Diverse data redefines heart disease prevention strategies

Conditions
July 29, 2024

In 2013, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) created a “risk calculator” to estimate the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and guide patient-centered medical therapy for prevention strategies, like starting statins. However, concerns arose that the pooled cohort equations (PCEs) overestimate risk and do not reflect the current diverse U.S. population, particularly underrepresenting Asian and Hispanic adults.

In 2023, AHA’s Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Scientific Advisory …

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Innovative solutions to the clinician shortage crisis [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 28, 2024
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We dive into the evolving health care landscape with Jamie Babcock, a health care executive. We’ll explore the growing demand for skilled providers and the critical clinician shortage projected by the Health Resources …

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The hidden talent that transformed my medical career

Physician
July 28, 2024

Writing is something I enjoy. I take pleasure in writing, especially because of my beautiful handwriting. When I started school, we had to write with a lead pencil until fifth grade. I was so excited to write with a pen when I started sixth grade. After I learned how to write with a pen, I have been writing nonstop. I found my writing mesmerizing. My friends used to cram notes …

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The emotional toll of chronic illness

Conditions
July 28, 2024

My legs felt like thick, immovable tree trunks as I shakily shuffled down the long, cold hospital hallway in my chafing hospital gown and ill-fitting non-skid socks, pulling my stubborn and squeaky IV pole alongside me. My mom took small, measured steps next to me as we took our daily walk around the hospital floor to escape from my cramped, confining hospital room.

Now several weeks into my first hospitalization after …

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How team sports prepared me for a successful career in medicine

Physician
July 28, 2024

Nothing could have prepared me better for my career and life than playing team sports growing up.

It’s hard to imagine someone now in their 70s pitching a fastball 100 miles per hour, bench pressing almost 400 pounds, and running the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. These skills allowed me to play baseball until I was 26 and then move on to medical school.

Professional athletes pride themselves on their speed and …

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From farm to pandemic: the urgent need for dietary changes [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 27, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Roxanne Becker, a lifestyle medicine physician, to discuss the urgent implications of the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza contracted from a dairy cow. We explore how zoonotic …

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Young lives at risk: the unseen dangers of fentanyl addiction

Conditions
July 27, 2024

When we go charging in blood vessels at breathtaking speed to relieve the blockade that otherwise may bring a sad end to life, we expect to be doing it for the mature and elderly. The stress and strains upon the heart through the journey that is life upend the natural rhythm and flow, with the turbulence churning up clots like butter from milk that flow downstream till the narrowed channels …

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The health care assembly line. Time is money.

Conditions
July 27, 2024

After 45 years as an ICU nurse specializing in surgical trauma ICU and eventually PACU nursing, Marsha wasn’t ready to retire. She was restless and bored and decided to continue her PACU expertise at a freestanding surgical center. While juggling that job and an endoscopy center, she started to notice a recurring theme: time is money.

The endoscopy freestanding clinic performed colonoscopies, EGDs, and sigmoidoscopies—up to 42 procedures a day. More …

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Social media use and physician wellness [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 26, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us in this episode as we explore the challenges of balancing social media and device use with the essential aspects of life. Our guest, Dawn Baker, an anesthesiologist, shares her insights from …

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Struggles of navigating prestigious medical systems

Physician
July 26, 2024

I tried to get a personal appointment at a large prestigious academic outpatient service. The website had a “contact us” link, which directed me to a very prolonged questionnaire wanting to know details (mainly financial) that practically included turning over my firstborn child. After spending extensive time clicking through the questionnaire, I finally came to a screen that “allowed” me to pick a time over two weeks in the future …

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Palliative care is plagued by misunderstanding

Physician
July 26, 2024

During a recent palliative conference, the discussion turned to the challenges of translating our work to the public and our colleagues. Despite the growth of our field and increasing access, there remains major confusion about palliative care and hospice. Much of the misunderstanding originates from within the medical profession. Having worked in the palliative care and hospice arena for nearly two decades, I have seen many examples of the confusion …

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Transforming patient care with cultural values in direct primary care [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 25, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Maryal Concepcion, a family physician, as she shares her inspiring story of transitioning from a traditional health care role to direct primary care (DPC). Discover how the values of social harmony and …

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It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave

Policy
July 25, 2024

“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern.

It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in a specialty of their choice in the U.S.—I had found out that I’d gotten into my first-choice hospital residency program in pediatrics. I started my residency four months pregnant, and one of my attendings …

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Revitalizing rural health care with technology and policy

Physician
July 25, 2024

As a physician who grew up in a small town in central Illinois, I’ve witnessed firsthand the decline of rural health care in America. The hospital where I first became interested in medicine is now half its original size, merged with a larger health system, and struggling to stay afloat. This story is all too common across rural America, where health care access is becoming increasingly scarce, and the challenges …

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Time to educate the psychiatric patient

Conditions
July 25, 2024

The initial psychiatric interview of a patient is often a crucial part of the developing relationship between patient and physician. Establishing rapport, reaching a diagnosis, discussing treatment options, and formulating a plan, are the main frameworks of the interview. There remain, however, increasing pressures to reach the final diagnosis, often from patients and caregivers on initial meetings with providers that can lead to rushed or overlooked symptoms. Where, then, does …

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How international medical graduates shape U.S. health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 24, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us for a conversation with George M. Abraham, former president of the American College of Physicians (2021-2022) and a professor of medicine. We’ll explore the vital role of international medical graduates (IMGs) …

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Not all healers wear scrubs or lab coats: Paying homage to our modern-day Santa Claus

Physician
July 24, 2024

Terminology has changed over the years.

When I was in training (1996-2000), we were called physicians. Nurses were called nurses. Nurse practitioners (NPs) were called nurse practitioners. Physician assistants (PAs) were called physician assistants. Patient care assistants (PCAs) were called patient care assistants. And the suits were just that … the suits. They kept the lights on and the doors open. They didn’t provide any direct …

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Healing in a new land: the power of community and kindness

Physician
July 24, 2024

Howera is a twenty-nine-year-old Ethiopian woman. She saw me in the neurology clinic for headaches. Two years previously, she had come to America to join her husband. Since her arrival, he beat her physically and abused her sexually. Being a stranger in a strange land and not speaking English, she suffered in silence. Finally, she could take it no longer. She ran away. For the past six months, she had …

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10 essential tips for doctors: Mastering contract negotiations

Physician
July 24, 2024

Negotiating a contract can be daunting, but it’s a critical skill every physician must master. When I received my first contract, I was overwhelmed by the legal jargon and the sheer number of clauses. It wasn’t just about the salary; it was about securing a fair and comprehensive agreement that would set the stage for my entire career. Through trial and error and a lot of research, I’ve gathered these …

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