Surgery and surgeons

1,981 articles · Since 2004

Articles, page 16

How “self-care” is elusive until there is no choice

June 29, 2021Jun 29, 2021

It took about ten minutes of carefully shifting the controls on the hospital bed, placing pillows in the right spaces to prop me up to an angle that resembles "sitting"—all done delicately so as to not increase the pain level…

It took about ten minutes of carefully shifting the controls on the hospital bed, placing pillows in the right spaces to prop me up to an angle that resembles “sitting”—all done delicately so as to not increase the pain level I was already in. All of this was for a specific purpose; like all post-op patients, it was time to advance my diet; it was time for my first

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Physician voices

Surgeons: Check your ego

Diana Londoño, MD

June 22, 2021Jun 22, 20213

How is your ego serving you? Medicine is a hierarchical entity. More so in surgery. There is a linear line of command from the chief to the junior to the intern to the med student to the aspiring med student.…

How is your ego serving you?

Medicine is a hierarchical entity. More so in surgery.

There is a linear line of command from the chief to the junior to the intern to the med student to the aspiring med student.

“Shit rolls downhill,” we said as interns while we powered through the 29th-hour on-call or the seven pending discharge summaries we had to finish, while a nurse was yelling or paging us 12 …

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Surgeons: Check your ego

Health policy

Surgical volumes are still down. A data-first strategy is the key to recovery.

Michael Woods, MD, MMM

June 12, 2021Jun 12, 2021

Due to COVID-19, hospitals were forced to reevaluate and rework systems and processes that had been around for decades. From managing the increasing demands for testing and treating patients with the coronavirus to acquiring necessary medical equipment to keeping beds available, hospital administrators, providers, and staff showed true heroism. At the same time, the constant ebb and flow of COVID-19 surges caused hospitals to experience significant financial challenges, and

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A transplant physician faces facts about his career [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

June 8, 2021Jun 8, 2021

"Continuing to do this work the way I was doing it was not sustainable. I needed to get off the merry-go-round. I just didn’t know how. I didn’t think I could stop myself—transplant was my duty, my responsibility, and what…

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“Continuing to do this work the way I was doing it was not sustainable. I needed to get off the merry-go-round. I just didn’t know how. I didn’t think I could stop myself—transplant was my duty, my responsibility, and what I was trained and programmed to do. It was hard to …

Physician voices

The other side of the knife

Paul Pender, MD

June 4, 2021Jun 4, 2021

The surgeon becomes the surgical patient. That was my summary thought after discussing my vision problem with my former partner, an ophthalmologist well versed in treating cataracts. Despite having performed eye surgery on thousands of patients in the course of my own professional career, the “privilege” of being on the other side of the knife was not without some anxiety.

Two factors helped limit my concern. First, I trusted my surgeon …

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The other side of the knife

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My patient called me the N-word [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

May 28, 2021May 28, 2021

"There were many things to be processed about that event. It happened within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its disproportional effects on the African American community, and a few days after the murder of George Floyd, an African American…

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“There were many things to be processed about that event. It happened within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its disproportional effects on the African American community, and a few days after the murder of George Floyd, an African American man killed at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer by …

Physician voices

Physicians in a quantum state

Lester Gottesman, MD

May 28, 2021May 28, 2021

Despite reading numerous books tailored to the non-physicist, my rudimentary understanding of quantum physics suggests that quantum particles exist in multiple synchronous states and numerous synchronous positions. They are only truly defined upon the observation of that particle. Its nature fluctuates between particles and waves. Schrodinger and his famous thought experiment of the alive/not alive or dead/not dead cat, depending on one’s Weltanschauung, has popularized his observations.

While recently reading a …

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Physicians in a quantum state

Physician voices

Lessons learned from a general surgery chief resident

Milagros López Gerena, MD

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021

I began this journey in 2010. It began as a fresh-smelling breeze after a year and a half of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. I did not think I would be a surgeon. I thought maybe family medicine, psychiatry — at worst, I would like gynecology. I outgrew the fear of the stereotypes and chose surgery for myself, despite what my now-husband warned me. He thought it would change me, depress …

Physician voices

Feel the musicality: A surgeon explores how he learns

Vivek Sant, MD

May 23, 2021May 23, 2021

My friends and I spent Thanksgiving 2018 attending surf school in Jacó, Costa Rica. We spent that week fully immersed in twice-daily surf sessions interspersed with conditioning, balance exercises, and of course, downtime to explore the town and rainforests of Jacó. Having been on a surfboard only a handful of times previously, this was a new experience for me. Our surf instructors quickly got us out on the water, and …

Physician voices

When new technology is no match for old-school medical tests

Patrick Connolly, MD

May 21, 2021May 21, 2021

In his 1862 novel, Fathers and Sons, Ivan Turgenev describes (spoiler alert) a death from sepsis in excruciating detail. There is nothing to do but comfort the man in the throes of mortality, his parents, and unrequited love at his…

Today, thankfully, modern technology and processes can deliver a quick diagnosis and treatment, often saving the patient’s life and about two weeks of brutal suffering. Technology is essential, but attention …

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How this physician created a multi-specialty ambulatory surgery clinic from scratch [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021

"I firmly believe that if physicians leveraged themselves and their knowledge of medicine, there would be no need to for them to undertake ventures in the fields that they know little about. The old adage goes like this: Physician, heal…

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“I firmly believe that if physicians leveraged themselves and their knowledge of medicine, there would be no need to for them to undertake ventures in the fields that they know little about. The old adage goes like this: Physician, heal thyself. I call on my fellow physicians to heal themselves by …

Physician voices

Be nice to the nurses. Respect the nurses.

