One of the perks of working for a university is that I get, like a regular ol' student, a nice long winter break. I was off work …
Category: Physician stories
Program for residents reflects “massive change” in surgeon mentality
“The old-school surgeon mentality is that surgery is your life. The very existence of the program is an acknowledgment that a cultural shift is occurring.” …
Stanford neurobiologist Bill Newsome: Seeking gains for the brain
Bill Newsome, PhD, knows the brain perhaps as well as the back of his hand. The Stanford neurobiologist was vice chair of the federal BRAIN Initiative launched …
A neurosurgeon’s journey from doctor to cancer patient
Earlier this week, I had the chance to hear Stanford neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi, MD, discuss living with advanced-stage lung cancer in a conversation with palliative …
"Stop skipping dessert:" A Stanford neurosurgeon and cancer patient discusses facing terminal illness
Updated 3-11-15: Paul Kalanithi passed away on March 9. *** Updated 10-23-14: Paul Kalanithi spoke about this topic on campus earlier this week; more on the event, …
For group of Stanford doctors, writing helps them "make sense" of their experiences
At a Stanford Pegasus Physician Writers Forum last week, psychiatrist Shaili Jain, MD, told the 40-or-so attendees that writing and practicing medicine are synergistic. Medicine and motherhood: …
New surgeons take time out for mental health
I spent a recent morning watching about 30 Stanford surgical residents take time off from their operating rooms to participate in a series of team-building …
Abraham Verghese discusses stealing metaphors and the language of medicine at TEDMED
Few of us pay close attention to metaphors used in the language of medicine. Instead, our focus is typically on words relating to symptoms, test …
Sherry Wren, MD – a surgeon’s road home
When I first met Stanford surgeon Sherry Wren, MD, I immediately liked her. The affinity was probably due to the fact that we're both from …
CNN's Sanjay Gupta, MD: journalist, surgeon, advocate
When the history about medical marijuana's path to legitimacy is written, CNN's chief medical reporter Sanjay Gupta, MD, may be more than a footnote. Gupta famously …
Stanford network launched to connect musicians, music lovers
This week marks the launch of the Stanford Medicine Music Network, an online meeting place for musicians in the Stanford health-care community looking to share …
A doctor recounts his wife's battle with cancer: "My knowledge was too clear-eyed"
We've written before about doctors becoming patients - but what happens when it's the physician's partner who becomes seriously ill? Over the weekend I came …
Inside Abraham Verghese’s bag, a collection of stories
What's inside Abraham Verghese’s medical bag? Visit the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History to see. Verghese, MD, vice chair for the theory and practice …
The brain whisperer: Stanford neurologist talks about his work, shares tips with aspiring doctors
Josef Parvizi, MD, PhD, knows firsthand how art can influence medicine. While at a concert featuring music created by digitizing space sounds, he was inspired: …
Abraham Verghese shares what’s in his lab coat
What do modern day physicians carry around in their white coats? And, what tools should young doctors consider keeping in their pockets? In this short …
Stanford’s Abraham Verghese honored as both author and healer
Several times I've heard Stanford physician Abraham Verghese, MD, champion of hands-on medicine and bestselling author, answer the question: Which does he considers himself first …