As a health care writer and data analyst, I hear frequently from patients who are being denied safe and effective pain care due to unscientific bias on the part of U.S. health care agencies—and sometimes on the part of otherwise once-reputable medical journals. These are among millions of U.S. citizens who are now being deserted by the medical profession.
Thousands, overcome by their pain and depression, have already …
In January 2022, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned to a pass/fail format, sparking debate over how best to assess physician competence in an era where medical misinformation proliferates online. Although medical students loathe any mention of exams, we cannot deny that licensing exams are an important barrier to ensure baseline knowledge, and to prevent quacks and snake-oil salesmen from harming the public. This article explores …
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Physician executive Grace E. Terrell discusses her article, “Physicians must innovate and focus on medicine’s core, not chores.” She introduces the concept of “core vs. chore,” urging health care workers to distinguish …
On the 20th of January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that initiated a freeze on foreign aid, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This abrupt suspension of funding has triggered a global health crisis, undermining decades of progress in combating HIV/AIDS and endangering millions of lives across the globe.
PEPFAR and its global success
Launched in 2003 under …
Ah, burnout! That word is used so often in medicine that it now has its own ICD-10 code.
Medical professionals are no strangers to pushing beyond exhaustion, running on fumes, and convincing ourselves that a steady IV drip of caffeine and sheer willpower is an appropriate substitute for sleep.
I should know—I lived it. I was running a busy medical practice, managing over a dozen staff …
“Once it’s in your body, there’s no taking it back.”
That’s what the infusion nurse told a friend of mine after administering the injection.
She had just started a biologic medication for an autoimmune condition. Immediately, her body reacted: nausea, then hives, then a terrifying tightening of her throat. She rushed back to the clinic. The IV steroids and Benadryl may have stopped the immediate effects, …
An excerpt from From Error to Ethics: Five Essential Lessons from Teaching Clinicians in Trouble.
Clinicians must be scrupulously honest in and out of work
About 70 percent of the clinicians who attended the course had been accused of dishonest conduct. It is so common that the ‘dishonesty’ file on my computer contains eight sub-sections:
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Nurse anesthetist Christine King discusses her article, “The heartbreaking pandemic story I will never forget.” Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic five years later, she shares the profound impact of collective trauma through …
Canadians have rallied together like never before to support each other and stand up for Canada in the face of U.S. tariffs and annexation threats.
People living with diabetes need that same spirit of solidarity around them to defeat a persistent stigma about the condition that leaves them feeling blamed, shamed, and judged.
Negative perceptions about people with diabetes are not only misplaced, but they are also harmful …
In January 2025, the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) formally adopted the updated E6(R3) Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines. Annex 1 and the revised 12 principles are already in effect. Annex 2 arrives in July. This is not just regulatory housekeeping. It is a clear message to the research world: Meaningful patient involvement is no longer aspirational. It is expected.
For decades, clinical research positioned patients as participants, …
“Will I be asleep or awake during my procedure?” This is the first question many patients ask before oral surgery. It reveals a common misconception: That anesthesia works like a light switch.
It doesn’t.
Anesthesia exists on a spectrum with multiple options that can be tailored to your specific needs, procedure type, and anxiety level.
Beyond all-or-nothing
As an oral …
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Family physician Jay K. Joshi discusses his article, “Why patients and doctors are ditching insurance for personalized care.” He explains that as traditional insurance becomes less accessible and covers fewer proactive and …
Taylor Walker, a 25-year-old pregnant woman, lived in a town of under 500 people in rural Nebraska. In 2019, she told NPR that after experiencing pregnancy pains, she endured a four-hour round-trip journey to see her physician only to discover her regular doctor was unavailable. In the end, she was forced to repeat this arduous trek multiple times just to receive necessary care. For Taylor and countless Americans, this …
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“So wonderful to see you!”
This phrase was heard repeatedly all over the convention hall at the recent American College of Physicians annual meeting, Internal Medicine 2025. Held in New Orleans last April, the meeting welcomed attendees …
During Trump’s first address to Congress, he continued to promise economic reform. In the wake of the administration’s brazen attempts to cut costs, we have watched in awe as combat veterans are fired from the VA, lifelong civil servants are left jobless, all while hearing the continuous insistence that the government must become more “efficient,” even in the face of Read more…
As the traditional health insurance framework becomes increasingly inaccessible, physicians and clinical leaders are being called to rethink both how care is delivered and how it is paid for. Insurance companies are covering fewer services, raising deductibles, and narrowing networks. Patients are now forced to make health decisions based not just on need—but on affordability, timing, and bureaucratic feasibility.
In this emerging landscape, sustainable health care delivery must …
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Kidney stones are painful, frustrating, and unfortunately common. I see this brutal problem every day as a urologist. When my wife had her first kidney stone while celebrating her 40th birthday, this issue became deeply personal. Seeing her in pain and struggling to navigate the confusing world of kidney stone prevention made me realize just how difficult this journey is for patients.
Many people are given generic dietary advice – drink …
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Communications consultant and attorney Heather Hansen discusses her article, “Why every doctor needs a translator.” Drawing on her background as a medical malpractice defense attorney, she explains the “curse of knowledge,” where …
When physicians accept a job offer from a hospital, they are often enticed with a signing bonus in the form of a forgivable loan.
Given the complexities of looking for a job and negotiating an employment contract, it’s easy to see the words “signing bonus” and overlook the term “forgivable loan.”
However, while this may seem like an attractive deal, it carries significant tax implications that …
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In medical training, we were taught to trust protocols, patients, and data—but not our own bodies. The body was something to overcome.
Tired? Push through.
Hungry? Ignore it.
Sore? Work harder.
Sick? Keep going.
This way of being seeps so deeply into us that many physicians stop hearing the language of their own bodies.
We become experts at …
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