An excerpt from Born to Heal: Medical Narratives Set to the Soundtrack of Classic Rock.
Dr. Evelyn Moore had always believed medicine was more than a profession; it was a calling. Not in the dramatic, messianic sense that some doctors held onto (where they saw themselves as saviors) but in the quiet, steady way a lighthouse stands guard over stormy waters. She was not there to rescue …
As a doctor working in a primary health care setting, it’s become routine, almost expected, to hear patients ask for a drip. Sometimes it’s after they’ve listed their symptoms, sometimes they say it right after walking in: “Doctor, please just give me drip.” And often, the complaints aren’t serious. It could be catarrh, a mild fever, or even plain tiredness.
At first, I didn’t understand it. I’d look at the patient’s …
Since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the United States has been navigating a reproductive health crisis unlike anything in modern history. Now, in mid-2025, the picture is even more stark, and more urgent.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, nearly 1 in 5 patients seeking abortion care, including care for miscarriage, have been forced to travel out of state. That is more than double the number from …
In some careers, your job is not something you do; it is something you are. Medicine, acting, and politics are intimate, high-visibility professions that blur the lines between personal identity and professional role. You are not just executing a skill; you are bringing your whole self into the room, exposed and accountable.
When things are going well, that visibility can feel exhilarating. You are recognized, affirmed, even admired. Your face becomes …
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Neurologist Vikram Madireddy discusses his article “How Japan and the U.S. can collaborate for better health care,” examining the parallels and contrasts between two of the world’s most influential health systems. Vikram …
Whenever I bring up longevity medicine among some fellow physicians, I can almost hear the unspoken objections before anyone says a word. There is a pause, a sideways look, maybe even a faint smirk. If I could translate those silent expressions into captions, they would say:
“If people stop getting sick, will not we all be out of business?”
Let us stop right there. That is like saying restaurants would all go …
I shadowed a neurologist recently. As a high school student on the cusp of applying to college, I thought I’d’ spend the day quietly observing: watching labs get ordered, hearing terms I’d Google later, maybe seeing the human side of medicine up close.
But nothing prepares you for watching someone slowly lose their chance at life—not because of their diagnosis, but because two parts of the medical system weren’t speaking to …
Grief is not a word most physicians would use to describe their day-to-day work. Stress? Absolutely. Burnout? Sadly too common. Exhaustion? Without question. But grief? That feels too tender, too vulnerable, too personal, too scary.
And yet, grief quietly saturates the practice of medicine and the existence of being a doctor.
Grief shows up most obviously in the loss of patients. Death coming sometimes suddenly, and sometimes after a long, protracted …
The landscape of medicine is evolving—and so are the roles of those who practice it. Today, more people are searching “how are doctors changing?”, “Why doesn’t my doctor have time to listen?”, or “Can doctors coach me instead of just treating symptoms?” These questions aren’t just valid—they’re vital.
For many of us in medicine, the traditional doctor-patient relationship no longer fits the needs of modern life. We’re not just being asked …
Inland Southern California stands as one of the most diverse and rapidly growing regions in the United States. With a rich mix of cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, it also faces significant health disparities. From disproportionate rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension to barriers in accessing essential care, marginalized communities in the region continue to suffer the consequences of a health care system that often leaves them behind. …
Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing. It is a conditioned mindset. A learned pattern. We are raised in a culture of hyper vigilance. We are taught to equate uncertainty with inadequacy. We are taught it is not OK not to know an answer. That being unsure is a failing.
We prepare relentlessly. We never let our guard down. Hypervigilance is our standard mode of operating. Self-judgment is an internal soundtrack. …
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Physician executive Carlos Nunez discusses his article “Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care,” emphasizing the urgent need to treat sleep as essential to overall wellness alongside diet and …
I never thought much about my kidneys. I felt fine, I stayed active, and at 74 years old, I figured I was in pretty good shape. But kidney disease has a way of sneaking up on you. By the time most people find out they have it, they’re already in trouble. That could have been me—but thanks to the right care at the right time, I got a transplant before …
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As an internist with a background in physics, I was taught to think in systems—to seek root causes, avoid assumptions, and apply data with precision. Early in my career, I practiced medicine exactly as I had been trained: Identify the diagnosis, follow the algorithm, apply evidence-based treatment. And in many cases, that worked.
But increasingly, I found myself caring for patients who didn’t fit cleanly into diagnostic boxes. Fatigue, brain fog, …
The day I first watched ketamine lift a human being out of despair, I was standing in a quiet room at the National Institute of Mental Health. The fluorescent lights hummed, the monitor ticked, and a young adult who had been drowning for months came up for air. Hours, not weeks. That speed rewired me as much as it rewired their brain. In the early 2000s, most of us were …
Historical, cultural, social, and political factors contribute to the disparities in reproductive health, making it a multifaceted and deeply rooted issue in the fabric of the United States. Historically, the legacy of slavery and the American eugenics movements established race-based medicine, systems, and stereotypes that continue to influence provider bias and patient mistrust, contributing to the ongoing inequities in reproductive health. Culturally, persistent stereotypes, particularly toward Black women, have led …
When I turned 50, I weighed 265 pounds. Over the next 12 years, through walking, yoga, and strength training, I lost 60 pounds and kept it off. But despite the discipline, I remained plagued by inflammation, pain, and sleep apnea.
Then last year, my doctor suggested tirzepatide (Zepbound), not just for weight loss but to treat my sleep apnea as well. That alternative diagnosis unlocked insurance coverage and led to a …
Funding from direct-to-consumer (DTC) “ask your doctor” drug ads has captured news media outlets and all but blocked important health stories like these. Read on.
1. “Hormone replacement therapy” (HRT) is back.
It is said that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, and nowhere is this more evident than the re-marketing of HRT to menopausal women who do not remember the first debacle (which increased the risk …
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Nephrologist Timothy Pflederer discusses his article “How value-based care transforms chronic kidney disease management,” highlighting how value-based care (VBC) is reshaping the treatment of chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. Timothy …
In medical training, there are moments when the question quietly shows up. It might be during a night shift, after a long stretch without sleep, or while catching up on charting. The thought is simple, but heavy: What if I had chosen something else? What if I had gone into engineering, or business, or any path that didn’t ask quite so much?
This reflection started as an assignment for a medical …
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