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Saba Malik, MD, MPH (5 Posts)

Resident Physician Contributing Writer

Harbor UCLA Medical Center

Saba Malik, MD, MPH is a 3rd year family medicine resident at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. She earned her MD with a distinction in advocacy from Albany Medical College in 2018, prior to which she had completed a masters in public health with a concentration in community health sciences from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She has an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience also from UCLA. She is passionate about health disparities, health justice, holistic and integrative medicine, LGBTQ issues, and improving the health and well being of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.




Ending Inhumane Treatment Within Detention Centers Begins by Bringing Life-Saving Basic Health Care to Patients Within

Published by Saba Malik, MD, MPH

In America today, history is repeating itself with ardent voices calling for division between “aliens” and “nationals,” instilling an “us” versus “them” mentality. What is happening under our watch is eerily reminiscent of the internment camps of World War II and the separation of individuals based on ethnicity that we have seen throughout history. We have created a climate of widespread fear, detaining immigrants and asylum seekers in abhorrent conditions, without a basic standard of care, and separating parents from children. 

Climate Change is Here: A Pediatrician’s Perspective on the Public Health Crisis

Published by Shalini Shah, DO

Softly and subtly, the rustling of the leaves quickens and a cool breeze sweeps across the town. A child rocks gently on a swing and a father stands in the bazaar bartering for the best value for vegetables for dinner. His wife is hospitalized with hemorrhagic dengue; shivering with fevers that rise and fall as do her blood counts.

The Appeal of Ambulatory Medicine: How to Create More Primary Care Physicians

Published by Ryan Yarnall, MD

When I am asked about my future plans, my response is rightfully met with confusion. I am entering the workforce as an academic internal medicine physician devoting my practice entirely to the outpatient setting. Yet, two-thirds of my residency training has been managing patients within the walls of a hospital. That disconnect raises interesting questions about my career choice, and, naturally, makes me an anomaly among my peers.

Why Being Kind Matters: Mistreatment of Residents Leads to Increased Rates of Burnout and Suicidal Ideation

Published by Rebecca L. Williams-Karnesky, MD, PhD

Residency is a challenging time plagued by long hours, overwhelming clinical service loads, escalating documentation requirements, and inadequate resources for support. A recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine illustrates how mistreatment in the training environment takes an additional toll on medical trainees.

Patients, Providers and the Working Class: Lessons for Health Workers from the Closing of Hahnemann Hospital

Published by Karim Sariahmed, MD

I had just started my first clerkship of third year at a nearby hospital when the news broke. Hahnemann Hospital, the main teaching hospital of my medical school, was closing. More accurately, the hedge fund manager who purchased the hospital a year earlier was filing for bankruptcy. He separated the valuable Center City real estate from the hospital itself to ensure a tidy profit for investors at the expense of patients and staff.

Why We Walked Out: A Call for Courage and Action from the University of Washington Housestaff Association

Published by Brandon Peplinski, MD, MPH

On September 25, we participated in a 15-minute unity break (effectively a walk-out) with over 450 residents and fellows at the University of Washington in protest of UW’s dismal contract proposals during our negotiations. It was led by the University of Washington Housestaff Association (UWHA), one of the few unions of resident doctors in the United States.

Brandon Peplinski, MD, MPH Brandon Peplinski, MD, MPH (1 Posts)

Resident Physician Contributing Writer

University of Washington School of Medicine

Brandon Peplinski is a current PGY-2 internal medicine resident at the University of Washington where he is a University of Washington Housestaff Association board member. Originally from the Twin Cities, Minnesota, he has lived in Maryland, Washington DC, Argentina, Southern California, and Seattle. His interests include epidemiology, socioeconomic determinants of health, and advocacy.