Combating cognitive dissonance in medicine

Physician
March 3, 2025

The definition of cognitive dissonance is a feeling of mental discomfort when one holds contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or values. As physicians navigate the complex waters of medical practice, the core philosophy of patient-centered care often clashes with external pressures imposed by a system that prioritizes profitability. This cognitive dissonance is considered a major factor in physician burnout.

While there are systemic factors that need to be addressed to resolve the growing …

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How innovation can reduce disparities in cancer care [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 2, 2025
YouTube video

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Physician executive Shamar Young discusses his article, “Geographic disparities in advanced cancer care: a call for innovation,” highlighting the uneven access to emerging cancer treatments across different health care systems. Shamar explores …

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The truth about FEMA: a lifeline in disaster response

Policy
March 2, 2025

We heard of Hurricane Irma only a handful of days before it smacked straight through 5th Avenue in my hometown. The predicted storm paths sent the hurricane sweeping through Miami—across the coast. When the storm path shifted, it was almost too late for my family to evacuate. Its 180 mph winds and 10–15 foot storm surge were catastrophic, costing the lives of 84 people.

It was the coordinated response of the …

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Learning the language of medicine: from student to fluent physician

Physician
March 2, 2025

Medicine is a language.

Medicine is many things: an art, a science, a vocation, and a calling. A good way to make a difference, a hard way to make a living. But medicine is also a language.

We learn it the way we learn any language: from the ground up. We start with the fundamentals, the vocabulary of medicine—anatomy, biochemistry, physiology—and work our way up to the sentence level: pharmacology, immunology, neuroscience. …

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New dietary guidelines should prioritize plants and healthy beverages

Conditions
March 2, 2025

As both a physician and a certified culinary medicine specialist, I know firsthand how a nutritious diet can prevent and treat diet-related diseases. Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions are becoming increasingly more common. Over and over, the science tells us that a low-fat vegan diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, can help patients suffering from these conditions. Physicians can do our part to help patients use …

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How innovative partnerships are reshaping patient safety [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 1, 2025
YouTube video

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Physician executive Timothy McDonald discusses his article, “How innovative partnerships are transforming patient safety in health care,” highlighting the role of collaboration in reducing preventable harm. Timothy explores how data sharing within …

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The deadly impact of the U.S. anti-abortion funding policy

Policy
March 1, 2025

As first-year medical students, we are taught to always prioritize patients over politics. However, our research in maternal health has shown us that the two are dangerously intertwined, with political decisions directly impacting the provision of health care not just domestically but around the globe.

On January 24, only four days into his second term, President Trump reinstated “Protecting Life in Global …

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The harsh reality of becoming a doctor: a dream turned nightmare

Physician
March 1, 2025

I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 12 years old. I revered my pediatrician, Dr. Helen Nash, who was a giant in our community. Growing up poor in St. Louis, it was rare to see a Black doctor. Seeing Dr. Nash—owning her own practice, helping people, and commanding deep respect—was inspiring. She was an advocate for health care in the African American community, and whenever she spoke, …

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The untold toll of COVID-19: a doctor’s battle to save lives and family

Conditions
March 1, 2025

Hello! Your friendly next-door ID physician here checking in! I haven’t submitted anything here in several years. I’ve been too caught up with my work and family to delve into my creative side. But the very recent news that we will have a new head of human and health services (an individual without formal health care training and who has expressed a rather strong anti-vaccine sentiment in the past) paired …

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The uncertain future of general physicians: Is it time to pivot?

Physician
March 1, 2025

As a board-certified internal medicine physician and hospitalist with over 12 years of experience, I find myself grappling with an unsettling thought: I cannot, in good conscience, encourage medical students with clinical ambitions to pursue any general medicine field.

This may seem like a harsh assessment, but in my opinion, the writing is on the wall for general physicians. While those of us already established in practice are likely to have …

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Emergency departments as primary care safety nets [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 28, 2025
YouTube video

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Family physician Pamela Buchanan discusses her article, “The ER doctor who became the new PCP.” In this compelling conversation, Pamela explains her transition from emergency medicine back to primary care, driven by …

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Spreading hope one card at a time: How small acts of kindness can make a big difference for doctors

Physician
February 28, 2025

As Doctors’ Day on March 30 approaches, we are reminded of the incredible impact physicians have on our lives. But there is something often overlooked—the emotional toll the profession takes. Physicians give so much of themselves, yet their emotional needs often go unrecognized. What if there were a simple, powerful way to remind them that their efforts matter?

Imagine the impact a heartfelt, handwritten note could have on a weary physician.

I …

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Chainsaw politics may cut deeply into the fabric of health care

Policy
February 28, 2025

Federal downsizing, while touted as a means to streamline operations and eliminate bureaucratic waste, has significant and often detrimental consequences for the U.S. health care system. Two documents shed light on this issue from complementary perspectives. The first, a U.S. Office of Management and Budget-Office of Personnel Management (OMB-OPM) memorandum outlines an aggressive workforce optimization initiative designed to reduce federal staffing and cut costs. The …

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Residency programs value diversity and inclusivity

Education
February 28, 2025

Residency interview season is wrapping up; applicants and programs are weighing each other’s relative flaws and merits. In about a month, rank lists are due, and then the applicants’ fates are up to the Match. Where they will spend the next three to seven years of their lives, the people with whom they will work 80-plus hours per week, and the culture in which they will be steeped will be …

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What if a doctor didn’t wash their hands between patients?

Physician
February 28, 2025

I’ve been an emergency room doctor for 35 years. I have probably washed my hands over 150,000 times. What the heck? How much is enough? What would happen if I just didn’t wash my hands?

Well, first, the hand-washing police (yes, there is such a thing … they wander around the hospital watching for clinicians who don’t wash their hands) would record that I had committed a violation, and I would …

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Enhancing early language skills with focused attention [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 27, 2025
YouTube video

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Pediatrician John D. Michael discusses his article, “How attention therapy transforms speech delay in young children.” In this engaging conversation, John explains that sustained attention is crucial for developing effective speech and …

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Why many hospitals refuse to pay market value for radiology until it’s too late

Physician
February 27, 2025

Nationwide, radiology groups are approaching hospitals and asking for massive subsidies to maintain their radiology coverage. Much of the time, hospital administrators and CEOs balk and would prefer to drag their feet or try to replace the group rather than pay market rates for radiological services. These hospitals end up paying double or even triple for worse coverage with some of the same radiologists—while those radiologists end up making much …

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The buzz around GSI disability insurance for residents: Why it’s gaining popularity and how to take advantage

Finance
February 27, 2025

This article is sponsored by Set for Life Insurance, helping over 30,000 physicians with life and disability insurance needs since 1993. Get the best available policies at discounted rates. Request a quote today.

For physicians in training, few financial decisions are as important as securing disability insurance. Your future …

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A cold evening and the lesson a child selling eggs taught me

Physician
February 27, 2025

I was leaving the mall after purchasing a gift for a friend. Her birthday was the next day, and after spending hours searching for the perfect present, I finally bought an expensive wallet that I was sure she would love.

It was a chilly evening, and as soon as I left the mall, I immediately felt the real intensity of the cold. The heating system inside the mall had masked the …

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Tobacco tactics in modern cannabis marketing [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 26, 2025
YouTube video

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Pediatrician Gary Kirkilas discusses his article, “Cannabis advertising takes a page from the tobacco playbook.” In this conversation, Gary explains how legal cannabis companies are adopting tactics once used by tobacco companies …

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CME Spotlights