“Humans are complex. Humans are multifaceted. Humans are capable of grit and determination. This means that humans are also worthy of hope. If I learned anything from watching this moment in history, I realize that it’s not about being a ‘D…
Category: Public Health & Policy
The case for decarceration
“There are only two groups of people on this earth who know when and where they will die,” Steve disclosed to me, peering carefully over the rims of his glasses. “They’re the people in hospitals and people with life in prison.” The discomfort of his wo…
If you take a pill, you are at risk: a personal reflection on health information dissemination in Black communities
As a medical and public health student quarantined at home with two physician parents and a new college graduate sibling, we can speak about the COVID-19 pandemic research, guidelines, and epidemiology around the dinner with relative ease. Everyone in …
When your institution has a less than 1% hiring rate for Black residents
The other day I was in the main hallway outside of our radiology reading rooms, which is lined with picture frames of all the residency senior classes dating back to the 1980s. I’m new to the institution, so it was nice to see all the prior residents. …
The unintended consequences of population health algorithms
The results of a 2019 research article in the journal Science uncovered significant racial bias in commonly used population health algorithms used to identify and assign care to patients with complex, active health needs. Using a large clinical data se…
What does Kelly Loeffler’s health plan do to coverage for preexisting conditions?
I’ve been doing health policy for thirty years. I arguably know something about health insurance. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what Kelly Loeffler is proposing under her health plan––particularly when it comes to current protectio…
A moral imperative to heal the broken health care model in this country
One of the most salient issues in America has always been access to health care. As a medical student, I have seen firsthand the importance of strong health care protections for patients. I believe that the November election result is only a start towa…
Physicians have spoken. The Biden administration should listen.
Life as we know it has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Every aspect of our health care system is affected; in particular, our nation’s frontline workers are being stretched like never before. From managing the pandemic long term to physician wel…
What this doctor learned from cartooning other peoples’ stories
After three months as a newly minted doctor, I knew that any plan that I made for my first vacation week would be futile in the context of COVID-19, so I attempted an escape into the headspace of others. During my first day on vacation, I asked my Twit…
Forgetting mental health is a miss for the Biden COVID-19 task force
President-elect Joe Biden revealed on November 9, 2020, the members of his COVID-19 task force. His swift announcement of the task force clarifies that addressing the health and economic problems related to COVID-19 is his immediate priority. The pres…
