Your A+ in anatomy and physiology won’t improve the American health care system 

Physician
April 25, 2024

March 30th marks National Doctors’ Day – a day meant to honor the immense work and impact physicians have in caring for our patients and their communities. As resident physicians, we are proud and honored to have joined this noble profession.

However, on this particular Doctors’ Day, we are also acutely aware that medicine is–once again–at a historic crossroads. The recent waves of sweeping anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) legislation threaten …

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The impact of war trauma, the challenge of objectivity, and the power of therapy and storytelling in healing

Physician
April 25, 2024

Trauma in the form of war is one of the worst forms of trauma to endure. How do people remain objective about events and the involved nations when they have been directly or indirectly affected by war?

For example, how are Holocaust survivors and their families able to unemotionally relate to present-day German citizens? How do the descendants of the more than 2,000 allied civilians who were imprisoned in the infamous …

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The compassion crisis in U.S. health care

Physician
April 25, 2024

No, I am not suggesting a new medical diagnosis, but I am merely pointing out a society-wide ailment in our U.S. culture. In support of my contention, I point to Compassionomics, the superb 2019 book by Drs. Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli. In their compelling science-based presentation, the authors state, “Specifically, the hypothesis is that providing health care in a compassionate manner is more …

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Navigating COVID: a journey from academic intensity to healing

Conditions
April 25, 2024

Springtime. Blooming trees. Green grass. Cool winds. Sunny skies. COVID.

That is where my mind wanders every year since 2020, when the season turns. I flash back to the drive between the hospital and my home. Every evening after fighting a losing battle at an academic institution hell-bent on ignoring and downplaying the horror that was about to breach our borders. I was a fighter then — maybe more in that …

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A tribute to primary care [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 24, 2024
YouTube video

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Join family medicine physician Eleanor Bueno as she expresses heartfelt gratitude to a cherished primary care colleague and friend. Eleanor’s letter poignantly reminds us of the profound connections forged in primary care. From …

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Unworthiness nearly killed me

Physician
April 24, 2024

In 2016, I sat on a hospital bed in Utah, having flown from North Carolina for specialized medical treatment as my life was slowly slipping away from starvation.

During this time, I was in the Air Force and an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident completing the medical school portion of my training, which I loved. On paper, I had made it. I was finally living the dream I had crafted for …

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Navigating family skepticism: a physician’s dilemma

Physician
April 24, 2024

As I stepped into the hospital waiting room, the anxious eyes of family members greeted me, their worry palpable as they awaited news about their ailing patriarch. Quickly, I introduced myself and delved into the heart of the matter.

“I wanted to talk to you about your father’s condition. It’s not easy news, but I need to be honest with you. Despite our efforts, your father’s brain suffered irreparable damage during …

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Biotechnology and biological warfare [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 23, 2024
YouTube video

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We welcome Ketan Desai, a physician executive, as we’ll delve into the fascinating and concerning realm of biological warfare and bioterrorism. Join us as we explore historical instances of biological weapons, the implications …

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Doctors beware: Your credentials could land you in prison

Physician
April 23, 2024

I hate to say that we should follow the Fox Mulder School of Paranoia on this one, but the evidence is clear. You can go to prison for what others do with your credentials. Being a doctor comes with incredible privileges, or at least it used to. Now, with the corporate takeover of medical care, we get to work ourselves to death and be hung out to dry if someone’s …

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Fulfilling fatherhood and a thriving medical practice: my story

Physician
April 23, 2024

I started having children towards the end of my medical school. By the time I became a resident, I already had two young boys. My wife was also a pathology resident at that time. We worked hard and were fortunate to have parents who helped us occasionally. However, we still missed out on a lot when my family relocated to Florida; my sons began their first years in school while …

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Non-opioid post-op pain relief [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 22, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us as we sit down with Amy Baxter, a clinical associate professor of emergency medicine, to explore how societal factors, deceptive marketing, and profit-driven health care systems have contributed to the opioid …

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I had a (incorrect) memory screening. Have you even had one?

Conditions
April 22, 2024

Although it’s hard for me to comprehend and even harder to admit, I’m “of age” to be on Medicare. Recently, I visited my primary care physician (PCP) for a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, a one-hour appointment that requires the inclusion of a cognitive screening—whether or not the patient or clinician suspects a decline in memory, judgment, or other brain functions.

The myriad brief screening tools, consisting of various questions and tasks, …

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Why doctors should embrace uncertainty for better patient outcomes

Physician
April 22, 2024

Recently, I met a coaching client for her second session. As we greeted each other, it was immediately apparent that her energy and mood had shifted from the first session. She seemed lighter, her shoulders were higher, and her posture was straighter. There were smiles instead of tears.

In the initial session, we discussed pressures and expectations. It became clear that these were largely internally generated. Like many doctors, this person …

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Medicine’s struggle for inclusivity

Physician
April 22, 2024

Medicine, with its somewhat tarred history in the matter, has woken to the cause of inclusivity. Not too long ago, in the early twentieth century, the American Medical Association (AMA) orchestrated reforms requiring immigrant European doctors to pass rigorous qualification exams, which most American doctors themselves were highly unlikely to clear. Rather than concern about standards, it was largely cynical turf protection to squeeze out better-trained doctors the patients were …

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Addiction treatment, legal troubles, and the role of the DEA [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 21, 2024
YouTube video

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Joining A.J. Reid Finlayson, a psychiatrist, Jeffrey A. Singer, a general surgeon, and Peter R. Martin, also a psychiatrist. We’ll be discussing the case of Dr. Ralph Thomas Reach, an addiction medicine physician …

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Embracing vulnerability: a doctor’s journey of healing and connection

Conditions
April 21, 2024

One doctor I’ve worked with had gotten caught up in the idea of being a doctor. She realized, during her training with us, that she had stopped looking her patients in the eye. In fact, she had stopped making eye contact with her patients when she was in residency. She had to tell these two parents that their baby had died in the womb, and she did not know how …

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Breaking free from denial: Embracing the truth

Conditions
April 21, 2024

I understand it well. You persuade yourself that everything is fine. And then you persuade others that your marriage is perfect.

You’re facing a terminal illness, but you’re the exception because it surely can’t happen to you.

You’re in poor health with unexplained aches and pains, but you avoid visiting your doctors, instead praying to Jesus to alleviate your pain. To heal you of whatever it might be.

Denial. I was a workhorse. …

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Sham peer reviews [PODCAST]

Podcast
April 20, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Aysun Alagoz, an associate chief medical officer, to unravel the chilling reality of the medical peer review process. In a candid discussion, Aysun shares her firsthand experience of facing unjust disciplinary actions, …

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