As an emergency room physician with over 20 years of experience, I’ve faced countless moments of emotional intensity—saving lives, delivering difficult news, and navigating the chaos of a health care system stretched to its limits. Yet, it wasn&#…
Category: Psychiatry
Why data-driven telehealth is the key to solving the mental health crisis [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! The state of mental health care in the U.S. is at a crossroads, with telehealth prescription waivers set to expire and millions of Americans left without access to crucial…
Don’t dream it’s over: the resilience we all need in 2025
Many songs and famous refrains flooded my mind as we transitioned into 2025. “Living on a thin line,” “It’s all over now, baby blue,” and “Can’t find my way home” were some of the notable downers. On the …
Small moments that made 2024 unforgettable
Frank Sinatra’s 1965 hit, “It was a very good year,” framed the benchmarks of a life well-lived through relationships at various ages: when he was 17, “small-town girls … on the village green”; at 21, “city gir…
How a mid-flight emergency taught me to put myself first
It’s crack-of-dawn early, and I’m on a flight. Working swing ER shifts has left me exhausted, barely packed, and running on fumes. But hey, as long as I’ve got my passport and clean underwear, I’m good to go. There’s a mal…
Physician suicide: Addressing the silent epidemic
Suicide is the act of an individual ending their life. It is generally caused by the convergence of multiple factors, the most significant of which is untreated or end-stage psychiatric illness. As a practicing psychiatrist who has been involved in the…
Through a physician’s eyes: Living twice as long as your parent
Do you remember the exact moment in your life when you had that knowing feeling inside that drew you to your chosen career? My usual answer to that question occurred in October of 1973, at 7 years old in 3rd grade, when my teacher rolled out a life-siz…
Why ADHD diagnosis in adults is often overlooked [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Explore the complexities of adult ADHD with Muhamad Aly Rifai, a practicing internist and psychiatrist. This episode dives into the evolving understanding of ADHD as a lif…
Breaking the silence on physician burnout and suicide
KevinMD has been publishing multiple reports about the current widespread, deeply worrisome physician burnout and suicide phenomena. As a card-carrying epidemiologist, I have sought to categorize these reports into the three overarching factors we migh…
The oxygen mask principle: a critical lesson in health care self-preservation
In the high-stakes world of health care, medical professionals are renowned for their selfless dedication to patient care. They work long hours, navigate complex medical challenges, and consistently prioritize the needs of others. Yet, within this cult…
