Physicians have a long history of discriminating against patients, and racial discrimination only scratches the surface of current problems facing patients who seek access to care. The Tuskegee Syphilis trials demonstrated how the medical community exp…
Our profession is in crisis, but “human rights violations” and “moral injury” are inaccurate terms to use. It may be surprising to some that I am writing this piece as I am viewed as a staunch physician advocate. In 2017, I was …
As President Donald Trump was fighting with Congress over the shutdown and funding for a border wall, his administration implemented a new rule that could be a game changer for health care. Now, hospitals must publicly reveal the contents of their mast…
As I listened to my attending explain how during her residency training she was on call every third night, I realized how the definition of “call” had significantly changed since that time. For her, it meant her shift started at 6 a.m. and …
Chip Kelly was a former coach and general manager of my beloved Philadelphia Eagles. He was a firm believer in his “system” and felt that his players were disposable and easily replaced. Because of that, he proceeded to trade away or release very tale…
Is there a doctor on board? Since the beginning of my medical training, I have developed a new anxiety over flying. As an intern, the “MD” had been tagged to my name while my medical knowledge, skills, and confidence lagged behind. Now, at the end of r…
In health care, we are hardwired to do all we can to minimize error and avoid failure. The journey of training and practicing medicine rests on the premise of perfection. And yet, perfectionism and shame are thought to be the two sides of the same coin…
Halfway into my four-week hematology consults elective at the county hospital during my fourth year of medical school, I was surprised that one of my patients was a 25-year-old woman from Romania — exactly my age. This was highly unusual, as most of th…
In my third year of medical school, I started a rotation at the nearby VA hospital. Walking toward the polished glass doors that morning, I saw my reflection — clean white coat, assured expression to cover up how lost I felt. It was my second clinical …
Every hospitalist heard that locum tenens work pays better than permanent. Of course, I did, too, when I first started practicing. This was one of the reasons why I switched to the full-time locum tenens years ago. Now, things have changed since then, …
