About midway through my pediatric residency program at a well-known children’s hospital on the East Coast in the mid-1990s, I found out what was wrong with me. I told the chief of the pediatric emergency department, a Jewish woman, that I had fin…
Category: Pediatrics
A doctor’s journey in embracing her identity
I am the combination of two very different worlds—my mother is originally from El Salvador and Catholic, and my father is from Pakistan and Muslim. My parents are original trailblazers in my mind, creating a life together despite the unsure gaze of the…
Many kids benefit from GLP-1s. What happens when they have to stop taking them?
At the November 2022 Obesity Week in San Diego, it was clear something big was happening. A late-breaking session released results of the STEP TEENS phase IIIa trial, showing 16 percent weight loss in adolescents with obesity treated with once-weekly s…
The practice of delayed gratification in medical training: a double-edged sword
As I led small group sessions during our medical school’s recent orientation, I was struck by the nervous excitement and hope radiating from our new first-year students. Their enthusiasm was palpable yet tinged with apprehension about the challen…
Your baby is fine; her lips aren’t blue
I remember these words as if it were yesterday. Those memories are etched into my mind forever. I can’t forget them, nor do I want to, because I know that these experiences are not unique to me but happen all too often. When my second child was f…
Battling burnout in pediatric intensive care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We delve into the critical issue of physician burnout with Jillian Bybee, a pediatric intensive care physician. Jillian shares her firsthand experiences from the front lin…
Mediterranean diet boosts teen academic success
In 2024, Chilean scientists reported their findings on interesting research. They investigated the correlation between adolescent academic achievement and eating style. The researchers studied over a thousand kids between the ages of ten and fourteen. …
Prevent youth suicide: essential steps for parents to secure their home
This blog contains information about youth suicide which may be triggering for some readers. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal ideations, please seek attention from your own medical provider, call 988, or text 741741 for guidance and profe…
From Super Bowl to supermarket: How candy ads shape kids’ diets
A gummy candy shimmies on stage, dancing to Flashdance. The music swells; it pulls a chain and is showered in multi-colored candies. The ad, for Nerds Gummy Clusters, was one of dozens of food ads that 123 million people saw during the 2024 Super Bowl….
It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave
“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern. It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in …
