The Podcast by KevinMD

"A majority of physicians see between 11 and 20 patients per day, and among all practices, the majority of doctors spend between 17 and 24 minutes with each patient. Assuming a five-day workweek, this translates to more than 900 patient interactions per year and over 1,066 minutes spent communicating with patients. Today, many of these interactions fall short of effective communication so pivotal to building rapport, trust, and loyalty with patients and ultimately driving down the bottom-line results. While most physicians are compassionate by nature, many struggle to convey that compassion. A recent survey on doctor-patient interactions found that 71% of patients reported they've experienced a lack of compassion when speaking with a medical professional, and 73% stated that they always or often feel rushed by their doctor. These findings highlight the need for medical professionals to develop the 'soft skills' – verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, listening skills, and empathy – critical for transforming the patient experience, increasing patient satisfaction, and improving outcomes." Anthony Orsini is neonatologist and founder, The Orsini Way. He is the author of It's All In The Delivery: Improving Healthcare Starting With A Single Conversation. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The case for compassionate communication." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/the-case-for-compassionate-communication.html)

"Around the time of the coronavirus outbreak, 2019 also marked a full century since the death of Sir William Osler, who revolutionized medical training. Despite some lingering debate over whether Dr. Osler's pneumonia-related death should be counted among the 50 million lost to the 1918 influenza pandemic, his notes suggest that he believed the flu precipitated his demise. As a chaplain who teaches medical humanities and professional identity formation in a medical school, I've been thinking about how Dr. Osler might have guided medical students during COVID-19. Here, the evidence is a little clearer. Dr. Osler advocated for trainees to 'let no day pass without contact with the greatest literature in the world,' and to spend 30 minutes each night reading from a bedside library of ten classics. Included among these recommended texts were the Old and New Testaments and Sir Thomas Browne's Religio Medici, a physician's spiritual testament." Elizabeth J. Berger is an advanced practice board-certified chaplain and a narrative medicine specialist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Why spiritual health is so important for medical students." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/why-spiritual-health-so-important-for-medical-students.html)

"Our country, and the world, is beyond exhausted by COVID-19 and the utter chaos and destruction of lives it has caused. All people, including physicians, are being pushed beyond capacity. What do we mean, collateral damage? Originally related to war: the unintended result of a terrible, unprecedented event or action. We may not be in a traditional war, but make no mistake, we are in a war. We can and must do better for our mentally ill patients. They deserve it. Their families deserve it. As physicians, we took an oath to care for all people, not just those with a 'cool kid's disease.' It is time." Ann L. Contrucci is a pediatrician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Mental health care is the not so silent collateral damage of COVID-19." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/mental-health-care-is-the-not-so-silent-collateral-damage-of-covid-19.html)

"Antiracism requires action-oriented work and calls us to ask, how will we work to become antiracist? How will we change our institutional culture and systems to become antiracist? As Latina medical students, we have seen and experienced racism in many aspects of society and have felt the need to change our institutional culture. If we act now, we will foster physician leaders adequately equipped to address health disparities. We are calling on other Latinx people, other non-Black people, and allies in medicine to go beyond these protests and commit to the journey of antiracism and health equity for all." Yesenia Salazar and Camila Hurtado are medical students. The share their stories and discuss their KevinMD article, "Declaring racism as a public health crisis from the lens of two Latinx student doctors." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/declaring-racism-as-a-public-health-crisis-from-the-lens-of-two-latinx-student-doctors.html)

"In medicine, empiric therapy is treatment that is administered based on the probability of success because we don't have all of the information. We make our 'best guess.' Actually, empiric decision-making exists in our everyday lives — running the garbage disposal when the sink is clogged, jiggling the key in the lock when it doesn't turn. Mr. Thomas was in stable condition, and I estimated that his chances of finding an answer to his chest pain with another specialist, was very low. It was time to make my best guess. I explained my theory to Mr. Thomas and suggested we try some myofascial bodywork. In the best case, he would feel a difference; and in the worst case, he would feel a little sore and looser in his body, but without pain relief. Mr. Thomas was definitely interested. With hope and caution, we proceeded. I started with the sides of his chest … zig … then his abdominals … zag … then low back … zig … I checked with him frequently as he groaned with each maneuver, but he always nodded to continue. When the trial was over, I helped him sit up on the exam table." Cathy Kim is a family physician and can be reached at Dr. Cathy. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Fascia in primary care: When chest pain is not in your chest." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/fascia-in-primary-care-when-chest-pain-is-not-in-your-chest.html)

"While there is a myriad of expert opinions on what long term effects this pandemic will have on our children and their physical and mental health, we must also remember the age-old idiom: this too shall pass. We must also be sensitive to not add to parents' already full plates. Meditation is not meant to be another task on the already burdened shoulder of parents, but quite the opposite: a way to cope with the increasing demands placed on us by the pandemic. Despite the ubiquitous and understandable parental concerns regarding what type of adults these baby zoomers will turn out to be, pediatricians have a unique opportunity to counsel and provide some small silver linings. For example, many children are learning to adapt quickly to unpredictable situations. Many are becoming adept in technology, which will give them lifelong computer proficiency that may help in future careers. Many more are becoming excellent self-learners, and many parents are getting a unique opportunity to observe their children in a classroom setting. Finally, pediatricians can suggest the introduction of meditation and mindfulness as a means to counteract the possible negative effects the pandemic may have on our children." Ana Pal and Samira Hodges are pediatricians. They can be reached on Twitter @thepedipals. They share their story and discuss their KevinMD article, "Why the pandemic is the perfect opportunity to introduce meditation to children." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/why-the-pandemic-is-the-perfect-opportunity-to-introduce-meditation-to-children.html)

