Day in the Life of a Doctor: On Call With My Husband
[embedded content] Join internal medicine and rheumatology specialist Siobhan Deshauer, MD, as she spends a week working at a hospital with her husband, Mark, an emergency medicine physician and hospitalist. Following is a transcript (note that errors are possible): Deshauer: Hey, guys. I’m Siobhan, an internal medicine and rheumatology specialist. Mark: I’m Mark, an emergency […]
Opinion | ‘Pill Mill’ Docs, You May Be in for a Big Scare
Last week, in an otherwise unremarkable order list, the Supreme Court remanded a case involving a “pill mill” doctor to a lower court for further consideration, in a move that could impact previous precedent-setting decisions on prescribing liability. The ultimate decision in the case, Santos, Medardo Q. v. United States (Santos), will have important implications […]
What To Do If You’re Impacted By The Adderall Shortage
The Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide shortage of Adderall last week — and this is not the first time that supply has struggled to keep up with demand. Adderall shortages have occurred on a regular basis for the past three or four months, according to Dr. Royce Lee, an associate professor of psychiatry […]
$165M Settlement for Victims of Columbia Ob/Gyn’s Sexual Abuse
Late last week, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian announced a settlement with 147 women who had alleged that gynecologist Robert Hadden, MD, sexually abused them over a nearly 20-year period. The settlement establishes a $165 million fund to be distributed among the former patients, which include minors. According to court documents, the victims […]
How Far Will Texas Ruling Scrapping ACA’s Free Preventive Care Go?
A federal judge in Texas ruled earlier this week in favor of plaintiffs comprising several employers in the state that argued an employer’s insurance should not be required to cover the cost of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), used to reduce HIV transmission, when such a requirement violated the employer’s religious beliefs. The ruling handed down by […]
Newsom Veto Deals Blow to Safe Injection Sites
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) vetoed a bill that would have permitted the state to launch a pilot program to open supervised injection facilities in California’s largest cities. Sometimes called SIFs, safe consumption sites, or overdose prevention centers, these are spaces where people can legally consume or inject pre-obtained illicit drugs under supervision […]
Opinion | What Is the Narrative You Hear When Faced With Uncertainty?
The first week of my big attending job, I saw a patient with fever, sore throat, no cough, and tonsillar exudates. Well-trained to manage septic shock, but having no idea how to practice in a primary care clinic, I crafted a vast array of infectious and inflammatory diagnoses. With a quick glance, my senior partner […]
Moderate drinking linked to brain changes and cognitive decline
Consumption of seven or more units of alcohol per week is associated with higher iron levels in the brain, according to a study of almost 21,000 people publishing July 14 in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. Iron accumulation in the brain has been linked with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and is a potential mechanism […]
Opinion | ‘Would You Like to Keep This Pregnancy?’ I Asked My 13-Year-Old Patient
“Dr. Zha, for the new OB initial visit I put on your schedule next week, is it possible to schedule the patient with you sooner?” the OB coordinator asked me. “Why is that?” I responded, as there is usually no urgency for this type of visit. “Well, she is only 13. And she didn’t sound […]
One Class at a Texas University Dodges the Financial Burden of Med School
Last week, Fort Worth’s Texas Christian University (TCU) School of Medicine announced that the Class of 2024 received a financial gift from an anonymous donor that fully covers tuition for the next academic year, marking the second such gift for the 60-student class. One of the lucky students, Hanna Makk, noted that this will change […]