Episodes

Aug. 7, 2020

COVID's impact on the Hispanic community

"All of our patients, but especially our most vulnerable Spanish-speaking patients, need to hear concrete, meaningful, and practical instructions on how to care for each other when they live in large multi-generational families, and positive stories...

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Aug. 6, 2020

A COVID-19 conversation with 2 cardiologists

"Trainees like myself travel great distances from home in pursuit of higher edification. Yet the coronavirus makes us worry about the aged family we leave behind – parents and grandparents. A WhatsApp message ensuring they’ve stocked up on...

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Aug. 5, 2020

How medical students can contribute during the pandemic

"We do not have to continue to blame external forces for the stresses upon us now. By organizing, mobilizing, and finding solutions to the problems facing us and our adopted community today, we can meet the current challenge to be …

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Aug. 4, 2020

It is not OK for physicians' anxieties to harm their patients

"It is OK to be scared, but it is not OK to let our own anxieties harm our patients. As we tackle the numerous crises created by the COVID-19 pandemic, let’s acknowledge our fear and draw on the logic and …

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Aug. 3, 2020

Doctors shouldn’t feel ashamed for wanting to protect themselves or t…

"Although I personally hope to continue to be at or near the frontlines, I understand those that are in a compromised position, and they shouldn’t feel ashamed for wanting to protect themselves or their family. There is no portion of …

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Aug. 2, 2020

Patient no-shows often have complicated reasons behind them

"I typed up a brief response to the no show memo, hit reply, and then deleted the original message. It’s not that I am a fan of wasting time and resources, but for now, I have a general personal policy …

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Aug. 1, 2020

Practice empathy and compassion for the critically ill and dying

"It seems as though the looming reality for many of us is that we will have patients who need ventilators, and none will be available. It seems like we might benefit from remembering that we can still succeed in practicing …

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July 31, 2020

If you want to be a physician-inventor, here's what you should know

"If you have an employment agreement with a provision on intellectual property, have it reviewed by an attorney before you begin applying for patents. A good attorney should be able to give you some clarity. Suppose, however, that your employment...

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July 30, 2020

Pain management's painfully fine line

"I find that managing chronic pain can be a bit of a dance between myself and the patient. Sometimes a little bit of a compromise. I always tell my patients that pain is subjective but many things can contribute to …

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July 29, 2020

A physician embraces the power of the word, "and"

"I struggle for words to describe life in the season of COVID-19. Depending on the day, I need at least a few adjectives: 'peculiar,' 'fine, all things considered,' 'terrifying.' 'Joyous' and 'anxious' certainly make odd bedfellows in my brain. As …

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July 28, 2020

How physicians can share health information and manage dissent online

"In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am both hopeful and inspired as well as disappointed. I see those angry that their ideas or opinions conflict with science. Instead of the steady path and hard work of building bridges, …

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July 27, 2020

What physicians today can learn from the history of surgery

"Billroth spent long hours dissecting cadavers and planning on surgical interventions. He was able to pioneer abdominal surgery with careful preparation and strict adherence to meticulous antiseptic technique. Animal experimentation and...

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July 26, 2020

Physicians and the psychological trauma of COVID-19

"As COVID-19 devastates America and the world, I hope that fundamental change to our health care system results from its horrific exposé. Without COVID-19, the pressures placed on physicians are already immense. In the age of COVID-19, these...

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July 25, 2020

Social isolation in the elderly

"COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the nation, leading to the implementation of stringent social distancing guidelines by local and regional authorities. In a desperate effort to limit infection rates, in-person social interactions have been reduced,...

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July 24, 2020

Why storytelling and writing are so important in medicine

"They needed the final story to let go of her body, yet retain her spirit. Looking back on it, that’s when I saw the greatest honor of all — the everyday honor of storytelling for our patients. Maybe that’s the …

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July 23, 2020

Tips for applying to medical school in a pandemic

"If you are finding yourself with trouble studying or focusing due to the state of the world, or due to changing circumstances in your own household, remember that a delay in this test or in any part of your application …

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July 22, 2020

Meet the physician who left concierge medicine

"Much is written about the advantages for primary care physicians and patients of working within a retainer model, direct primary care, concierge-type care model. Little is written about the downside or disadvantages. It is time to shine a light on...

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July 21, 2020

Obesity and the diet-microbiome connection: a conversation with a gas…

What should patients know about diet and its effects on the microbiome? How should primary care clinicians address diet and its effects on the microbiome? What are your tips to address obesity? What are the gastroenterological manifestations of...

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July 20, 2020

A physician’s struggle with mental illness

"Was I that different? I had severe anxiety necessitating medication, compounded by stress, my own narcissistic tendencies, and a series of life choices—but Jason had something much worse. It all gave me pause. I was now twenty-four, just barely...

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July 19, 2020

How this physician discovered the power of mindfulness

"Could COVID-19 be an opportunity that brings the plight of health care professionals finally to the forefront? Protect us so we can protect you. Do your part and stay home. Flatten the curve to give health care professionals a...

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July 18, 2020

How hospitals allocate scarce resources

"We are grateful to be avoiding the need to use draconian measures for resource allocation. We have been afforded the blessing of lead-time here in Los Angeles and have the chance to learn from other parts of the world, as …

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July 17, 2020

Infection control lessons that we have learned so far

"We are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s already very clear that the infection prevention community in the U.S. has never faced such an enormous challenge. We have learned many things that will make us better prepared …

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July 16, 2020

Essential physician speaking tips and the power of story

"People remember stories in your speech. The rest fades away. I learned that pearl of wisdom from studying great literature and telling personal stories, and now teach it to students of speech. Who can forget the stories of The Iliad …

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July 15, 2020

How to handle family and parenting stress as a physician

"Being a parent in the middle of a pandemic is not easy. Sheltering in place with canceled daycare, school, and college, while also being a doctor or other healthcare worker, working in high-risk, high-intensity situations, presents many challenges....

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