"Appreciation in the personal finance world has two different components to it: Quantitative: increasing value of net worth and financial assets Qualitative: feeling of gratitude for one's finances, resources, and circumstance. This is not dependent on the dollar amount. These are both important, but the qualitative is the best predictor of increasing wealth and personal wellbeing. We are programmed by these components, which makes our brain to focus on what is wrong and what is insufficient. We tend to focus on what needs to be fixed than what we already have. When all our attention is on what needs fixing in our lives, our relationships, and our finances, we spiral into negative feelings." Latifat Alli-Akintade is a gastroenterologist and can be reached at MoneyFitMD. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Appreciation in the personal finance world." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/appreciation-in-the-personal-finance-world.html)

"While the rise in substance use disorders during COVID will become more apparent as the pandemic eventually ebbs, the silver lining is that this is not a novel problem. We understand substance use disorders far better than we understand COVID-19, and we also know that one of the largest obstacles to treatment is the shame associated with admitting that one has a problem. Furthermore, we also possess lifesaving drugs (such as Naloxone) that can prevent those with opioid use disorder from dying of an overdose. Moving forward, we in the mental health community should encourage efforts to eliminate stigmas associated with addiction. More concretely, policymakers should be ready for the increase in opioid-related overdoses and ensure first responders have access to drugs like Naloxone. Secondly, COVID-19 patients and family members should receive easier access to mental health care to improve resiliency and potentially reduce instances of substance abuse disorders that begin as PTSD-related self-medication." Samoon Ahmad is a psychiatrist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "COVID-related stressors and increasing instances of substance abuse." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/covid-related-stressors-and-increasing-instances-of-substance-abuse.html)

"We are social beings. Evolution has taught us that in order to survive, we must work together. Community trust (trusting your fellow citizen) is a very effective way to build community resilience when hardships strike. Studies have been done in the wake of natural disasters and have shown that social infrastructure and connections have equal, if not more, impact on the ability of a community to 'bounce back' than physical infrastructure. During this terrible pandemic, let's make compassion go viral. Let compassion be the vaccine for society. As so eloquently said by the Dalai Lama: 'Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not a luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.'" Aseem Desai is a cardiac electrophysiologist and author of Restart Your Heart. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "During this terrible pandemic, let's make compassion go viral." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/06/during-this-terrible-pandemic-lets-make-compassion-go-viral.html)

"Why real estate? By having a 'why' you want something, it'll help keep you motivated to pursue your goals when setbacks and mistakes occur. For our family, we wanted passive income streams. Passive income gives you options. I love options. It doesn't matter if you want to work forever, retire early, or change careers, multiple income sources can make it happen. Our passive income is not only tax-free, but we're also able to access it if needed, unlike traditional retirement accounts." Jeff Anzalone is a periodontist who blogs at Debt Free Dr. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Hassle-free real estate investing for busy doctors." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/hassle-free-real-estate-investing-for-busy-doctors.html)

"Like 9/11, we have a new reference point touching everyone on the planet: life before COVID-19 and life after. Regardless if you get it or don't, the unknowns and secondary consequences are scary. Life before COVID was scary, too, minus the urgency. Before COVID, we sensed the weight of living on a sick planet. We felt powerless to change the tide of forces affecting our lives for the worst. We normalized the slow spiral down the drain of political divisions, economic inequality, costly health care, deteriorating education, unreliable information, and unsustainable living. We let our existential fear buzz like a refrigerator's white noise. COVID innocently shines a floodlight on our curious collective permissiveness. It illuminates silent fear." Ruchi Puri is an obstetrics-gynecology physician and can be reached at her self-titled site, Ruchi Puri, MD. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "COVID illuminates silent fear." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/covid-illuminates-silent-fear.html)

"The inflammatory response elicited by the novel coronavirus can do great damage to the essential function of lungs. People with underlying lung disease are more vulnerable to this coronavirus, including people with asthma, emphysema, lung fibrosis, and even people with high exposure to air pollution. Smoking and vaping are perfectly preventable forms of high-intensity air pollution. We strongly urge city, county, and state governments across the planet to place a temporary moratorium on the sale of all inhalable products to protect our lungs and our freedom." Jayshree Chander is an occupational medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A call for a moratorium on the sale of inhalable products." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/a-call-for-a-moratorium-on-the-sale-of-inhalable-products.html)

"Holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone. It means putting your focus on someone to support them as they feel their feelings. An important aspect of holding space is managing judgment while you are present. Like when you tell a patient that they have stage IV pancreatic cancer and that it is nonsurgical and even with the best treatments, their time is very short. Then you hold space. You say nothing. You sit there and provide support by sitting there-next to their emotions. You don't run to offer false hope. You don't run to talk about 5 percent of the patients that respond to the newest therapy. You don't try to look at the bright side. Change the subject. Or worse, run out the room. You hold space. Sometimes, you sit for 2 minutes. Sometimes 10 minutes. While saying nothing. It feels like an impossibly long time, but I wish I could tell you how you are bearing the weight of that news by just sitting there. Holding space." Faryal Michaud is a palliative care physician and can be reached at Write Your Last Chapter. (https://writeyourlastchapter.com/) She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The importance of holding space." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/the-importance-of-holding-space.html)

