"As a mother, a physician, and an educator, I refuse to accept this as normal. It is not! What should we tell the parents of these young physicians? How do we explain to them that their dream of being a doctor became a nightmare with a tragic ending? What do we tell their children when they ask for daddy’s good night kiss, or for mommy’s caring hugs? Where are the leaders? How did nobody notice their sadness, lack of hope, and deep desperation?

Sadly, this tragedy is not isolated. These types of events are happening around the country and in different institutions. The hopes of young physicians are transforming on fears, the excitement on stress, the smiles on tears. Where are the leaders? How did nobody know that something wrong was happening?"

Miriam Zylberglait Lisigurski is an internal medicine physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Physician suicide: Where are the leaders?" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/08/physician-suicide-where-are-the-leaders.html)

"Provider organizations may look at their budgets and think the traditional model of fax machines and landlines is serving their entity in optimizing revenue streams. They may even look at their providers’ full schedules and believe there isn’t a patient population that still needs care. But this would be a miscalculation. Without appropriate methods to close the gap on referrals and communicate appointment information to patients, no-show and cancellation rates risk burdening providers and costing practices and health systems millions. With the right technology and procedures at the care coordinator level, patients in need of care can be seen quickly. Patients that otherwise would slip through the cracks in a health system’s infrastructure are connected with the care they desperately need. Finally, with this increased connectivity and patient care, provider organizations can continue to expand their networks and connect with more providers and services to make sure they stay competitive and relevant across the health care ecosystem."

Curtis Gattis is a health care executive.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Why clinicians can’t keep ignoring care coordination." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/08/why-clinicians-cant-keep-ignoring-care-coordination.html)

"During COVID, the medical training system had to adapt because people couldn’t meet in person and even those that could didn’t have access to patients or facilities in the same capacity. However, the explosion of remote training tools that became available make this hybrid training method as good in many ways, and perhaps even preferable to one that consists mainly of in-person lectures. In fact, some medical schools have suggested that all preclinical classes should be available exclusively online by 2025. As a result, schools and other stakeholder organizations should examine alternative methods of medical training and can use this opportunity to embrace new technologies in order to effectively and efficiently educate trainees. It may be time to abandon the old ways and fully embrace the advantages virtual training environments, including video games, have to offer."

Peter Lio is a dermatologist.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The evolution of medical training in dermatology and the impact of technology." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/09/the-evolution-of-medical-training-in-dermatology-and-the-impact-of-technology.html)

"As you wait, you have a lot of time to think. You comb through the past in search of something you might have missed. If we had acted sooner on the signs of his illness—had the cancer been diagnosed earlier—would Lee have had a better chance? You think about your child as a toddler and as a kid and as a teen. Did you push him too hard or not enough? How did you handle his skinned knees and his successes? You remember the first time he got drunk. (Lee was 14 and had discovered the punchbowl at Heidi’s Sweet Sixteen party.) You remember his first hockey goal."

Alan Pesky is founder, Lee Pesky Learning Center and co-author of More to Life than More: A Memoir of Misunderstanding, Loss, and Learning.

He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article, "A memoir of misunderstanding, loss, and learning." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/09/a-memoir-of-misunderstanding-loss-and-learning.html)

"Last March, I was working in a small primary care practice on the west side of Denver. COVID-19 came to town. On Thursday, March 12, we were told the schools would be closing. On Friday, we were told that clinic staff had to wear masks — and the clinic had to start testing patients for COVID-19.

The only problem? There were no medical-grade masks to be had. Not through the state health department, not on Google, not anywhere. Likewise, there were no COVID tests available. A patient came into the clinic late that afternoon, complaining of a high fever and a bad cough for three days. He wanted to know if he had COVID-19. So did I! But there was no way to test him."

