The Shoulders I Stand on: A Black Female Doctor Reflects on Dr. Blackwell’s Birthday
On February 3rd we honor and recognize women physicians. This date was chosen as National Women Physicians Day because it was the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman physician licensed to practice medicine in the United States back in 1849. As a black woman physician, I also stand on the shoulders of Rebecca […]
Editor’s Corner: We Have a Dream
A Letter from our Co-Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Amber Robins: Dear Readers, As you may know, last week we observed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day. During this time we traditionally think of his words in the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. Usually during this time of year, I too start to think about all that […]
Walking the Walk with My Patients
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.22.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] The idea behind not only talking the talk but walking the walk: Daily I have conversations with patients on how to improve their medical conditions by implementing dietary modifications and routine exercise. I try my best to give patients […]
Physician Suicide Awareness Day
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates in the United States increased more than 30% from 1999 to 2017. More than half (54%) of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. Relationships, substance use, physical health; and […]
I Am the One Percent – When the Doctor Becomes the (Infertile) Patient
My fertility journey is not typical. I have not spent years “trying”. In fact, I have spent years trying NOT to get pregnant! My husband has two daughters – AND a vasectomy. So getting pregnant was a known challenge. Luckily, I like challenges. We went to an infertility specialist, who told us that reversal was […]
Doctor Lulu Heads to the Capitol
So, I was minding my business doing school work at home last Monday, when I looked at my phone and noticed a message on Facebook messenger from a random gentleman that I had never heard of before. He introduced himself as Dr. Wilson Lam, a member of a group of doctors called Doctors for Change […]
How Working in Global Health Changed Me as a Doctor
Being in medicine requires practitioners to be more than a clinician but also an advocate, coordinator, counselor, information resource and supporter for patients. As physicians we are in an unique position to understand and treat the protean manifestations of clinical, behavioral and psycho-social problems across an entire lifetime. Medicine has allowed me to fulfill my […]
#WomenPower: What Happens When Female Doctors Join Together
Last year a Texas based physician came under fire after he was quoted in a medical journal stating female physicians earn less because we do not “work as hard”. A repost on the Facebook group Physician Mom’s Group, an online community of over 70,000 female physicians, ignited outrage and dismay. As the information was quickly […]
Awareness to Save Black Mothers
On a busy clinic day in my previous life as an outpatient pediatrician, I recall multitasking from one exam room to the next on a weekday afternoon. Typically, newborns were scheduled for the morning, mostly to ensure things like jaundice checks could be done in a timely manner. This was also done to minimize exposure […]
When Patients Discriminate
For medical providers to treat all their patients justly- without discrimination and judgement – is a mindset that medical students are frequently taught to embrace throughout their medical training. It is a mindset that we must be reminded of constantly since all human beings, medical providers included, naturally carry with them their own subconscious biases. […]