"The reality of being a medical practice owner is that we are small business owners and very vulnerable to the impact of COVID. Having previously worked in the telemedicine industry and because I am a psychiatrist, I initially felt that I was in a good position to adapt to this crisis – and this has been overall true, but the reality is it hasn't been so easy in other ways. I was able to transition to a full telemedicine practice rather quickly and seamlessly; I am fortunate that I have been able to work to some degree while some of my colleagues have not. On the business side, I have had a significant decline in my overall revenue because patients were, especially for the months of March through May, seeking less health care overall, didn't have sufficient privacy for telehealth sessions, or even simply preferred to wait for in-person visits to become available. As you know, New York was hit particularly hard, so this has been a prolonged situation of waiting until the coast is clear. Despite decreased revenues, operating costs remain at their pre-COVID levels – I am carrying the expense of my office rent and utilities, malpractice insurance, and other insurances, for example, accountant, biller, receptionist, and none of those expenses will be decreasing anytime soon if ever. I am the only clinician in my practice, but I would like to be able to rehire and re-expand my practice again but am facing some challenges in hiring due to poor cash flow." Sharon M. Batista is a psychiatrist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "7 tips to balance family and professional needs during the pandemic." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/7-tips-to-balance-family-and-professional-needs-during-the-pandemic.html)

"To help the reader understand the issues better, I would like to relate some stories. A friend of mine was dying of pancreatic cancer. He had an implantable morphine pump and was on both hospice and palliative care. Still, he found that his suffering was unbearable and wanted to die sooner. Doctors told him that his only option to end his suffering was to voluntarily stop eating and drinking, which he did. As a result, he developed psychosis, and his loving family has been scarred by the experience. He died after 10 agonizing days. I heard about an individual with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), which is incurable and causes the death of neurons that control muscles and eventually leads to the inability to move and then the ability to breathe. This person killed himself with a gun before he lost the use of his arms. I had a number of patients with cancer that we were not able to control their pain, and I gave them palliative sedation (a morphine drip that caused them to become unconscious) to control their suffering. Had it been available, medical aid in dying could have helped all these people. When my cancer gets worse, I expect to have a great deal of pain. I would like the option of having medication to put me to sleep, end my suffering, and to die, at home, with my family and friends around me." The author would like to correct the following statistics from the podcast: 17 percent of terminally Ill individuals discuss medical aid in dying with family and friends. 2 to 10 percent discuss medical aid in dying with a physician. 0.6 percent get medical aid in dying prescriptions. 0.3 to 0.4 percent use a medical aid in dying drug. Roger Kligler is an internal medicine physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Medical aid in dying is not assisted suicide." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/medical-aid-in-dying-is-not-assisted-suicide.html)

"There are some things that we are living through as a result of COVID-19 that I did not imagine in my fictional account. For example: the timeline. As we are now four full months into this pandemic in the U.S., some experts estimate that we are still early in the game. As one doctor put it, we are only at about the twenty-yard line of the football field. My imagined timeline was much shorter. Another thing I didn't foresee was the perception of danger dividing along political lines. In fact, I imagined the opposite: that people would, in the name of self-preservation, view with suspicion any political down-playing of the danger of a global pandemic and insist on any means possible of protecting themselves. And among the most devastating consequences of this pandemic that I hadn't imagined for my novel was the situation of people dying alone in hospitals without their loved ones. Not being able to hold the hand, give a final hug, say goodbye. Undoubtedly, penning an imaginary pandemic is much less stressful than living through one. Living through a pandemic day by day has carried with it a chronic anxiety that I did not anticipate: not just the fear of contracting the illness, but the constant worry of pre-symptomatically transmitting it, thus second-guessing every errand, every visit to loved ones. As we all work through this unprecedented medical crisis, I hope we continue to make steady progress in treatment and prevention of this devastating illness. Stay safe." Teresa Fuller is a pediatrician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Imagining a pandemic as a physician novelist." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/imagining-a-pandemic-as-a-physician-novelist.html)

"As our office begins to return to pre-COVID operations, it has been uplifting to have a relative sense of normalcy, even though morale seems to be reduced. It is difficult to promote team building and improve morale when everyone has to maintain social distancing. I would love to go out for a meal with my staff, hug my patients, and lecture our trainees face-to-face in a classroom. While the hope is that all of these distancing measures are temporary, avoiding despair is another layer added onto an already heightened level of stress. I think all of us in medicine who have survived the pandemic thus far are grateful, even as we mourn the tremendous loss of life. There are signs that we can overcome this new normal moral injury involving fear, stress, and work-life imbalance. Several things that were burdensome pre-COVID such as licensing regulations, charting requirements, being unable to do telemedicine, for example, all were revised in some positive way as a result of the pandemic. In the same way that protests for social justice are rising, so are voices in medicine that will hopefully use this time of uncertainty to potentially change and improve health care systems. As we continually provide hope to our patients, perhaps there is hope for our profession to improve when we come out of this challenging time." Marc Braunstein is a hematology-oncology physician and can be reached on Twitter @docbraunstein. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD articles, "My new normal moral injury" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/my-new-normal-moral-injury.html) and "Practicing oncology during COVID-19." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/03/practicing-oncology-during-covid-19.html)

