Medical
Every time you congregate with someone from outside of your home, you are potentially responsible for deaths
My husband and I have always relished being in the thick of it, “in the trenches,” we would say, at our hospital. He is a head and neck cancer surgeon, and I am a pediatric otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist for children). Working at an academic tertiary/quaternary care center in a major city, with…
Read MoreWe need to stop making this public health emergency political
What a bag of mixed emotions these last few months have been in the face of COVID-19. I’ve watched my community doubt the seriousness of COVID as it reached the U.S., been pulled from my clinical rotations and stood in solidarity with other medical students as we brainstorm how to serve our community in this…
Read MoreIt’s time to honor those who died from COVID-19 by sharing their stories
As of this moment, 40,265 Americans have died. They loved their families and friends. They had hopes and dreams. They were moms and dads, daughters and sons, grandmas, and grandpas. They meant something to somebody. Their deaths are barely acknowledged by anyone. They exist as statistics. This is a frightening time we live in. We…
Read MoreNo room to exercise? Tiny space workouts have never been more important
For many of us, the loss of our fitness routines — the social aspects of a regular exercise class, scheduled walks with friends — is one of the stresses imposed by COVID-19 restrictions. Yet maintaining, or possibly increasing, your physical activity level seems even more important than usual in the face of this new coronavirus.…
Read MoreIf we return to normal in medicine, have we lost the lesson of the pandemic?
My energy has been bottled up. It’s not just over the past few weeks during this pandemic. My energy has been bottled up and backlogged in some areas of my life for decades. The recent turn of life events has just made it even more glaring and evident to me. It forced me and demanded…
Read MoreHero or victim? My mother, the anesthesiologist.
My mother gave years of her life to service in this hospital. I was born in this hospital. I volunteered here for years before I started my residency in this hospital. I grew up before the very eyes of this hospital. I owe my life to this hospital, but I don’t owe my death to…
Read MorePhysicians just want respect in the time of COVID-19
After speaking, working, and coaching with hundreds of physician moms, guess what their #1 request at work is. Guess. A pay raise? More vacation time? Adequate maternity leave? Any maternity leave? Hint: Now, for the first time in my many decades as a physician, I am hearing the same request from white male physicians who…
Read MoreHow small acts of kindness can inspire others during the pandemic
When the pandemic hit New York, I was lucky to have enough PPE to prepare myself, and my staff, for what was to come. After the 2014 Ebola scare, I stocked up on N95 masks, gowns, gloves, and face shields; I knew that should anything with even the slightest semblance to that crisis occur once…
Read MoreHow can you support your teenager with autism spectrum disorder if they are depressed?
As every parent knows, teenage life is full of challenges, from stress over academics to social relationships and physical changes due to puberty. This stage of life can be particularly challenging for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A recent study found that teenagers and young adults with ASD are nearly three times more likely…
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