Category: Infectious disease

An open letter to graduating medical students

I see you. Studying. Reading the updated guidelines for patients with COVID-19, reviewing differentials, and management algorithms for common chief complaints during this time of restricted direct patient contact. Embracing online boot camps. Completin…

COVID-19 and the MCAT: What should premedical students do?

As many of the spring MCAT dates have been canceled due to the onset of COVID-19, pre-med students across the country will be faced with daunting decisions on when to test and how to prepare for arguably the most definitive examination of their careers…

The Hippocratic Oath versus my oath as a mother

I recited the Hippocratic Oath many years ago as I donned my new white coat and made a commitment to serve humanity through the practice of medicine.  That zeal to help others continued through a vigorous residency and fellowship.  As life was put on h…

Pandemic lessons: Social justice is not disposable medical school curriculum

With the public health emergency of COVID-19, there has been a renewed call to improve emergency preparedness among physicians. Varied proposals have arisen for how to improve medical education in anticipation of future disasters. While many of these p…

What happens to health care workers after the coronavirus?

Webster’s Dictionary defines trauma as a “disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe emotional stress.” An article in MarketWatch describes the reality of a doctor after being on the frontlines in Wuhan for two month…

What it’s like to be a frontline physician with COVID-19 patient

It was the middle of March when I came back to my work shift. I got the news my floor would be COVID-19 floor that meant all patients coming to the ER with COVID-19 symptoms would be placed solely under my supervision. I was all ready for it — at least…

As resident physicians, now is not the time to be quiet

As resident physicians, now is not the time to be quiet. We must stand up for ourselves in the face of this life-threatening virus. Our health is vital to preserving the standards set before us in providing exceptional medical care to future generation…

The weight of COVID-19

As we face this pandemic head-on, there is another problem we cannot afford to lose sight of, the problem of overweight and obesity. Nearly 70 percent of the people in the USA suffer from either overweight or obesity. The stress this pandemic is puttin…

COVID-19 shows why we need health insurance

“How much will this cost me?” This is the last thing that a patient with COVID-19 should have to think about, but this is a major concern for the at least 27 million Americans facing the pandemic without health insurance. These individuals include cons…

2 mindfulness practices to help cope with COVID-19

Mindfulness can help you not make the stress of COVID-19 worse. I’ll start with the easiest way to practice mindfulness; you need not even be meditating. Stop whatever you’re doing and shift your attention to the physical sensation of three or four bre…