"The duty of physician officials in the government exceeds that of other officials. As physicians, they have a unique moral obligation to do more than protect the constitution from enemies, foreign and domestic. They have a duty to be unambiguously truthful, to use their power to do good, and to avoid harm. If they fail in any of those regards, they must be held accountable by their peers, and by society. This is especially urgent when those who appointed them to these positions of authority fail to manifest in their actions the moral necessity of telling the truth, doing good, and avoiding harm. In that case, peer and public accountability are all that is left to uphold these essential ethical standards. If this level of peer accountability seems extreme, imagine the consequences if the most powerful and public-facing physicians in the country continue to erode public trust in their own profession. Physicians have always held one another accountable to the highest ethical standards of medicine. The need is more urgent than ever. The potential for great human suffering demands that the unified voice of medicine muster its moral courage and act as though its life depends on it." Charles E. Binkley is a bioethicist and general surgeon. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The failure of the U.S. government's physicians to do good, avoid harm, and tell the truth." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/the-failure-of-the-u-s-governments-physicians-to-do-good-avoid-harm-and-tell-the-truth.html)

"Growing up, my family sheltered and protected me with everything related to vitiligo. People never really asked me what happened to my skin. And, if I did get questions, I honestly did not know how to answer them, so I would say 'oh, they're just sunburn scars' or some version of that story, and moved on. Thinking back, I probably was too supported and busy to really have an opportunity to be bothered by it. That, in itself, was a blessing. I pursued many years of schooling and training to ultimately become a practicing physician. Now that I've been in medicine for many years, I primarily value and cherish the connection with my patients, as I sincerely believe medicine is fundamentally about the human experience. But, when I hear statements like 'you don't look Indian' from patients, I am constantly reminded each time that I have vitiligo. Reflecting on how best to answer this question, I ask myself if I should react and explain the skin condition, or just let it go. The truth is that the majority of the time, I do 'let it go' when it comes to discussing my skin condition with patients. I simply don't want to explain to patients that I have vitiligo." Dhaval Desai is a hospitalist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The story of an Indian doctor with vitiligo." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/06/the-story-of-an-indian-doctor-with-vitiligo.html)

"The daily email update on COVID-19 affecting our hospital system is a glaring reflection of the health disparities amongst those in marginalized groups. The farther south you go, generally in San Diego, the higher the number of socioeconomically disadvantaged persons, and that tends to include a disproportionate number of persons of color. These populations may be unable to physically distance due to living conditions and job conditions. Perhaps there is a higher number of persons living together per household, in a smaller space, along with the inability to work from home. And the mortality rates of those from COVID-19 amongst these persons is higher than white counterparts. Sometimes there is an inherent distrust in the medical system. COVID-19 and racism intersect. However, this is not a unique situation in health care—many chronic illnesses portend worse outcomes for those in marginalized groups. Marginalization means just that: glaringly apparent in health outcomes and socioeconomic disparities." Ni-Cheng Liang is a pulmonary physician and founder, the Mindful Healthcare Collective. She shares her story and discuss her KevinMD article, "COVID-19 becomes a magnifying glass for health disparities." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/covid-19-becomes-a-magnifying-glass-for-health-disparities.html) Resources mentioned in the show: Implicit bias test: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html Health Disparities Widget: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/data-search/health-disparities-data/health-disparities-widget Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities: https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/strategies2016/index.html Conscious Anti-Racism: https://www.jillwener.com/consciousantiracism

"Signing up for an improv class was unchartered territory. It was far beyond my comfort zone, like skydiving, for a little thrill. I'm not an adrenaline junkie interested in the ultimate adventure nor an aspiring actress hoping for a guest appearance on SNL. I'm a physician and a physician leader. Learning improvisational theatre wasn't on my comprehensive, personal to-do list. But I'm also a physician coach. I sense what others feel in the moment without interpretation or judgment. However, when I tried to turn the same discerning sage on myself, I was faltering. The voice of compassion that I once used during patient visits and that I now use during client sessions, is sometimes muted by an inner critic that tells me to keep self-awareness out of awareness. It is this voice that I wanted to stifle when I hit the submit button." Terri Malcolm is an obstetrician-gynecologist and founder, Master Physician Leaders. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How improv helps physician leaders." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/how-improv-helps-physician-leaders.html)

"What on earth are we doing here, folks? To try to save a tanking economy, workers were sent back to their jobs much too early, causing again a spike in cases of the virus. I realize that the loss of a paycheck is a major traumatic situation for any breadwinner, but so is the loss of life. Our doctors and nurses are doing their best to treat COVID-19 patients under their care. Many are putting themselves in harm's way and risking their health to care for those hospitalized. Some have been separated from their own families so as not to potentially carry the virus to them. And how do we repay them for their valiant efforts? By ignoring the guidelines put forth by the CDC and all other medical institutions. That doesn't make sense." Michele Luckenbaugh is a patient advocate. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The loss of a paycheck is a major traumatic situation. The loss of life is worse." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-loss-of-a-paycheck-is-a-major-traumatic-situation-the-loss-of-life-is-worse.html)

"I have been depressed. I have been burned out. I have been both. I have been neither. How do you know if you are depressed vs. burned out when your chief complaint is, "I feel like crap?" It's time to call a consult. I don't mean curbsiding your colleagues to fill your medications off the record without evaluation. I mean, ask for real help, from someone who can objectively help you define your diagnosis and the best path forward. If you "feel like crap" and think you may be depressed or burned out, please reach out to a trusted physician, therapist, or coach. You are not alone, and there is hope and help waiting for you." Kara Pepper is an internal medicine physician and can be reached at her self-titled site, Physician Life Coach: Kara Pepper, MD. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Call a consult: depression vs. burnout." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/call-a-consult-depression-vs-burnout.html)

