It’s become a common practice in oncology institutions across North America: A patient completes their prescribed course of treatment and they ring a bell. Usually, it’s a large bell, like one that used to be rung in schools signaling the end of …
Category: Conditions
MKSAP: 69-year-old man with chest pressure and dyspnea
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 69-year-old man is evaluated during a follow-up visit. He initially presented with a 3-month history of chest pressure and dyspnea that occ…
The end of a life never just impacts the individual who died
To my knowledge, three people who were under my care killed themselves. The first was a young man — late 20s, maybe? — who I met while I was a psychiatry intern. He was hospitalized in the psychiatric unit where I had just started my rotati…
Pulmonary embolism: the killer clot in your veins
We had just exchanged “I love yous” about 15 minutes before the intercom blared: “Code blue.” Just like that, my sister was gone — all from what seemed like a simple knee surgery. Simple in the fact that the type of surgery my s…
How climate change affects your skin
Global climate change is reaching a critical mass. Since the advent of the industrial revolution, we have seen the global mean temperatures increase by 1°C (1.8°F), and significant steps must be taken by 2030 to mitigate an even larger global temperatu…
Concussion treatment centers: 5 red flags to watch for
The incidence of brain trauma has been rising in recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency department visits related to traumatic brain injury (TBI) increased by 53 percent in the U.S. from 2006 to 2014….
How to have an exciting death: 5 tips from a palliative care physician
We’re all gonna die. It’s a simple truth that an astounding number of people neglect to acknowledge or accept. Some people die sudden, unexpected deaths, but most eventually fall victim to chronic or terminal conditions like COPD, heart fai…
The history of viewing bones through telescopes
It is probable that primitive man’s curiosity markedly increased soon after he stood up and started walking on just his feet. He could both peek into caves and drop back onto all fours to peer down badger holes. Looking into his family’s mouths a…
Remembering a physician, suddenly taken away
Our 20-bed ICU finally captured 10 intensivists — all board-certified in critical care medicine. We were fortunate enough to have one of these doctors in our ICU 24-7. Of course, they all practiced professionally with expertise. But I remembered this o…
What should a cure for cancer look like?
Words have meaning. And when it comes to cancer, especially advanced cancer, there aren’t many words that have more meaning than the word “cure.” It is that very word and concept that is top of mind for some of us these days. We clinicians are guilty a…
