With the rise of the internet, people started exploring ways to get medical advice online. The medical community was initially humored by this development, thinking it is a cute way for patients to look up their symptoms before coming to see us, their …
I grew up a New York Yankees baseball fan in the fifties and sixties. Among the many stars on the Yankees, none became more famous for one-liners and quips than #8, Yogi Berra. Yogi’s famous reminder, “It ain’t over til it’s over,” seems so fitt…
When I wear a mask over my face, I am protecting both of us. When I wear a mask over my feelings, I am protecting both of us, too. When you ask me, “How are you doing?” this is why I have no answer. Four days a week, I have a (currently mos…
In January, we learned of an emerging threat in China, a variant of the frightening SARS virus, but worse—more infectious. Since then, we learned China, the first to both see and successfully manage its outbreak, seriously under-detected the disease. A…
Death. Mortality. End of Life. Something inevitable, yet rarely discussed and a source of intense discomfort for most. When mentioned, it is considered inauspicious and rude in many cultures. Death is an integral part of the workday for a critical care…
Some media outlets and public figures have heralded the ongoing pandemic as a great equalizer, referencing the pathogen’s indiscriminate spread and disregard for national borders and tax brackets. The sobering mortality statistics, however, dispe…
I remember Jake Mattolli as a pioneer in heart surgery. He certainly didn’t wish to be one. I believe he had a valve replacement, and it was done in the early ’60s. I remember the Boston surgeon termed the operation a success, but as Jake&#…
Dr. Lorna Breen, an ER physician in New York City, killed herself after working the front lines in the pandemic. Her death has created a call to action. The headlines read that healthcare workers are suffering; they are heroes; they need support. Dr…
A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com. It is the ultimate irony that health care professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are among the highest risk, not only for exposure to the deadly v…
As I sit here and stare at my computer screen for the 11th hour today, my attention has drifted from my hypothetical study material to reality. Over the past two months, I’ve spent hours on WebEx lectures as opposed to learning from patients, hours on …