Janet Tamaren is a family physician and author of Yankee Doctor in the Bible Belt: A Memoir.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "I was thinking about retiring, and COVID-19 gave me a push." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/08/i-was-thinking-about-retiring-and-covid-19-gave-me-a-push.html)

"There has been a growing wave of entrepreneurial physicians finding joy and value in starting consulting and coaching businesses. Many use their expertise to work with physicians exclusively. Our company has been excited to play a part in better spotlighting these businesses. Today it is now even easier to find doctors who can give you guidance on everything from running your own practice more efficiently, build a better relationship with your spouse, to negotiating your next job contract.

We are all aware of the tired refrain that 'physicians are bad at business.' It is time to retire that phrase. Business has not been our primary focus, and perhaps the state of medicine may result from that.

So if given a choice, consider supporting more physician-owned businesses. If you have a problem that needs solving, there may be a colleague out there who has already figured it out and can help."

Michael Woo-Ming is a physician entrepreneur.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Why physician-owned businesses need our attention and support." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/06/why-physician-owned-businesses-need-our-attention-and-support.html)

"Transections, eviscerations, exsanguinations, amputations, decapitations, disembowelments, penetrations, disarticulations, emasculations, enucleations, incinerations—these things he has seen. But of late he chooses to see only the glimmering vials. His vision fades and darkens as he draws closer to the OR where the ultimate reality lies prepped, draped, framed, and illuminated, waiting for the surgeon to fix it all, to make sense of it all.

Exposure in surgery is everything."

Michael J. Collins is an orthopedic surgeon and author of All Bleeding Stops. He can be reached on Twitter @mjcollinsmd.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Exposure in surgery is everything." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/09/exposure-in-surgery-is-everything.html)

"Her face is decorated in colors of the earth. With events on Earth Day and throughout the week, New York City celebrates sustainability and ways to live in harmony with the planet. Scheduled festivities include a march down Broadway with a mix of virtual talks and celebrations and in-person walks and volunteer opportunities across the boroughs.

Earth Day began in 1970 as a way to raise awareness about environmental issues and became a global event in 1990; the event has been celebrated in parks across the city since 2000."

Glenn Mark Losack is a psychiatrist and author of The Bonds We Share: Images of Humanity, 40 Years Around the Globe.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "A physician shares images of humanity." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/07/a-physician-shares-images-of-humanity.html)

This episode is sponsored by Tradeoffs, available on your favorite podcast platform.

"A child is born with a food allergy. They do not choose to have their immune system compromised. Parents do not get the choice to opt-in or out of having their child’s body recognize ordinary food as a threat. Food allergies are a unique disease in that we need the help of those around us to keep our children safe. Let us remember that children, especially when they are young, often cannot protect themselves. A young child also may not truly understand the potential danger of sharing food with a friend. This is why food allergy education is critical for both teaching staff and students. But such education is often lacking."

Lianne Mandelbaum is founder, the No Nut Traveler, and can be reached on Twitter @nonuttraveler.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "When celebrities attack children with food allergies." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/05/when-celebrities-attack-children-with-food-allergies.html)

This episode is sponsored by Tradeoffs, available on your favorite podcast platform.

"I believe there is an art to medicine, a psychological connection to your patients through a hands-on patient encounter. There are nuances AI may take decades to compete with. For now, in my lifetime, I hope that people examine patients and when there are questions about the quality of care, institutions perform a deeper dive into the real problem. (Was it the overall experience, a poor relationship with the doctor, financial stress that would be assumed by paying the medical bill, or actual malpractice?) Without support from our employers, physicians will continue to feel the accumulation of burnout and insecurity that leads to emotional duress, leaving medical practice or the worst outcome: physician suicide. We are not machines. The burden cost is evident, but when will the medical community, investors, and hospital administrators begin to truly support physicians and prevent these terrible outcomes?"

Gina Ambrose is an emergency physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The psychological repercussions of patient complaints." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/07/the-psychological-repercussions-of-patient-complaints.html)

This episode is sponsored by Tradeoffs, available on your favorite podcast platform.