"An increasing number of institutions are relying on telemedicine to continue delivering care to patients in lieu of typical outpatient visits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine has been lauded as a potential equalizer in health care access. Indeed, it allows for safe and easy access to medical professionals. It especially benefits patients with transportation issues or those seeking specialty care from far away. Some pitfalls such as reimbursement issues and lack of physical exam notwithstanding, telemedicine overall is a helpful service at a time like this. However, telemedicine does not benefit all patients equally. In fact, it exposes and amplifies the existing health care disparity in a subgroup of patients." Wenjing Zong is a pediatric gastroenterology fellow. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Telemedicine in COVID-19: Disparities still exist." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/telemedicine-in-covid-19-disparities-still-exist.html)

"While our bodies have been a bastion of the heart and soul of medicine, a group of our peers thought it was acceptable to diminish the capabilities of our bodies to pictures on social media. They thought our ability to be exceptional physicians was inversely proportional to the number of pictures that showed us holding a drink or wearing a bikini. Our bodies do so much more than just practice medicine. What we choose to do with our bodies in our own free time should not become part of an investigation that is packaged as peer-reviewed research. Our bodies may have tattoos, ride motorcycles, or compete in pole fitness competitions for sport. None of that impacts our practice of medicine negatively. It's past time we start celebrating the strength of our bodies and hold accountable those who try to negate our accomplishments with an ill-perceived attitude of sexism and misogyny." Jessica Pearce is an obstetrician-gynecologist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Let us talk about the underlying situation of #medbikini." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/let-us-talk-about-the-underlying-situation-of-medbikini.html)

Meet the physician who has written multiple widely-shared articles on KevinMD. How does writing change minds and bring people together? Why is humor such an important part of her pieces? Explore how her articles come together, and why writing has made her a better physician. Rada Jones is an emergency physician and can be reached at her self-titled site, RadaJonesMD, and on Twitter @jonesrada. She is the author of Overdose. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How masks are like your underwear." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/how-masks-are-like-your-underwear.html)

"I wonder what keeps us physicians going? What makes us show up to work every day? Even though it might sound clichéd, for most of us, it's the love for medicine; it's the love to be there and still be able to make a difference. And maybe money too. Here I have some self-help tips/tools that could potentially help us through these tough times. We cannot change our surroundings. We can certainly adapt." Manju Mahajan is a family physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "To better take care of patients, we need to take care of ourselves." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/to-better-take-care-of-patients-we-need-to-take-care-of-ourselves.html)

"What is SEO? In short, it is the process of optimizing content found online in order to help it be seen by those searching for the information found in that content. It used to be that people would just stuff their poorly written, short, and low-quality blog posts with their keyword, and they would rank for that keyword. Long gone are those days, and it's a good thing because when it comes to health care and medical content, that kind of content has no place being seen. If we all start putting out quality medical content, soon there will be no room on page one for all of the noise that not only provides low-quality information but can actually put people's lives and health in danger." Andrea Paul is a physician-entrepreneur and can be found on Instagram and Facebook. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Search engine optimization for physicians." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/how-the-google-algorithm-update-helps-doctor-written-content-rank-higher.html)

"Physicians are advocates of health. This must include our own. Physicians identify threats to health. This must include those that threaten our own – burnout is proven a grave threat. Physicians seek, prescribe, and perform curative treatments. We have the treatment for burnout available – we must prescribe it for each other and seek it for ourselves. Physicians advocate for vaccination as prevention. We have the inoculation for burnout – we must make it widely accessible and encourage collective participation to gain the necessary herd immunity. We have available to us a single solution that fulfills both prevention and cure for the pandemic of burnout – this single treatment will sustain the workforce that is needed to navigate the other pandemics we face. Coaching empowers us to continue our work in advocating for health, identifying and eliminating threats with our compassion, expertise, empathy, and lives intact. We must lead by example, ask for the help we need, use prevention as medicine, and emerge together immune to the toxicities threatening our profession and eradicate the disease of burnout through coaching." Amelia L. Bueche is an osteopathic physician and founder, This Osteopathic Life. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How coaching prevents and treats physician burnout." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/how-coaching-prevents-and-treats-physician-burnout.html)

"We can't un-bungle our nation's COVID-19 response. Political leaders acted too slowly; health agencies committed unforced errors with testing kits and, amid the confusion, an information fog settled over the land. Americans remain afraid, perplexed, and chronically misinformed (despite wall-to-wall coronavirus coverage across the leading cable news programs and print publications). To counter the uncertainty, any plan to get us out of the coronavirus crisis must first acknowledge and broadly communicate three immutable, scientific facts." Robert Pearl is a plastic surgeon and author of Mistreated: Why We Think We're Getting Good Health Care–And Why We're Usually Wrong. He can be reached on Twitter @RobertPearlMD. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "3 coronavirus facts Americans must know before returning to work and school." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/3-coronavirus-facts-americans-must-know-before-returning-to-work-and-school.html)

