Primary Care
How lifestyle medicine can change your life
You read many articles and watch countless videos online where life coaches offer advice on how to fix your life. This might seem like one of those boring articles. Well—I hope not! Maybe just a little … but stick with me.
Today, I want to discuss a relatively new branch of medicine called lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine focuses on everyday practices that can both prevent and cure many chronic illnesses, sparing …
Clinicians should not overlook the benefits of botanicals and dietary supplements
A patient recently came to my office seeking antibiotics for her viral URI symptoms. After a shared decision-making discussion on using Echinacea (an immunostimulant with antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects) instead, we were able to forgo the unnecessary antibiotic. Approximately 25 percent of U.S. adults report concurrently taking a dietary supplement with a prescription medicine. As a resident physician in primary care, I regularly receive questions from patients regarding …
How a doctor transformed grief into personal growth
This season, I’m living even more fully into who I am behind the scrubs and stethoscope. I’m deepening my understanding of whether I’m operating in my highest energy versus operating from stress and fear.
When my mother passed away months ago, I was thrust into unbelievable grief. I looked to family and friends who had lost a parent and wondered how they got through it. I wanted the pain to stop. …
The rise of at-home medical tests: Can the hype meet our health care needs?
Recent news feeds are packed with consumer tips for navigating the abundance of at-home medical tests. Within the past month, Healthline, Fortune, Self Magazine, and the New York Times, to name a few, have published articles on “best of” medical tests for a range of health conditions, from herpes and HIV to COVID-19 and thyroid function.
At-home medical tests are a booming market, expected to reach …
The heartbreaking decision that taught me the power of boundaries
Many years ago, our family rescue dog’s health began to decline quickly. He was around thirteen years old at the time, so we knew the end was coming soon. If you’ve ever experienced an aging pet, you know how extremely difficult it is to make the decision to say goodbye. To add to the difficulty, I felt like I was making the decision alone since my divorce. I had a …
Am I an internist or a milkman?
I have too many important tasks during my workday to leave anything to chance in the hazy, slanted dawn. Failure is not on my schedule for tomorrow. So tonight, I will once again pack a lunch, lay out my clothes, and set up the coffee pot.
Before arriving at work in the morning, I will know who I will be seeing and—often—why they are coming to me. If, for some reason, …
From toe pain to financial strain: the hidden costs of medical care
“I was terrified, and my foot was in so much pain,” said Mrs. C as I began our interview. There was a blood clot that had turned her toe blue. She went on to describe her history and briefly mentioned that she did not have medical insurance. With her pain now gone after a few days in the hospital, the anxiety of the financial burden of her stay was now …
Street medicine: a lifeline for Florida’s homeless amidst new public sleeping ban
Despite the evening hour, the sun beats down on our group as we gather to orient new participants to the street run. It’s a typical Spring day in Florida, with temperatures already in the upper 80s. We stand in a circle on a downtown sidewalk in our green t-shirts. In the center of our circle are bags filled with socks, toiletries, and naloxone, an opioid reversal medication. We’ll distribute these …
How corporate health care is failing physicians and patients alike
A large part of patient care in the modern corporate setting is working within your restrictions. Most corporate health care settings will limit how wide your scope can be, and this often determines how you treat patients. As a family physician working within a huge corporate setting, this oftentimes leads to alternate outcomes, such as referring a patient to another office where a procedure can be done safely or having …
When patients trust their doctors: a touching story of faith and medicine
I enter the exam room, met by a faint but lovely strawberry fragrance. Mrs. B. rests comfortably on an office chair; she always eschews the exam table. In her 80s, she is a formidable woman, heavyset, her deep brown skin somewhat pale, yet she sparkles in a long, bright, flowery dress, glasses with large silver frames, one hand resting on a cane of knotty oak. Her two adult sons stand …
Avoiding the curse of knowledge in health care
In the medical field, it’s easy for experienced professionals to fall into the “curse of knowledge” trap. This cognitive bias occurs when someone, having a deep understanding of a concept, assumes that others possess the same level of knowledge. While this is a natural human tendency, it can create significant communication gaps, especially in health care settings.
