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Zaid Mahmood, MD

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Zaid Mahmood is a family physician.

The hidden cost of a physician’s intellectual identity

Zaid Mahmood, MD
Physician
October 3, 2025

My mind became the centerpiece of my identity early on in life. I lived so intimately with my thoughts that I came to believe this is who I was. As academic success and the praise of being “the smart one” set me apart, I internalized a sense of uniqueness. Others saw it too, which created early recognition… and isolation.

And here lies the hidden cost:

  • Praise becomes a promise. A quiet …

    Read more…

The hidden cost of a physician’s intellectual identity

What patients do not see behind the white coat

Zaid Mahmood, MD
Physician
September 23, 2025

“I was excited to see you today because I thought you were going to answer all my questions,” a patient once told me. I smiled, masking the insecurity. “I wish I could.”

The truth is, I often cannot (at least not in a single visit). Medicine is rooted in curiosity and lifelong learning. Patients expect certainty, but doctors live with uncertainty. We know enough to know how much we do not …

Read more…

What patients do not see behind the white coat

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  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Retirement isn’t the end of medicine, it’s a second act [PODCAST]

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      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
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