During a recent palliative conference, the discussion turned to the challenges of translating our work to the public and our colleagues. Despite the growth of our field and increasing access, there remains major confusion about palliative care and hospice. Much of the misunderstanding originates from within the medical profession. Having worked in the palliative care Read more… Palliative care is plagued by misunderstanding originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Maryal Concepcion, a family physician, as she shares her inspiring story of transitioning from a traditional health care role to direct primary care (DPC). Discover how the values of social harmony and interconnectedness from her collectivist upbringing influenced her approach Read more… Transforming patient care with cultural values in direct primary care [PODCAST] originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern. It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in a specialty of their choice in the U.S.—I had found out that I’d gotten into my first-choice hospital Read more… It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

As a physician who grew up in a small town in central Illinois, I’ve witnessed firsthand the decline of rural health care in America. The hospital where I first became interested in medicine is now half its original size, merged with a larger health system, and struggling to stay afloat. This story is all too Read more… Revitalizing rural health care with technology and policy originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

The initial psychiatric interview of a patient is often a crucial part of the developing relationship between patient and physician. Establishing rapport, reaching a diagnosis, discussing treatment options, and formulating a plan, are the main frameworks of the interview. There remain, however, increasing pressures to reach the final diagnosis, often from patients and caregivers on Read more… Time to educate the psychiatric patient originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join us for a conversation with George M. Abraham, former president of the American College of Physicians (2021-2022) and a professor of medicine. We’ll explore the vital role of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the U.S. health care system. Discover how Read more… How international medical graduates shape U.S. health care [PODCAST] originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

Terminology has changed over the years. When I was in training (1996-2000), we were called physicians. Nurses were called nurses. Nurse practitioners (NPs) were called nurse practitioners. Physician assistants (PAs) were called physician assistants. Patient care assistants (PCAs) were called patient care assistants. And the suits were just that … the suits. They kept the Read more… Not all healers wear scrubs or lab coats: Paying homage to our modern-day Santa Claus originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

When actress, model, and reality star Denise Richards came into my office, she had been suffering from chronic pelvic pain for years. Doctor after doctor had given her the same advice: ignore it. It’s just a hernia. By the time Richards consulted me, she was experiencing more than just a hernia. It was four: two Read more… Ignored and misdiagnosed: the truth about hernias in women originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we delve into the profound emotional experiences of Ryan McCarthy, an internal medicine physician. Ryan shares heart-wrenching moments from his practice, including the day his heart metaphorically rolled off his arm and crashed on the exam room floor Read more… Inside the heart of an internal medicine doctor [PODCAST] originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more

On my outpatient clinical rotations last year, I saw ample management of heart disease and smoking cessation counseling. I also saw the annual physicals and checkups. But what surprised me was how many patients were on medications that were just now becoming more mainstream. I’m sure you’ve heard of one in particular—Ozempic. But it wasn’t Read more… How weight loss drugs are creating a medical dilemma originally appeared in KevinMD.com ..read more