The Podcast by KevinMD

Latest Episodes:

How writing fiction can free physicians Dec 29, 2021

Show notes

"Physicians can find — or start — writing workshops at medical conferences, or just about anywhere else, at any time. These workshops can become part of wellness or burnout-prevention events. To interact with other writers, all you need is a champion―someone to organize a time and space for you to get together and share what you've written. It's great to exchange ideas and give feedback to one another, either online or off. Participants in these events can feel energized, enlightened and creative. You can even tweet haikus or flash fiction to one another. The work doesn't have to be perfect; it just needs to be thoughtful and come from the heart.

Not everyone wants to write, but there's room for those who have not yet tried. Who knows? You might wind up writing a book or two yourself."

Sandra Miller is a family physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How writing fiction can free physicians."

Climate change through the lens of an emergency physician Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

"The worst part of the climate crisis is that our kids, my kids, may never get to witness the most beautiful parts of our world because they may, and will, cease to exist without our action and power. As I watch my own kids looking out over the ocean on a clear, cool day in awe at the behemoth of wonder before them, I know they are the ones I am fighting the battle against the climate crisis for, and I beg you to fight too.

Beauty in the world and love of our environment and each other are not partisan issues; they are simply the components that make our lives worth living. And if that is not worth saving, then I don't know anything that is."

Elizabeth M. Barreras-Rivest is an emergency physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The climate crisis as viewed by an emergency physician."

Don't pay off your student loans early Dec 27, 2021

Show notes

"In 2010, a landmark study from Princeton was published "proving" that money just doesn't buy happiness. Study participants were asked to compare their emotional well-being from yesterday to today, and it appeared that making more than $75,000 a year didn't lead to concurrent increases in well-being. Since then, Americans have been flooded with the psychological opium of mindfulness, yoga, and leaning out, urging contentment instead with the status quo. In this column, I'd like to humbly suggest some rather radical concepts: Perhaps paying off your student loans early isn't in your best interests, and neither is dumping all your disposable income into multiple 4xx(x) tax-deferred vehicles. This article is all about using the physician's higher-than-average income to buy something that truly leads to happiness: early financial independence."

Khaled A. Dajani is a pediatric anesthesiologist.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Don't pay off your student loans early."

How to navigate residency probation Dec 26, 2021

Show notes

"The journey to becoming a physician is generally a linear path. Sure — there are exceptions, but for the most part, you can accurately predict what you will be doing in the future. For example, when you are in high school, the next step is college, then medical school, residency, possibly a fellowship, and finally your first job. (That's approximately 16-18 years of your life!)

But what happens when things don't go on as planned? In the earlier stages of your educational career, it's easier to transition to something different. But what about in the later ones? Unfortunately, this was the dilemma I found myself in."

This anonymous physician resident shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "How to navigate residency probation."

Why storytelling is critical in medicine Dec 25, 2021

Show notes

"I love stories, either told, written, or listened to. Songs tell stories, as does art. Blogs such as the rich content open so many doors for rich conversations. Telling stories is part of who I am. My father loved to tell them, as did my grandfather, whose name I took. They were called bull-sh*tters – and perhaps some refer to me that way at times. In medicine, I find storytelling to be critical. Each time we present a case, we are telling a story. Those residents and students who can present a case to me in a way that draws me in while giving me the necessary facts, but goes the next step that allows me to see that person in their life are the ones I know will be amazing doctors."

John F. McGeehan is an internal medicine physician.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Why storytelling is critical in medicine."

A shift from the medical perspective of disability to a mother's perspective Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

"In the months just prior to the infantile spasms, as Josephine's mind had begun to develop and grow, so, finally, had my love for her. My lack of affection for her up until that point had troubled me, and it was with relief that I had realized I was beginning to look at her with adoration—that a random thought of her was accompanied by delight as often as sadness. I knew that my lack of acceptance had been at the root of my difficulty bonding with her, and I had felt that I was beginning to find peace with the person that she was, limitations included.

Looking back, I see that my reaction to her that night in the rocker—my denial of her personhood, my despair at the thought of being obligated to mother her—reveals that what I mistook for love and acceptance was actually something much more tenuous and conditional. I wasn't truly beginning to love her, I was beginning to love who she might become. It was only her potential I valued, not her current self. The odyssey to fully embracing her, disabilities and all, was one I had yet to make."

