As a child, I was an introvert. Due to various circumstances, I didn’t have the opportunity to play any sports. On many days, I see young children playing football or cricket in the large cricket park in front of my home. Various trainers from di…
Category: Oncology/Hematology
A female doctor’s day: exhaustion, sacrifice, and a single moment of joy
When I was unemployed, I applied for countless positions. For months, I have been waiting for a call letter regarding a test or an interview. Now that I have accepted a job at a hospital located far away, I receive call letters in the mail almost every…
What prostate cancer taught this physician about being a patient
I recently wrote about my experience of becoming a patient and how that change in role transformed my perspective as a doctor. But, in that article, I did not share that the reason I had become a patient was that I was undergoing a biopsy for potential…
Precision and personalization: Charting the future of cancer care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Hematology-oncology physician Yousuf Zafar discusses his article, “The personalization of cancer care in 2025.” He traces the evolution of cancer treatment ove…
How one simple breakfast question can transform patient care
“What did you have for breakfast today?” This phrase is a crucial part of my morning rounds. While interacting with the patient, the greeting is very important. I believe doctors who approach the bedside without introducing themselves and w…
A doctor’s emotional struggle with a young leukemia patient
I am currently working as a senior registrar in the oncology unit of a trust hospital. We admit both oncology and hematology patients in the same ward, meaning we care for patients with solid tumors as well as those with blood cancers. Our hospital has…
When a friend’s mother became my patient and changed my life
One of my friends from school studied with me in 9th grade. She was exceptionally pretty, the kind of beauty that stood out. She was the only daughter and had a younger brother. She got married at a relatively young age and had one son. After her marri…
Functional precision oncology: a game changer in cancer therapy
Functional precision oncology is taking precision medicine to the next level. It is changing the way we fight cancer by testing a patient’s live tumor outside the body to determine the treatments most likely to work. This approach promises to dou…
Why prescribing medicine to kids scares even experienced doctors
I absolutely hate prescribing medication to children. I am quite worried when someone asks for my opinion on a sick child. I have some experience treating children during my internship and residency, yet I am pretty uncomfortable. However, living in a …
Breast cancer was never supposed to be part of my story
She was pale, underweight, fifty years old and scared. Mrs. G was a breast cancer patient on the oncology unit whom I met by chance, as she appeared on my patient census list that morning. As I walked into her room, I noticed the fragrant flowers, the …
