Category: KevinMD

Objective measures aren’t perfect at predicting real-life clinical ability

“Can we please try to be objective about this!” I said these words to myself over and over during this year’s interview season as we formulated our residency rank list. At my institution, the residents and faculty have equal sway in forming the rank li…

When we walk into a patient’s room, we are entering a story

The doctor opened the door after a gentle knock. He was greeted with warmth, offered a seat by Mary, and promptly sat down on the end of the hospital bed. As he sat, the family stood to greet him. They discussed the grandkids, the trips taken since the…

Don’t use stimulants to cram for exams. It ruins sleep and doesn’t help test scores.

Along with a steeper financial burden and an increasingly competitive academic environment, this year’s incoming freshman university class will likely be confronted with the pressure to take a little pill that some popular culture references say will m…

What does cable news do to your brain? A neurosurgeon explains.

The availability of up to the minute information, presented 24/7/365, could assist a democratic society in making the best choices in determining its future. That was the promise of cable news. Unfortunately, cable news has fallen short of its potentia…

A framework for understanding health care systems

First in a series. Way back as a business strategy undergrad and then as a medical student, I developed a framework for understanding health care systems. I call it the Healthcare Incentives Framework, and I believe it clarifies the big-picture compone…

When we ignore a child’s preventable suffering, we lose a piece of our humanity

Sometimes an image captures the heart of a nation by putting a face on a human crisis.  The one of Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his 2-year-old daughter Valeria lying face down in the Rio Grande after drowning was powerful.  Their family had been …

The pale, very sick girl in the emergency department

An excerpt from A Mistake: A Novel. “Hello there,” Elizabeth said, leaning over the girl, smiling. “Hello. Hello Lisa.” The girl looked up at her accusingly. “My name is Elizabeth Taylor. Please call me Liz. I’m the consultant surgeon, and this is my r…

A neurologist explains why delaying school start time is important

Do teenagers know how to sleep? If you’re the parent of a teen, you might be laughing to yourself. That’s all they know how to do. In truth, teens (and their parents) might not know enough about how to sleep, when to sleep, and why. California recently…

A neurologist explains why delaying school start time is important

Do teenagers know how to sleep? If you’re the parent of a teen, you might be laughing to yourself. That’s all they know how to do. In truth, teens (and their parents) might not know enough about how to sleep, when to sleep, and why. California recently…

The gold standard of evaluating real estate investments

  An excerpt from The Doctors Guide to Real Estate Investing for Busy Professionals. Cash flow is the only method I use to determine the value of the property to me and is my decision-making tool. This is how I determine the price I’m willing to p…