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Physician burnout and mental health

2,673 articles · Since 2011

Articles, page 29

The Podcast by KevinMD

Why kratom addiction is emerging as a hidden public health crisis [PODCAST]

Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article "Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis." Muhamad explains how kratom, a botanical imported from Southeast Asia, has rapidly spread across the U.S., marketed as a…

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Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article “Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis.” Muhamad explains how kratom, a botanical imported from Southeast Asia, has rapidly spread across the U.S., marketed as a natural remedy for pain and opioid withdrawal. He warns that …

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Why kratom addiction is emerging as a hidden public health crisis [PODCAST]

Physician voices

Are you addicted to false urgency?

The urgency epidemic I was in my office at 8 p.m. about a year ago. My back was hunched, phone in one hand and papers in the other, with twenty open tabs glaring at me from two adjacent monitors. I…

The urgency epidemic

I was in my office at 8 p.m. about a year ago. My back was hunched, phone in one hand and papers in the other, with twenty open tabs glaring at me from two adjacent monitors. I heard a nearby door shut and wondered, “Why is my colleague leaving so late?” Then it hit me: Have I thought of leaving yet?

If you asked me what I was doing …

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Are you addicted to false urgency?

Physician voices

How therapy helps uncover hidden patterns

The brain is a pattern-seeking organ that continually organizes the world into a more predictable experience. Our first predictions arise out of early childhood and are predicated on messaging from primary caregivers. These are deeply buried in implicit memory meaning…

The brain is a pattern-seeking organ that continually organizes the world into a more predictable experience. Our first predictions arise out of early childhood and are predicated on messaging from primary caregivers. These are deeply buried in implicit memory meaning that much of what we anticipate from interactions lies outside of our awareness. Over the course of a lifetime, these guiding assumptions working in the background are continuously modified in …

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How therapy helps uncover hidden patterns

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Why medicine needs a second Flexner Report

Modern medicine is failing in three critical areas: mental health, chronic disease, and prevention at the cost of trillions of wasted dollars and untold suffering. The problem runs deep. In my earlier KevinMD post, "Medicine's mental health crisis: why the…

Modern medicine is failing in three critical areas: mental health, chronic disease, and prevention at the cost of trillions of wasted dollars and untold suffering.

The problem runs deep. In my earlier KevinMD post, “Medicine’s mental health crisis: why the system is failing us,” I described the “mind-body split” theory of the 16th and 17th-century Scientific Revolution as guiding medicine and medical education since that time. It …

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Why medicine needs a second Flexner Report

The Podcast by KevinMD

How physicians can turn criticism into collaboration for better teamwork [PODCAST]

Licensed counselor and certified coach Mary Remón discusses her article "How doctors can turn criticism into collaboration." Mary explains why physicians often react defensively to suggestions from colleagues, citing hierarchy, malpractice fears, time pressures, and challenges to expertise. She reframes…

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Licensed counselor and certified coach Mary Remón discusses her article “How doctors can turn criticism into collaboration.” Mary explains why physicians often react defensively to suggestions from colleagues, citing hierarchy, malpractice fears, time pressures, and challenges to expertise. She reframes criticism as a “gift,” using analogies like apples and pears …

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How physicians can turn criticism into collaboration for better teamwork [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

How to transform your mindset by rewiring your brain with positive language [PODCAST]

Clinical psychologist Faust Ruggiero discusses his article "How to rewire your brain with positive language." Faust explains how the words we use internally shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and why negative self-talk can reinforce cycles of anger and dissatisfaction.…

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Clinical psychologist Faust Ruggiero discusses his article “How to rewire your brain with positive language.” Faust explains how the words we use internally shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and why negative self-talk can reinforce cycles of anger and dissatisfaction. He introduces a simple but powerful two-step process: consciously shutting …

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How to transform your mindset by rewiring your brain with positive language [PODCAST]

Physician voices

10 hard truths about practicing medicine they don’t teach in school

I offer these ten points in the hope that you will surpass my generation of physicians, myself included, and learn from our mistakes. God help us all if you do not. Congratulations on your hard work, academic achievements, and the…

I offer these ten points in the hope that you will surpass my generation of physicians, myself included, and learn from our mistakes. God help us all if you do not.

Congratulations on your hard work, academic achievements, and the persistence and sacrifice that brought you to this moment in your medical careers. Good for you. And now, reality.

