by Varun Verma, M.D. | Aug 28, 2018 | Medical Error, Advocacy, Patient Safety & Quality, Patients
Being a hospitalized patient is perhaps one of the most disempowering experiences an individual can face (besides being in war or a prisoner). Patients face constant uncertainty; having no idea what time their physician will visit, when they will be taken for their...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Jul 16, 2018 | Residency
Even though my own internship was a decade ago, I vividly remember the transition from student to resident. Residency was monumental in my path to becoming a physician. There were obvious changes: People now called me “doctor,” my misshapen short white coat was...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Jun 22, 2018 | Healthcare IT
One would expect that in an era where smartphones are more powerful than our computers were 5 years ago, health care providers would have an arsenal of health care IT solutions to enhance patient care but also optimize their own workflow. Shockingly, in 2014 most...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | May 9, 2018 | Medical Error, Patient Safety & Quality, Patients, Physicians
We had no choice in becoming the “crazy” family that left a hospital against medical advice. Our four-day-old daughter was completely helpless, her condition deteriorating and the staff was ignoring our concerns. I carefully turned off the blue lights, removed her...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | May 4, 2018 | Cases, Physicians
Mr. F points a slender index finger to the heavens and states calmly – “it’s okay doctor… Je-sus will protect me.” I had just said I was sorry there was nothing more we could offer, and he was going to die. He definitely understood though…right? It had...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Apr 19, 2018 | Physicians, Medical Education, Career
Ask physicians about their medical school and residency training and many have horror stories about devastating criticism from superiors. Healthcare can feel like a dog-eat-dog world; with a hierarchy and rituals that must be respected. It’s been a decade since my...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Apr 1, 2018 | Patient Safety & Quality, Medical Education
AN INNOVATIVE NEW ONLINE-ONLY MEDICAL SCHOOL Guest post from Dr. Egerton Osler Davis I’m excited to announce that I’ve secured $100 million in funding to establish The University of North America School of Medicine (UNOTMD); the first online-only medical school. (100...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Mar 6, 2018 | Patient Safety & Quality, Other, Career
As a physician – is it acceptable to say no? After working as a hospital medicine physician across five different states and internationally, I’ve realized that saying no is actually imperative. Physicians are stretched thin, abused, demonized, and...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Jul 7, 2017 | Career
I was scared. Residency was ending and I had no idea what I was going to do. I just knew that I wanted to help patients and practice medicine abroad in a resource poor setting… whatever that meant. “You’re a f***ing idiot.” I almost laughed but judging by the serious...
by Varun Verma, M.D. | Apr 21, 2017 | Patient Safety & Quality
Yes I became that guy. We became that crazy family that left the hospital ‘against medical advice.’ We had no choice though. Our daughter was four days old and completely helpless, and no one was listening to my wife and I while her condition deteriorated....