K. Jane Lee is a pediatrician and author of Catastrophic Rupture: A Memoir of Healing.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A shift from the medical perspective of disability to a mother's perspective."

Medical debt is the enemy of everyone Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

"Medical debt is the mortal enemy of the patient, the physician, the hospital, the community, the state, and the nation. When we think of others' debts, we tend to think such debts are their personal responsibility. If they're unable to pay the debt, it's their problem. (We make it a You problem, not a Me problem) Society tells us a problem with personal debt is a direct result of bad decisions, poor personal financial habits, profligate spending, living beyond one's means. We blame those with medical debt for their bad choice of buying substandard health insurance, or else for not purchasing any health insurance at all. We say the consequences of debt are rightly visited on the debtor. Whatever the impact — canceled credit cards, low credit, wage garnishment — it's on them. Personal responsibility.

Is this true? In the big picture, we individuals and society both bear the costs and burdens of personal "bad debt." For individuals who fall into arrears in their payments, who cannot pay their financial obligations, unpaid debt means their ability to buy goods and services is curtailed or perhaps ended. If new credit is not extended, the person must live on cash. For any business, any debt that's not paid by the customer creating it becomes a cost to the enterprise extending credit. The business recoups its loss by raising prices on products or services for all future customers. The business may stop its loss by not providing goods or services to a debtor, disciplining those not paying their bills. In such cases, the consequences of unpaid bills fall on the debtor and creditor, usually ending there."

Robert E. Goff is a health care consultant and co-author of End Medical Debt: Curing America's $1 Trillion Unpayable Healthcare Debt.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Medical debt is the enemy of everyone."

Protein calorie malnutrition is devastating for patients Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

"My practice consisted of patients who suffered from serious injuries and illnesses. Concerning the latter, a significant number had cancer, especially breast cancer. The issue all patient groups have in common to a certain degree is protein calorie malnutrition (PCM). The most dramatically affected are those stricken with a malignancy. PCM leads to increased morbidity, mortality, complications, length of hospital stays, and hospital readmissions. As physicians, we must bring awareness to this devastating problem and offer solutions based on education and new product innovation."

Steve Snodgrass is a surgeon and founder, Dr. Steve's Nutri Snax. He can be reached on Instagram @drstevesurgeon.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Protein calorie malnutrition is devastating for patients."

How digital therapeutics can improve behavioral health Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

"To better meet the needs of patients, providers can improve access to treatment and offer more immediate solutions through the use of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs). With technology, providers can now deliver programming aligned with proven mental health treatment methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and connect teens and young adults to an immediate, safe, and effective treatment option.

Technology cannot replace good patient relationships, but the future of mental health care rests in leveraging technology that complements a clinician's hands-on care. The last year and a half has underscored the need to shift rapidly and use new solutions in a meaningful way. People are becoming increasingly more receptive to telehealth and virtual treatment – especially teenagers and young adults. Now is the time for physicians to consider digital therapeutics to quickly and safely support their patients who need mental health treatment, intervening early to achieve better outcomes."

Benjamin Alouf is a pediatrician.

He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article, "How digital therapeutics can strengthen the provider-patient relationship and improve behavioral health outcomes."

Women physicians with infertility Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

"Many of us suffer in silence for myriad reasons. Being a physician with infertility presents a perfect storm of stress, anxiety, guilt, and shame – all of which we know don't contribute to managing any medical problem.

Consider what it's like to undergo a typical cycle of in vitro fertilization. You administer nightly hormone injections to grow your follicles in preparation for an egg retrieval procedure. The process usually takes 1-2 weeks, but you don't know exactly how fast your follicles will grow. For the first week, maybe you just need to arrange to get away from the hospital or clinic for a couple of blood draws. But during the second half of your stimulation cycle, you must physically go into your clinic for daily transvaginal ultrasounds to monitor the progress."

Dawn Baker is an anesthesiologist who blogs at Practice Balance.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The voices of women physicians with infertility." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/12/the-voices-of-women-physicians-with-infertility.html)

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