Ask Alex what cuddly toy they slept with as a child, and you’ll discover that it was a soccer ball – real, not plush. This was by choice; they assure me. We sit at a small corner table in a local coffee shop in Ann Arbor, MI. With exposed brick walls, mix-and-match seating, and the latest pride flag in the window, it’s no wonder that two queer millennials choose this …
Orthopedists’ role in gender diverse athletes’ care
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Join Harry Severance, an emergency physician, as we explore the factors contributing to this issue, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demonization of health care workers. Discover the alarming statistics and consequences presented by …
Health care workers under attack [PODCAST]
As a member of the Washington D.C. Center for AIDS Research, I’ve been deeply grateful to see how medications such as PrEP are significantly reducing the toll of HIV. Additionally, we have made great strides with limiting the transmission of HIV. A plethora of research has proven that if HIV is undetectable in your system, it cannot be spread to others. This is known as “U …
Patients aging with HIV: What role can doctors play?
In the rapidly evolving health care landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant strides, transforming how we approach patient care, medical research, and health care operations. One such advancement is the introduction of code interpreters in AI systems, such as the one recently introduced in ChatGPT. This powerful feature opens up many …
As the world becomes increasingly digitized and economic realities continually shift, there has been a growing conversation among medical professionals regarding investing, particularly in digital assets like Bitcoin. The appeal of Bitcoin is substantial, especially in an era marked by high inflation rates. Bitcoin is the first “programmed” money that relies on math and code. It has an open public and simple code and has never been hacked. This is …
Bitcoin investment for doctors: risks, rewards, and the necessity of diversification
I am a clinically retired orthopedist who completed my residency training in the mid-80s. I trained at a university residency program with faculty who were both forward-thinking and innovative, yet always grounded in evidence-based medicine. It was understood that many traditional concepts in orthopedic surgical care had not been challenged and lacked convincing clinical data to justify their continued advocacy. Examples included post-operative immobilization, avoidance of internal fixation in the …
How unproven orthopedic treatments impact health care costs
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Join Meredithe McNamara, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, in discussing the challenges adolescent medicine physicians face due to the current political climate. We explore the impact of unfilled pediatrics residency spots and the importance of their …
Adolescent medicine at risk [PODCAST]
The applicability of add-on payment/reimbursement qualifiers/modifiers for emergency procedures should not be limited to patients’ emergency conditions alone. They should also be applicable to situations where arrangements are made for procedures outside regular office hours or on weekends. This includes cases where proceduralists choose to schedule procedures during after-hours or patients choose to have procedures during these times. Additionally, these qualifiers/modifiers should apply to proceduralists who work during after-hours or …
Ensuring fair reimbursement for emergency procedures
Shortening U.S. medical education can significantly improve U.S. population health. As patients and stakeholders of U.S. health care, we are at crisis levels. There are not enough primary care doctors for the U.S. population — a basic human need for health and safety — which creates inequities. Peer-reviewed medical literature and mainstream media both document the highest burnout rates are in primary care and ER doctors, especially since the pandemic, …
Is it time to shorten medical education in the U.S.?
Today’s health care system is in a state of drastic flux. Gone are the days of private practice family doctors, the “Marcus Welby, MDs,” who stood ever-ready to heal the sick and comfort the disillusioned. They were the sole decision-makers in the care of their patients and had the welfare of their patients at the forefront. Now, the corporate blanket has fallen upon the field of medicine, oftentimes blurring the …
Inside the world of family medicine: a patient’s eye-opening account
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Join Kara Wada, an adult and pediatric allergy, immunology, and lifestyle medicine physician, as we discuss the epithelial barrier hypothesis. What is the epithelial barrier hypothesis? What are some of the diseases that have been linked to …
How to protect your epithelial barriers and improve your health [PODCAST]
Turning into vegetarians can cure COVID-19, birth control pills cause abortions, or eating ginger is 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy at curing cancer were some casually trending health misinformation in the past year. But what is health misinformation, and why is it a serious public health concern?
Health misinformation refers to health-related information that is false, unverified, and lacking scientific evidence. It poses a significant threat to public health as …
Health misinformation’s deadly impact
A teenage girl was found alone, having a seizure on a bench outside our clinic’s front door. She had never been inside our clinic, but it was our fault she was seizing.
The office manager from the dentist’s office upstairs found the girl as she returned from lunch. Not knowing what to do, she opened our clinic door and called for help. Our front office staff summoned the doctors from our …
How a teenager with seizures became the face of trauma-informed care
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We talk with Jordana Cohen, an internal medicine physician, about the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement. With the rise of telehealth and at-home monitoring, ensuring reliable readings is crucial. Jordana discusses concerns regarding device accuracy and …
Ensuring accurate blood pressure measurement [PODCAST]
Harvard researchers who recently wrote an essay analyzed data from Medicare to draw conclusions about hospitalists and surgeons who treat hospital in-patients for non-elective admissions. The researchers grouped the physicians by age to determine which groups performed better. The yardstick by which they were measured was mortality within 30 days of admission. The sample size was significant—over 700,000 Medicare patients, all over 65 years of age. What they found were …
Youth vs. experience: Who wins in medicine?
The debate surrounding graduate medical education (GME) revolves around whether one should dedicate themselves to their current residency or focus on future fellowship opportunities. This confusion becomes more pronounced after completing fellowship programs, especially in inpatient settings, where specialists consult with generalists who have completed residency programs and obtained board certification without pursuing further specialization.
The fundamental question is whether generalists should be regarded and treated as specialists. Looking towards the …
The transitional year: a must-have preliminary for GME
“Thank God it’s Friday.”
So many of us say it often. This resonates with many, as there is even a restaurant franchise with that name that has $2.5 billion in sales. Clearly, they are tapping into something that echoes what many think (even if they have what feels like a 73-page menu which, on Fridays when you are especially tired, can seem overwhelming, but I digress).
However, if we dig a little …
The wisdom of words: Thank God it’s Friday!
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Join Scott Abramson, a neurologist, as we delve into the complex interplay between work and home life for physicians. Scott shares his personal experiences and reflections on how challenging periods in his family and personal life led …
When work becomes an escape for physicians [PODCAST]
Reportedly, there are at least 1.6 million people who identify as transgendered in the United States. Approximately one-third of them are transgendered male-to-females, referred to as “T-girls.” These individuals have a strong desire to be passable without undergoing surgery, relying instead on hormone therapy. However, hormonal therapy is not without risks. Testosterone, used in protocols for transgendered males, can increase the chances of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Similarly, estrogen, used by …
Transgender health risks in hormone therapy
The fentanyl crisis represents a grave and lethal epidemic, marked by the illicit consumption of powerful synthetic opioids, resulting in a staggering increase in fatal overdose cases. Physician Emily Watters offers her unique insights on this critical issue through a captivating comic format. (Click to enlarge.)
A comic reveals the terrifying truth about fentanyl
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