To my kids from a mentally exhausted doctor

Here are the stories you missed on KevinMD. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the stories you missed on [KevinMD](. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors [The State of Healthcare Communications: 2020 Survey](. We want your opinion on the priorities, challenges, and communication technologies that are redefining the health care industry. Take this 3-5 minute survey to [help inform new research](. Now that you have [reopened your practice during COVID-19]( you may have questions about risk. Find answers to top insurance coverage questions and learn how to [anticipate issues](. While many businesses are still experiencing the [brunt of the pandemic]( insights have emerged on how health care practices have transformed at a rapid pace. Download the Updox white paper and learn the [5 predictions for the future of health care](. [Tax planning for physicians]( updated with recent COVID-19 changes. Learn how to save taxes and keep more of what you make by registering for [this month’s webinars]( Make the Most of Your S-Corp Deductions and Hiring your Children (Including Spouse and Parents) --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Jul 13, 2020 [To my kids from a mentally exhausted doctor]( As I reflect on Independence Day, I think of soldiers that sacrificed their own lives for others – present and future. They knew what they were facing, and yet, continued to push forward. They imperfectly led our nation through unprecedented waters with wisdom and perseverance. Today, we find ourselves in unprecedented waters – questioning our […] [Why cultural competency courses should be requisites for medical school]( Like many others, I have felt immense frustration in the past couple of weeks. The news surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, compounded by many other incidents of injustice against minorities, has made me feel constant rage at the society we live in. I’ve tried to channel my anger into as much activism as I […] [COVID-19 becomes a magnifying glass for health disparities]( The daily email update on COVID-19 affecting our hospital system is a glaring reflection of the health disparities amongst those in marginalized groups. The farther south you go, generally in San Diego, the higher the number of socioeconomically disadvantaged persons, and that tends to include a disproportionate number of persons of color. These populations may […] [Bottles and pacifiers: advice from a Latinx pediatrician]( Growing up in Puerto Rico, “babas” (bottles: biberón/botellas) and “bobos” (pacifiers: chupetes/chupón) were very common among the families and children of the island. I still remember our Abuelita giving us milk in our “babas,” so my younger sister and I were sure to fall asleep better. From the time of our births, to when my […] [The first night on call as a surgery intern]( An excerpt from The Surgeon’s Obol. July 1, 8 p.m. “Isabella Isaksen,” I said with an arm extended. “Most people call me ‘Izzie’.” “Mike Gunderson,” came the reply. Most people called him Gundy, but he didn’t feel the need to let me, the goddamn intern, in on this. And there was no doubt that I […] [6 tips for success in residency training]( Recently, a few colleagues and I sat down with our six incoming interns during a welcoming round-table discussion. Being the closest member of the faculty to these residents in age and time from residency, I was best able to relate to them and their current feelings. I, too, sat in those chairs in a conference […] [The medical basis of vampires and other medical myths [PODCAST]]( “Where did the myth of vampires come from? Like many myths, it is based partly in fact. A blood disorder called porphyria, which has has been with us for millennia, became prevalent among the nobility and royalty of Eastern Europe. A genetic disorder, it becomes more common with inbreeding. Porphyria is a malfunction in the […] [Pearls and pitfalls for medical students entering their clinical years]( Transitioning from the classroom to the wards is an uncertain and anxiety-provoking time for many medical students. Schedules are constantly changing, as are expectations and learning objectives. Mentorship and advice from upperclassmen, residents, and attendings was an essential tool in my MS3 toolbox. I would go so far as to say that these pieces of […] [The Podcast by KevinMD: 15 minutes a day, 7 days a week]( The Podcast by KevinMD shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system, but are rarely heard from. Fifteen minutes a day, seven days a week. Each episode packed with information, insight, and inspiration. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app. [Lifestyle medicine is a prescription for physician burnout]( I lost my mom to breast cancer two months before finding out I was pregnant for the first time … with twins. Trying to navigate being a new mom of two without my own mom was ridiculously hard, both physically and emotionally. While I had help at first, within a month, I often found myself […] [Don’t be afraid to say “Black” when asking about someone’s culture]( On the morning of George Floyd’s funeral less than ten miles from our medical center in Houston, I was avoiding the word “Black.” Despite wholehearted pride in the strong Black presence in our community health center’s physicians, staff, and patients, I felt a loss of words that Tuesday morning. There was simply too much pain, grief, and […] [Complacency fuels the slow burn of COVID-19]( In polarizing politics, it seems that somehow the greater good often misses the very grain that comes together and makes it great — the people. After we blindfolded ourselves to a warning from China and then Italy, New York witnessed the grinding impact of COVID-19. Merely two months later, many other states are showing unprecedented growth in cases. Surpassing […] [I always hope that a sense of humanity will supersede the status quo]( I look out at the world through bright blue eyes. Blonde hair. A skinny but shapely 19-year-old’s body. I know six languages. I am educated. I can prescribe medicine that saves lives. I am in love. I am a person. I look down at the tattoo on my arm. A number— like cattle. My family […] [The physician who treats depressed, anxious, and suicidal teens [PODCAST]]( “After almost 30 years in this profession, I have come to the conclusion that there is some truth to that, as no day or week passes that I do not have a depressed, anxious or suicidal teen on my ‘to see list.’ Could it be my own personal history of depression and suicidal ideation? Could […] [A physician who knows the power of listening and teamwork]( Standing in the hallway, I look attentively to the computer screen while the attending skims the records. “This is a longstanding patient of mine. I’m just going to have you listen while we do a visit with our psychologist,” he says. With the paucity of chairs, I stand. I wondered if it would add an […] [What we can learn from a palliative care chaplain [PODCAST]]( “Faced with the prospect of not being able to provide all COVID-19 patients with the life support that they may need, physicians and nurses are working in conditions that have been described as ‘hell.’ How are providers to cope with the trauma they are experiencing in New York and Italy, and presumably other nations […] [Why COVID-19 is a threat to hospital medicine]( As hospitals everywhere have been using every health care provider available to them in response to COVID-19, the specialty of hospital medicine has shown itself to be uniquely suited for coordinating the effort, to be the front of the frontline responders. I suspect that many people don’t understand what “hospital medicine” is, even though it’s […] [10 reasons why divorce is hard for doctors and 5 tips to make it easier]( No matter who pulls the plug, divorce sucks. It does get better, and eventually, you get to a new normal — but the process sucks. I know this because our two-physician marriage ended 15 years ago when our daughters were six and seven years old. Divorce can be especially hard on physicians, and during these […] --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](