By: Brian Vukelic, MD I, like many physicians, am the only doctor in my extended family. To say that they are proud is probably an understatement. I’ve been a practicing physician for seven years now and yet my grandmother each time I see her greets me with, “There’s my doctor grandson.” I have worked quite hard … More Family DOCTOR vs. FAMILY Doctor
By: Zoe Cross, MD I didn’t know what was wrong with you, despite having asked you all my questions except the one I reserve for when you may have the answer I cannot:what do you think is wrong?you looked at me and said(quietly, steadily, simply)everythingand I couldn’t disagree. I could see there was a problem … More A note to the patient who came to the emergency department alone
By: Nikki Clark, MD, FAAFP Often people (mostly residents and medical students) ask why on earth did I choose to do a geriatric fellowship? My response is because it is the medicine of the future. While we are all aging, the fastest growing age groups are those born between 1946-1964. The Baby Boomers. The Silver … More Fellowship Series: Geriatric
By: Rebecca Curran, MD, PhD Minor demographic and medical details have been changed to protect patient privacy. It is my third year of medical school, my first year seeing actual patients, and I am being handed my “list” for the day. “We’re giving you Mira, a 6-year-old Serbian girl, bad cancer, kind of complicated.” “Kind … More Keeping Watch
By: Rebecca Curran I have always felt that end of life care fits perfectly into the realm of family medicine and all primary care. This is not only because dying is part of life for every single one of us, but also because caring for someone at the end of life is an entirely patient- … More End of life care is primary care
By Tobi Thaller, MD I stood at Jack’s bedside along with his wife and two friends as life support was withdrawn. He was 52 years old and had married his wife just 7 months earlier. After years of living on the street, struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, he had managed to stay clean for … More The Weight of the Soul
Family Medicine Vital Signs 