Clinical

Alex Smith, MD (1 Posts)

Attending Physician Guest Writer

UCSF

Alex Smith is a physician-researcher at UCSF who blogs regularly at GeriPal.




The Power of Ten Half Seconds

Published by Justin Jones, MD

I feel like there are so many things to work on in medicine. I need to be more efficient at taking a history; I need to gather morning data more quickly; I should be better at chart review when I get a new admission; I need to be more thorough at following up on labs; I could write the H&P more quickly, and so on. I also feel, from time to time, I do poorly on one thing — maybe I stay at work way too long writing my H&P — and then I obsess over how I can get faster at it.

Is Graduate Medical Training Making Doctors Afraid of Procedures?

Published by Briana Buckner, MD

It’s 2 a.m., and the patient’s blood pressure is beginning to rapidly decrease. Every IV line is occupied by an antibiotic or IV fluids, and we are in need of a vasoactive medication. The nurse comes to my computer and sternly states, “We can no longer avoid it. I think the patient needs a central line.” I quickly say “okay,” but I don’t move. I am momentarily frozen by my unease with the bedside procedure ahead.

The Importance of Palliative Care in Surgery

Published by Adrienne Bruce, MD

In an ideal world we would all die at home with our loved ones caring for us, slowly slipping away in our sleep into the placid beyond. But why doesn’t it happen this way? There’s a dignity to that way because of its organic simplicity. It’s how people used to die prior to modern medicine and before we started needing to always “fix the problem.”

Recognizing Mental Health Illness Among Veterans is an Educational Competency

Published by Liang Chen, MD

Over the course of residency and fellowship training, it’s likely that almost all trainees will encounter veterans through rotations at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. With mandates from Title 38 and long-standing relationships with academic institutions nationwide, the Veterans Health Administration plays a significant role in shaping the education of future medical professionals.

The Year I Was “Just An Intern”

Published by Manik Aggarwal, MD

As I reflect on the year that was, I am excited and yet terrified of what lies ahead. Intern year is unlike any other during which the training wheels—otherwise known as the short white coat—are abruptly stripped. The mannequins are traded for breathing patients, the co-signatures are traded for signatures, and the infamous “I am just the medical student” transitions to the equally unassuming “I am just the intern.” Here are my takeaways from the year that was.

Manik Aggarwal, MD Manik Aggarwal, MD (1 Posts)

Resident Physician Contributing Writer

Georgetown University Hospital

Hi! My name is Manik Aggarwal, I am currently an internal medicine resident at Georgetown! I plan to pursue cardiology training with an emphasis on heart failure. I'm originally from Texas and like nothing more than watching my Dallas Cowboys on Sundays. I enjoy writing, reading and teaching and look forward to hearing your opinion on my pieces!