Writings

Blood on Boots

October, 2022

"This fake Italy with its expansive menu is not the place to lay bare the ugliness of war, as only doctors see it after chaotic violence ends and the methodical violence of medical care starts. Trying to explain war to someone who has never been is like trying to explain colors to a blind person, or opera to the deaf.  There are no words for some experiences; for those who have been, no words are necessary."

Why “Be More Like Pilots” Just Doesn’t Fly in Emergency Medicine

Dec 22, 2017

Patient safety pundits hold up the aviation industry as the cure to all patient safety mishaps in medicine.  There are certainly good practices that can be adapted, but medicine is infinitely more complex and requires different solutions.

I Hope You Forgive Me

March 2018

Are patients always happy when we save them?  Did I save you for a good life?

Find Your Voice: Tactics to Fight Harassment

February 2018

Finding our voice in the face of harassment can be difficult.  I offer some tips on how to respond to comments and draw your boundaries.

7 things America can’t do to reduce mass violence

February 2018

This article appeared in the KevinMD blog in response to a beautifully written article by Dr. Megan Ranney in the wake of the Parkland school shooting.

Pick Me! Getting Selected to Speak in Medicine

February 2018

Starting your journey toward lecturing in medicine is a daunting task.  Many people wait to be invited to speak, but waiting is unlikely to be successful.  This is a how-to guide to boost your speaking career.

The Consequences of Refusing Vaccines

2015

This is a post I wrote for the group Voices for Vaccines, which is an advocacy group encouraging vaccinations.  I spoke from my perspective of an emergency physician, and discussed the downstream effects in the emergency department when a child comes in who is not vaccinated.

It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Eye

Project Tagline

This is part of ACEP's Doc Blog series, which is written for patients and discusses various issues seen by emergency physicians.

Managing Your Director of Household Operations

October, 2017

Dr. McGowan shares the challenges and joy of life with her stay and home dad husband.

Musings of a Young Artist, Classique Journal

October, 2022

This is a great place to showcase a sample of your written work or write short description about your project. Did you collaborate on a print or multimedia project? If so, dazzle your visitors with images and video! Make sure to include a link to the full live project or document so readers can enjoy the entire piece.