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Pediatrician Sarah Webber discusses her article, “Why it’s so hard to admit when we don’t like our jobs.” The conversation is a vulnerable look into her personal experience with burnout just nine …
When your dream job becomes a nightmare [PODCAST]
Like many of us in health care, I recently became engrossed in The Pitt. If you’re still watching—or plan to—consider this your spoiler alert. HBO’s new medical drama immerses viewers in a grueling 14-hour shift in the ER of a trauma center. I initially tuned in for Noah Wyle, my teenage crush, but I stayed for the catharsis. Never have I related on such a visceral level to the portrayal …
How a TV drama exposed the hidden grief of doctors
Even before Mia was born, I could sense that something about her was different. With my other children, I felt constant movement during pregnancy, but Mia stayed curled up in one spot and hardly moved at all. When I mentioned this to my obstetrician, he assured me that it was normal. But I was sure that there was something more going on.
As soon as Mia was born, there were signs …
She wouldn’t move in the womb—then came the rare diagnosis that changed everything
More women than ever before are receiving ADHD diagnoses. From 2020 to 2022, the percentage of adult women with a new diagnosis nearly doubled, and clinicians continue to encounter higher rates of women seeking assessments.
It’s reassuring that, after decades of association with rambunctious little boys, ADHD is finally being acknowledged as a condition that can affect anyone, regardless of age or …
Why ADHD in women is finally getting the attention it deserves
Monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies come with more scans, more risk, and more decisions to make in very little time. Parents are expected to absorb complex medical information, navigate unfamiliar terminology, and act quickly, often under pressure. When care teams do not meet that need for clarity and support, parents do what any reasonable person would do.
They go looking for answers.
In 2024, we published a study in Midwifery that explored …
Patients are not waiting: What MCDA twin parents teach us about shared decision-making
For years, physicians have given their time and mental space freely. But medicine has changed dramatically. It’s not the same field it was 40 years ago. Even 20 years ago.
Today, the pressures are higher than ever. Corporations now own many hospitals and outpatient practices. Insurance companies keep slashing reimbursements while demanding more documentation, more prior authorizations, and denying care more frequently. The administrative burden has exploded.
Meanwhile, inflation soars. Student loan …
Doctors speak out: Why we’re saying no to burnout
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Pediatric neurologist Paige Kalika discusses her article, “Why ADHD kids struggle and how we can truly help,” sharing insights from her perspective as a pediatric neurologist and parent of a child with …
Understanding the ADHD brain: support, empowerment, and managing challenges [PODCAST]
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 …
Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam
I’ve been listening to Viola Davis’s memoir, Finding Me, and it’s been sitting heavy on my mind. She vividly describes how being both Black and poor isn’t just a struggle—it’s a one-two punch that shaped every aspect of her life. It’s not just about lacking resources; it’s about being trapped in a system that was never designed to let you win.
That message keeps hitting me because I’ve …
Why Medicaid is failing Black children despite record spending
Childhood obesity is not just about kids outgrowing their clothes faster than their parents can buy them— it’s a growing public health crisis. If we don’t step in now, the next generation might need bigger coats and even bigger health care budgets. Today, approximately one in five children and adolescents in the U.S. have obesity. The annual medical expenses related to childhood obesity in the U.S. is estimated …
Fat guy in a little coat: Preventing childhood obesity
For the past 30 years, I’ve witnessed medicine evolve—new technologies emerge, new treatments are developed, and wellness programs are implemented—but one thing remains stubbornly unchanged: the relentless, often destructive, quest for validation. As I reflect on my career, I can’t help but see a parallel with the TV series Severance, where employees’ work selves—their “innies”—are literally separated from their personal lives—their “outies.” In our profession, our innie is the part …
Why chasing validation is destroying physicians’ sense of self
Disclaimer: I respect and appreciate my male colleagues. No hard feelings, gents, but bear with me as I get real in this article.
Let’s break it down with some sexy stats.
Several studies, including from Annals of Internal Medicine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and even a fancy meta-analysis (yep, the holy grail of evidence), confirm that you’re less likely to die and less likely to be readmitted to the …
Having a female doctor is better for your health, but not for hers
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Pediatric critical care physician Kyle Willsey discusses his article, “When every second counts: the evolving challenges of pediatric transport.” He shares the high-stakes realities of transporting critically ill children, from his experience …
Starting a pediatric critical care transport program from scratch [PODCAST]
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Pediatrician Derek W. Moss discusses his article, “How natural disasters reveal resilience and the power of community.” Derek reflects on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which flooded his Hendersonville Pediatrics practice and …
Rebuilding after disaster: lessons in community resilience [PODCAST]
An excerpt from About Your Black Transgender Child: Answers to MOST of Your Burning Questions.
“Mom, I would never have told my doctor because you were my doctor.”
—My trans young adult
Those words hit me hard!
My eldest offspring said them to me recently while we were having a conversation. I had shared my thoughts about the need for pediatricians and other physicians …
How to advocate for your transgender child’s health care
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Developmental pediatrician Fiorella Castillo discusses her article, “Advocating for immigrant children: a doctor’s perspective.” Fiorella shares her firsthand experiences supporting immigrant families as they navigate developmental disabilities like autism and ADHD in …
Protecting immigrant families: a pediatrician’s call to action [PODCAST]
Measles was first identified as a virus in the early 20th century. This disease caused significant morbidity and mortality. A measles vaccine was first introduced in 1963, using a live virus strain developed from a child who had measles.
In the 1970s and 1980s, many countries began implementing widespread measles vaccination programs as part of their childhood immunization schedules. The measles vaccine is usually administered as a combination vaccine, …
How vaccine hesitancy is bringing back deadly childhood diseases
It is more than our job,
Our profession,
Our specialty.
It is our life,
Our calling,
Our vocation—
A privilege.
Taking care of the sickest of the sickest children,
The most hurt,
The most wounded,
The most injured,
The most vulnerable among us,
The most precious of human …
Inside the calling of a pediatric intensivist: a life of sacrifice and purpose
An excerpt from Lighthouse Parenting: Raising Your Child With Loving Guidance for a Lifelong Bond published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Your well-being allows you to be emotionally available for your child. Full stop.
Children demonstrate they care about us from the very early years. How did your preschooler demonstrate their empathy to you? Did they stroke your hair to comfort you? Did they offer you kisses and hugs? (If …
How self-care makes you a better parent
How do I talk to my kid about ADHD?
You’re not alone. Your child’s pediatrician should be your first stop in this journey. As a neurospicy pediatric neurologist with an ADHD child, this is how I discuss this topic with my patients and their families.
The first thing I ask my patients is, “Are you trying harder?” Because that’s what we keep telling them to do—try harder! Every single child nods eagerly …
Why ADHD kids struggle and how we can truly help
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