Author's posts
Gil Scott-Heron’s “Winter in America” is upon us
For me, the cheerful musical sounds of the holiday season invariably give way to a somber song: Gil Scott-Heron’s “Winter in America.” Dubbed the “Godfather of Rap,” Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) embraced diverse musical sty…
The jobs you hold prior to medical school are important, but not for the reason you think
Most experts recommend that premed students seek medically-related jobs to gain early proficiency and support their medical school application. There is nothing like valuable hands-on experience, they say, for students to demonstrate their passion and …
Is it really a woke nightmare for medical schools?
Among the many definitions and meanings of the terms “woke” and “wokeism,” the two that capture the ideology best are contrasting meanings. The definitions are: “The behavior and attitudes of people who are sensitive to so…
PTSD after medical education
Dear Art: On Friday, June 11, 1982, members of the faculty convened to discuss the performance of the psychiatric residents during the last six (6) months. The following is a summation of their comments as they apply to your performance. The faculty…
Political creep: government intrusion in health care
The American Medical Association (AMA) would have you believe that the biggest threat to the medical profession is “scope creep” – the intrusion of advanced practice providers into medical practice. The way I see it, this is no big deal; th…
Medical leaders must show their true colors
Color is often used as a metaphor for personality and emotion. Terms like “red in the face,” “feeling blue,” and “green with envy” are etched in the vernacular. Great leadership requires emotional intelligence, and t…
Mental health is a slippery slope when it comes to physicians’ well-being
I applaud the efforts of several states that have enacted legislation to make it easier for physicians to get mental health treatment without incurring the wrath of physician health programs (PHPs). PHPs, while well-intended, are notoriously disruptive…
Don’t let vindictiveness creep into medicine like it has in politics
The callous and inhumane dislocation of migrants recently perpetrated by governors of the states of Florida and Texas reminded me of an equally disdainful and appalling tactic utilized by health care workers since the 1960s: “Greyhound therapy.&#…
Human touch and scientific veracity are missing in health care technology
Working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has immersed physicians in technology, perhaps accelerating its integration with medical practice – but not necessarily its acceptance or authenticity. I tend to doubt the veracity of much of what I read…
If you don’t practice, don’t move, or you’ll probably lose your license
I left practice 25 years ago when I saw portents of clinical practice as it exists today: impersonal, with electronic records and assembly-line labor heralding the movement to institutional employment over private practice. But it was also my genuine i…
