Bari, Your column just continues to get better and better...in my opinion the best Substack out there. This particular column brought me to tears and I cannot even particularly point out why: Loss of American innocence? My inability to suffer fools gladly?
I was intrigued that Abigail made a special case for physicians. I am a physician …
Bari, Your column just continues to get better and better...in my opinion the best Substack out there. This particular column brought me to tears and I cannot even particularly point out why: Loss of American innocence? My inability to suffer fools gladly?
I was intrigued that Abigail made a special case for physicians. I am a physician that refuses to stand down to this idiocy. It has cost me a handful of relationships but, surprisingly, has strengthened many more. I do not deal with social media which is probably why I get away with this, but, especially in medicine, truth matters...and may be the only thing that matters when dealing with life and death. I am embarrassed by the actions of many of my fellow practitioners but have to hope that most will see the light before it is too late because the consequences of their silence are dire. One by one I have brought some around, but it is tough teaching people to swim upstream.
Part of the medical decline can, I expect, be attributed to the recent predilection to admit to medical school based on social justice warrior/victim-du-jour status rather than passion to heal, conviction to always put patients first, and ability to learn that has been part of the medical school experience since Abraham Flexner pointed out the consequences of doing otherwise over 100 years ago. These admission changes may be politically popular with some but will have long-term ramifications for the health of the country.
It is interesting that over the past week compelling articles about there being value for ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine in COVID have been published. These are drugs with minimal side effects that should have had the same level of investigation (or more) as other alternatives but were deprecated for, essentially, political reasons. This surely cost lives...and that is unforgivable politics. I am not a tinfoil hat person, and this is not even in the "disputed"(?) area of gender transition for children -- these are well established medications for other indications with preliminary information that showed some efficacy in a disease situation where no option should have been greeted with anything other than profound curiosity and urgency to study. But those who suggested this (not that it was a cure -- who knew? [although both medications now appear useful properly timed and dosed] but because it might have been) were de-Twittered, ostracized and otherwise censored. Shame on their peers for doing so...I feel for Dr. Hall but she has many discouraged peers. Since when has scientific "truth" been the provenance of a bunch of bureaucrats or social justice bigots -- doctors or not?
In any case, I continue to send your pieces to anyone who might read them. Perhaps some of the newer social media networks like Odysee will help as well. Please keep it up. You are doing something really important (besides trying to get pregnant...!)
Thank you, Dr. K, for your kind words. I am honored that you are a fan of the newsletter and admire your commitment to speak out and follow your conscience. I hope your example emboldens colleagues in the medical field.
I couldn't agree more. In my medical career, I was taught even as a pre-med to call bullshit on anything that didn't seem to make any scientific medical, or even organizational sense. As students, we actively emulated the attendings and senior residents who were fearless protectors of their patients well-being. In turn, we grew into those same roles. Indeed, it's really the only thing that keeps one going on the path of medical practice--what other point is there?
I am beyond saddened when, over and over, I am made aware of the current headlong rush to abandon these deep and valuable traditions of medical professionalism in favor of the toxic culture of identity politics, racism, and totalitarianism. This a catastrophe--there is no other way to describe it.
Bari, Your column just continues to get better and better...in my opinion the best Substack out there. This particular column brought me to tears and I cannot even particularly point out why: Loss of American innocence? My inability to suffer fools gladly?
I was intrigued that Abigail made a special case for physicians. I am a physician that refuses to stand down to this idiocy. It has cost me a handful of relationships but, surprisingly, has strengthened many more. I do not deal with social media which is probably why I get away with this, but, especially in medicine, truth matters...and may be the only thing that matters when dealing with life and death. I am embarrassed by the actions of many of my fellow practitioners but have to hope that most will see the light before it is too late because the consequences of their silence are dire. One by one I have brought some around, but it is tough teaching people to swim upstream.
Part of the medical decline can, I expect, be attributed to the recent predilection to admit to medical school based on social justice warrior/victim-du-jour status rather than passion to heal, conviction to always put patients first, and ability to learn that has been part of the medical school experience since Abraham Flexner pointed out the consequences of doing otherwise over 100 years ago. These admission changes may be politically popular with some but will have long-term ramifications for the health of the country.
It is interesting that over the past week compelling articles about there being value for ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine in COVID have been published. These are drugs with minimal side effects that should have had the same level of investigation (or more) as other alternatives but were deprecated for, essentially, political reasons. This surely cost lives...and that is unforgivable politics. I am not a tinfoil hat person, and this is not even in the "disputed"(?) area of gender transition for children -- these are well established medications for other indications with preliminary information that showed some efficacy in a disease situation where no option should have been greeted with anything other than profound curiosity and urgency to study. But those who suggested this (not that it was a cure -- who knew? [although both medications now appear useful properly timed and dosed] but because it might have been) were de-Twittered, ostracized and otherwise censored. Shame on their peers for doing so...I feel for Dr. Hall but she has many discouraged peers. Since when has scientific "truth" been the provenance of a bunch of bureaucrats or social justice bigots -- doctors or not?
In any case, I continue to send your pieces to anyone who might read them. Perhaps some of the newer social media networks like Odysee will help as well. Please keep it up. You are doing something really important (besides trying to get pregnant...!)
Great Comment. I fear that intellectual curiosity and the employment of the scientific method have been politicized out of existence.
Thank you, Dr. K, for your kind words. I am honored that you are a fan of the newsletter and admire your commitment to speak out and follow your conscience. I hope your example emboldens colleagues in the medical field.
I couldn't agree more. In my medical career, I was taught even as a pre-med to call bullshit on anything that didn't seem to make any scientific medical, or even organizational sense. As students, we actively emulated the attendings and senior residents who were fearless protectors of their patients well-being. In turn, we grew into those same roles. Indeed, it's really the only thing that keeps one going on the path of medical practice--what other point is there?
I am beyond saddened when, over and over, I am made aware of the current headlong rush to abandon these deep and valuable traditions of medical professionalism in favor of the toxic culture of identity politics, racism, and totalitarianism. This a catastrophe--there is no other way to describe it.
Thank you ! It is tough to be a doctor these days...
Thank you for your courage!