How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

Physician
July 1, 2025

Across America, physicians worry about malpractice litigation—but what happens when state policies unintentionally create a malpractice litigation magnet? New Mexico offers a troubling case study every health care provider should know about.

Between 2019 and 2024, New Mexico lost 248 practicing physicians; for a large state with a small population, this is significant. Rural communities bear the brunt of this exodus. Specialists, surgeons, and primary care doctors alike have left, most …

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How I learned to stop worrying and love AI

Education
July 1, 2025

Is artificial intelligence going to replace physicians? I think the most accurate answer that can be given at this point is “maybe.” Either way, vehemently denying the mere possibility serves no one. If the takeover does happen, being proactive (rather than reactive) and carving a meaningful space for the physician workforce in light of AI leaves us better off than sitting on the sidelines as the next chapter begins. And …

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Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

Conditions
July 1, 2025

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines mental health, including depression, in terms of pathology or a deviation from normal that is reliably exhibited in observable behaviors. It describes genetics and risk factors, differences in gender, and considers cultural perspectives. Limitations of the DSM diagnostic criteria are acknowledged and recognize that human experience, or interaction between genetics and environment, cannot be captured completely. While the underlying neurobiology …

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Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

Physician
July 1, 2025

I entered medicine like many young physicians do—eager, determined, and drawn to its promise of excellence. The white coat, the respect, the thrill of diagnosing a rare disease or saving a critical life—all of it called to me with undeniable force. I studied relentlessly, passed my boards, published research, and spoke on conference stages. Those achievements came with a sense of pride, even joy. But they were not the full …

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Addressing U.S. vaccine inequities in vulnerable communities [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 30, 2025
YouTube video

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Medical students Kaitlynn Esemaya, Anamaria Ancheta, and Annique McLune discuss their article, “Why vaccine access still fails America’s most vulnerable groups.” They highlight how social determinants of health drive pervasive inequities in …

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Why Canada is losing its skilled immigrant doctors

Physician
June 30, 2025

Canada prides itself on being a welcoming nation for immigrants, particularly those with advanced professional qualifications. However, Canada persistently underemploys highly skilled immigrant professionals, especially physicians. An official report by the Conference Board of Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) in 2023 confirmed that growing numbers of immigrants are leaving Canada within seven years of landing. Daniel Bernhard, ICC’s chief executive, stated, “It’s not good enough to just …

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Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

Physician
June 30, 2025

It rolled past me—the same dull, tan utility cart we usually use to haul IV pumps, portable monitors, or the occasional dead printer. No decorations. No sign. Just an enormous pile of candy and snacks.

To be fair, it wasn’t bad candy. There were Kit Kats. Some decent chocolate. But still, the message was clear: “We see you. We care. Here’s a Kit Kat.” And because our admin staff does care—a …

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Would The Pitts’ Dr. Robby Robinavitch welcome a new colleague? Yes. Especially if their initials were AI.

Tech
June 30, 2025

When 2025 America tuned into HBO’s award-winning series The Pitt, we showed we’re seeking authenticity.

As someone who works at the intersection of health and invention and built their life around the creation of direct social impact, I see the show for what it is: a brutally honest portrayal of the intrinsic tragedy in our health care system. And an opportunity.

The Pitt’s unflinching portrayal of time, talent, and organizational politics is a …

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Why medicine must stop worshipping burnout and start valuing humanity

Conditions
June 30, 2025

Medicine loves a martyr.

From the first white coat ceremony to the last day of residency, we are told a story: That good doctors are tireless, self-sacrificing, endlessly available. That the more you give up—sleep, family, hobbies, sometimes even health—the more worthy you are to wear the title. The message is rarely said aloud, but it’s everywhere: the ones who leave early to pick up their kids are “lucky to be …

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Why screening for diseases you might have can backfire

Physician
June 30, 2025

An excerpt from A Return to Healing.

