Luis shares with us a troubling event during the shift. It seems that a haiku is the best way to reflect on the moment.
All in Medical Student
A Shift
In this edition of the Physician Grind Dr. Wiseman shares with us a story of a crazy shift in the emergency department. It's the type of shift that keeps her coming back day after day.
Saved By the Benzo
In this edition of the Physician Grind new contributor, Rob, shares with us an impressive save. Sometimes you don't need to crack a chest to save a patient's a life.
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 3 Part 2
In this conclusion of the third email from Wang Shi Kai, he shares with us more insights from his time practicing medicine in China. He shares stories of corruption in the form of kickbacks to doctors prescribing antibiotics, challenges faced by his Emergency Medicine Fellow, and much more. Narrative Medicine. Doctor Blog. Physician Blog. Emergency Medicine
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 3 Part 1
In this edition of Best, Wang Shi Kai, Dr. Rich shares with us what it is like being in Beijing during Chinese New Years. Narrative Medicine. Physician Blog. Doctor Blog. Emergency Medicine.
"Are you a terrorist?"
In this month's post of the Physician Grind, Dr. Nagpal shares a story of the time a complete stranger asked him, "Are you a terrorist?" The stranger felt this question was appropriate given the appearance of Dr. Nagpal and his family. After that upsetting incident, Dr. Nagpal returned to his PM&R practice and received another racist comment, this time from a patient.
Racism, Microaggression, Stereotype, Narrative Medicine, Physician Stories, Life of a Doctor.
The Secret
As a nurse in his mid 30s, Luis shares with us golden advice he has been given by old patients on how to live a successful life. When your patients are old and salty, the advice you get is... practical.
Soul Brothers
Social norms are not the norm in the ER. Things that are regarded as gross in the real world are an everyday occurrence. Our ER especially lived in a special universe where all social graces were stripped away and the rawness of humanity is what remained. In this narrative medicine piece Dr. Zahir shares a special moment with a patient.
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 2 Part 2
In the continuation of our series "Best, Wang Shi Kai" Dr. Rich continues to share a variety of patient interactions and interesting cases. In the continuation of his 2nd email Dr. Rich expresses his frustration with the antibiotic prescribing patterns of his colleagues.
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 2 Part 1
In this continuation of the Best, Wang Shi Kai Series, Dr. Rich begins to share with us the different patients he has treated in China. He describes the difference in practice patterns between American Practice and Chinese Practice.
The Pepsi Center Blew Up
It’s the first day of my first ER rotation as an intern. I had endured months on Medicine, Neurosurgery and the Medical ICU and I am finally home, back in the ER. I am hoping that today will be a somewhat slow day so that I can ease my way back into the swing of things. As I walk around the department I begin to notice that everyone is moving around frantically. I find the senior resident. Without saying a word, he hands me a vest that says physician. "What’s going on?" I ask him. He looks at me and chuckles. The Pepsi Center blew up...
Match Day
In this edition of the Physician Grind we revisit Match Day. A day where Medical Students discover where they will be shipped off to complete their residency training. Dr. Liz shares her Match Day story.
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 1 Part 2
In this edition of the Physician Grind Dr. Wang Shi Kai describes the drastically different hospitals he works at in China. The first is a private hospital, where patients expect immediate, top quality and specialized service. The second is a public hospital where the waiting room is full of patients and chaos is the norm. To switch back and forth between these two completely different environments requires the doctor to be able to flex and adapt quickly.
Best, Wang Shi Kai Email 1 Part 1
Dr. Rich is an emergency medicine physician from Los Angeles who is currently practicing in China. He was given the name Wang Shi Kai by the Chinese Medical Board. In this post Dr. Rich shares his experiences transitioning to life in China.
Class of 2009
It was June 2005 and I was up early in the morning as always, but this morning had a special breath to it. I was going to drop off my husband and son that night at LAX airport as they headed to New York on a red eye flight. My son had an appointment with a faculty member, the same day they arrived, regarding getting him off the wait list of the medical school he had applied to.
Gratitude & Grit
In this post we explore the burn out that residents and physicians can feel when they are working grueling hours under the most stressful circumstances. A young doctor in training realizes that he is grateful and honored to treat the patients that are entrusted to his care.
Tasteful Attire
Shoes are a marker of status. Having nice clean shoes can identify a person as being successful, organized, and an upstanding individual. Being in the ER it is impossible to keep your shoes clean. So what happens when a dog tries to lick the shoes of an ER doctor. Find out in this weeks post.