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Join Paula Muto, a vascular surgeon, and Jeffrey Gold, a family physician, as they discuss the state of the health care system. Explore the evolution of primary care, the challenges of fragmented patient care, and the impact …
Discover the power of direct primary care and patient-centric solutions [PODCAST]
Few problems in health care are more vexing or persistent than physician burnout. It’s a problem that poses a serious threat to patient care, no different from the spread of a virus or the impact of cigarette smoke. And it has only gotten worse since the pandemic.
Burned-out physicians are less effective as healers. They don’t connect as well with patients, undermining the therapeutic benefits of a close clinician-patient relationship. They …
Physician burnout is a threat, no different from the spread of a virus—here’s how to fix it
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Join us as we speak with Donna Grande, CEO of the American College of Preventive Medicine. We discuss the urgent need to overhaul the broken health care system in the U.S., addressing issues such as the high …
How preventive medicine physicians can fix the broken system [PODCAST]
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has long been responsible for setting standards and ensuring the competence of internal medicine practitioners. However, the practice of mandatory recertification has faced increasing scrutiny and debate within the medical community. This article explores some of the key reasons why eliminating recertification requirements imposed by the ABIM could have significant benefits for physicians and patient care.
Lack of evidence for improved patient outcomes
One of …
The case for eliminating recertification by the ABIM
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, with 18.9 million currently in the U.S. and a projected 35.8 million by 2060 with many Asian Americans being immigrants. A study of over 6,700 Asian Americans, Hispanics, African Americans, and Caucasians revealed that Asian Americans were least likely to feel that their physician understood their background and values, and compared to Caucasians, Asians were less …
Chinese chicken congee for the soul: Aligning care with cultural context
Question: What do doctors and nursing burnout, the COVID pandemic, and the Easter Bunny have in common?
Answer: Not a damn thing.
For the past few years, any article on medical labor shortages, disgruntlement, or changes in employment, such as the rise of travel nurses or locum physicians, invariably cited the same cause: COVID.
But to get to the real cause of what’s going on, you have to go further back. Much further …
What do doctor and nursing burnout, the COVID pandemic, and the Easter Bunny have in common?
In the demanding health care industry, physicians are frequently susceptible to burnout. The constant pressures, long hours, and emotional toll can be detrimental to one’s health. To support physicians on their path to wellness, we have compiled a collection of motivational quotes that can change their perspective and help them achieve their goals. In addition to these powerful quotes, we’ve included suggestions for cultivating growth and overcoming burnout. Discover the …
What Lucille Ball and Einstein can teach us about overcoming burnout
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Join neurologist Juliet Morgan and internal medicine physician Meghan Jobson as they discuss their book, Long Illness: A Practical Guide to Surviving, Healing, and Thriving. From autoimmune diseases to chronic pain, they share their expertise on navigating …
Long-term illness: Healing, thriving, and reclaiming your life [PODCAST]
On the first day of class, one of my medical school professors limped in, stopped, and then proceeded to teach us specifically what ailment a patient has that causes their limp.
He went on to explain, “By the time you finish this didactic course in orthopedics, you will be able to diagnose a patient’s problem just by watching them walk!”
At the beginning of each class, the professor would limp in and …
How observing patients’ walks can reveal hidden ailments
Recent years have seen an increasing recognition of fraud, deceit, and other maleficence in scientific research, including medical research. The extent of this is truly frightening and has led to increasing international efforts to detect and address it. As of September 2020, the site Retraction Watch listed over 24,000 papers in its database, many of which were retracted due to deliberate fraud. It is unknown how many individuals, who received …
The hidden consequences of fraudulent and poor-quality medical research
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Join us on this episode as we welcome Mohammed Umer Waris, a family medicine resident, to discuss the alarming rise of “deaths of despair” and its impact on life expectancy in the United States. Umer sheds light …
Unveiling the rise of deaths of despair [PODCAST]
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Join us for an insightful podcast episode with guest Kara Wada, a board-certified academic adult and pediatric allergy, immunology, and lifestyle medicine physician. Together, we explore the profound impact of disconnection in our modern existence, particularly within …
Unveiling the healing power of compassion [PODCAST]
I love medical ethics, and I am fortunate to be able to spend a substantial portion of my professional life working within this growing field. I recently demonstrated that when medical students engage in debates involving bioethics, it improves their tolerance for ambiguity. Medical school, and the years leading up to it, focus mostly on multiple-choice tests – with one correct answer. Licensing exams do the same. The young physician …
Medical ethics: Navigating ambiguity, honesty, and patient well-being in health care
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“Thank you so much for taking the time today and judging,” yet another person said as they approached me, smiling or shaking my hand.
“You are welcome,” I said, smiling. It was my pleasure—my genuine internal pleasure.
I have been volunteering for schools and children’s education for many years.
As I agreed yet again to be a judge, I thought I was helping them: schools, students, the school district… It turned out that, …
The transformative power of volunteering at the science fair
I sometimes grieve the life I left behind … and that’s OK. Necessary, even.
I wonder if I got in my own way, if I tried hard enough, if I fought hard enough. What would have happened if I believed in myself? Trusted that I could accomplish what I set out to do? Accepted love …
Embracing life’s unexpected turns and finding contentment along the way
I remember the day clearly – sitting in a convenience store parking lot after buying a pack of pencils on my way to my first day of nursing school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Or, perhaps more realistically, I had no idea how ill-prepared I really was. As a mediocre high school student who got by with the bare minimum, I was rudely awakened when …
From failure to success: How a nurse overcame challenges and thrived in the medical field
I was doing laundry last week when my engagement ring snagged on a shirt. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that one of the four prongs holding the diamond in place was sticking up and on the verge of breaking.
Quickly, I took off the ring and placed it in a safe spot, relieved that it hadn’t accidentally gone down the drain.
Shortly after, a …
The magic of human connections
It is challenging to open a medical journal in any specialty without coming across an article on burnout. These articles present statistics, trends, and various causes in detail. Some even propose sensible solutions such as flexible scheduling, peer support, delegation of clerical work, and an increased focus on personal well-being activities as steps in the right direction.
I have previously emphasized that “the absence of burnout does not equal wellness,” …
Understanding the mind’s role and embracing contentment for a flourishing life
I walked into my local improvisational comedy theater a few years ago and started taking classes to escape burnout and have some fun. It was so freaking difficult. Here I was, a frazzled, tightly-wound mid-career pediatrician, surrounded by all these creative, quirky folks from all walks of life who were just so funny. I kept hearing, “We don’t want to hear you on stage, Wendy,” meaning they wanted me to …
Unlearning perfectionism: Embracing imperfection and finding my true self through improv
If we look around and spend time in nature or just walk outside, we realize everything has a season. The trees, the flowers, the weeds—they all change during the seasons. Flowers don’t constantly bloom; trees show their beautiful display of colors on their leaves, shed them, and grow a new set of beautiful leaves each year. There is constant change. As famously said by Heraclitus, “The only thing constant is …
The power of embracing life’s seasons: rest, reflection, and growth
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