“Even a room with flammable gas will not explode unless someone strikes a match.” – Dr. Bob Wachter Case 1: On March 27, 1977, two 747s collided on the runway at Tenerife in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people. On a foggy morning, the KL…
Category: Conditions
“Eat less and move more” is not the solution: What I wish my thin colleagues understood about obesity
I have been overweight or obese since I hit puberty. I have gained and lost the same 60 pounds half a dozen times in my adult life. I’ve never been one to try a fad diet – I research the data and follow a scientifically sound plan. I understand t…
Navigating gender identity confusion in a high-stress environment
As nurses in behavioral health, we were not well-versed in the field. After 33 years in ICU nursing, I left the unit expecting behavioral health to be an easier transition. However, the comparison between the two was like comparing apples to oranges. T…
Uncovering the overwhelming impact of the advanced maternal age patient on nursing
Imagine you have a busy full-time job. You get married at age 31. You and your new partner travel to Italy, Ireland, and Hawaii before settling with the kids. You both make pretty good money, so you buy a house. Of course, it needs furniture. And you h…
A human’s a human, no matter how small
Theodore Geisel, known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, wrote hundreds of children’s stories that continue to shape young children’s development to this day. Dr. Seuss was a lifelong Democrat and favored many of FDR’s New Deal policies. How…
The unpredictable wave: a physician’s journey through seizures
The first seizure I remember was like a wave in the ocean. Over my head, sudden dizziness, ready to go over the crest, then down into the dark. The dark was just not there. Or anywhere. Coming up was like being thrown out into the flotsam and jetsam, n…
Size-inclusive medicine: a response to AAP’s guidelines for the treatment of children and adolescents with obesity
We are a grassroots advocacy organization of medical students across the country, focused on making health care more equitable for patients in larger bodies. We join the physicians, eating disorder professionals, and community members who raise concern…
From suffering to healing: the role of trauma in chronic pain
“Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood and untreated cause of human suffering.” – Peter Levine, PhD, Developer of Somatic Experiencing Therapy One frequent cause of treatment-resistant chronic p…
Educating health care professionals on effective communication in rare disease diagnoses is crucial to improving the rare disease patient narrative
For over 14 years, the last day of February, a month known for its rare number of days, has been recognized by organizations across the globe as Rare Disease Day. With over 300 million patients worldwide impacted by 7,000+ rare diseases, the day serves…
What does it mean when we say someone has died after a long illness?
My personal doctor and two of my cherished mentors died within the past several years, each “after a long illness,” according to their obituaries. Rock legend David Crosby (The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) recently died ̶…
