Sir Isaac Newton dedicated as much, if not more, of his time to the study of alchemy than he did to the natural order of the universe, but most of his work as an alchemist remained unpublished until long after his death when a metal chest full of his belongings was auctioned in 1936. The great man of science, the first of the Age of Reason, was simultaneously the last …
How should a patient deal with medical patient abandonment? A Japanese saying is, “It is better to fix the problem than to blame.” This invites a learning and growth opportunity for those with less knowledge and experience. Based on this, let us look at problem-solving for medical abandonment, neglect, and errors. The principle behind this philosophy follows the desire to allow an adversary to maintain face. If they take the …
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Join Jack McGeachy, an emergency physician and expert in addiction medicine. Discover how doctors possess a hidden superpower when it comes to addiction treatment and how they can effectively address the biological, psychological, and social aspects of …
As a resident physician working in a rural state that recently underwent a legislative session characterized by an overwhelming anti-patient, anti-trans, anti-abortion, and anti-physician-patient relationship stance, I find myself invigorated by the commitment and action of community members who persistently call for change and advocate for their right to health. They remind me of the expansive diversity within rural communities.
Despite state legislators who may present a loud, anti-diversity voice, they …
Today, more than one in five Americans are caregivers, providing care to an adult or child with special needs at some time in the past 12 months. Given this sobering statistic, I’m surprised we do not see as many health narratives written by caregivers as, say, doctors and patients, at least not in print.
Caregiving is emotionally draining. However, writing when you are in a caregiving role is one of a …
The global cosmetic surgery market has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years—in 2021, it was valued at $67.3 billion, and projections suggest it will reach a staggering $201 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6 percent from 2022 to 2031. We can largely attribute this exponential growth to society’s increasing desire for enhanced aesthetic value and the evolving beauty standards of our time. As societal …
There are no words more devastating than, “Our hands are tied” to a survivor reporting abuse and seeking some semblance of accountability from a larger institution. “The institution admitted no fault” is a close second.
Picture this sequence: a trusted physician at a renowned academic medical center sees a patient at a vulnerable stage in her life for a regular appointment. As she is exposed for a standard physical exam, he …
I started my career at a state hospital but transitioned to a VA hospital in 2007. I had been a resident at the hospital and was familiar with the unit and population. The unit had 19 beds, and typically these were filled. Often, admissions were for crisis stabilization due to suicidal ideation, and recidivism was very high. Typically, an unmet need other than psychiatric care was being addressed in many …
Picture yourself as a junior resident on morning rounds with a senior and a rotating intern. You’ve been up almost all night on call, and you’re almost at the end of the patient list. Your senior asks you about the next patient, and you stumble. You can’t find your notes, and you’re blanking on the answer. Your senior becomes impatient and starts to raise their voice. How do you react?
If …
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Join Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach, as she shares her compelling journey from dedicated medical professional to a survivor of narcissistic abuse within the health care system. Karla sheds light on her …
September was National Suicide Prevention Month. In a short while, we also approach the 41st birthday of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a widely beloved dancer and executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show whose death by suicide is still hard to grapple with
tWitch, who initially rose to prominence from the dance competition So You Think You Can Dance, captured the hearts of millions by running social media …
In the vast universe of all that has been written, writing about loss, illness, and death is probably second only to writing about intimacy, relationships, and longing. In the world of narrative medicine, the order is reversed. Patients are harnessing the power of writing, sharing, and telling stories of health and sickness using personal narratives to navigate illness, trauma, and grief. The experience of being ill is made less isolating …
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Caregivers are arguably the most important members of a patient’s care team, with more touchpoints and access to a patient and their lifestyle than any provider or specialist. With approximately 43.5 million caregivers in the U.S., 40 percent are in high-burden situations where caregivers take on substantial cumulative physical, emotional, social, and financial strains to care for a person with a disability or chronic, complex disease. Within these situations, …
Mental health in children and teens is worsening, and there are not enough providers to support them. This is a cause for significant concern.
As a teenager who has experienced firsthand the challenges of maintaining positive mental health amidst a demanding school environment, I strongly advocate for the inclusion of mental health days as a means to support the well-being of students nationwide. May has been observed as …
The mediation was scheduled for noon. When the attorney in charge of the mediation was an hour late, his assistant began earnestly to find him. This was not typical behavior at all. A phone call to the condominium where the attorney lived sent security guards to his residence and then to the parking garage, where they found him slumped behind the wheel, seat belt securely fastened, and his keys in …
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What does it take for physicians to practice with conviction – to practice medicine with a sense of confidence and commitment, passionate about your work? What factors allow medical students to enter the resident pool each July and turn their timidness into poise? How do you learn to stand by your medical convictions and base your decision-making on a deep understanding of the patient combined with the latest evidence-based practices? …
In recent years, public attention has been focused on the presence of Fentanyl-laced cocaine. It has overshadowed another new threat just as heinous yet relatively unknown – that of levamisole. Since the turn of the century, the use of levamisole has grown as a “filler” to cut or increase the amount of cocaine sold. Other than for veterinary use, this compound has been largely abandoned by human medicine due to …
Research reveals that most caregivers of people living with schizophrenia are family members (94 percent), and oftentimes, the journey of the caregiver can be just as challenging as that of the patient, whether they’re newly diagnosed or have been managing the condition for years.
As they navigate the journey together, it’s important that patients have a support system and that caregivers are educated on the disease and treatment options, and …
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Americans die younger than people living in other wealthy nations. A lot younger. That’s been the case since the early 1980s, and it’s getting worse. A lot worse. Since 1980, 13.1 million American lives have been lost relative to other wealthy nations.
Did we even see this in the news? The entire population of the Los Angeles metropolitan statistical area lost in a little over 40 years. Over 2 million were …
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