Author's posts
Health tech and the Hippocratic Oath
Health care technology is an exciting, burgeoning industry with plenty of potential for making the world a better place. Numerous health tech startups are on a mission to revolutionize health care, whether that’s through conducting groundbreaking…
Roundsmanship: the skill you didn’t know you needed
“What’s the most common missed fracture?” my supervising PA asked during my clinical rotation in the emergency department. “The second one,” I answered confidently. It was the right answer, and I surprised him by knowing i…
How physicians become medical narcissists
It is no secret that health care providers shoulder a lot of responsibility. As a whole, they take this on with both competence and kindness. Sacrificially, they go above and beyond in order to provide patients with the highest of quality care. They ju…
Paltering: When the truth is used to deceive
One evening in the clinic’s bullpen provider office, a colleague of mine wondered aloud how to respond to a difficult question a patient asked via patient portal message. A physician within earshot responded, “Just because someone asks you a question d…
The breakthroughs and failures of medicine
There is a pervasive tendency to turn to medicine looking for magic. Patients and health care professionals alike generally expect medicine to be able to cure diseases, alleviate symptoms, and relieve suffering. Historically, medicine has met and excee…
How rocks and crystals can be more nourishing than we know
When I was a kid, one of my favorite hobbies was adding to my rock collection. In the summer, I went on road trips with my family to explore the national parks, and at every gift shop, I always gravitated towards the bin of tumbled stones. To me, this …
Be mindful of the language we use in medicine
At LGBTQ health conferences, I am always impressed by how much care and consideration is given to providing a safer space for all who are present. For example, the check-in process typically involves a volunteer asking the attendee whether or not they …
Hope is essential in every field of medicine
A man in his fifties is wheeled into the emergency department on a gurney hoping he’ll still be around to cheer from the sidelines at his daughter’s next soccer game. A little girl on the pediatric floor upstairs simply hopes her tummy stops hurting. A…
What do the Challenger disaster and medicine have in common?
On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger disintegrated shortly after liftoff, resulting in the death of the entire seven-person crew. The subsequent investigation revealed that a joint in the right solid rocket booster failed during liftoff, w…
Have bad news for your patients? Mind your metaphors.
First, the cancer diagnosis. Then, the barrage of trite encouragements: You can beat this! Don’t give up. Keep fighting! It’s not only friends and family members who utter these clichés — usually at a loss of what else to say. Health care providers als…
