When I began the journey to becoming a doctor, I believed success was a destination—a finish line I’d reach if I just worked hard enough, studied long enough, and sacrificed deeply enough. And I did all those things. I pushed through sleepless ni…
Category: primary care
The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care
President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1)—a 1,000+ page legislative thunderclap that had just cleared Congress, reshaping the landscape of American domestic policy as fireworks lit the sky. Branded as a domestic reset—heav…
Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean
Most people don’t read their medical bills—they panic over them. After all, receiving a multi-page statement full of confusing codes, unexplained charges, and unclear payment instructions isn’t just frustrating—it’s intimidating. I…
Why judgment is hurting doctors—and how mindfulness can heal
Judgment pervades medicine—of patients, colleagues, and ourselves. We’re trained to judge, disguised as caring, standards, and competence. It’s seen as essential to being a “good physician.” We do it so instinctively, we rarely …
Why judgment is hurting doctors—and how mindfulness can heal
Judgment pervades medicine—of patients, colleagues, and ourselves. We’re trained to judge, disguised as caring, standards, and competence. It’s seen as essential to being a “good physician.” We do it so instinctively, we rarely …
The gift we keep giving: How medicine demands everything—even our holidays
What’s the least glamorous thing you’ve ever done as a physician on a holiday? Let me start. One year, I spent Christmas Day in the library. Not sipping cocoa. Not gathered with family in matching pyjamas. Not basking in the warmth of laugh…
Who will train the next generation of primary care clinicians without physician mentorship? [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Founding director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at The College of St. Scholastica, Kenneth Botelho, discusses his article, “In the absence of physician me…
Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors
I entered medicine like many young physicians do—eager, determined, and drawn to its promise of excellence. The white coat, the respect, the thrill of diagnosing a rare disease or saving a critical life—all of it called to me with undeniable force. I s…
Why medicine must stop worshipping burnout and start valuing humanity
Medicine loves a martyr. From the first white coat ceremony to the last day of residency, we are told a story: That good doctors are tireless, self-sacrificing, endlessly available. That the more you give up—sleep, family, hobbies, sometimes even healt…
How organizational culture drives top talent away [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Surgeon Suhaib J. S. Ahmad discusses his article, “Why even the best employees are silently quitting health care.” Suhaib explores the phenomenon of highly com…
