Category: primary care

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…

Unlocking compassion: lessons from a prison clinic

The healing potential of human interaction should always be considered, particularly when practicing medicine. Early in my medical career, I worked in the electromyography laboratory at Charity Hospital, Louisiana State University. During my time there…

10 harsh truths doctors must understand to avoid burnout

In the high-stakes world of medicine, doctors are revered for their dedication to saving lives and providing compassionate care. However, behind the white coats and stethoscopes lies a harsh reality that many health care professionals often overlook—th…

When the doctor’s office becomes a confession booth

“I made a big mistake a long time ago.” These words snapped my concentration. I squinted at the computer screen, and even though it had been stable, I waited for Brenda’s pancytopenia to collapse entirely. I enjoyed seeing Brenda, the…

Physician mental health: Breaking the silence [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Pediatric nephrologist Katherine Twombley opens up about her personal journey and her book, First Do No Harm: A Physician’s Burnout and Mental Health Guidebook from …

The spiritual crisis of the employed physician

Our physician coaching team and I have extensive experience working with thousands of doctors over the past 13 years who have approached us feeling burned out, exhausted, and uncertain about their future. We have developed a structured method to assist…

Bridging the gap between public perception and reality in health care [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we are joined by Sarah Smithson, an internal medicine physician, as we discuss the stark disparities between the experiences within clinical settings and …

From passion to burnout: When a doctor’s love hurts

If only I had managed Mrs. Smith’s blood pressure better, she wouldn’t have had that car accident. If I had made the case for a statin better, Mr. Wu would not have had the diverticulitis episode. These types of thoughts have been with me f…

Why we all need to care about the primary care physician shortage

It is somewhat cliché these days to talk about physician workforce shortages, but recent data highlights that the problem is getting worse. Two research publications this past year were particularly alarming. First, in a recent analysis of internal med…

“No” can be a complete sentence

Nope, nada, no gracias, non, rara—they may sound different, but they all mean the same thing: no. In our world of instant messaging, the immediate gratification society seems to have lost the ability to unplug, unwind, and say no to unnecessary demands…