The truth and challenges of being a doctor mom

--------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the stories you missed on KevinMD. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors This [interactive eBook]( follows patient William Jones as he enters the ED with chest pains, weakness, and palpitations -- illustrating how a communication platform improves his experience and streamlines care team collaboration. [See how](. A [recent poll of nearly 9,500 health care providers]( shows they are very concerned about the recent U.S. measles outbreak. An infectious disease specialist discusses why there’s [significant reason]( for this concern. [We've talked to practices just like yours]( to learn how they leverage engagement solutions to increase revenue, empower and improve the relationships with their patients. [Learn what they had to say](. See how Vail Health has transformed clinical communication from manual, paper-based processes to [automated workflows](. The end result? Information at care team members’ fingertips, and real-time situational awareness of what’s going on with every patient on the floor. [Watch now](. A personal subscription to [ClinicalKey]( equips you with the latest and most in-depth clinical knowledge, because you want to deliver unparalleled patient care. [Discover the power of ClinicalKey today](. --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Apr 29, 2019 [The truth and challenges of being a doctor mom]( Being a doctor mom is a beautiful paradox of feeling like a badass one moment and a frazzled I-don’t-know-what-the-heck-I-am-doing mess of a person. Being a female physician, the majority of us feel there is a societal and cultural pressure to be perfect all the time in every sphere of our life: as a professional, parent, […] [Medical workplace bullying: We just want it to stop]( Health care is increasingly complex. Objective peer review, constructive feedback, and robust debate are essential to continually improve the quality of patient care. But doctors don’t always disagree well. One of the contributing factors to bullying in medicine is the complex interplay of different personality types in very stressful situations. Some doctors have personality traits […] [Sorry doctors, you’re nothing special]( When I was a child, I knew I would become a doctor. I liked science and taking care of people. We diagnose medical problems and prescribe treatment plans. Some of us perform surgeries and some focus on keeping you well. Despite this, I’m nothing special, and neither are you, my physician colleagues. Let me explain […] [Vaccinating your child is a matter of trust]( I did my medical school training in a country where I saw many children die every day from preventable illnesses. Measles, diarrhea, and malnutrition were the norm. I still have vivid memories of a young child dying in my arms of severe diarrhea and dehydration. He had so much to see in this world. We […] [A medical student’s first day. The memories last forever.]( On an early August morning in 2010, my alarm clock went off. The day had finally arrived. Today was my first day as a medical student at the university I had always wanted to attend. High school had ended just a couple of months before, and today I felt completely different. After years in the […] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Conference planners!]( Find vetted, handpicked physician speakers that shine on stage. Physician Speaking by KevinMD: [Your audience deserves the best](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Why is health insurance so unaffordable?]( Honestly, I have never been a big fan of insurance. I am not much of a gambler, and paying for insurance feels like betting on my own misfortune. I have never purchased insurance for a cell phone or appliance. I would rather save the money and make an effort to take care of my possessions. […] [Why didn’t your doctors tell you the truth?]( Here’s what they should have told you: “We found cancer in your lymph nodes, your liver, your lungs, and your brain. It explains your weight loss, your difficulty breathing and your loss of appetite. This wasn’t just your depression like you thought. It started in your lungs, and now it’s everywhere. This cancer has been […] [Medical breakthrough headlines are over the top]( Patients should have as much access to information as possible. The more they know — the more informed decisions about their health and life that can be made. However, faulty headlines about new therapies are infiltrating news outlets left and right. Many times this information can be misleading, and it is difficult for patients, their […] [A mysterious case of seizures in the ER]( Alex and Edward Santos have just returned from a weekend away at their aunt and uncle’s place. They love it there. The couple is in their 20s and spoil the boys with late bedtimes, movies and video games, and home-made cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles. It’s been a long break for Alex, who’s 15, […] [The obscene price of insulin: This is what happens when health care is for profit]( I recently had a patient whose blood sugar was well controlled until he lost his health insurance. He purchased his diabetes pills because they’re cheap, but he couldn’t afford the insulin. His diabetes had been well controlled. Now, almost a year later, his hemoglobin A1C was 14, or double what it should be. The HbA1C […] [Every doctor needs to monitor their online reviews]( We’ve had several articles from various sources over the years on grooming your social media. Most of them advise paying attention to your physician ratings, but not acting on anything specifically. “Don’t engage” is the mantra. Let’s take a fresh look at this. Like probably everyone in medicine, I have my share of physician rating […] [What is the best student loan repayment plans for medical students and residents?]