Celebrating Black History Month: Thank You for Your Service
Last month we recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and this month we celebrate black history month! Each year, when others often get a day off, for us in medicine it is just another day. Each year I often try to look at what I am doing in life and see if it lines up […]
What is Trauma Informed Care? (Part 2)
What exactly is trauma-informed care? Doesn’t everybody deal with bad things in their lives? Why should we dwell on trauma? Is it really that big of a deal? Shouldn’t people ideally find their own ways to cope? The mission of pediatricians and pediatric primary care providers is to promote the health of children and their […]
What is Trauma Informed Care? (Part 1)
Traumatic Experiences During my decades long career I have had innumerable experiences around medical trauma and suffering: the unexpected death of a mother or baby (or both) during childbirth, witnessing the anguish of bereft partners who’ve suddenly had the person most dear to them snatched from their lives. I’ve seen the rapid deterioration of a […]
Protecting Your Priorities And Living An Intentional Life
Congratulations! You have cleared the extraneous items from your day-to-day, so you can spend your precious time the way you want! The next step is maintaining your clutter-free task list. How do you keep the clutter out of the to-do list? First, set boundaries. You get to determine boundaries that support you to maintain your […]
Three Ways to Celebrate Women in Medicine Month
“Celebrate good times…come on, let’s celebrate” “Party like it’s your birthday” September is Women in Medicine Month, and it is time to celebrate! How do you celebrate the holidays and special occasions in your life? Do you wait until someone honors you or do you make plans to promote it yourself? What days or months […]
Between Burnout and Bloom
Regardless of specialty or experience, all physicians may experience burnout at some point in their career. Let’s talk about how to assess and treat the symptoms of burnout, and what some alternative solutions may include. What is Burnout? The World Health Organization describes burnout as a workplace phenomenon characterized by feelings of exhaustion, cynicism and […]
5 Tips on Becoming an Effective Leader
Hearing the word leader or leadership can be scary for some yet exciting for others. Some people have planned to take on leadership roles, yet others were thrown into it unexpectedly. I believe that everyone has been a leader at some point in their life whether they chose to or not. Leadership roles are most […]
You Don’t Have to Prove You Are a Great Doctor
I Finally Realized I Was a Good Doctor Do you recall your first year as an attending and what that was like? For me, it was a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs practicing as an emergency physician in a semi-rural town in Illinois. But once I found my stride and confidence as […]
Navigating Pumping as a Working Mom
“Breast is best”. This is something that you may have heard over and over again when it comes to infant feeding. We know that breastfeeding has a long list of benefits for both mom and baby. Depending on your field, you may discuss these benefits with the families you take care of on a regular […]
5 Tips for Starting Your Own Medical Practice
Starting your own medical practice can seem like a daunting task. It can be scary to think of all the responsibilities and your financial livelihood falling on your shoulders. These are very valid and real concerns. But if you have the desire and vision, it is absolutely possible. Take it from me, I’ve done and […]
