“Continuing to do this work the way I was doing it was not sustainable. I needed to get off the merry-go-round. I just didn’t know how. I didn’t think I could stop myself—transplant was my duty, my responsibility, and what I was trained and progr…
Category: surgery
The other side of the knife
The surgeon becomes the surgical patient. That was my summary thought after discussing my vision problem with my former partner, an ophthalmologist well versed in treating cataracts. Despite having performed eye surgery on thousands of patients in the …
My patient called me the N-word [PODCAST]
“There were many things to be processed about that event. It happened within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, its disproportional effects on the African American community, and a few days after the murder of George Floyd, an African American…
Physicians in a quantum state
Despite reading numerous books tailored to the non-physicist, my rudimentary understanding of quantum physics suggests that quantum particles exist in numerous synchronous states and numerous synchronous positions and are only truly defined upon the ob…
Lessons learned from a general surgery chief resident
I began this journey in 2010. It began as a fresh-smelling breeze after a year and a half of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. I did not think I would be a surgeon. I thought maybe family medicine, psychiatry — at worst, I would like gynecolo…
Feel the musicality: A surgeon explores how he learns
My friends and I spent Thanksgiving 2018 attending surf school in Jacó, Costa Rica. We spent that week fully immersed in twice-daily surf sessions interspersed with conditioning, balance exercises, and of course, downtime to explore the town and rainfo…
When new technology is no match for old-school medical tests
Today, thankfully, modern technology and processes can deliver a quick diagnosis and treatment, often saving the patient’s life and about two weeks of brutal suffering. Technology is essential, but attention to detail and clear communication save as ma…
How this physician created a multi-specialty ambulatory surgery clinic from scratch [PODCAST]
“I firmly believe that if physicians leveraged themselves and their knowledge of medicine, there would be no need to for them to undertake ventures in the fields that they know little about. The old adage goes like this: Physician, heal thyself. …
Be nice to the nurses. Respect the nurses.
An excerpt from You What?!: Humorous Stories, Cautionary Tales, and Unexpected Insights About A Career in Medicine. The relationship between physicians and nurses is a complicated one. We are both there to “Take care of the patient.” Each has their o…
The dissin’ physician: How does one become this way?
Patients mutter words like these under their breath as they leave the office or sound off when they get home. At the nurses’ station, feelings of resignation and exasperation are in the air. When is he ever going to stop acting that way? Dr. Diss (a f…
