Physician

Physician burnout is a threat, no different from the spread of a virus—here’s how to fix it

Ben Kornitzer, MD

Physician

July 15, 2023

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 …

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How legal liabilities and skewed decision-making plague clinical encounters

Jay K. Joshi, MD

Physician

July 15, 2023

The opioid crisis continues to ravage communities, and everyone, including politicians and federal agents, has a plan. However, no one has an actual solution.

It’s time to examine the crisis from a more detailed perspective: the clinical perceptions that form during a clinical encounter between a physician and a patient. It is here that we see the true effects of opioid policy and understand why they are so ineffective.

At the end …

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The surprising truth behind virtual visits

Michael Kirsch, MD

Physician

July 14, 2023

We live in an era now when workers have leverage over their employers. Nearly every establishment is struggling to hire employees. It’s mysterious not only why so many folks have chosen not to return to work but also how they are paying their living expenses. Remote work, particularly for younger workers, has become a non-negotiable red line. If you are an employer who expects full-time in-person presence, then good luck …

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The invaluable role of residents in transforming health care

Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD

Physician

July 13, 2023

The query surrounding graduate medical education (GME) programs and their faculty revolves around whether they truly recognize the value of residents. Assessing their value can be subjective as well as objective. Here are some questions that programs, faculty, and residents should contemplate before drawing their own conclusions.

Do health care institutions incur financial losses when they have residents who cannot directly bill health care payers for their services, compared to institutions …

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Unlocking business acumen: Why doctors must take charge of their careers

Physician

July 12, 2023

Lack of business education among doctors is a topic I’ve been considering as I decide which direction to take in my career. I wholeheartedly agree with the lack of physician engagement in the business of medicine is troublesome. However, blaming academia’s lack of financial education as an external force for the profession’s lack of financial ability is not productive. The mindset of placing responsibility on our educators actually exemplifies …

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The case for eliminating recertification by the ABIM

Brian Hudes, MD

Physician

July 12, 2023

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 …

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Chinese chicken congee for the soul: Aligning care with cultural context

Cherry Au, MD, Christine Tsai, MD, and Mandy Che

Physician

July 11, 2023

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 …

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What do doctor and nursing burnout, the COVID pandemic, and the Easter Bunny have in common?

Physician

July 11, 2023

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 …

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What Lucille Ball and Einstein can teach us about overcoming burnout

Miguel Villagra, MD

Physician

July 10, 2023

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 …

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Modern medicine is disappointing to many of us at the later end of our careers

Danielle Reznicsek, MD

Physician

July 10, 2023

I graduated from medical school in 1995. I completed an internal medicine and pediatrics residency in 1999, after which I spent three years in private practice, then moved on to a hospitalist practice for the next four years. From there, I transitioned to an ER job, where I have been for the last seventeen years.

In the ER, my role initially involved expeditiously seeing patients and only performing what was absolutely …

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How observing patients’ walks can reveal hidden ailments

Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD

Physician

July 9, 2023

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 …

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Should physicians defend their “Dr.” title amidst changing entitlements?

Deepak Gupta, MD

Physician

July 9, 2023

In these uncertain times regarding entitlement, physicians find themselves unsure whether they should continue defending their use of the title “Dr.” There are instances where teachers can hold the title of Dr., as can individuals with PhDs. Additionally, nurses can also obtain PhDs and subsequently be addressed as Dr. Given the evolving climate of reducing privilege, should physicians still assert their entitlement? It is believed that patients desire to know …

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The hidden consequences of fraudulent and poor-quality medical research

Martin C. Young, MD

Physician

July 8, 2023

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 …

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The truth behind overpriced medical laser devices: What physicians need to know

Emil Shakov, MD

Physician

July 7, 2023

The medical aesthetic field is experiencing significant growth, with an expected market valuation of billions by 2023. As the demand for non-invasive aesthetic procedures rises, physicians are increasingly enticed by medical laser devices. However, this industry is plagued by underhanded sales tactics and excessively priced equipment, leaving physicians at a loss.

The overpriced landscape of medical laser devices. Medical laser devices, although technologically advanced and effective, are notorious for their exorbitant prices. …

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The epidemic of narcissistic abuse in the medical field

Karla Lester, MD

Physician

July 7, 2023

I didn’t go through that to go through this.

“She doesn’t know how to work within a system,” said Snakeskin Shoes.

Narcissists grow and thrive in children’s hospitals. Their strategy is to inflict moral injury upon physicians by gaslighting and silencing those who speak up for patient safety or for themselves, while also controlling a false narrative about them.

Snakeskin Shoes, the former VP of marketing and communications, is a poster boy narcissist. …

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Stepping into the unknown: reflections of an intern on July 1st

Amna Shabbir, MD

Physician

July 6, 2023

I remember it like it was yesterday. Orientation had concluded, and it was showtime. Officially July 1st. It felt like all the cramming from the last few weeks was sitting astutely in my upper chest. My breathing was fairly shallow, and my brain was in an emotional fog, resembling a salad. Internal neon flash signs were going off every few seconds.

Many of these thoughts went like, “This is where they …

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Academic hazing culture killed Dr. Nakita Mortimer

Faith Crittenden, MD, MPH

Physician

July 5, 2023

“Say her name,” “She didn’t deserve this,” and “The system failed you” were the sentiments expressed on social media by resident physicians and trainees in medicine on the death of Dr. Nakita Mortimer, an advocate, mentor, physician trainee union organizer, and Black woman resident physician who tragically ended her life on May 26, 2023.

This narrative is all too common within medicine’s ivory tower, as suicide is the Read more…

Taking charge of your future by taking charge of medical malpractice suits

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

July 5, 2023

Attention all doctors: You can be dismissed from a medical malpractice lawsuit and, at the same time, save 30% on the cost of your medical malpractice premiums per year.

Just as no physician is immune from a complication, none are immune from a resulting malpractice lawsuit. As of now, you stand a 5% chance each year of a medical malpractice lawsuit that has a 70% chance of being frivolous. A 70% …

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Unveiling the ever-evolving truth: a transformative journey beyond boundaries

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

July 3, 2023

Not too long ago, I found myself immersed in a profoundly thought-provoking encounter that ignited a cascade of reflections on the intricate interplay between truth, faith, and the essence of what we hold dear as our ultimate truth.

It was a casual evening spent with a group of friends, a mix of familiar faces, and some new acquaintances. Our host, a genuinely compassionate man, had inadvertently sparked an impassioned conversation on …

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Triathlete defies odds, qualifies for world championship after grueling half Ironman race

Dinesh Arab, MD

Physician

July 3, 2023

Rick Taylor was swimming the race of his life. The Virginia half-Ironman (70.3 miles) was underway, and Rick swam the 1.2-mile course in the Carvin Cove Reservoir in 30 minutes and 43 seconds, coming out of the water first in his age group at a blistering pace of 1 minute and 35 seconds per 100 m (1.36/100 m). What was more incredible was that his heart rate through that effort …

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