Understanding the concept
Doctors with extensive knowledge about medical conditions and treatments might inadvertently overestimate …
Why meaningful patient connections matter in medicine
Connecting with another human being in a meaningful way allows a physician to practice the art and the science of medicine. Showing you care helps to gain trust, and helping to alleviate pain and suffering establishes a bond. When you give of yourself on behalf of your patient, as a caregiver you share something not many people get to experience—compassion-driven skill. Choosing a career in health care is most often …
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Innovative solutions to the clinician shortage crisis [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
We dive into the evolving health care landscape with Jamie Babcock, a health care executive. We’ll explore the growing demand for skilled providers and the critical clinician shortage projected by the Health Resources …
How team sports prepared me for a successful career in medicine
Nothing could have prepared me better for my career and life than playing team sports growing up.
It’s hard to imagine someone now in their 70s pitching a fastball 100 miles per hour, bench pressing almost 400 pounds, and running the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. These skills allowed me to play baseball until I was 26 and then move on to medical school.
Professional athletes pride themselves on their speed and …
Struggles of navigating prestigious medical systems
I tried to get a personal appointment at a large prestigious academic outpatient service. The website had a “contact us” link, which directed me to a very prolonged questionnaire wanting to know details (mainly financial) that practically included turning over my firstborn child. After spending extensive time clicking through the questionnaire, I finally came to a screen that “allowed” me to pick a time over two weeks in the future …
Patients and immunizations: It’s a matter of trust
It was 2018. Previously, “Max” had steadfastly refused all vaccines. Despite his HIV infection, which was well controlled, and my pleading with him over multiple years to get a flu shot, he was firmly opposed. He was intelligent and very matter-of-fact, and we had discussed this often. It was obvious that he did not want to be vaccinated, …
Transforming patient care with cultural values in direct primary care [PODCAST]
Inside the heart of an internal medicine doctor [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
In this episode, we delve into the profound emotional experiences of Ryan McCarthy, an internal medicine physician. Ryan shares heart-wrenching moments from his practice, including the day his heart metaphorically rolled off his …
How physician-led innovation drives change [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
We sit down with Carrie Atcheson, a board-certified anesthesiologist and co-founder of Business Mindset MD, to explore the transformative potential of physician-led innovation in health care. We delve into how the acquisition of …
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The silent cost of choosing personalization over privacy in health care
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mRNA post vaccination syndrome: Is it real?
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Past 6 Months
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COVID-19 was real: a doctor’s frontline account
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Why primary care doctors are drowning in debt despite saving lives
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New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine
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Confessions of a lipidologist in recovery: the infection we’ve ignored for 40 years
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Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care
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The joy of teaching medicine through life’s toughest challenges
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Past Week
-
New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine
-
How federal actions threaten vaccine policy and trust
-
Are we repeating the statin playbook with lipoprotein(a)?
-
The silent cost of choosing personalization over privacy in health care
-
Why transgender health care needs urgent reform and inclusive practices
-
mRNA post vaccination syndrome: Is it real?
-
Past 6 Months
-
COVID-19 was real: a doctor’s frontline account
-
Why primary care doctors are drowning in debt despite saving lives
-
New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine
-
Confessions of a lipidologist in recovery: the infection we’ve ignored for 40 years
-
A physician employment agreement term that often tricks physicians
-
Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care
-
Recent Posts
-
The joy of teaching medicine through life’s toughest challenges
-
Why health care can’t survive on no-fail missions alone
-
An addiction physician’s warning about America’s next public health crisis [PODCAST]
-
Gen Z’s DIY approach to health care
-
What street medicine taught me about healing
-
Smart asset protection strategies every doctor needs
-
