Diagnostic Health Equity: The Lab Behind the Lens
Diagnostic Health Equity: Another day, another slide under the microscope. Each one tells a story—of a patient, a Each day, new slides pass under my lens. Each slide represents a story—one filled with patients, families, uncertainty, and moments that might mark either the beginning or the end of a medical journey. Every case is different, […]
Conflicts of Interest Are Eroding Trust in U.S. Health Agencies
Why has public trust in U.S. health agencies plummeted? Because conflicts of interest (COIs) have soared to unprecedented levels. FDA: Industry-Funded Oversight? At the Food and Drug Administration, skepticism over pharmaceutical influence dates back to the 1992 passage of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), which allowed drugmakers to fund FDA reviews. What followed […]
From Rejection to Resilience: My Journey Through Emergency Medicine Residency
From Rejection to Resilience: When I first walked into the emergency department at Aga Khan University Hospital as a new emergency medicine (EM) resident, it felt like stepping into a storm. The organized chaos, the rapid-fire decisions, the relentless hum of machines and alarms—it was overwhelming. More so because my journey there hadn’t been smooth. […]
The Impact of Social Media and Telemedicine on Modern Patient Care
The Impact of Social Media and Telemedicine on Modern Patient Care: In today’s digital era, health care is no longer confined to clinics or hospitals. Social media now shapes patient behavior, while telemedicine is changing how patients and doctors connect. These innovations have expanded access and engagement—but not without introducing new risks. This article explores […]
Stop Absorbing the Chaos: How Doctors Can Reclaim Their Well-Being
Are You Absorbing the System’s Dysfunction? Stop Absorbing the Chaos: How Doctors Can Reclaim Their Well-Being Do you find yourself carrying the weight of a broken health care system?Are you taking on the role of savior—overextending, fixing what isn’t yours to fix, and guiding others through a maze of inefficiencies? If so, you’re not alone. […]
Are Quotas a Solution to Physician Shortages?
Are Quotas a Solution to Physician Shortages?: In 2019, Taylor Walker, a 25-year-old pregnant woman from a rural Nebraska town of fewer than 500 people, shared her story with NPR. After experiencing pregnancy complications, she had to make a four-hour round trip for medical care—only to find her doctor unavailable. She made that long journey […]
Rural Hospitals Are Disappearing—and Lives Are at Risk
The Crisis of Rural Health Care Rural Hospitals Are Disappearing: As a family medicine-trained doctor working in a rural emergency room, I know the toll that rural health care closures take—physically, emotionally, and on entire communities. I drive 90 minutes to work every day because if I don’t, no one will. The nearest hospital in […]
Independent Physicians and Bookstores: A Shared Story of Connection
A Simple Day in a Bookstore Independent Physicians and Bookstores: One of my most cherished memories is from when my daughter was just four years old. We spent an afternoon at a local independent bookstore, flipping through picture books adorned with puppies and kittens. I read to her, we joined a story circle, and neither […]
How Earth Day Can Inspire Better Health for Doctors and Patients
Earth Day: When I was a kid, my dad and I would hike the trail to Henninger Flats in Altadena, California. We’d sit at a wooden bench overlooking the San Gabriel Valley, sharing fruit and trail mix while trying to spot landmarks—Lake Avenue, Victory Park, maybe even our house tucked into the trees. After the […]
Women Physicians Reclaim Power Without Asking Permission
Women Physicians Reclaim Power: In medicine, we often speak of resilience, but rarely about the silent expectations placed on women physicians—the weight of being everything to everyone. We close charts, answer patient messages at midnight, schedule wellness visits for our children, remember birthday gifts, and somehow still carry guilt for needing rest. We’re not just […]