1. Although you have memorized many facts, you know nothing. Truth does not …

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10 hard truths about practicing medicine they don’t teach in school

Physician voices

How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

As a psychiatry resident, I recently completed a rotation at an addiction treatment facility that looked more like a luxury wellness retreat than a medical center. The setting was picturesque: manicured lawns, private rooms bathed in sunlight, daily yoga and…

As a psychiatry resident, I recently completed a rotation at an addiction treatment facility that looked more like a luxury wellness retreat than a medical center. The setting was picturesque: manicured lawns, private rooms bathed in sunlight, daily yoga and mindfulness sessions, and meals prepared by in-house chefs. The staff was warm, compassionate, and abundant, capable of delivering highly individualized, trauma-informed care.

Here, patients were treated not just for their substance …

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How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

Physician voices

Why don’t women in medicine support each other?

As women in medicine, we have been taught to achieve, not advocate, especially not for each other. We keep our heads down. We hustle for credibility. And when we finally earn it, we are hesitant to speak it aloud, about…

As women in medicine, we have been taught to achieve, not advocate, especially not for each other. We keep our heads down. We hustle for credibility. And when we finally earn it, we are hesitant to speak it aloud, about ourselves or anyone else. As if naming our gifts makes them less legitimate.

When was the last time you publicly celebrated another woman in medicine for her brilliance? When was the …

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Why don’t women in medicine support each other?

Conditions and diseases

How your family system secretly shapes your health

Introduction In most cases, family structures are not all they are cracked up to be. Though they may not seem like it, they are active environments that mold our bodies, minds, and emotions. Each interaction, habit, and feeling shared at…

Introduction

In most cases, family structures are not all they are cracked up to be. Though they may not seem like it, they are active environments that mold our bodies, minds, and emotions. Each interaction, habit, and feeling shared at home adds up to what we become. Studies have consistently demonstrated that family systems and their health impact the well-being of each individual within them. Whether it is the family’s love …

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How your family system secretly shapes your health

Physician voices

Women physicians: How can they survive and thrive in academic medicine?

Women are entering medical school in greater numbers and constitute half of all classes. There are many reasons to keep women in the medical workforce. Women physicians provide more preventative services and devote more time to psychosocial/family medical history. Studies…

Women are entering medical school in greater numbers and constitute half of all classes. There are many reasons to keep women in the medical workforce. Women physicians provide more preventative services and devote more time to psychosocial/family medical history. Studies show that patient satisfaction with women physicians is significantly higher than with men physicians. Elderly patients who received care from women general internists had lower 30-day mortality and readmission rates …

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Women physicians: How can they survive and thrive in academic medicine?

Conditions and diseases

How changing your self-talk can transform your entire life

An excerpt from The Fix Your Internal Language Handbook. "I talk to myself, and I talk to them. They are not here to listen to me." Most of us spend more time talking to ourselves than to anyone else. We…

An excerpt from The Fix Your Internal Language Handbook.

“I talk to myself, and I talk to them. They are not here to listen to me.”

Most of us spend more time talking to ourselves than to anyone else. We use language to think and clarify our thoughts. Whether we are consciously ruminating or thinking on a more subconscious level, we are still using language. We have internal dialogues with ourselves, …

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How changing your self-talk can transform your entire life

Physician voices

Why medicine is like a jazz solo

An excerpt from Born to Heal: Medical Narratives Set to the Soundtrack of Classic Rock. Dr. Evelyn Moore had always believed medicine was more than a profession; it was a calling. Not in the dramatic, messianic sense that some doctors…

An excerpt from Born to Heal: Medical Narratives Set to the Soundtrack of Classic Rock.

Dr. Evelyn Moore had always believed medicine was more than a profession; it was a calling. Not in the dramatic, messianic sense that some doctors held onto (where they saw themselves as saviors) but in the quiet, steady way a lighthouse stands guard over stormy waters. She was not there to rescue …

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Why medicine is like a jazz solo

Conditions and diseases

The many faces of physician grief

Grief is not a word most physicians would use to describe their day-to-day work. Stress? Absolutely. Burnout? Sadly too common. Exhaustion? Without question. But grief? That feels too tender, too vulnerable, too personal, too scary. And yet, grief quietly saturates…

Grief is not a word most physicians would use to describe their day-to-day work. Stress? Absolutely. Burnout? Sadly too common. Exhaustion? Without question. But grief? That feels too tender, too vulnerable, too personal, too scary.

