Pediatrics
Growing up and growing apart: the evolution of lifelong friendships
It took four tries, but we synchronized the newest episode of Outlander perfectly. Just outside of Philadelphia, I’m watching the same scene in lockstep with my best friend, Corinne, one thousand miles away in St. Louis. We make all the same faces in response to the dialogue. We roll our eyes together when someone dares to suggest that Claire won’t be able to heal someone who’s sick.
“I’ll honor you until …
What should you do if your child is diagnosed with bronchiolitis this cold and flu season?
The cold and flu season is already causing a surge of viral infections among children in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. Health care providers are urging parents to brace themselves for what’s expected to be another season of COVID-19, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common viruses all circulating at the same time.
In young children, these viruses can cause bronchiolitis – a lung infection which is similar to …
A doctor’s path to recognizing her own humanity
“Today is the first day of the rest of my life!”
I’m sure you’ve heard that many times before; I’m sure I have. But in my obscure point of existence in this endless universe, that statement has never been more accurate than it is today.
Being a physician has been a flame burning inside my chest my entire life. I decided on it when I was three years old, and aside from …
A new vision for success beyond the American dream
Being a first-generation immigrant growing up in the conservative South, I followed the “traditional” vision board. At the age of 40, I reached the American dream: successful mommy doctor entrepreneur, married, raising three kids, living in an affluent neighborhood, driving an environmentally friendly vehicle, investing in real estate, traveling the world, and making yearly charitable contributions.
I made it! OK, great, now what?
My knee-jerk reaction was: Now you do more.
You work …
A pediatrician’s quest for self-discovery [PODCAST]
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We sit down with Sogol Pahlavan, a pediatrician, and hear her powerful story of personal transformation. Join us as she shares her journey from achieving the American dream to discovering the importance of self-awareness and self-acceptance. Learn …
Coping with grief in health care [PODCAST]
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Join Natalya Beneschott, a pediatric infectious disease fellow, as she shares her personal experience and insights on coping with the lasting impact of a patient’s death, the challenges medical professionals face in processing grief, and the importance …
A physician’s cry in light of world events
I am not a pediatrician, and I am glad that I am not. There was a time in my life when becoming a pediatrician was a genuine career aspiration, but the universe clearly steered me away from it. After becoming a mother and receiving the title of a “NICU mom,” I could see how switching tracks was a blessing for my sanity. Those who continue to provide this noble service …
Doctors’ emotional struggles in the medical field
Most humans, especially doctors, are completely disconnected from their bodies. This conditioning starts in childhood, escalates through teenage years, and peaks in residency where we are trained to completely detach from our body. Our emotions are held in our body. But in order to survive the chronic stress and trauma of medical training, we stop feeling.
It’s our coping mechanism.
It’s survival.
Yet this is so counterintuitive to our soul’s calling because most …
The search for a caring physician
I much prefer to be called “doctor,” to be on the side listening and examining, and hopefully to help find a solution. Finding myself on the converse side; trying to explain my perspective and trying to find an explanation and solution to my own medical issue has been an illuminating experience.
Recently, I crossed over to the other side as a patient. As I waited for my health issue to go …
From immigrant to pediatrician: a midlife transformation
I was born in Tehran, Iran. I immigrated to the U.S., specifically Houston, Texas, at the age of 10. I completed my undergraduate degree, medical school, and pediatric training, all in Texas. I consider myself a Houstonian. I am a board-certified pediatrician. Additionally, I am an entrepreneur, co-founder, and managing partner at ABC Pediatric Clinic in East Houston, serving the low-income Hispanic community. I have an amazing and supportive husband …
Reevaluating beliefs: the role of real doctors
Real doctors see patients. For years, I have held this thought as a truth. But it’s not a fact; it’s a belief, and it is no longer serving me.
I’ve been questioning this belief for a while, but this weekend at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, I gained some clarity. There, I met, heard from, and spoke with so many fascinating physicians—physicians who are doing all sorts …
Conquering fear: Embracing possibilities beyond the horizon
When you think about a beach vacation, what comes to mind? What do you picture?
Fish, seaweed, sharks, sea foam, water bugs, or clear sunny skies? The sound of surfing waves, the feeling of soft sand, or the desire for a perfect tan?
My daughter possesses a meticulous, organized, and clean nature. She finds solace in predictability and dislikes the uncertainty of nature. Consequently, she rarely enjoys hiking, dismissing it as “too …
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Understanding childhood mental health [PODCAST]
Why aren’t more pediatricians leaning into rural health?
Rural health for children is in trouble. Don’t take my word for it, just ask the CDC.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just offered further evidence that American children — and rural children in particular — are in trouble. Previously, the CDC had noted that poor U.S. children 2 to 8 years of age have higher rates of parent-reported mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDDs) than their …
Shifting social norms and their impact on emerging adulthood [PODCAST]
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We sit down with Eleanor Menzin, a pediatrician, to explore the changing landscape of young adulthood. Join us as we delve into the shifting social norms, technology’s impact on parent-child relationships, and the evolving understanding of brain …
Coping with haunting memories of a patient’s loss
“That patient still haunts me,” I heard one of the PICU fellows murmur as he walked out of the auditorium. I wondered if I should have taken comfort after hearing that I was not the only one still struggling with this patient’s death. Despite months passing since this baby died, the memories of this family and their child continued to gnaw at me. It wasn’t until after that morbidity and …
The art of pediatrics: Connecting through observation
On my first day of inpatient rounds during intern year, I was taken aback when the attending stated, “Let’s stop outside the room and just spend a few moments watching the child and mom.” I started my residency on my community rotation site in Chester, PA, where several of the Philadelphia training programs at that time were sending residents. It was a nice introduction to pediatrics with a smaller inpatient …
Navigating adulthood in the digital age
When my parents were 22, they were two years out of college. My mother was married and commuting from Dallas to graduate school in Houston, on the verge of another cross-country move and a metaphorical world away from her New York City upbringing. My father was the officer running the kitchen on a United States Navy frigate somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, a literal world away from his Brooklyn childhood.
When …
Balancing motherhood and medicine [PODCAST]
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Join Eleanor Menzin, a pediatrician, to explore the intricate dance of motherhood and medicine. In this heartfelt discussion, we delve into her personal journey, navigating the dual roles of a working parent and health care professional. From …
Past Week
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Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]
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Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR
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Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine
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Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture
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How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders
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A physician’s reflection on love, loss, and finding meaning in grief [PODCAST]
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Past 6 Months
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Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]
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Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients
-
Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine
-
Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR
-
What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab
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How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight
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Recent Posts
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A physician’s reflection on love, loss, and finding meaning in grief [PODCAST]
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How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes
-
How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot
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How I learned to stop worrying and love AI
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Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning
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Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors
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Past Week
-
Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]
-
Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR
-
Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine
-
Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture
-
How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders
-
A physician’s reflection on love, loss, and finding meaning in grief [PODCAST]
-
Past 6 Months
-
Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]
-
Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients
-
Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine
-
Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR
-
What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab
-
How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight
-
Recent Posts
-
A physician’s reflection on love, loss, and finding meaning in grief [PODCAST]
-
How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes
-
How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot
-
How I learned to stop worrying and love AI
-
Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning
-
Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors
-
