Medical
The tension between intense commitment and physical, emotional, and interpersonal well-being
Around Thanksgiving, the ceiling light that illuminates most of my apartment burned out. I still haven’t replaced it. Instead, I use the flashlight app on my phone to get dressed every morning; and I’m constantly tripping over my shoes, backpack, and other miscellaneous, floor-dwelling items whenever I’m home. All in all, it’s not a particularly…
Read MoreIn the age of misinformation, here’s how physicians can help [PODCAST]
“There are two battles waging from the COVID-19 virus this year: the obvious fight for human life but also the attack on science. During philosophical and political debates, one steadfast weapon has been the scientific method. Opinion doesn’t matter. State the facts. The thing about facts are, though, that one has to be willing to…
Read MoreWe can’t expect large medical centers to absorb every case
My small community ED has a fairly high acuity. As such, I was recently trying to transfer a couple of patients, one of whom was an NSTEMI, pain-free but with a rising troponin. In the process of trying to arrange things, I learned that our main regional referral center was holding a staggering 150 patients…
Read MoreA silent cry from the woman in the elevator
“How long have you been married?” The question came from a young woman kneeling down by the elevator in the hotel where my wife and I were staying while in Seattle. We were there to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary with an Alaskan cruise. I hadn’t even noticed her as my wife and I were busy…
Read MoreI never expected death to be so blunt
Starting medical school, I knew I would see people on both the best and worst days of their lives. I would witness births and deaths and come out on the other side as a skilled professional. However, I never expected death to be so blunt. On my first day in our student clinic, we saw…
Read MoreCough and cold season is arriving: Choose medicines safely
With the summer winding down and fall moving in, colder weather will arrive soon — along with cold and flu season. Millions of Americans get the common cold each year, often more than once. To counter coughs and runny noses, many will turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medications available for relief without a prescription. Heading to…
Read MoreA letter to my wife during COVID
COVID has made a home on my computer’s desktop. Every morning, there is a repetitive chirping with headlines that describe the vaccine trials and testing. My second reminder is more personal – a file titled, “Dear Kimmy …,” locked in the center of my screen. I’ll explain: It’s 7:30 p.m. I’m the resident on call…
Read MoreThe medical profession is not as pure as it should be
We’ve all heard about the blue wall of silence that describes a belief that law enforcement personnel will refrain from reporting misconduct of their colleagues to the proper authorities. Physicians had similarly been accused of hiding behind a white coat wall of silence, as I have written previously. This describes the belief that physicians do…
Read MoreMeet the physician who became a life coach [PODCAST]
“For the past six months, I’ve spent my free time becoming a certified life coach. I’m a hospitalist, but a little more than a year ago, I was introduced to life coaching. I love the changes it has produced in my life – particularly how it’s changed me as a mother. Coaching helps me to…
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