I went into medicine because I saw it as this special place where I got to use science and compassion to help heal people. For some reason, it has shifted more to feeling like we are customer service workers delivering a good instead of highly trained professionals who are here to serve and provide patients with the care they need. I see the physician-patient relationship as a healing space, and I try to practice in a way that preserves this old way of connecting.
My goal is to make sure my patients know I care, educate them about their health and their options for improving it. This page will hopefully serve to speak to some common health care topics and concerns. I will try to keep medical topics as evidence based as possible, and if another doc happens to stop by and see something that is incorrect, please feel free to give feedback at here or start a dialogue in the comments.
What is a Primary Care Physician?
It is a physician with whom you, ideally, establish a long term health-care relationship. They should be made aware of every aspect of your care, and are something like the “quarterback” of your health-care team. It’s their job to ensure that any specialists are keeping care cohesive, and that all acute care and hospitalizations have been fully fleshed out to ensure no chronic issues. They are supposed to consider you as an entire person, not one system, and honestly, not just medically, but psycho-socially as well.
What is an internist?
“Internists are physicians specializing in internal medicine, a discipline focused on the care of adults emphasizing use of the best medical science available in caring for patients in the context of thoughtful, meaningful doctor-patient relationships as exemplified by the life and work of Sir William Osler, the “father” of internal medicine in the United States.
At least three of their seven or more years of medical school and postgraduate training are dedicated to learning how to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases that affect adults. This basic training qualifies them to practice internal medicine, and you may see these physicians referred to by several terms, including “internists” or “doctors of internal medicine.” But don’t mistake them with “interns,” who are doctors in their first year of residency training. Internists are sometimes referred to as the “doctor’s doctor,” because they are often called upon to act as consultants to other physicians to help solve puzzling diagnostic problems.”
Above taken from ACP website hyperlinked, here and above.
What is Preventative Care?
Basically, preventative care is about doing the things that help maintain health, rather than treating the the things after they come. In my practice, preventative care is me pointing out unhealthy patterns before they are disease. It’s about screening for hypertension, diabetes, or cancer; but it’s also about taking the time to have the conversations about not smoking, not drinking alcohol in excess, eating healthfully, sleeping enough, not over stressing, exercising, etc. It’s about motivating my patients to care enough to make these changes before I have to practice internal medicine–which to be honest, I also love, I just would love to motivate myself out of a specialty.
“Prescriptions for the Pandemic”—Commentary about COVID-19
Misinformation
Breast Cancer Screening
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome affects gynecologic health
Heart Health
Hypertension
Vaccines
Spoiler alert: I’m pro-vaccine. If you’d like to read a whole lot about why that is, click here.
FAQ on Common Infections
- Common Cold and its supportive treatment
- Influenza and Strep
- Immune Support Supplements
- COVID-19–outdated information