Nothing about quarantine feels heroic. Nothing about sitting in an empty apartment, checking the Johns Hopkins Covid-19 tracker every 10 minutes, feels like saving the world. Nothing about the paper I’m writing, the pantry you’re stocking, …
Category: Infectious disease
Young physicians belong on the battlefront
In the last month, we have seen surgeons and shrinks alike leave the comfort of their suburban perches in order to fight on the front lines of the coronavirus war in America. While it should be inspiring to watch retired physicians return to the field …
My frontline is the sideline
During a recent Zoom call discussing issues of physician wellness, a common theme emerged among some of our pediatric faculty – a form of imposter syndrome. 7 p.m. cheers in New York City ring out for essential workers and medical staff. Calls,…
The question you will be asked after the pandemic
I am an ICU nurse in Manhattan. I have seen my share of trauma, critical illness, and sorrow. But what is happening in my hospital and hospitals across America is on a scale of the tragedy not even the most seasoned clinician has experienced. My hospit…
The pandemic reinforces the need of listening to patients
Three months ago, none of us thought we would be shifting our practices from office visits and hospital rounds to telemedicine and virtual check-ins. In fact, we would have not only denied it was possible, but touted concern for the decline in patient…
Not all physicians wear a stethoscope, even during a pandemic
I’m a dermatologist, so I’m not on the front lines of this pandemic. And thanks to public health measures, I may never be called to work at coronavirus drive-thru testing sites because we are flattening the curve of infections. Nevertheless…
The burden of essential business: How independent pharmacies are struggling to stay open
My parents’ pharmacy is a low slung, white brick building on the corner of East and Main. The front door is strung with silver bells; a jar of red licorice sits by the cash register; automatic scooters line the front of the shop, gleaming like cars at…
How to cope during COVID-19
Lately, in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve been fielding calls from patients asking for help with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. People are worried about their health, their families, their jobs, and whether society will be able to get b…
Emergency physicians want you to have the talk about end of life care
Currently, over 60,000 people in the United States are projected to die from coronavirus. While this is lower than earlier predictions, it is still an appallingly high number. As two emergency medicine physicians, we have been steeling ourselves for …
Health care workers: What do you need?
What do you need? What do you need right now, and what will you need days, weeks, months from now? Do you need PPE or time off? Do you need hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes? How about testing kits? Swabs? Do you need help keeping your practice aflo…
