I was recently asked to give a speech to the graduating residents in my department, and while preparing my talk, I reflected upon what I wish I had known when I had first embarked on a career in academic medicine — and what nobody was willing to …
Category: KevinMD
Why you should see your doctor in the morning
A recent New York Times piece had the catchy title, “Don’t visit your doctor in the afternoon.” It was prompted by a study published in JAMA Network Open that had the much less catchy title “Association of Primary Care Clinic Appointment Time with Clin…
It’s time for physicians to be less “productive”
Physician compensation in most employed positions is based on how much a physician “produces.” I work as a psychiatrist, and this amounts to how many patients you see per hour. The more patients you see, the more “productive” you are, the more money yo…
Older adults and the epidemic of loneliness
A recent New York Times article described a 77-year-old retired gardener in England who had not spoken with another human being in more than six weeks. He told the reporter through tears that he felt “very lonely, and bored.” Recent budget …
MKSAP: 60-year-old woman with persistent constipation
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 60-year-old woman is evaluated for persistent constipation symptoms of 2 years’ duration. She has reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndro…
Endocrinologists are needed more than ever. Why are they being devalued?
I chose endocrinology to be my lifelong profession out of love for the complex interactions of endocrine glands and intricate feedback loops. I take pride in preventing medical complications, prolonging life expectancy, and providing complex care to ty…
Physician patients shouldn’t be special
Physicians often, by virtue of their degree, have easier access to medical care. Yet the care they actually receive may be substandard. Here’s why. Years ago, I broke my wrist. Visiting a local hand surgeon, I was relieved to hear that surgery wo…
Recognizing the secret identity of physicians
It was recently National Teacher Appreciation Week, and many were busy recognizing their superhero teachers. Schools dedicate the week to their teachers, parents bustle about with flowers, handmade cards, and gift baskets. For me, though last week w…
How tunnel vision can lead to bad medicine
The trend of increasing specialization in medicine may lead to unintended adverse consequences. There is an old saying, “We see what we recognize and we recognize what we know.” My wife’s recent adventures in ophthalmic care is such an example. I offer…
MRI safety in breast cancer screening
The numbers are scary: The average woman has a 12 percent risk of developing breast cancer at some point in her life. For women with certain genetic mutations or risk factors, lifetime risk can climb to 85 percent. Even more terrifying than the numbers…