"Eventually, this thankfully passed. Now, almost three years later, I know that this loss will always be with us. Miriam was beautiful, she was our only girl, she was perfect for our family, and she's always missing. Still, my memories of being in the hospital are incredibly sad but also peaceful. In part, this is due to the incredible support and love we got from our family, friends, rabbi, and community. But in a big part, this is due to the clear and honest way we got Miriam's diagnosis and the support, concern, and compassion from her medical team." Sophia Zilber is a patient advocate. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Getting a terminal diagnosis for my baby." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/01/getting-a-terminal-diagnosis-for-my-baby.html)

"Setting: An impersonal, windowless conference room within a hospital Characters: A nurse in charge (NIC), a department chair (DC) and me (ME) NIC: Thank you for joining us to discuss the report you made of unprofessional behavior in the operating room. We'd like to start by letting you know that in this institution, we have a culture of informality. When I first got here, I found it unsettling that doctors were called by their first names in meetings. DC: Yes, this culture was also surprising to me. At [Ivory tower institution 1], where I trained, no one would have ever called a physician by their first name! And at [Ivory tower institution 2] where I worked before moving here, no one would have dreamed of calling a doctor by their first name. Can you imagine someone calling Dr. [Worldfamous Surgeon at Ivory tower institution 2] Steve? It never would have happened! He would have been so angry! But here, I get called by my first name pretty regularly. I've gotten used to it, and now I don't even mind. ME: We're not here because someone called me by my first name. DC: What do you mean?" Sarah M. Temkin is a gynecology-oncology physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A discussion about unprofessional behavior: a play in 1 act." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/a-discussion-about-unprofessional-behavior-a-play-in-1-act.html)

"Will the unfavorable regulatory environment permit telehealth to flourish? Perforce we're beginning to see a relaxation of restrictions that have hitherto obstructed progress. Recently, federal officials approved interstate licensing, thereby prompting greater telehealth conversion, utilization, and expansion. Medicare's 1135 Waiver is also encouraging, and, in as much as it serves the same ends, the Drug Enforcement Administration's leave to prescribe via telemedicine without a prior in-person meeting is a similarly promising development. In light of circumstances, anything that might reduce cost, improve delivery, and wrest control from bloated, dysfunctional health care systems is viable." David Hanekom is an internal medicine physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Telehealth is the future but it is obscured by a dismal present." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/telehealth-is-the-future-but-it-is-obscured-by-a-dismal-present.html)

"Suzy was a bright and hardworking student. However, even though she was conscientious and generally cheery, her grades began to fall during her senior year, and she started to feel depressed. She also constantly had an upset stomach, which she had just accepted as a way of life. She'd had an ADHD diagnosis since she was younger, but while Ritalin had helped her focus on her work in the past, the effect seemed to be dwindling as she built up a tolerance. I noted that her diet seemed to have shifted toward more comfort food. Her meals were cereal with milk, a sandwich, pizza, or pasta. She was eating a lot of dairy and gluten, and it's no coincidence that both of these dietary components can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD." Uma Naidoo is a nutritional psychiatrist and author of This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Can what you eat worsen your ADHD?" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/can-what-you-eat-worsen-your-adhd.html)

"Let's not suffer more hardship then already incurred by COVID-19. Recognizing that both the psychosocial stressors arising from COVID-19 and the withdrawal of effective sexual offender treatment increase the risk of sexual violence, public safety demands that offenders have access to treatment. Without sexual offender treatment during COVID-19, we exchange one public health crisis for another." Renée Sorrentino is a psychiatrist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Sexual offender treatment during COVID-19." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-withdrawal-of-effective-sexual-offender-treatment-during-covid-19.html)

