Dr. Bernard Lown died February 16, four months shy of his one-hundredth birthday. The Dr. Lown we knew does not emerge from the long list of his many accomplishments, which include the invention of the DC defibrillator and cardioversion, the developmen…
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question always confounded me when people would ask me this as a child. What is this “growing up” you speak of? And why do I have to be something? I’m so content with my LEGOs, books, and video games. I w…
A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD. There is a tremendous amount of anger raging in our society today. The profound uncertainty posed by COVID-induced cataclysms and the cultural, civil, and political unrest we’v…
How might I live differently if I really believed that I don’t need to earn security, dignity, and respect? I tell my children and my patients I believe these are inherent rights to which we are all entitled as human beings. But do I orient my …
“Dealing with my insurance company is making me sick.” It wasn’t exactly her chief complaint, but it was one of the concerns raised by my patient at a recent office visit. In fact, it has become increasingly more common in recent year…
“One of the best solutions to rising obesity and non-communicable disease rates lie in primary care. Medical professionals can influence the U.S. food system indirectly through demand and collective purchasing power by educating their patients to…
There are days I hate being a doctor. OK, let’s be honest—there have been weeks, and with the current pandemic, the whole past year has been an entire theme park of emotional rollercoasters. I think a better description would be to say that there are c…
It pains me to write this. I am tired of pretending. I simply cannot do this anymore. I sincerely wish you well. I do hope our paths will cross again. I first gazed at you, cautiously intrigued. Coquettish even. Butterflies fluttered when I thoug…
It’s been a rough and difficult year for us. Separation, desperation, depression, illness, and death are scattered among the months that have passed by. Hope, for the longest time, seemed non-existent. The COVID virus gave the world a “suc…
This week a patient, for whom I served as the primary care physician for over many years, died after an extended illness. I had the privilege of visiting her two days before her death, as she weakened and drew closer to her last breath. It was an oppo…
