Medical malpractice stress syndrome: The ignored side of litigation

Physician
March 21, 2013

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In March 2008, prominent Denver business owner Leslie Fishbein suffered cardiac arrest and died after receiving trigger point injections with bupivacaine for chronic neck pain.  Ms. Fishbein owned a chain of high-end furniture stores.  She was well known within the community because of her starring role in television commercials promoting her business.  Her death drew tremendous media attention and heavy scrutiny for …

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Medical malpractice stress syndrome: The ignored side of litigation

I’m a part time physician, and I’m not sorry

Physician
March 20, 2013

I began the medical school application process 10 years ago.  I was 23, single and most of my role models worked full time.  I had no idea that a part-time medical career lay in my future.  Quite a bit has changed since the days of hoping and praying and crossing my fingers for a medical school acceptance letter.   In the past 10 years I have, at varying times, declared …

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I’m a part time physician, and I’m not sorry

Violence and severe mental illness: 6 questions to ask

Physician
March 17, 2013

Recently one of our readers posted this comment:

“If any Shrink Rapper ever has the time and inclination it would be interesting to read about what you would do to fix the mental health system, particularly the issue of involuntary hospitalization, if you had unlimited funds and political resources. You’ve been in the trenches, it would be great to hear your thoughts.”

Over on Peter Earley’s blog I see that …

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Violence and severe mental illness: 6 questions to ask

How to avoid becoming a gunner in medical school

Education
March 15, 2013

gunner: a pre-med or medical student who is ambitious to a fault. They often throw other students under the bus, put their accomplishments and grades on display, and generally make life miserable for any student who they perceive to be a threat to their own success. In short, they are what Hermione would be if she was a Slytherin.

On my blog, I am fairly vocal about my disdain for gunners. They …

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How to avoid becoming a gunner in medical school

The act of incising human flesh is never routine

Physician
March 15, 2013

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Next in a continuing series.

The preliminaries are over. Sponges, needles, and instruments have been counted and checked, their number recorded on a whiteboard on the wall, as well as a clipboard. The checkoff is a comforting hum of words; the tuned machinery of the workplace. As the bottle of local is opened and poured into a sterile bowl on the …

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The act of incising human flesh is never routine

My workflow for going through old paper charts

Physician
March 14, 2013

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A few months ago I wrote a post about the 159 page digital fax that I received, containing records for a patient’s recent lengthy hospitalization.

I’ve now discovered something even more time-consuming and annoying: a 202 page paper record mailed to me by a major medical system. (I won’t name names right now; suffice to say this system uses Read more…

My workflow for going through old paper charts

Doctors: Pronounce the names of your patients correctly

Physician
March 13, 2013

I have it on good authority that it’s not easy being green. But I’m willing to wager that it’s a whole lot easier when you have a lovable name like “Kermit.” Imagine being green (or brown) with a name like “Ramachandran”? Growing up with a name like mine certainly had its disadvantages. While most neighborhoods have a local bully who kicks ass and takes names, in my case, he would …

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Doctors: Pronounce the names of your patients correctly

Working in an urgent care center: An assault on the soul

Physician
March 12, 2013

I recently received this email message from one of my residents who has moonlighted in a local commercial urgent care center. This message is reprinted with his permission just as I received it, except I removed the brand name.

Hey Dr. Young, I’m looking for some basic mentoring advice.  I’ve been moonlighting at ZZZ Urgent Care for about a year.  Not my favorite work, but oh well.  I don’t routinely prescribe antibiotics …

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Working in an urgent care center: An assault on the soul

Let no broken hip go unfixed: When a surgeon fails to communicate

Physician
March 10, 2013

She was 94-years old with advanced Alzheimer’s. She thought it was 1954 and asked if I wanted tea. Not a bad memory for someone in a hospital bed with a broken left hip.

She’d fallen at her assisted living facility. It was the second time in as many months. She’d broken her collarbone on the previous occasion.

Over the past year, she’d lost 30 pounds. This is natural in the progression of …

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Let no broken hip go unfixed: When a surgeon fails to communicate

When it comes to medical residents, patients have a choice

Education
March 8, 2013

A resident is a person who has an MD, meaning they have completed 4 years of school, but they are not yet qualified to actually do anything.  An MD is just a piece of paper saying you did your time in the lecture hall/lab.  Residency is where you learn how to be a doctor.  The term “resident” originates from the old days in which newly-minted doctors were actually living at …

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When it comes to medical residents, patients have a choice

You may be surprised at what family physicians do

Physician
March 7, 2013

There are surprising misconceptions about what family physicians actually do in practice.

Americans maintain a fond respect for the classic image of the family physician, making house calls with black handbag in tow. They admire the Marcus Welbys of the world. While this classic image is endearing, it should not be confused with the 21st century family doctor.  The modern family physician is trained to engage in the adaptable world of health …

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You may be surprised at what family physicians do

Medical journals that accept stories and essays from physicians

Physician
March 6, 2013

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Health and health care are hot topics lately, and not just for journalists and bloggers debating Obamacare. Suddenly – or so it seems; in fact the trend has been building for years – people from all walks of life want to read about medicine.

Within medicine, a majority of journals now have essay, viewpoint, or perspectives sections. Not only are such sections frequently …

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Medical journals that accept stories and essays from physicians

When doctors dissociate themselves from the stories of their patients

Physician
March 6, 2013

As trauma surgeons we often have to disassociate ourselves from the stories that surround our patients so that we can focus on their life-threatening injuries. It’s also how I personally cope with the devastating injuries to the patient and the aftermath left for the family. Sometimes, though, I am caught off guard and my defenses aren’t strong enough.

A middle-aged man was brought in one evening after being hit while riding …

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When doctors dissociate themselves from the stories of their patients

5 reasons why you shouldn’t go into medical school

Education
March 2, 2013

The gall, you might think to yourself as you click on this link in disgust.

Before you write that brutal retort which I may/may not deserve, some simple disclaimers before we tackle this subject:

  • This is not a ruthless attempt to crush your dreams and passions
  • This is not an op-ed on our current healthcare system
  • This is targeted towards individuals who are considering medical school in order to practice clinical medicine
  • This is being …

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5 reasons why you shouldn’t go into medical school

Why energy drinks should be considered stimulant drugs

KevinMD
March 2, 2013

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A version of this column was published on February 3, 2013 in USA Today.

I’m seeing more patients than ever consume so-called “energy drinks,” a rapidly emerging class of beverage which promise to increase energy, improve alertness, and boost attention span. The energy drink business is booming, with more than $12 billion sold last year, eclipsing established beverage categories like iced tea …

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Why energy drinks should be considered stimulant drugs

What can nurses learn from doctors?

Physician
March 1, 2013

There’s a lot nurses can learn from doctors.

There I said it.

But I’m not talking about clinical ability or medical knowledge. I’m talking about expectations. I’m talking about basic behaviors that dictate a predictable response.

Nurses don’t feel valued. Much of this is warranted, but I argue that some of it is self-inflicted. I said this once to a colleague and she responded, “But that places the blame on the nurse.”

I disagree. …

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What can nurses learn from doctors?

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