"The incident bothered me all day and the following many days. I couldn't quite put a finger on what it was and brushed it aside and stopped thinking about it. In the wake of recent events, it dawned upon me that it wasn't the patient's comments that bothered me. It was the fact that no one standing in the room witnessing the conversation stepped in. Not during the conversation, and not after. Considering I've worked with my colleagues every single day, and in the same place for the last 12 years, I felt strangely betrayed. Stories like this happen every day and are sadly more common than we realized. There will always be racist, insensitive, inappropriate comments by people across life. Its how we react to them is what will shape our lives. Most individuals have asked how they can help. Well, start by being an upstander and not a bystander. That will mean the world to us, people of color, and immigrants. And let's start teaching and training students in medical school, nursing, and technical schools how to identify and stand up to inappropriate comments. It may take us a few generations to make seismic changes, but we must start now." Aasma Shaukat is a gastroenterologist and can reached on Twitter @aasmashaukatmd. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Be an upstander and not a bystander." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/be-an-upstander-and-not-a-bystander.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"My mom was beyond vulnerable to the virus. May of 2020 marked two years since she'd become a nursing home resident—receiving care for several chronic illnesses. She died of failure to thrive due to Coronavirus 2019 on June 1, 2020, at the age of 75. As her oldest child, her health care proxy, and a health care writer for more than 15 years, I knew that a positive result in a long-term care facility was statistically almost sure to end one way. She'd already been showing signs of global decline for months, and had a DNR order in place. Professionally, I'd been immersed in COVID almost from the time it began. I was writing articles about physicians' liability exposure during the crisis and how clinicians could seek resources for help coping with trauma related to the pandemic. Personally, I was connecting with my mom the best I could (asynchronous videos, cards in the mail). I was defending her final wishes. And I was preparing mentally to say goodbye, even if it couldn't be in person." Debra A. Shute is a journalist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "What it's like to write about COVID-19 while it's killing your mom." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/what-its-like-to-write-about-covid-19-while-its-killing-your-mom.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"You are a physician. You have put in years of hard work and sacrifice getting here. Now what? Does your life look and feel exactly how you imagined it would? If not, what does your ideal life look like? Certainly, answers to this question are deeply personal, and will vary depending on the individual. As physicians, we need to engage in a process of self-discovery to create the lives we want and deserve. This requires each of us to examine our lives as they currently are, envision what they could be, and take inspired action to make the changes that are necessary to achieve our goals. To start, you might ask yourself the following questions: What aspects of my career and personal life do I find the most rewarding and fulfilling? What aspects am I simply tolerating? And what aspects actually make me feel unhappy, or unsettled?" Gina Geis is a neonatologist and physician coach. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The path toward your ideal life." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-path-toward-your-ideal-life.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"An email arrived inviting med students to join the State of Georgia's Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). The MRC is an organization of doctors, nurses, PAs, EMTs, and med students who are the first medical boots on the ground for disasters in Georgia. They establish mobile hospitals and provide medical care. With extra time in isolation, I signed up and shortly received a notice for locations at food banks available to students. I requested an assignment, received my orders, and deployed the next day to serve for two weeks. When I arrived, the food bank was in desperate need of volunteers. With the state shutdown, more people needed food, but fewer people were able to help. The Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF), a statewide Army branch of volunteers, assigned soldiers to work at the food banks since normal volunteers were under lockdown. I was assigned as medical support for the soldiers." Mason Bennett is a medical student. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "A medical student's unique education in a pandemic." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/a-medical-students-unique-education-in-a-pandemic.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"History cannot be changed and should not be erased. The First Amendment was placed first for a reason. It is the bedrock of our nation's ability to overcome despots like Hitler and to abolish slavery. However, it comes at a price. You may hear things you don't like or make you uncomfortable. You may see statues or places like the Old Slave Market that offend you because of what they represent. But you also see works of art like the Declaration of Independence. You cannot have one without the other. To limit speech or erase history because you do not personally like it, or because it doesn't fit your narrative is a step towards liberal and/or conservative fascism. Personal liberty is sacrificed." Andrew Pickens is an emergency physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD articles, "The cancel culture and the erasure of less just times and imperfect people" (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/06/the-cancel-culture-and-the-erasure-of-less-just-times-and-imperfect-people.html) and "The DNA of the United States of America." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-dna-of-the-united-states-of-america.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"The disparity of women physicians in research is a systemic issue that should be mitigated appropriately. Women, especially minorities and immigrants, need institutional support to succeed as clinician-investigators. Medical institutions should actively participate in increasing funding mechanisms available solely for the development and promotion of female clinician investigators. Funding for research projects, in terms of time effort and supplies such as data management tools, is vitally important to address gender inequities in research. Protected time for planning, conducting, and writing grants and manuscripts for the project is also essential. Women and men in medicine need to become better at involving the appropriate clinical expertise in research projects. Research, in general, will benefit from the increased collegiality and partnerships among medical specialties." Tina S. Ipe is a pathologist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A physician unmutes herself after receiving an email." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/a-physician-unmutes-herself-after-receiving-an-email.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"We dealt with the death, uncertainty, and fear of COVID-19 with a stiff upper lip. But our hearts broke when George Floyd was murdered by the police on May 25. George is a symbol of an immense problem. A study reported that one in every thousand Black men can expect to be killed by the police. One in every thousand! Racially directed violence by the police is a public health problem. Clinicians cannot be silent. Clinicians will not be silent." Karim Khan is an infectious disease fellow. He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article that he co-wrote, "White Coats for Black Lives: How to transform anger into action." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/white-coats-for-black-lives-how-to-transform-anger-into-action.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"Government officials, regardless of political affiliation, should seek sound medical advice before communicating with their constituents. Appropriate public health information should be shared so that constituents are not harmed by following misinformed medical information. Government officials, news media, and social media platforms should account for the health information they spread. We must combat misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic so that we are better prepared to handle a potential second wave or any viral outbreaks in the future." Jacob Uskavitch is a medical student. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "COVID-19 misinformation is a public health crisis." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/covid-19-misinformation-is-a-public-health-crisis.