( If you’ve ever tried to learn about student loan repayment plans, you might have felt overwhelmed and confused. Instead of spending days researching information — as I did — here’s a summary of the different repayment plans to help you choose the right one. 1. What is the standard repayment plan? With the standard repayment […] [Doctor, how are you, really?]( My longtime psychiatrist died by suicide. It still doesn’t seem real. It’s nearly impossible to accept that someone who had the talent and resources to help so many others couldn’t avail himself of the help that he needed. It’s even harder to accept that I sensed something was wrong and didn’t do anything about it. […] [When is a check-up not a check-up?]( Kaiser Health News told the story of a 69-year-old woman who went to a new doctor for her annual check-up, assuming it was covered by Medicare and was happy with the visit until she got a $400 bill. Most Americans believe in “annual check-ups,” at which your doctor reviews your medical history, gives you a […] [How diabetes education programs can help busy primary care physicians]( Busy primary care physicians have a lot on their plates. But when it comes to helping people with diabetes learn how to improve their health, they don’t have to do it all themselves. Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs, led by a diabetes educator, can provide vital assistance by helping people with diabetes maintain […] [Physicians have a right to pursue creativity]( When I mentioned to a colleague and mentee that I would be writing this article, she expressed excitement about it and felt it would be well received by many physicians who might have given up their art — their form of creative expression — for the sake of medicine. I had recently been encouraging her […] [Autism and advocacy go hand in hand]( “As soon as I mentioned the ‘A’ word, I knew she would not be calling me back.” This was what one of the parents I met at my preschool told me about what it was like trying to register her son with autism in a non-specialized local community program. Once the registrar heard the “A […] [MKSAP: 62-year-old woman with hypertension]( Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 62-year-old woman is evaluated during a routine examination. She feels well and has no exercise limitations. Medical history is significant for hypertension treated with enalapril. She does not smoke. At her last examination 4 years ago, her blood pressure was […] [Why virtual visits may be an important tool for your practice]( Telemedicine has been available now for a number of years. Despite being widely accessible, it still struggles to maintain a foothold in the minds of many traditional practitioners. There are many reasons for this, including gaps in knowledge related to billing and reimbursement for virtual visits, as well as varying levels of coverage by insurance […] [4 reasons why this physician specialized in infectious disease]( The last sunlight of the day was slanting through Joseph’s hospital window. As the sun descended, it burned the sky crimson, and the mists rolled away, disappearing into Rwanda’s seemingly endless hills. I had just arrived in Kigali for global health work with a goal of medical education and, as I looked out, I felt […] [Interpreting 2 recent studies involving Alzheimer disease]( Two prestigious medical journals published studies involving Alzheimer disease (AD) and amyloid beta in successive weeks; both were paired with guest expert commentaries (editorials). One editorial, about a drug study, also reviewed several other failures in anti-amyloid therapy and stated: “To be blunt, A-beta [amyloid] lowering seems like an ineffective approach….” The other editorial had an encouraging attitude […] [Pause before writing your personal statement]( Trust me: The time you spend thinking about your personal statement before you start writing will make the actual writing process much, much easier. Before you even start writing a word, spend some time reading personal statement examples. Read good ones, read bad ones, read strange ones. The reason for this is to give you […] --------------------------------------------------------------- If a friend sent you this email and you want to subscribe, go to [KevinMD](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 345 Hudson Street New York NY 10014 USA [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](