunately, the vast majority of the time, things go …

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Why postpartum care is failing new mothers [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 29, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Phindile Chowa, an emergency medicine physician, to discuss her personal and professional journey through postpartum care. Phindile shares her harrowing experience of childbirth and postpartum depression, shedding light on …

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Failure is not the end: Creating space for grace in the medical field

Education
September 29, 2024

A medical school classmate recently said to me, “You won’t be remembered for your failures.” Her words were exactly what I needed to hear after failing my medical school licensing exam. She was right—I am more than my failures. I have failed, but I am not a failure. There is a difference. Failing is something that happens to you. Failure is what can define you, but only if you allow …

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Celebrating silver: 3 best practices for meeting people where they are with diabetes adherence

Policy
September 29, 2024

During the Olympics and Paralympics, all eyes turn to the best of the best: incredible athletes who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of greatness in hopes of earning one of the most sought-after titles in the world.

“Gold medalist” has a glorious ring to it, and the athletes who earn this honor have every right to be proud. But the mantra of the Olympic movement isn’t “get gold or …

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How one food truck saved a chaotic hospital shift

Physician
September 29, 2024

“Thank God for the food truck,” said the charge nurse to no one in particular.

It hadn’t been a great morning at the no-name hospital in Upstate New York. They were short-staffed to begin with, and a nurse had called in sick. Her staff was used to working with bad ratios, but today was worse than usual. Everyone and their mother had decided to come to the ER. She knew not …

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Postpartum crisis: a physician’s call for comprehensive maternal support

Conditions
September 29, 2024

The moment my daughter was placed on my chest, I knew something was wrong. Her skin had a blue-purple tinge, and she barely cried. I instinctively began rubbing her tiny body, trying to stimulate her, but she remained quiet and minimally responsive. When I tried to put her on my chest to nurse, she did nothing. My doctor quietly left the room, and soon after, a team of medical professionals …

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Teaming in health care: Why the future of patient care depends on collaboration [PODCAST]

Podcast
September 28, 2024
YouTube video

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We explore the evolving dynamics of health care teams with guests Matthew Sherrer, an anesthesiologist, and Brooke Vining, a nurse anesthetist. We discuss the shift from traditional team structures to a “teaming” mindset, …

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