Hospital-Based Medicine

How a $75 million jet brought down America’s boldest doctor

Physician
May 15, 2025

This article is satire.

Dr. Donovan Trumble was not your average internist.

In fact, if you asked him, he wasn’t your average anything.

He called himself “the most successful physician-researcher in America—maybe ever,” and once declared during grand rounds, “If Sir William Osler were alive today, he’d be my opening act.”

To the faculty at the Ivy League medical school where Trumble had once chaired the Department of Clinical Egotism (officially “Translational Medicine,” but …

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Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

Physician
May 2, 2025

Hypothetically, imagine you complete three years of internal medicine residency; working nights, managing complex cases, making real decisions. Then you’re told: To work in the hospital, in the in-patient setting, you must complete additional years of fellowship training.

At that point, a reasonable person might ask: Wait, what was residency for? If three years of supervised, graduated responsibility isn’t sufficient preparation, then either the residency is flawed, or the requirement is …

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When grief hits all at once: a morning of heartbreak and love

Physician
April 26, 2025

This beautiful Saturday morning began like many other mornings with a heart full of love and hope. Gentle rays of sunlight filtered through the windows. Their warm glow whispered hope and promise of another good day. This morning, like many others, I woke up early. But little did I know the day would bring a flood of emotions for which I was unprepared. Indeed, as the morning unfolded, my spirit …

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Pope Francis dies at 88. What his care reveals about America’s failing hospitals.

Conditions
April 21, 2025

Pope Francis passed away this morning at the age of 88. Just weeks ago, he had spent 38 days hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for what was described as “double pneumonia,” before returning to his Vatican apartment to recover.

Had he been an American hospitalized in the U.S., he might not have made it even that far.

As both a geriatric doctor and a patient, I have seen firsthand how the U.S. …

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When empathy becomes “toxic”

Physician
April 19, 2025

For years, empathy has been seen as a moral virtue that binds relationships, the antidote to pain and suffering while caring for patients. But lately, empathy is facing a surprising backlash in society and the medical profession. From being called “toxic” to being labeled outright as a “sin,” the virtue of feeling others’ pain is now under sharper scrutiny across ideological, psychological, and even religious groups within our society.

In caregiving …

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How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians

Physician
April 2, 2025

Doctor, if you have recently had occasion to be granted a visit with upper hospital management in the plush executive suite, most surely it was you who stood out quite conspicuously. Being greeted, hopefully politely, by one of the administrative secretaries, you were asked to be seated and wait along with others—consultants, lower-level management, salesmen, business associates, insurance executives, and maybe even golf buddies. Notable was that you, the physician, …

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Why hand washing isn’t enough to stop infections in hospitals [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 30, 2025
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Emergency physician W. Frank Peacock discusses his article, “What if a doctor didn’t wash their hands between patients?” He explores the critical role of hand hygiene in preventing hospital-acquired infections while exposing …

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Mastering the language of medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 27, 2025
YouTube video

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Pediatric neurologist Paige Kalika discusses her article, “Learning the language of medicine: from student to fluent physician.” Paige compares mastering medicine to learning a language, from grasping basic vocabulary like anatomy to …

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From retail to medicine: a doctor’s journey through burnout and bureaucracy

Physician
March 22, 2025

Long ago, before I started practicing medicine, I worked in the retail sector. I was 15 years old when I earned my first real paycheck. Surely, I worked other odd and end jobs before that first “real job.” I mowed neighborhood lawns, shoveled snow off neighbors’ driveways, delivered newspapers—anything I could do to make a dollar or two. But those odd jobs were not “real jobs” with tangible or steady …

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Unpacking the Faustian bargain of modern medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 11, 2025
YouTube video

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Internal medicine physician Corinne Rao discusses the article, “The Faustian bargain of modern medicine.” In this episode, Corinne explores the modern health care system’s trade-offs, comparing the traditional independence of private practice …

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The NIH is under fire: Why public trust in science is fading

Physician
March 10, 2025

Many moons ago, I worked in a forensics lab for a pair of professors who were husband and wife—a chemistry dynamic duo. I had a wonderful time in bench research, learning about different explosives and even doing site visits in Los Alamos, where many of the greatest scientific minds came together to help the U.S. win the war against the Axis powers during World War II. It was a surreal …

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A stroke patient’s unwavering love: Caring for his wife amidst his illness

Conditions
February 20, 2025

A 90-year-old gentleman has been admitted to our ward under the care of a neurologist. He was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke after experiencing weakness in his left upper limb and slurred speech. His mental status is fluctuating, and the stroke has impacted his memory. However, it has not affected his ability to walk and move around.

He and his wife had been living independently for the past 20 years. They …

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The Faustian bargain of modern medicine

Physician
February 15, 2025

The concept of a “Faustian bargain” originates from the legend of Dr. Faustus, a figure from German folklore who trades his soul to the devil in exchange for worldly knowledge and power. Doctor Faustus is Christopher Marlowe’s most renowned and controversial work. The play depicts the sinister aftermath of Faustus’s decision to sell his soul to the devil’s henchmen in exchange for power and knowledge. It serves as a timeless …

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Missing prescription: long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine

Physician
February 3, 2025

Fatherhood is a life-changing experience filled with immense joy and responsibility. For men with a career in medicine, this milestone presents unique challenges due to the demanding nature of their profession. Parental leave for fathers, especially in medicine, is critical for the well-being of the family nucleus and for fostering an equitable work environment. Unfortunately, societal and systemic barriers often prevent fathers in medicine from fully embracing this opportunity.

Statistics paint …

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How America’s health care system depends on international doctors

Physician
January 23, 2025

The current U.S. medical education and health care systems undeniably benefit from the immigration of talented international medical graduates (IMGs). Many of my favorite teachers, residents, and colleagues have been IMGs. However, the longstanding U.S. reliance on immigrant physicians raises questions about what policies best support both domestic and international priorities moving forward.

Beyond medicine, the immigration of talented scientists and engineers has also sparked recent public debate. Elon Musk recently …

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How health care boards can transform organizational culture and workforce development [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 11, 2025
YouTube video

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Explore the critical role of health care boards in shaping organizational culture, workforce development, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Physician advocate and physical therapist Kim Downey and health care consultant Geoffrey …

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How night volunteers could transform health care during staff shortages

Physician
January 4, 2025

Inpatient caregiving companions, especially during nights, may hold significant value in enhancing patient recovery and expediting discharge. Hospital nights can be tumultuous not only for inpatients but also for their caregivers, whether professional or personal. This need persists despite humanity’s adaptation to varying chronotypes—lion, bear, wolf, and dolphin—which have enabled people to transcend their diurnal instincts for the collective good. Nevertheless, the challenges of nighttime caregiving remain profound.

A critical issue …

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How to rebuild trust in health care and improve patient outcomes [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 28, 2024
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In this episode, we explore the decline in trust within the U.S. health care system and discuss actionable strategies to rebuild it. Matthew Sherrer, associate professor and director of care team collaboration at …

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How workplace civility can transform health care and save lives [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 26, 2024
YouTube video

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Explore the critical role of civility in health care with insights from Matthew Sherrer, associate professor and director of care team collaboration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Chris Turner, an …

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