John Chase, MD

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021

An excerpt from You What?!: Humorous Stories, Cautionary Tales, and Unexpected Insights About A Career in Medicine. The relationship between physicians and nurses is a complicated one. We are both there to “Take care of the patient.” Each has their…

An excerpt from You What?!: Humorous Stories, Cautionary Tales, and Unexpected Insights About A Career in Medicine.

The relationship between physicians and nurses is a complicated one. We are both there to “Take care of the patient.” Each has their own role. Doctors are undeniably in charge of ‘their patient’s care.” Particularly in an operating room. Somebody has to be in charge when things are

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Physician voices

How washing hair taught me to be a better doctor

Patrick Connolly, MD

May 18, 2021May 18, 20215

“We need to shampoo the patients’ hair,” said Kristen, a physician assistant with a two-foot flaxen rope of her own. She’s an authority. Operating room nurse Jess seconded the idea. Between the two of them advocating, it needed to happen.…

Somehow for the last 23 years, as a man with short hair, I’d always considered a rinse with water or peroxide to be sufficient to clean a patient’s scalp and hair …

The Podcast by KevinMD

Stress in medicine: lessons learned through my years as a surgeon [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

May 14, 2021May 14, 2021

"Medical professionals face uniquely challenging pressures. Our work itself is extremely demanding, and always has high stakes for those we care for. External circumstances that impact our work carry uncertainties that add more stress. Constantly feeling targeted as the financial…

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“Medical professionals face uniquely challenging pressures. Our work itself is extremely demanding, and always has high stakes for those we care for. External circumstances that impact our work carry uncertainties that add more stress. Constantly feeling targeted as the financial solutions to greater health system issues compounds our burden.

While some choose …

Physician voices

Confidence is as important as becoming competent

Debrah Wirtzfeld, MD & Elizabeth Pedersen, MD

April 20, 2021Apr 20, 2021

As medical trainees, we learn how to be competent in our craft. If we are competent, it is assumed we will be successful and confident in our abilities. However, empowered performance requires a focus on not only competence, but also…

The study of medicine does not support the attainment of higher levels of confidence; in fact, it actually …

The Podcast by KevinMD

Advice to pregnant surgical residents [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

April 16, 2021Apr 16, 2021

"Motherhood has been the biggest gamble of my adult life thus far. How was I going to operate for 12-plus hours while 39-weeks pregnant? Where would I be when I went into labor? How would was I going to return…

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“Motherhood has been the biggest gamble of my adult life thus far. How was I going to operate for 12-plus hours while 39-weeks pregnant? Where would I be when I went into labor? How would was I going to return after three weeks? How would I pump during and in between …

Medical education

“Use the force”: How do we teach in the operating room?

Vivek Sant, MD

April 8, 2021Apr 8, 2021

As I embark on my chief year in general surgery, I look forward to most is taking junior residents through operations. I am grateful to have had excellent teachers over the past five years, and I appreciate the opportunity to pay forward this mentorship. But taking what you have learned and teaching someone else turns out to be a very different challenge than learning itself! Suddenly, you realize your attendings …

Physician voices

Put down the knife: A neurosurgeon explains the importance of a work-life balance

Marc Arginteanu, MD

March 26, 2021Mar 26, 2021

In his novel Buddhism Without Beliefs, Stephen Batchelor observed that "death alone is certain and the time of death is uncertain." This knowledge should guide us in one of our most important decisions: How should we spend our limited amount…

In his novel Buddhism Without Beliefs, Stephen Batchelor observed that “death alone is certain and the time of death is uncertain.” This knowledge should guide us in one of our most important decisions: How should we spend our limited amount of time on earth?

Why do you work so hard?

There are many different reasons why people might work too hard. Often they toil out of necessity.

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Why this plastic surgeon chose to become a high school science teacher [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

March 25, 2021Mar 25, 20212

"I have closed my practice, but I have no plans to retire at the age of 52. I have started the journey to become a high school science teacher. There are frequent internet postings and blogs by physicians with strategies…

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“I have closed my practice, but I have no plans to retire at the age of 52. I have started the journey to become a high school science teacher. There are frequent internet postings and blogs by physicians with strategies to retire young. I suspect that many of us, not near …

Physician voices

Choosing an experienced surgeon and high-volume hospital can impact your outcome

Miles J. Varn, MD

March 20, 2021Mar 20, 20212

If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition and the recommended treatment is surgery, there are proactive steps you can take to lower the risk of post-surgical complications and improve the likelihood of a good outcome. First, before deciding to undergo surgery, which always carries some risk, seek a second opinion from a physician who has experience treating the specific diagnosed condition. In most non-emergency cases, undergoing surgery immediately after diagnosis …

Surgery and surgeons

Articles, page 16

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