Medicine Blog Posts

And yet, The Knowledge endures, diminished perhaps, pressured by economics and technology, but still alive. Its persistence raises a deeper question, one that increasingly applies to medicine: Why do humans still pursue mastery when convenience is everywhere?

“To the best of their ability” means, because they are human, that they will make mistakes. In our profession, when we make mistakes, someone gets hurt. In other professions, failure is necessary for growth. 

As pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp explains, fast-food restaurants actually model one communication skill remarkably well: when you place your order, the cashier repeats it back to you. They do this because clarity and confirmation matter. And, importantly, the hungriest person—the customer—always speaks first.

Being on call for Thanksgiving is hard in a way that’s difficult to explain unless you’ve lived it.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) combines the art of dentistry with bony reconstruction and soft tissue management. The bread and butter of OMFS - dentoalveolar - entails implant placement, preprosthetic surgery, extractions and orthognathic surgery.

The question isn’t how to eliminate conflict. The question is how to relate to one another with integrity while maintaining healthy boundaries and a willingness to engage in necessary, honest conversation.

Transparency isn’t just about sharing test results or surgical details—it’s about being accessible, accountable, and human. Giving my email address is one small way to prove that the door is always open.

Regardless of your specialty, you’ll face moments like this—moments when you must act outside your comfort zone. These moments don’t just challenge your clinical skills; they challenge your self-concept.

When we normalize working at 75%, we model a sustainable profession for the next generation. We create accurate data about what is truly possible. We invite creativity into spaces long held hostage by exhaustion.

We take an oath to first, do no harm. But the harsh truth is: we will all harm patients. It’s not a matter of if, but when.

In this powerful and heartfelt keynote, Dr. Lauren Umstattd addresses the graduating class of 2025 at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

Unless significant changes are made, this bill will do nothing short of devastate our already fragile healthcare system. If you work in the healthcare industry like me and, also like me, are busy with the day to day work of patient care and don't have time to read legalese for hours, I will offer you a brief summary.

Reflecting on motherhood, burnout, and how empathy - not capes - is the true superpower in medicine.