The ethics of social media use for the medical profession

Social media
April 8, 2012

At the end of the day, I do not see social media as an end to itself. I enjoy the conversation and the opportunity to learn outside the walls of my medical school without having to put in too much effort. I relish the (illusion of?) freedom that it provides by drawing together the world’s most technology and innovation-driven minds. It allows high-level discussions of even the most esoteric topics …

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The ethics of social media use for the medical profession

Addressing the needs of the disadvantaged in our health system

Policy
January 9, 2012

“The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are at the twilight of life, the aged; and those in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.”

We all know that health care in America is too expensive and yet ineffective, falling consistently at the bottom of the rankings of industrialized nations when it comes …

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Addressing the needs of the disadvantaged in our health system

Are medical students responsible for the primary care shortage?

Physician
September 20, 2011

There is a lot of speculation about why there are fewer and fewer primary care physicians joining the workforce every year. Some have focused on the choices that medical students are making when choosing residencies. Whether due to laziness, desire to make money or the drive to be perceived as “successful” in choosing a more prestigious specialty, the new generation of physicians are being blamed for not …

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Are medical students responsible for the primary care shortage?

Examining medicine through the lens of women’s rights

Education
June 28, 2011

I’ve always had a hard time identifying myself as a feminist.

I work for healthcare equality and human rights. Women’s rights seemed to me a part of human rights work (and as Hilary Clinton and others have said, woman’s rights are human rights). Tying myself to the feminist movement then seemed to be looking backwards – clinging to a term that was anachronistic, divisive and too narrowly defined in what activism …

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Examining medicine through the lens of women’s rights

Could alternative medicine practitioners take the lead in health policy?

Physician
April 12, 2011

Recently, I attended a conference on integrative medicine. It was a lovely conference and I learned a lot: about Chinese therapies used for cancer, about osteopathic manipulation, and about the growing community of doctors that respect the value of complimentary medicine practices and are working to integrate them into their general practice.

I also left with a sense of dissatisfaction with what …

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Could alternative medicine practitioners take the lead in health policy?

Why is there a gender gap in physician salaries?

Physician
February 3, 2011

Some research studies just contain too many revelations to not share with the world. The Health Affairs study on the pay gap between newly-trained male and female physicians is just such a study, demonstrating conclusively that:

1. The gender gap in physician salaries is not related to specialty choice or work hours. No matter where women are choosing to work (solo practice vs. hospital, city vs. rural), which specialty they choose …

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Why is there a gender gap in physician salaries?