And yet, grief quietly saturates the practice of medicine and the existence of being a doctor.

Grief shows up most obviously in the loss of patients. Death coming sometimes suddenly, and sometimes after a long, protracted …

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The many faces of physician grief

Physician voices

Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing

Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing. It is a conditioned mindset. A learned pattern. We are raised in a culture of hyper vigilance. We are taught to equate uncertainty with inadequacy. We are taught it is not OK not…

Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing. It is a conditioned mindset. A learned pattern. We are raised in a culture of hyper vigilance. We are taught to equate uncertainty with inadequacy. We are taught it is not OK not to know an answer. That being unsure is a failing.

We prepare relentlessly. We never let our guard down. Hypervigilance is our standard mode of operating. Self-judgment is an internal soundtrack. …

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Imposter syndrome is not a personal failing

Drugs and prescribing

A psychiatrist’s 20-year journey with ketamine

The day I first watched ketamine lift a human being out of despair, I was standing in a quiet room at the National Institute of Mental Health. The fluorescent lights hummed, the monitor ticked, and a young adult who had…

The day I first watched ketamine lift a human being out of despair, I was standing in a quiet room at the National Institute of Mental Health. The fluorescent lights hummed, the monitor ticked, and a young adult who had been drowning for months came up for air. Hours, not weeks. That speed rewired me as much as it rewired their brain. In the early 2000s, most of us were …

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A psychiatrist’s 20-year journey with ketamine

The Podcast by KevinMD

Exploring the science behind burnout [PODCAST]

Physician Jessie Mahoney discusses her article "Ending burnout through structure, not gimmicks," making the case that the most effective remedies for physician burnout are systemic changes—reasonable patient loads, thoughtful schedules, supportive leadership, and reduced clerical work—not token perks or quick…

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Spotify

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Physician Jessie Mahoney discusses her article “Ending burnout through structure, not gimmicks,” making the case that the most effective remedies for physician burnout are systemic changes—reasonable patient loads, thoughtful schedules, supportive leadership, and reduced clerical work—not token perks or quick fixes. Jessie highlights the essential role of lifestyle medicine, mindfulness, …

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Exploring the science behind burnout [PODCAST]

Medical education

How Filipino cultural values shape silence around mental health

Filipino Americans are one of the fastest-growing and most diverse Asian American subgroups in the U.S.—yet they remain one of the most misunderstood, especially when it comes to mental health. Whether due to the myth of the "model minority" or…

Filipino Americans are one of the fastest-growing and most diverse Asian American subgroups in the U.S.—yet they remain one of the most misunderstood, especially when it comes to mental health. Whether due to the myth of the “model minority” or the aggregation of Asian health data that obscures subgroup differences, Filipino Americans face a growing but overlooked mental health crisis.

Despite strong cultural values rooted in resilience, family, and faith, Filipino …

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How Filipino cultural values shape silence around mental health

The Podcast by KevinMD

Reframing self-care as required maintenance for physicians [PODCAST]

Board-certified pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, "Why self-care must become medicine's new standard." She challenges the long-held belief in medical culture that self-sacrifice is noble and that self-care is an indulgence. Jessie argues that caring for…

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Spotify

Listen and followApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeMore apps · Browse all episodes

Board-certified pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, “Why self-care must become medicine’s new standard.” She challenges the long-held belief in medical culture that self-sacrifice is noble and that self-care is an indulgence. Jessie argues that caring for oneself is not a luxury but a responsible, non-negotiable standard …

Read more…

Reframing self-care as required maintenance for physicians [PODCAST]

Conditions and diseases

Who are you outside of the white coat?

It is a question that has stopped more than a few of my physician clients in their tracks: Who are you outside of the white coat? I do not mean your hobbies, though yes, of course those matter. I mean…

It is a question that has stopped more than a few of my physician clients in their tracks: Who are you outside of the white coat?

I do not mean your hobbies, though yes, of course those matter. I mean your identity. Your core sense of self when you strip away the pager, the patient lists, the provider ID, and even the deeply ingrained instincts to care, to fix, to achieve. …

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Who are you outside of the white coat?

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