Patients often ask me to do whatever tests are necessary to make sure they don’t have cancer or any other really bad diseases. It’s called screening: Look for diseases before patients exhibit symptoms, then fix the problems before they can rear their ugly head. Many of my patients believe that they have had their lives saved this way, always by a caring and …

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How organizational culture drives top talent away [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 29, 2025
YouTube video

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Surgeon Suhaib J. S. Ahmad discusses his article, “Why even the best employees are silently quitting health care.” Suhaib explores the phenomenon of highly competent and once-passionate health care professionals disengaging and …

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Why perinatal mental health is the top cause of maternal death in the U.S.

Conditions
June 29, 2025

“I look at my baby and I don’t feel a thing,” the patient whispers as she cradles her 3-week-old baby. “I feel so much guilt … sometimes I don’t want to be here at all.” And yet, she is not alone. Her words echo the silent yet growing public health crisis of perinatal mental health.

Approximately 1 in 5 women is affected by mental health conditions during the perinatal period. …

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Why medical student debt is killing primary care in America

Education
June 29, 2025

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a physician.

My journey to medicine is not unique. My motivations ring familiar to all health care workers. Many medical students are cut from the same cloth in this regard. We want to help people, to use science to alleviate human suffering, and to push the envelope of medical research. But we also want to earn a living and have …

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5 blind spots that stall physician wealth

Finance
June 29, 2025

Many of the physicians we work with are highly disciplined, generous with their time, and deeply committed to their profession. They spend years in training, work demanding hours, and carry an enormous sense of responsibility. Yet even with strong incomes and responsible habits, many still feel uncertain about their long-term financial picture.

The problem is not how much they earn. It is that income alone is not a strategy.

Physicians face unique …

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Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 28, 2025
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Medical students Vineeth Amba and Archita Goyal discuss their article, “What’s driving medical students away from primary care?” They share the widespread discouragement medical students encounter regarding primary care careers, despite initial …

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Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

Physician
June 28, 2025

Recently, while reading The History of Medicine by William Bynum, I was struck by a line that quietly reframed a great deal of what we claim to believe about our profession. Reflecting on how medicine has evolved, Bynum writes: “When in doubt, remember the Hippocratic injunction that health is most likely to be found in the middle way.”

That notion, nuanced, modest, and deeply clinical, feels worlds apart from …

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Generative AI 2025: a 20-minute cheat sheet for busy clinicians

Tech
June 28, 2025

Why doctors should care

  • Generative AI has moved from hype to bedside utility.
  • Ambient “copilot” apps draft encounter notes.
  • Large language models (LLMs) summarise new studies in seconds.
  • Early adopters save hours each week and report less burnout.

Five core concepts, clinical parallels

  • Neural networks → Repeated pattern-finding, like residents running endless simulations.
    Example: Abridge and Nuance DAX learn note structure from thousands of visits.
  • Prompt engineering → Give precise orders, just …

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Why public health must be included in AI development

Tech
June 28, 2025

When artificial intelligence developers gather to build tools that will reshape health care, one critical voice is often missing: public health.

Despite AI’s potential to improve outcomes and streamline operations, it is being developed with limited regard for public health priorities. The absence of this input is not just a technical oversight. It is an equity issue with far-reaching consequences.

From algorithmic bias to the exclusion of community-level data, equity shortcomings are …

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International doctors blocked by visa delays as U.S. faces physician shortage

Physician
June 28, 2025

This story is fiction but inspired by the real and worsening challenges faced by international medical graduates navigating U.S. immigration policy.

The acceptance letter sat printed on top of Nabeel Khan’s passport, still warm from the old inkjet printer in his family’s living room in Lahore. The words glowed like prophecy: “Congratulations! We are thrilled to welcome you to our Internal Medicine Residency Program at St. Julian’s Hospital, Topeka, Kansas, …

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A world without vaccines: What history teaches us about public health

Conditions
June 28, 2025

What would a world without vaccines even look like?

Well, it turns out that we do not have to wonder since accurate historical records allow us to distinctly see and learn for ourselves. This is in keeping with our Secretary of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent guidance to Do Your Own Research.

What we actually need, individually and as a nation, is clear and consistent science-based advice when it comes …

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