“Some may say that we all come into this world with our own luck, and if we end up having to endure a disability, then other people in society should not be held financially responsible. To that I say, do we not have a moral imperative to ensure …
Category: primary care
As doctor burnout climbs, can we save primary care?
It should come as no surprise that primary care physicians are looking for careers outside of medicine. That 40 percent of primary care clinicians are concerned their field won’t exist and that 21 percent plan to leave primary care in three years. Doct…
Should you stay or leave medicine?
I left my primary care practice earlier this year to focus on life coaching. Why did I leave? Because I wanted to do more and make a bigger impact. I remember how eager I was to complete medical training as I approached the light at the end of the tunn…
The art of diagnosis
Wood art The taxing journey of going through an illness often has the turning point of hearing a “diagnosis.” Diagnosis locks a person inside a sick body. Diagnosis is a label that dictates certain behavior in an individual and the whole ci…
Terror in the family medicine office
An excerpt from The Real Drama—Incredible Medicine. It was an ordinary day in my family medicine practice many years ago. A variety of patients, many longstanding and from various generations of whole families, were filling the waiting room. Back then,…
My journey to the root of empathy and why we must try to teach it
“Are there specific ways empathy will be tested in the standardized patient exam?” a medical school classmate of mine earnestly asked following a lecture years ago. I laughed, thinking that teaching empathy was impossible. As an optimistic and naive me…
Advocacy for better transgender health care
“I feel like I have to educate my doctors about my gender identity and transgender health-related needs, including insurance coverage,” my transgender male patient, V, told me on interview. A series of interviews with V for a community outreach project…
The surprising power of family meals
I am a board-certified pediatrician, wife, mother of four, and host of a podcast. I have been interested in nutrition and feeding practices for as long as I can remember. In my practice as a pediatrician, I was constantly bombarded with parent concer…
You deserve a doctor who’s a good fit for you [PODCAST]
“I implore you — even if it’s difficult — if you don’t like your doctor, take the time and find a new one! How do you do that? Check your insurance for who they cover, and then ask your friends who they see and like. Google the physician. Google …
You’re not as smart as you think you are — and neither is your doctor
In a world rife with admonishments like “Do your own research” and “trust your intuition,” I don’t hear about anyone reading up on human fallibility. Picture this scene: a lecture hall in a respected medical school. The students are early in their educ…