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely disrupted how we deliver primary care to patients. Before the pandemic, telehealth seemed to be a way to deliver urgent care for acute issues to a select group of tech-savvy patients. Now, at least in my practice, the majority of primary care (acute care, chronic disease management, and preventive care) is being delivered through "telehealth," meaning that we conduct visits virtually via video or telephone. While, of course, this is currently safer, many patients also seem to value the improved convenience and accessibility of these visits compared to traditional office-based care. However, as we continue to move forward providing virtual care to patients during the pandemic and beyond, we need to recognize our current deficiencies in providing this type of care and acknowledge that providing the full scope of quality telehealth will require more than just a video connection with a patient." Cara Litvin is an internal medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Envisioning the delivery of true primary care telehealth." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/envisioning-the-delivery-of-true-primary-care-telehealth.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"There is no single culprit responsible for this shift in medical education. However, two, in particular, should be noted. The first is the culture of defensive medicine, or more bluntly, CYA (cover-your-ass) medicine. This culture has been insidiously infusing itself within the modern health care system for decades. The fear of being sued for malpractice is ever-present. Undoubtedly, this has led to hesitations in allowing medical students to be involved in patient care. Another important consideration is our capitalistic health care system. In an era when physicians are being pressured by hospitals to see more patients, coupled with intense bureaucratic demands and documentation requirements, it is no secret that learners slow down productivity and drive down the bottom line. As a result, education suffers. What is the consequence of all of this? The 'finish line' keeps getting pushed back further and further. More resident physicians are deciding to pursue fellowship before becoming an attending. For instance, in the field of general surgery, 80 percent of residents decide to pursue a fellowship. It is unclear how this will affect patient care in the future. Undoubtedly though, it begins at the medical student level. The decision to remove medical students from the hospitals in the midst of this crisis is the ultimate reflection of a much larger problem, that being, the regression of the role of medical students." Clayton Korson is a medical student. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Medical students are benched during the pandemic." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/medical-students-are-benched-during-the-pandemic.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"Telehealth has come into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic as physicians face an immediate need to reduce exposure by providing care—or at least triage—remotely when appropriate. Under usual circumstances, telemedicine is comparatively low risk. That said, telemedicine does bring specific risks to patient safety and physician/practice liability. Minimizing those risks calls for adapting daily practice routines around informed consent, documentation, and other standard components of a patient encounter, as well as adjusting the practice's insurance coverage." David L. Feldman is chief medical officer, The Doctors Company and Healthcare Risk Advisors. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "7 tips for telehealth during COVID-19." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/7-tips-for-telehealth-during-covid-19.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"As a physician working with human trafficking survivors, I have become accustomed to those with a history of surviving violence. But the patient in question is in my general primary care practice. This should highlight to care providers that there may be many more patients out there who have been exposed to trauma in their past, and we need to take this into account. One way to be inclusive is to incorporate the substance abuse and mental health services administration principles of trauma-informed care into practice." Andrea Reilly is an internal medicine-pediatrics physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "The challenge of trauma-informed care in the age of COVID." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-challenge-of-trauma-informed-care-in-the-age-of-covid.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"As I read about Dr. Breen, saddened by the fact that we have been robbed of yet another young, promising, motivated physician, I am reminded that as bad as this pandemic is — and truly believe it is awful — when it gets better (and I have to believe that it will), we can't forget. Because all the other things that have always been there but got shoved to the back burner by COVID will be there again. And no matter what kind of medicine you practice, there will be unique (and some not-so-unique) stressors. We are always expected to be kind to our patients. But my plea to you is to be kind to each other and, more importantly, yourself. You're worth it. And I promise there is someone out there who understands what you are going through. Sometimes you just have to ask." Annalise Sorrentino is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric emergency medicine physician. She can be reached at her website, on LinkedIn, and on Twitter @BlazerMD. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "A message for health care workers: Be kind to yourself." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/a-message-for-health-care-workers-be-kind-to-yourself.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"In the best of times (and these are certainly not), all patients need advocates all the time; now more than ever, vulnerable patients need them more but don't have access to them. Vulnerable populations have more at stake when visitors are limited or prohibited. What's more, vulnerability may be exacerbated due to youth, advanced age, disability, cognitive impairment, illness acuity, language – or, as we have come to realize of late – implicit bias. Advocacy can take many forms. For the patient who cannot report accurately on their medical history and symptoms, the furnishing of information to health care professionals can speed accurate diagnosis and minimize test and imaging fishing expeditions. Personal advocates, when present, may provide comfort and be a conduit to nursing staff when pain is present, and other physical needs are unmet. Equally important, vigilant personal advocates can be instrumental in offsetting nursing responsibilities by feeding and mobilizing patients, preventing falls, and even initiating rapid response codes. Finally, for patients limited by expressive disorders or constraints, the personal advocate can inform staff about individual preferences, priorities, and values, so that goals of care are aligned with patient wishes." Bonnie Friedman is the author of Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One. She shares her story and discusses the KevinMD article that she co-wrote, "Making time for patient advocacy is more important now than ever." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/making-time-for-patient-advocacy-is-more-important-now-than-ever.html) This episode is sponsored by The Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX). The Nuance DAX solution makes it possible to forget the tech-toggling and reduces documentation burdens no matter how or where care is being provided. (www.kevinmd.com/nuancedax)

"As a medical student, you find potential patients everywhere. Whether you're on an airplane or on a romantic dinner date, we've all heard those famous words, 'Is there a doctor in the house?!' Here are some of my favorite 'patient' encounters. The best friend curbside. I was playing ball with my boys – that's right FIFA on the PlayStation – when my buddy drops the question, 'So listen man, you're a doctor, right? I need some advice about my knee; it's been killing me! I landed weird after jumping during soccer the other week, and now it's been aching ever since.' Assessment and Plan: 27-year-old man, clearly delusional as he thinks I'm a doctor, presents to FIFA night complaining of right knee pain. Obviously, he should rest, ice it, use compression, and elevate the leg, right? He continued, 'So I went to my primary care doc, and he told me to rest, ice it, use compression, and elevate the leg! Isn't that the dumbest thing you ever heard?' Uh oh, I couldn't blow my cover, 'Yeah totally … maybe you should get that checked out!'" Daniel Azzam and Ajay N. Sharma are medical students and founders and editors-in-chief, Diary of a Medical Student. They share their stories and discuss their KevinMD article, "As a medical student, you find potential patients everywhere." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/as-a-medical-student-you-find-potential-patients-everywhere.html)