I go on because I must: for my patients and for my children

I stare at the sharply rising line in front of me, its stark outline harshly highlighting the data–data that shows that we are in the midst of yet another surge. That graph haunts me, intruding upon my thoughts, hovering at the edges of my life. I hold my breath, not knowing when this sly encroacher Read more… I go on because I must: for my patients...

47m

Breaking down the real cost of the opioid epidemic

I have been writing of late about recent developments in the opioid saga. My first piece talked about a fresh decision in California’s seven-year-old The People vs. opioid pharma case. The next one focused on how the middle-man, distributors, contributed to the epidemic’s picture. Now, I wanted to write an overarching piece hitting some astounding Read...

2h

Words often spoken, but go unheard

I want to scream out loud: “Wake up people, we’re circling the drain!” Does anyone notice the state of our country, the state of the world that we are living in? The world is torn apart by something we cannot even see. Millions of lives have been lost; others who survive the COVID attack are Read more… Words often spoken, but go unheard originally...

4h

What I learned about medicine in the House of Pain [PODCAST]

“Guiding kindly illustrates mentorship, whether it be in the dojo or in an academic medical setting. Regardless of one’s stage in medical training, certain errors in patient management will be made … this is part of the learning process. It is the role of the mentor (i.e., attending physician to resident, resident to medical student, Read more… What...

16h

COVID vaccination: If not for yourself, then for the rest of us

“It’s my right not to be vaccinated. It’s my body.” So goes the argument for the COVID anti-vaxxers, emphasizing personal freedom taking precedence over everything else. Unfortunately, and perhaps unfairly, we health care providers do not have that same freedom; our profession requires us to perform our duties despite the risks to us. We place Read...

20h

How to combat imposter syndrome in medical school

When I was about to take my first quiz in medical school, I was convinced I would fail while everyone else felt prepared and would score perfectly. While I floundered to believe in my mastery of the material, my peers had seemed confident and secure. This couldn’t be farther from the truth: I was indeed Read more… How to combat imposter syndrome in...

1d

Can patients just say no to treatment?

When can a patient say “yes” or “no” to a recommended colonoscopy? A blood transfusion? A COVID vaccine? As 2022 opens, health officials predict a tsunami of new coronavirus cases worldwide due to the Omicron and Delta variants. For more than a year, official messaging has been that vaccination is the way out of the Read more… Can patients just say...

1d

A message to physician job recruiters: First impressions count

More than half of all physicians in the United States are employed by health care organizations, and the numbers have been trending upward since 2019. Recruiters who work for health systems are tasked with finding the best physicians available, and their roles have become more important than ever. In-house job recruiters, and recruiters contracted with...

1d

Culinary medicine and why clinicians should garden [PODCAST]

“For too long have gardeners allowed our food supply to be dependent on mysterious logistics. We have criminally allowed our own food growing capacity to be displaced. Growing something you eat and trading with people who grow what you don’t are ways to be less reliant on Big Food and its failed connections and also Read more… Culinary medicine and...

1d

It’s time to rethink board recertification

Doctors are reporting an alarming rate of dissatisfaction and burnout, with some leaving the practice of medicine altogether. Administrators and insurance companies are often blamed; however, our own professional organizations impose a significant portion of the problem. Several years ago, Danielle Ofri wrote an op-ed in the New York Times about how...

1d