Medical Archives - Page 78 of 325

Rusty nails and first aid: silver linings of COVID-19

It’s 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning in September of my second year of medical school. My brother, father, and I are chucking the used wood from our construction site into a U-Haul, prepping the wood for its ill fate of an indoor dumpster. Hundreds of miles away, many of my classmates are either still…

Why this plastic surgeon closed his practice to become a high school science teacher

Imagine turning off your pager forever. If you are a solo-practitioner on call 24 hours a day, I suspect this thought has crossed your mind. Coordinating time off for vacation, being constantly interrupted at your children’s recital or athletic event, and even making it home to prepare dinner represent common challenges in this setting. A…

This is what a successful health care system looks like [PODCAST]

“If we are serious about supporting the optimal health and well being of our nations’ patients and physicians, we need to start believing and implementing the science across the public and private sectors. We need to recognize that at its core, the practice of medicine is a human science. We need to allocate and deploy…

Without trust, we face an uphill battle in defeating COVID-19

My annual routine of recommending the flu shot to my patients is now more critical than ever before. But when I asked one of my patients recently about getting the flu shot, she said: “No, not really. I’m worried it will give me the flu and make me sick.” I listened and shared some information…

When your institution has a less than 1% hiring rate for Black residents

The other day I was in the main hallway outside of our radiology reading rooms, which is lined with picture frames of all the residency senior classes dating back to the 1980s. I’m new to the institution, so it was nice to see all the prior residents. I found myself wondering what they were up…

Physicians who work themselves into the ground are nothing to be proud of

There were recently many news articles and coverage exalting a physician for working 250 straight days during COVID. 250 days, that’s nearly 8 1/2 months without a day off. While this physician displays dedication and caring, I don’t think we should celebrate this as an achievement. The truth is he’s working every day all day…

We have been the precious gift of making a difference in the lives of others

“You that seek what life is in death, Now find it air that once was breath, New names unknown, old names gone: Till time end bodies, but souls none. Reader! Then make time, while you be, But steps to your eternity.” – Baron Brooke Fulke Greville, “Caelica 83” I cried Sunday morning as I sat by…

A physician shares stories online and is now a published author

A powerful communications medium, with the chance to get into someone else’s mind and connect through experience. Sometimes the experience is vicarious, because not everyone has lived what the storyteller has. But the storyteller’s words can have a profound effect, and the listener can appreciate what is told within a recognizable context. Shakespeare’s works are…

21 spices for healthy holiday foods

The holiday season is one of the hardest times of the year to resist salty, fatty, sugary foods. Who doesn’t want to enjoy the special dishes and treats that evoke memories and meaning — especially during the pandemic? Physical distancing and canceled gatherings may make you feel that indulging is a way to pull some…