Videos

July 28, 2022

What needs to change in medicine for it to be sustainable?

"A prospect seeking a career in medicine must start with their own awareness of boundaries and perfectionism before entering the field. This inner work must be indoctrinated in schools and encouraged through residencies and mentorships. Furthermore, administration must model this and valued it as highly as continuing education, credentialing, and…

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July 27, 2022

What a good death looked like

"He needed to be taken to the hospital to be pronounced, and he was put on a gurney. One frequently mouthed wish was to be taken from his home feet first. I stood beside him as he was placed in the ambulance. His soft, sweet smile told me everything I…

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July 25, 2022

Allow yourself the space you need to heal

"As doctors, we are called to heal. We are called to serve. It’s in us. Our ability to heal and serve others does not have to be limited to the hospital and clinic walls. I want all our brilliant doctor minds to be part of the solution to the growing…

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July 24, 2022

We are humans first and gifted healers second

"If I knew back in training and practice what I know now, I would have looked for the support and mentoring that would have helped me to forge a path in clinical medicine. But I saw help as an admission of weakness. I felt too much shame and guilt to…

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July 23, 2022

Stop financially handicapping non-citizen physicians

"I acknowledge that as a physician, I am overall financially secure. However, after jumping over multiple extra hurdles to prove myself throughout my medical career, I couldn’t help but feel I have been handicapped financially compared to my non-immigrant colleagues. While others are being celebrated for bridging the healthcare gap…

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July 22, 2022

Guns and public health advocacy

"Nineteen children were killed in a mass shooting in Texas. I have barely escaped the pandemonium of the pediatric emergency department to scarf down a bowl of pasta when I hear the announcement on the breakroom TV. My stomach drops. Again? How is it possible? I step back into the…

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July 21, 2022

Patient platforms should be intuitive in design and execution

"Communication is both the sending and receiving of information. Data is as difficult to receive and act upon as the ingredients of a meal because much work is left to be done. Information is palatable, actionable, and leads to measurable results in the short and long term. Patient platforms ought…

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July 20, 2022

Fibromyalgia is not a trash can diagnosis

"How would you like to see your career slip away from you as you gradually become less and less able to sleep, to rest, to feel awake, to feel like your memory is failing you, to be taking pills every night on call because your legs ache so badly, to…

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July 19, 2022

Don’t give up on intermittent fasting just yet

"So don’t give up your eating window just yet! The good question I am hoping researchers will answer next: who loses the most weight? Is it the human who eats three meals and no snacks that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats, or the human who eats two or three…

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July 18, 2022

A bullied medical assistant's tragic story

"Today, I’d like to tell you the story of one who was exemplary. He was never late to work. He never came in and insisted on finishing his breakfast at his desk before rooming our first patient. He was so personable that they would pour their hearts out to him…

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July 17, 2022

Why a nurse should not go to jail

"From a place of personal accountability and commitment to system improvement, RaDonda Vaught’s conduct in the aftermath of this tragic event has been exemplary. She told what she knew, as soon as she knew it, to any stakeholder, for any purpose in hopes that understanding her actions, state of mind,…

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July 16, 2022

Malpractice may be negative, but its data can generate positive results

"When most health care professionals hear the word 'malpractice,' they want to run the other way. This is understandable—but also a missed opportunity. We can leverage malpractice data to target and drive investment in patient safety efforts. Malpractice data shows us that good communication and teamwork are vital to preventing…

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July 15, 2022

Historical lessons to improve health care today

"Medical advances can often stir up ethical issues, which ripple into two courts: the court of law and the court of public opinion. These news articles described a public relations nightmare brewing at the National Pituitary Agency (NPA), which operated with NIH funding. Founded in 1963, the NPA had been…

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July 14, 2022

Why the new 988 hotline has the potential to transform mental health care

"The federal 988 hotline represents a promising new approach to alleviating the nation's growing mental health crisis, but several key challenges loom that could derail this well-intentioned initiative. One significant information technology challenge the hotline will face involves how to uniformly store and interpret mental health data (more on that…

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July 13, 2022

Using inquiry-based stress reduction to treat medical malpractice stress syndrome

"We are busy people who have had much success; looking at our painful thoughts is not something we have had the need or opportunity to do. We may be a little anxious, neurotic, even, but we are respected, helpful, and successful. We tell ourselves that our anxiety is a small…

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July 12, 2022

How to tackle the physician shortage

"The national physician shortage is an urgent issue that requires immediate attention. Otherwise, the next time you seek medical care, you might be treated by a non-physician for a condition that requires physician attention. This could be expensive and detrimental unless we solve the issue of training and retaining physicians.…

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July 11, 2022

Not a cancer survivor or previvor, but a cancer preventer

"I know how different my experience is. I am not facing potentially debilitating treatment(s) or the fear of death. Still, I am experiencing a physical transformation, a redefining of my feminine self, yet I do not feel as if I have the 'right' to be scared, saddened or supported. This…

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July 10, 2022

A hospice doctor's advice on financial independence and living a regret-free life

"Unlike my dad, I grew up with very different feelings about my own longevity. I have always believed that I would live to a ripe old age. This belief has colored my approach to career and finances. In many ways, I was able to delay my passions in order to…

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July 9, 2022

An example of medical-legal consulting

"To a reasonable degree of medical probability, it was my opinion that the long hours the client spent typing, in addition to the poor ergonomics of his workstation, contributed to him being pre-disposed to a cervical injury sustained after lifting heavy boxes for several days. I was able to back…

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July 8, 2022

Allow yourself a moment to focus on yourself, not the next patient

"Allow yourself a moment to focus on yourself, not the next patient. Take a drink of cold water, go to the bathroom, and maybe take a lap around the room. Physically relax those tensed muscles. This will allow you to start the journey of healing. Instead of just pushing yourself…

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July 7, 2022

A shortage of geriatric doctors

"Policymakers and educators can introduce incentives and new educational programs to recruit more physicians to fill the care gaps for elderly patients. Perhaps one solution is raising Medicare reimbursements to doctors at the same rate that private insurance pays. Another avenue might be recruiting doctors that are licensed in other…

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July 6, 2022

Regulate your nervous system to improve your physical and emotional well-being

"It makes sense that the body’s reaction to the onslaught of perceived threats would have a detrimental effect on physical and mental well-being. Perceived threats trigger the exact same physiological response as actual threats, activating a fight, flight or freeze reaction. It’s the constant stimulating of these stress responses that…

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July 5, 2022

Be skeptical of certificate of need laws

"Certificate of need (CON) laws purport to lower health care costs, increase patient access and ensure quality by managing the distribution of private resources, but none of these gains has materialized. A joint report from two federal agencies—the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department—finds no…

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July 4, 2022

Open-angle glaucoma: To screen or not to screen?

"My take on the Task Force statement is that clinical judgment should rule as to whether or not screening is indicated for glaucoma. Family history, race, diabetes, and other risk factors should be considered for such screening, especially in the face of potential asymptomatic damage. How often have doctors said,…

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