Episodes

"We eventually got the news that Dr. Rathburn had hung himself from one of those beautiful trees that the wind made dance. How sad. It adds to my own grief. Who had found him? How did he look? Babies born with a nuchal cord have the cord wrapped...

"Why else should a person become a doctor? Because there is always something to learn. Because holding someone’s hand when they’re scared is a profound gift that feels as good to give as it does to receive. Because your job will call on you to be...

"I firmly believe that if physicians leveraged themselves and their knowledge of medicine, there would be no need to for them to undertake ventures in the fields that they know little about. The old adage goes like this: Physician, heal thyself. I...

"The hospital systems ignored us by putting us lowest on the totem pole for the COVID vaccine.  The pharmaceutical companies overlooked the strains on us and increased our vaccine prices.  The medical supply companies took advantage of us by...

"As members of the health care workforce, we must recognize the crucial role we play in influencing vaccine uptake. With the death toll over rising in the U.S., the stakes could not be higher as the final death count will hinge on how quickly we can...

"Dr. Good’s willing intervention and active interest in my development kept me in medical school and led me to become an academic anesthesiologist. When his career took a turn toward administration, his mentor, Dr. J. S. Gravenstein, took over. He...

"I realized that training in psychiatry would give me the opportunity to understand suicide far better, and hopefully allow me to make a difference at an earlier stage. My exposure to psychiatry in medical school was clearly not enough. I was...

"Medical professionals face uniquely challenging pressures. Our work itself is extremely demanding, and always has high stakes for those we care for. External circumstances that impact our work carry uncertainties that add more stress. Constantly...

"I hope being a parent will now equip me to be a better pediatrician. I hope I can teach them whatever I know about safe sleeping, breastfeeding, and newborn care, but I also hope to acknowledge the reality and struggles of parenting. I hope my...

"As I approached retirement from medical practice, I had an epiphany to take up writing and attended the Harvard CME course on Writing, Publishing, and Social Media for Healthcare Professionals. I met some extraordinary people working in the health...

"As if COVID-19 weren’t bad enough during the pandemic, another public health crisis – substance use disorder (SUD) – has gone from bad to worse, while access to behavioral health services is shrinking. As of September,  of community...

"With my natural affinity for numbers, I analyzed the reviews’ precise impact after a few years, and the results were astounding.  The system generated over $225,000 during a 3-year period.  My practice acquired 162 new 5-star reviews on...

"You’re a clinician. You had a patient die under your care, and now your hospital is being sued. You are not named in the lawsuit, but you are being asked to give a deposition. How much of your time is this going to take? If some lawyer sends you...

"If you are happy with where you are in the current system – that is wonderful, continue what you are doing. However, if you are feeling trapped, frustrated, or like the work you are doing is no longer meaningful, then there are plenty of...

"When faced with an existential crisis, any organization, as large as a nation or as small as a marriage, will go one of two ways. Either it will bond together, coalesced in a common purpose, or it will collapse in a spasm of blame and shame. While...

"Coffee in hand, I decided to try and collect my thoughts. I realized that a large portion of the literature we grew up reading has in many ways tried to implant this subconscious bias that contributes to gender disparities and these ideas about women...

"When a patient is dissatisfied with his or her care, he or she can consult an attorney, who will enlist a physician 'expert' to determine if a doctor has deviated from the standard of care and whether that deviation caused a negative outcome. Over...

"The corporatization of medicine has destroyed primary care as a specialty. The primary care physician is supposed to be your go-to doctor, your advocate, the coordinator of your health care. Now that corporations buy out hospitals and private...

"For physicians who lack experience in end-of-life counseling, the process can be daunting at the beginning. However, they can be confident that once they have obtained the proper training, preparation, and experience, these conversations will be...

"Nowadays, I go on long walks through the city alone. I make dinner for one. When I go on bike rides, it’s a solo activity. I find comfort in myself, slowing down and making every small occasion a simple, peaceful one. I have a stronger sense of...

"Every professional I have done the exercise with admitted that their ideal patient was inspired by someone they were close to in their personal life. It was usually a family member, a best friend, or themselves. The ones who carry the most unbearable...

"The science of complexity lays a conceptual foundation for understanding “complex adaptive systems.” What all complex adaptive systems have in common is that they are all bound by the same set of physical laws. Their “behavior,” i.e., growth,...

"As health professionals, we have the platform to enact change within our own institutions, as well as local and federal governments. We must elect leaders and officials who spearhead climate action. We must reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare....

"Instead of focusing on one organ system, I want to know everything. The diagnostic challenge is to discern patterns of insults, symptoms, and lab tests that correlate with specific microbes, specific organ dysfunction, specific diet issues, and...