Medical
Where’s the literature in guiding house staff work hour maximums?
In 2003, the ACGME first set a national standard for house staff duty hours, limiting maximum shift lengths from unlimited hours to 30 hours (24+6) for all house staff. With continued concerns about medical errors and sleep deprivation safer, standards were updated in 2011 to reduce maximum shift lengths to 20 hours (16+4) for the…
Read MoreCannabinoids are medicine, but patients aren’t getting the care they need
It’s Wednesday at 3:27 p.m. I was just in the kitchen cutting potatoes for a belated birthday dinner which, ironically, will be happening very early this evening. I noticed a missed text on my phone and decided to call back, as was requested. It was from a member of “a network of licensed physicians” as…
Read MoreCould what we eat improve our sleep?
We think of eating a nutritious diet and exercising as healthy behaviors, but sleep is one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Why is this? Sleep sets the stage for our days. If we experience sound sleep for seven to eight hours, we arise energized in the morning. Diet, exercise, and sleep work synergistically,…
Read MoreMedicine’s contribution to my family
When my medical career was in its infancy, providing for my family after divorce meant moonlighting in addition to working full-time hours. Although it was my decision, I was torn between my children and my work. Time in the hospital meant missing out on watching them grow, change, and develop their own little personalities. Although…
Read MoreProtect the women who protect us
On a typical pandemic Thursday night, I found myself scrolling through TikTok. This has turned into the guilty pleasure of my life. Sometimes you need something to do that will make you forget about your own problems and work. On this particular day, I came across a young woman talking about her experience in the…
Read MoreSexual harassment in medicine [PODCAST]
“I would encourage you to see amazing women on social media for who they are in the future. Maybe figure out where they have been and what they are working toward. Maybe even figure out how ways to help each other solve the problems this country faces. Instead of looking at someone’s appearance, listen to…
Read MoreWe cannot let pressure dehumanize us
Every society has its shadow. And I am not talking about the sewers of the state, which also belong to it. I am talking about suffering, illness, social inequalities, poverty, and loneliness, among other things. To lessen the burden of the shadow, various mechanisms are created: social assistance, health care, unemployment insurance, and other aids…
Read MoreYou competed your rank order list. Celebrate the moment.
I certified my rank order list (ROL), but … What if I messed up? What if I don’t match? What if my list doesn’t get processed? What if I should have ranked programs in a different order? What if, what if, what if … These thoughts, and their associated feelings, are 100 percent normal. Please…
Read MorePediatric patients need appropriate pain management after surgery
Fear of opioid addiction and misuse has been instilled into the American public – in many cases rightfully so. However, we are concerned that new guidelines for opioid prescribing in children and adolescents after surgery recently published in JAMA Surgery do not adequately address the intricacies of pediatric pain management. Generalization of these recommendations may unnecessarily scare…
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