Mid-step on the sky bridge, boarding my flight—the message lands. Raw. Desperate. A life breaking apart in real time:
“I’ve been in health care my entire life. Surgical services. Because I spoke up against wrongdoing, stood up for myself, I’m out of a job and can’t get a job anywhere now. I’m 60 now. I don’t know what to do. I’ve had a hard life, and I buried all …
An excerpt from Health Care Nation.
Of all the lessons learned from fighting a pandemic, none was more frightening or important than discovering how dependent the system is on how we treat our doctors, nurses, and frontline caregivers.
They were already in short supply, with burnout on the rise, when the pandemic hit. As multiple waves of COVID-19 variants washed over us, frontline health workers stepped in …
As physicians, we dedicate our lives to helping others. We spend years training to diagnose, treat, and care for patients with a dream of feeling valued and helpful. Then, one day we find ourselves feeling increasingly overwhelmed by administrative work, struggling to keep up with patient communication, and feeling disconnected from the people we set out to serve. The reality is that many of us are caught in a system …
I’m only sharing this story today to illustrate something about myself and my perspective on love: being expressive with it.
I am not discussing only romantic love here. I’m talking about the affection we have for so many individuals around us, including our parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coworkers, neighbors, pets, and even strangers.
Sometimes we fall in love with a random person’s actions, something they say, the way …
A few years ago, I visited my brother and his family while I was still in school. I had run out of cash and needed to top up before starting our end-of-semester exams. My sister-in-law, a virtuous woman well-loved in our family, invited me to join her and my brother at the wedding of one of her close friends. As we were getting ready to leave, she pulled me aside …
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 …
The definition of cognitive dissonance is a feeling of mental discomfort when one holds contradictory beliefs, attitudes, or values. As physicians navigate the complex waters of medical practice, the core philosophy of patient-centered care often clashes with external pressures imposed by a system that prioritizes profitability. This cognitive dissonance is considered a major factor in physician burnout.
While there are systemic factors that need to be addressed to resolve the growing …
As Doctors’ Day on March 30 approaches, we are reminded of the incredible impact physicians have on our lives. But there is something often overlooked—the emotional toll the profession takes. Physicians give so much of themselves, yet their emotional needs often go unrecognized. What if there were a simple, powerful way to remind them that their efforts matter?
Imagine the impact a heartfelt, handwritten note could have on a weary physician.
I …
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Physician advocate Kim Downey and family physician Todd Otten discuss their article, “Long-term impacts of physician suicide on patients and doctors.” In this engaging conversation, Kim shares her personal experiences with the …
Moving into the new year, I’m carrying forward the lessons that help me stay aligned with my goals and take meaningful action. But this time, I’m doing it differently. I’m moving with ease and flow. The years of stress and striving? That phase of my life is over, and I am fully embracing a new way of being.
How do I know?
Because stress does not serve me. …
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Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his KevinMD article, “The criminal enforcement of HIPAA.” In this episode, Muhamad delves into the escalating electronic breaches of protected health information and the lack of accountability for large organizations responsible for these violations. He highlights several high-profile cases where physicians …
“Shame on you for glorifying people leaving such a noble profession.”
That’s a little … intense.
I was jolted but, unfortunately, not surprised by this negative comment on my LinkedIn post—a post sharing my story of resigning from residency.
Backlash like this is not new to me. Anytime I speak publicly about leaving clinical medicine, I am met with an odd mix of “That’s so brave of you to share” and “How dare …
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Psychotherapist and litigation stress coach Gail Fiore discusses her KevinMD article, “Recognizing and addressing medical malpractice stress syndrome (MMSS).” In this episode, Gail explores the prevalence of MMSS among physicians, the common …
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Internal medicine physician and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses the KevinMD article “The role of social credit scores in the enforcement of health care regulations.” They explore the expansion of predictive algorithms …
As a practicing physician and a wellness travel tour operator, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand the profound impact that travel can have on health and well-being. Beyond being fun, exciting, and educational, travel has the power to heal—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.
Wellness adventure travel can embody many of the fundamental elements of lifestyle medicine in real time. Movement, whole foods, relaxation, and community—four of the six pillars—can be …
The start of a new year is a time for reflection, renewal, and resolve. For physicians, it often comes with an unspoken question: Do you still remember the spark that first lit your path into medicine? In the endless churn of shifts, charting, and late-night calls, that spark can dim. The burnout we push to the margins of our consciousness slowly edges its way into the center of our being. …
Gambling as a recreational activity is on the rise. This is Super Bowl weekend, and it is expected to be one of the largest sports betting events in U.S. history, with tens of millions of Americans predicted to wager billions of dollars on this event. Gambling disorder is also now a recognized part of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Gambling as a medical condition …
Would you ever consider a routine day at the office as how many people are going to abuse you?
As a psychiatrist who works primarily in an acute care setting, I look after patients that enter the emergency room with complex mental health and social difficulties. I have been doing this work for close to a decade now. I often get asked why I choose to continue the work, and the …
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Muhamad Aly Rifai, a psychiatrist, discusses his KevinMD article “Physician suicide: Addressing the silent epidemic.” In this episode, Muhamad delves into the alarming rise in suicide rates among physicians, the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health in the medical community, and the unique risk factors that contribute to this crisis. …
Once upon a time, anxiety was anxiety. Maybe you were going for a root canal, taking a flight when you were a nervous flier, or meeting your in-laws for the first time, so you had “nerves.”
That was then. Sensing an untapped market, drugmakers who funded writers of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or “DSM” (the Bible for mental conditions) recast anxiety as “really depression,” and suddenly everyone …
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