Since the massacre on October 7, 2023, there have been misconceptions of Israel as a country and of the medical consequences of the terrorist attack. There have been charges against Israel of “colonization” and “genocide.” These accusations are accompanied by a rise in antisemitism in our communities, universities, and medicineRead more…
Changing the narrative: medicine and resilience in Israel
In 2024, I met a Tamil doctor at an event. We spoke of memories from our childhood in Sri Lanka. We had one stark memory to share: burning bodies in stacks of tires, with beheaded human beings nearby. This was life in the Sinhalese-Tamil ethnic war in the eighties, nineties, and beyond, coupled with a Marxist-Leninist insurrection in the country.
Yet, there we were, two doctors, one born a Tamil and …
How these doctors overcame ethnic conflict to unite in medicine
The standard treatment for methamphetamine poisoning is “sedate and wait.” There is no antidote to methamphetamine; instead, we typically aim to cover up the unwanted symptoms. We prescribe our favorite sedative, Ketamine or a B52 cocktail (Haldol 5, Ativan 2, Benadryl 50), and often multiple dosages are required to control the agitation and ensure the safety of both the patient and …
A game-changer in methamphetamine treatment
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Join us for an insightful podcast episode featuring Shideh Shafie, an emergency physician. We’ll delve into the profound values that drive physicians to serve humanity and alleviate suffering, and discuss the impact of …
Balancing values and metrics: the modern physician’s dilemma [PODCAST]
Diversity and inclusion—we talk about them. Some organizations have targets. Some even have communication campaigns on them. Yet, in medicine, like many other professions, we lag. According to American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data, “Only about 3 percent of doctors in the United States have a disability.” As an emergency department doctor with a spinal cord injury who uses a wheelchair, this data is thought-provoking.
Why are we not moving the …
Breaking barriers: the urgent need for disability inclusion in medicine
From the beginning of medical school, you are taught the rules of patient assessment; you are taught the “ABCs” – airway, breathing, and circulation. You don’t move on to B until you have established A. You don’t move on to C until B is established. If at any time you lose A or B, you go back to the beginning. Emergency medicine doctors are all about A. My first patient …
ER doctor’s adrenaline-fueled night: from life-saving procedures to unpredictable chaos
An excerpt from Battles in White: October 7 attack: The story of the medical, nursing, and rescue teams.
Dr. Amit Frenkel is an intensive care physician at Soroka Hospital. He is married and a father of three, his wife is a psychiatrist, and his eldest son is a soldier serving in the south of the country. The family lives in Meitar, a small pastoral settlement a fifteen-minute drive from Soroka. In times of …
Medical heroes of October 7: the story of Dr. Amit Frenkel and Soroka Hospital staff
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Join Hala Sabry, an emergency physician and the founder of the Physician Moms Group. We will dive deep into the multifaceted challenges faced by women in medicine beyond the often-discussed issues of childcare …
Uncovering hidden challenges: Women in medicine [PODCAST]
Social determinants of health (SDoH) have a strong potential to positively and negatively affect health outcomes, but providers have traditionally faced substantial roadblocks in identifying patients who need SDoH interventions.
The result of this gap is often missed opportunities to improve patient health at the individual and population levels.
SDoH factors are responsible for up to 80% of health outcomes, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, yet patients and providers …
Improving equity and population health through social determinants of health
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Join us as we welcome Neill Slater, an emergency physician, to discuss the critical issue of patient compliance and the hidden costs of health care. We will explore why patients often don’t take …
From ER to wallet: Understanding medical expenses [PODCAST]
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Join us for an insightful exploration of the complexities of managing mistakes in health care with our guest, Josh Schwarzbaum, an emergency physician. Together, we’ll discuss the importance of embracing errors as opportunities …
Mistakes make us better doctors [PODCAST]
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Join Drew Remignanti, an emergency physician, as we delve into the intersection of compassion, health care, and spirituality. Explore the vital role of compassion in medical care, the challenges of balancing health care …
How compassion can fix the health care system [PODCAST]
Physicians are often seen as pillars of strength, guiding patients through their most vulnerable moments. However, behind the white coats and the stethoscopes lies a troubling reality: an alarming rise in physician burnout.
In the U.S., data from the American Medical Association and the Mayo Clinic found that physician burnout has reached 54 percent, compared to the 45 percent reported in a similar study conducted in 2011; this translates to an …
Burned out doctors, compromised care: a doctor’s story
Clearly, four years of college, four years of medical school, and three years of pediatric residency weren’t a complete medical education. There are so many things I didn’t know until I started watching action-packed TV shows, especially the ones with SWAT teams, detectives, and lots of blood.
My training was clearly deficient in neck jabbing. You know, when the bad guys sneak up on the good guy, jab him randomly in …
TV medical school: where doctors don’t need nurses and bullets heal themselves
“Shoot! Shoot in the heart,” local Miami resident Donald Armstrong screamed while waving around a screwdriver on his front porch during the peak of a mental health episode. Despite pleas from his mother not to kill her son, Armstrong was tased and shot over a dozen times. A 911 call tragically escalated into a perilous encounter with the very people tasked to help.
Our …
911 call turned deadly: It’s time we invest in our community
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Join emergency physician Shideh Shafie as we delve into the crucial topic of setting boundaries in the medical profession. Shafie shares her personal experiences navigating the delicate balance between personal and professional life, …
Boundaries in health care: Navigating personal and professional balance [PODCAST]
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Join emergency physicians Resa E. Lewiss and Adaira Landry as they discuss workplace violence in health care settings. With their expertise and insights, they discuss strategies for cultivating psychological safety, intervening effectively in …
Workplace violence in health care [PODCAST]
No, I am not suggesting a new medical diagnosis, but I am merely pointing out a society-wide ailment in our U.S. culture. In support of my contention, I point to Compassionomics, the superb 2019 book by Drs. Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli. In their compelling science-based presentation, the authors state, “Specifically, the hypothesis is that providing health care in a compassionate manner is more …
The compassion crisis in U.S. health care
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We welcome Ketan Desai, a physician executive, as we’ll delve into the fascinating and concerning realm of biological warfare and bioterrorism. Join us as we explore historical instances of biological weapons, the implications …
Biotechnology and biological warfare [PODCAST]
According to a recent report by the Stanford-Lancet Commission on the North American Opioid Crisis, “more than 600,000 people in the USA and Canada have died from opioid overdose since 1999, and a staggering 1.2 million more are estimated to die due to overdose by 2029.”
The opioid crisis has reinforced hard lessons learned in earlier health crises. Chief among those is that we need multiple strategies if we are going …
Saving lives with naloxone: perspectives from the frontline
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