How a $75 million jet brought down America’s boldest doctor

Physician
May 15, 2025

This article is satire.

Dr. Donovan Trumble was not your average internist.

In fact, if you asked him, he wasn’t your average anything.

He called himself “the most successful physician-researcher in America—maybe ever,” and once declared during grand rounds, “If Sir William Osler were alive today, he’d be my opening act.”

To the faculty at the Ivy League medical school where Trumble had once chaired the Department of Clinical Egotism (officially “Translational Medicine,” but …

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Why ruling out sepsis in emergency departments can be lifesaving

Conditions
May 15, 2025

It’s a common scenario in the emergency department (ED). Peak cold and flu season brings in patients complaining of fever and chills, with increased heart rates and elevated white blood cell counts. Too many patients, not enough beds. As emergency medicine providers, we have to make quick, challenging decisions at triage, prioritizing the sickest patients based on their vitals and symptoms and getting them on the right care pathway.

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The hidden cost of delaying back surgery

Conditions
May 15, 2025

Spinal surgery patients frequently present to me after multiple years of managing their chronic back pain through physical therapy, injections, medications, and alternative treatment methods. Patients arrive at my office already worn out physically and emotionally drained from frustration about their chronic condition. What increases my concern is that irreversible damage has already resulted in many cases, which could have been reduced or prevented through earlier surgical treatment.

I recommend starting …

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Precision and personalization: Charting the future of cancer care [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 14, 2025
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Hematology-oncology physician Yousuf Zafar discusses his article, “The personalization of cancer care in 2025.” He traces the evolution of cancer treatment over the past two decades, moving through waves of cytotoxic chemotherapy, …

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Expert Q&A: Dr. Jared Pelo, ambient clinical pioneer, explains how Dragon Copilot helps clinicians deliver better care

Sponsored
May 14, 2025

This article is sponsored by Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, part of Microsoft Cloud for Health Care, provides an AI assistant for clinical workflow. It combines ambient conversation capture, natural language understanding, and advanced generative AI to streamline documentation, surface information, and automate …

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The lab behind the lens: Equity begins with diagnosis

Policy
May 14, 2025

Another day, more slides pass under my lens. Each represents a patient, a family, friends, uncertainty—maybe the beginning of a journey they are soon to realize, maybe it is the end of a journey. Each is unique.

These are turbulent times we live in. Deep divides separate our country. However, under the microscope there are no politics, no labels or preconceptions. The rainbow of colors the cells illuminate shines bright for …

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Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 13, 2025
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Health care executive Blake Walker discusses his article, “From caregivers to collectors: Navigating the new landscape of patient payments.” He describes a perfect storm impacting provider groups: the significant rise in patient …

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The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

Physician
May 13, 2025

Like many parents, I love to talk about my children. A conversation with someone to whom I’m newly introduced often begins: “Do you have children?” (Yes). “How many?” (Two). Their natural and understandable follow-up question usually is: “Boys or girls?”

Usually, I revel in the possibilities inherent in meeting someone new. However, at this moment I pause and silently protest. Ugg!! This is a question that one should NEVER ask someone …

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Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

Conditions
May 13, 2025

Since the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), when civil service exams evaluated intellectual abilities, people have used cognitive assessments to identify special talents or, more commonly, to detect problems.

We’ve come a long way in 2,000 years! Today, neuropsychological batteries—combinations of assessments to detect dementia, learning disabilities, and cognitive impairments from chronic conditions or acute events—are widely used. Yet, far too often, these assessments are administered reactively, only after severe deficits …

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Reimagining diabetes care with nutrition, not prescriptions

Conditions
May 13, 2025

In 2025, more than 38 million, or 1 in 10 Americans, live with Type 2 diabetes.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the modern health care system, traditional care strategies for Type 2 diabetes often vastly overlook long-term individual and societal health outcomes in favor of short-term management of the disease. With over 20 years of experience as an endocrinologist at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center, and as the Chief Medical Officer …

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Why funding cuts to academic medical centers impact all of us [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 12, 2025
YouTube video

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Orthopedic surgeon Adil S. Ahmed discusses his article, “Academic medical centers under threat: the impact of funding cuts.” He outlines the essential, multifaceted roles of academic institutions in educating future doctors, conducting …

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What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

Education
May 12, 2025

As we entered medical school, we were starry-eyed and hopeful about becoming primary care physicians. We romanticized building relationships with patients, providing high quality health care, serving our communities, and removing obstacles patients face when seeking care.

However, rotation after rotation, we were bombarded with discouragement.

“Being a primary care physician isn’t what it used to be.”

“You can’t get the support you need …

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When rock bottom is a turning point: Why the turmoil at HHS may be a blessing in disguise

Physician
May 12, 2025

Recent headlines confirm what many Americans have sensed for the past few years: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is in crisis. A sweeping wave of layoffs is reshaping federal health agencies at every level—from the NIH to the CDC to the FDA. Some dismiss this as a political maneuver or an act of chaos. Others see it as an attack on career civil servants. I see …

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A speech pathologist’s key to better, safer patient care

Conditions
May 12, 2025

“Some doctors type notes with their backs turned while I say things. I have aphasia. I need to be able to see people’s mouths and their eyes to help me understand.”

As a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP), I have spent most of my career working across the continuum of health care with people who have communication disabilities, such as aphasia. My patients have also included people with other …

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Navigating physician non-competes: a strategy for staying put [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 11, 2025
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Cardiologist Stanley Liu discusses his article, “5 steps to ride out a non-compete without uprooting your family.” He shares his personal experience of being bound by an 18-month, 20-mile non-compete clause after …

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In the absence of physician mentorship, who will train the next generation of primary care clinicians?

Education
May 11, 2025

The erosion of physician mentorship is not just a quiet tragedy; it is an accelerating crisis with rippling effects across the health care system. While much has been written about physician burnout and workforce shortages, far less attention has been paid to the vacuum this leaves in clinical mentorship, particularly in primary care. The implications for physician associates/assistants (PAs) are especially profound.

PAs were historically trained in the postgraduate space under …

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Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

Physician
May 11, 2025

After I was medically discharged from the military for seeking mental health treatment and transitioned out of surgery residency to recover, I isolated in guilt, shame, and exhaustion.

Despite my surgery program director telling me repeatedly that he was not disappointed in me and supporting me fully in my decision to transition into a different specialty where I could better take care of my health, I felt worthless …

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What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

Physician
May 11, 2025

If you are working as an independent or locum tenens physician, there’s a good chance you’ve found yourself wondering: Am I being paid fairly for my time and expertise? Unlike employed physicians, whose compensation is often shaped by established benchmarks and internal HR formulas, independent and locum tenens doctors are frequently left to navigate negotiations on their own—often with limited information.

Understanding what constitutes “fair market value” in this context is …

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