My journey in nursing has led me to experiences and insights I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I declared nursing as my major because I was passionate about making a difference in patients’ lives. I envisioned sitting by patients̵…
Category: primary care
10 ways health care might be killing you (and what you can do about it)
Health care is meant to heal, but what if it’s quietly doing the opposite? While we rely on medical professionals, hospitals, and treatments to keep us healthy, the system has hidden dangers that can put lives at risk. For every life saved, count…
From burnout to balance: 5 stages of career transformation
Not long ago, my husband and I had a sobering realization: If we did not make major changes, we would regret spending our best years using every ounce of our energy on work. We accepted that exhaustion from our jobs was normal. Burnout became our statu…
The cost of presence: a lesson in listening
Last week, a mother of six children—four of whom have disabilities—made the trek to the health care campus where I’m a faculty member to share her story. She’s making this trip weekly on Thursdays to give the same presentation twice in succ…
The unexpected truth behind these misdiagnosed medical cases
I worked in rural health in Kentucky for twenty years, then in urgent treatment centers in Denver. All sorts of patients pop up in primary care and in UTCs. Most have easily identified complaints: UTI, sinusitis, flu. Others are there for regular refil…
Why racism in health care is still an emergency
“I want to be white,” he said. I didn’t know how to respond. I was quiet. He was serious, waiting for my reply. He was only 8 years old, in the hospital with an asthma flare-up. I had asked him, “What do you want to be when you …
A tribute to the unsung heroes of medicine
Every day, over a million doctors across the nation rise with a singular, noble purpose: to heal and to help. This isn’t a calling pursued for recognition or praise—it’s a commitment rooted in a deep, unwavering care for others. From family physicians …
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
They never said it outright. Not at first. They didn’t have to. I was a physician at the edge of the Republic, serving those the system had long since forgotten. When the last doctors left, I remained. I healed. I endured. I became necessary. And…
How diversity transforms health care and patient outcomes [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Family physician Pamela Buchanan discusses her article, “Why diversity in medicine saves lives.” Pamela shares powerful stories from her career, like adjusting…
The business of medicine: How hospitals are putting profits over patients
When I first started my career in medicine, CT scans and MRIs were nonexistent. Scientific advancements and technology facilitated the development of these and many other diagnostic tools. These changes have enhanced medical care, enabling physicians t…
