Being a female surgeon is a privilege and adventure. I hope to build community through writing about this unique and challenging world.
Patients can’t afford for doctors to misunderstand the healthcare business
By: Caroline Yao & David Kulber
We are taught to deliver care based on strict scientific evidence: the “gold standard” of care. Said gold standard, however, does not account for price, diminishing returns, convenience, or pain. The treatment that works best for a lab rat in a cage does not always translate to the most appropriate care for a person who has far more complex needs.
In 2013, 87% of graduating doctors felt uncomfortable with their knowledge of the business of medicine; 81% felt they lacked an understanding of healthcare legislation.
One of the biggest threats to children across the world begins in hospitals
By Caroline Yao & Jacquelyn Corley
Have you ever seen an adult with a cleft lip? Probably not, if you live in the US or in another developed country.
We don’t see adults with cleft lips in the US—or even babies, for the most part—because the condition is usually fixed within a child’s first six months of life.
While it appears that more kids have more diseases in low-income countries in Africa and Asia, there are actually just more resources being spent on curing them earlier on in higher-income countries.
Young female doctors are at high risk for burnout and “self-care” is not the answer
By Caroline Yao & Jacquelyn Corley
“Eat when you can, sleep when you can, pee when you can, and don’t mess with the pancreas.” Every surgeon trainee knows this phrase. It’s the mantra passed down through generations of surgeons trying to survive the earliest years.
It’s also symbolic of how the US medical system rewards behavior that leads to burnout.
Recent studies reveal that more than half of doctors report symptoms of burnout. Suicide rates are twice as high among physicianscompared to other professions.
Even more alarming is that female doctors are 1.6 times more likely than male doctors to die by suicide.
Caroline Yao, MD, MS 