“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” — Frederick Douglass For doctors beginning their postgraduate professional lives, there are several options. One is the proverbial “hanging up the shi…
Category: KevinMD
Responsibility, burnout, and self-care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We welcome Mary Braun, an internal medicine physician. Mary shares her insights on how perceptions of responsibility for patient outcomes have evolved throughout her caree…
Why South Korean resident physicians are quitting
In February 2024, the resident physicians in South Korea resigned in waves. This was not a strike; striking seemed meaningless, and the residents went right on quitting. This occurred after the Korean government promulgated health care reform plans to …
Navigating the tides: Finding balance in the unyielding world of medicine
In the relentless pursuit of saving lives and advancing health care, medical professionals often find themselves on the frontline, where the high stakes of their profession can blur the lines between personal well-being and professional obligations. Th…
Ode to the gap year(s) before medical school
Taking gap year(s) before medical school does not mean that you have failed or that you are “lesser than” as a student. These are the words I needed to hear as a resolute pre-med student who used to proudly proclaim that I was “going …
A young surgeon’s night: from calm to chaos
When you are a young academic general surgeon, even the nights are sometimes good. A good on-call night unfolds something like this. You might have spent the day working in the operating room or in the clinic seeing patients. Your on-call typically beg…
Finances in dual-doctor households [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join us for an insightful discussion on managing finances in dual high-income earner households, featuring Shane Tenny, a financial planner. In this episode, we delve into…
Confronting colon cancer: a daughter’s regretful journey
My mother. 63 years old. Colon cancer. She first noticed rectal bleeding. She made excuses. Maybe it’s hemorrhoids. She put her physician on a pedestal. He said, “You’re too young to die,” and there was no need for further tests…
The abuser’s playbook: the weaponization of mental health
I almost didn’t write this piece. Almost. I feared it might be seen as provocative like I was asking for trouble. But that is exactly the attitude that has silenced victims of harassment and stalking for too long. The short version of the story i…
The curse of the excellent doctor
The reward for good work is always more work. The employer becomes dependent on the quality of work that you do because he knows that you, as a person, are a workaholic and perfectionist. You put your heart and soul into everything you do. No other emp…
