The Podcast by KevinMD

"Coffee in hand, I decided to try and collect my thoughts. I realized that a large portion of the literature we grew up reading has in many ways tried to implant this subconscious bias that contributes to gender disparities and these ideas about women that have continued to ruminate throughout parts of society to this day. Literature in and of itself is a reflection of the times in which it is and was written. Sadly, examples of stark contrasts in comportment, demeanor, and overall health and well-being amongst men and women are nowadays ever-present and are all around us. It is of paramount importance that we as physicians now take a step back and analyze how subconscious bias affects us in all aspects of medicine." Theodore Klug is a clinical research fellow. He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article, "Gender disparities in medicine: How popular literature mirrors 2020 society." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/02/gender-disparities-in-medicine-how-popular-literature-mirrors-2020-society.html)

"When a patient is dissatisfied with his or her care, he or she can consult an attorney, who will enlist a physician 'expert' to determine if a doctor has deviated from the standard of care and whether that deviation caused a negative outcome. Over the past decade of reviewing cases involving medical malpractice, I have identified five categories of medical error, which has improved how I care for my patients." Scott Choi is a gastroenterologist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "How reviewing medical malpractice claims made me a better gastroenterologist." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/04/how-reviewing-medical-malpractice-claims-made-me-a-better-gastroenterologist.html)

"The corporatization of medicine has destroyed primary care as a specialty. The primary care physician is supposed to be your go-to doctor, your advocate, the coordinator of your health care. Now that corporations buy out hospitals and private practices in an almost predatory fashion, the priority is turning a profit for the corporation at the expense of not only patient health but also the health and well-being of the primary care physician. Who do you think bears the brunt of patient frustration and public misconception? The PCP." Alexis Gopal is an internal medicine physician and can be reached at Vitality Medicine of New York. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Rest in peace, primary care." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/rest-in-peace-primary-care.html)

"For physicians who lack experience in end-of-life counseling, the process can be daunting at the beginning. However, they can be confident that once they have obtained the proper training, preparation, and experience, these conversations will be among the most fulfilling of their careers. By regarding end-of-life planning as a shared responsibility, physicians can become more well-rounded professionally and help patients conquer their most profound fears. It's time to start the conversation." Caroline DeFilippo is an internal medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "End-of-life conversations: Why physicians should embrace the responsibility." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/end-of-life-conversations-why-physicians-should-embrace-the-responsibility.html)

"Nowadays, I go on long walks through the city alone. I make dinner for one. When I go on bike rides, it's a solo activity. I find comfort in myself, slowing down and making every small occasion a simple, peaceful one. I have a stronger sense of self, and through that, I have rekindled the fire that I felt during my first years of being in medicine. When I return home from the hospital, I don't dive into the distraction of another person. Now, I write daily journal entries that help get my heart on a page, where I can set it aside and leave it be for some time before revisiting it. I put music on in my apartment, and dance and dance and dance. My new self-soothing methods aren't perfect (none are), but at least they are now focused on nurturing and strengthening myself. No distractions, just facing my feelings head-on. It's an art I am starting to get the hang of." Fae Kayarian is a medical scribe. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Falling in love during a pandemic: a lesson in self-soothing." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/falling-in-love-during-a-pandemic-a-lesson-in-self-soothing.html)

An acupuncturist discusses her journey from medical school in China to her practice in the U.S., bridging Eastern and Western therapies. She reflects on what defines an 'ideal patient,' often inspired by personal connections. The conversation also highlights the growing trend of self-care among men discovering acupuncture. The initial consultation's importance is emphasized, along with the need for honesty in healing. Ultimately, both patients and doctors are empowered in their shared journey towards recovery.

"The science of complexity lays a conceptual foundation for understanding "complex adaptive systems." What all complex adaptive systems have in common is that they are all bound by the same set of physical laws. Their "behavior," i.e., growth, maintenance, and death, can all be described using the same set of mathematical relationships. These systems (animals, plants, ecosystems, etc.) are the most productive and functionally effective systems known to man. Unfortunately, our health care system has not been bound by the same physical laws and mathematical relationships as other complex adaptive systems. Thus, it has not been able to implement the same mechanisms that our ecosystems and cells have in order to obtain optimization in their ability to perform a function. This is most blatantly highlighted by the fact that 100,000 to 400,000 (depending on the source) Americans die each year due to medical errors." Robert Trent is a graduate student. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "What role does the science of complexity play in medicine?" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2019/08/what-role-does-the-science-of-complexity-play-in-medicine.html)

"As health professionals, we have the platform to enact change within our own institutions, as well as local and federal governments. We must elect leaders and officials who spearhead climate action. We must reduce the carbon footprint of healthcare. And we must educate our colleagues and our patients about the impact of climate change on health. We need every single one of us to take action. Our patients' health depends on it." Sarah Hsu is a medical student. She shares her story and discusses the KevinMD article, "5 things medical professionals can do to take climate action." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/5-things-medical-professionals-can-do-to-take-climate-action.html)

"Instead of focusing on one organ system, I want to know everything. The diagnostic challenge is to discern patterns of insults, symptoms, and lab tests that correlate with specific microbes, specific organ dysfunction, specific diet issues, and environmental exposures. We keep asking questions until we detect patterns in the chronically ill patient that correlate with any number of overlapping issues such as infections, hormone deficiencies, immune dysregulation, toxic exposures, and diminished capacity to detoxify. And then we explore the interrelationship of all these problems. Differentiation then integration." Daniel Kinderlehrer is a physician and author of Recovery from Lyme Disease: The Integrative Medicine Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Tick-Borne Illness. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Our work as physicians and healers is to see the whole patient." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/our-work-as-physicians-and-healers-is-to-see-the-whole-patient.html)

"Suicide is a path, whether fast or slow, that a person chooses to take because of their own reasons. We certainly can never predict suicide or truly understand it. But with that said, every time it happens, it is a tragic loss of life that time can and will never heal. We must do more to support our physicians in training, residents, and established clinicians. Like how we sit at the bedside with patients and listen to their stories, someone needs to listen to what doctors have to say. This is an epidemic that we must address right now. We must shine a light on the underpinnings of stress, dissatisfaction, grief, guilt, and pain. And we must drag out of the shadows a broken healthcare system that burdens many of our physicians. It starts with making it OK to talk about suicide and to foster an environment where it is safe for medical students and physicians to share their stories privately and publicly. We absolutely must create safe spaces for conversations to be had at all levels of medical education." Ton La, Jr. is a medical student and can be reached on LinkedIn. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Physician suicide: We need safe spaces to talk about it." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/physician-suicide-we-need-safe-spaces-to-talk-about-it.html)