Psychiatry / Psychology

HAS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET HELPED OR HARMED THE WAY PATIENTS SEEK CARE? The internet is the way patients seek care. I think referrals by word of mouth are better. STAYING HYDRATED IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR GOOD HEALTH. WITH SO MANY WATER CHOICES (MINERAL, SPRING, SPARKLING, FILTERED, ALKALINE, PURIFIED, TAP), ARE THERE ANY GUIDELINES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND? Which water source you choose (except tap water which is frequently obviously unacceptable due to taste or smell) pales in comparison to the number of people who do not drink enough water in our dry climate. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 50’S REGARDING YOUR SPECIALTY? If you want to maintain a healthy central nervous system start with maintaining a healthy enteric nervous system. So be mindful of your gut microbiome and eat a rich variety of plant foods every day. MOST MEMORABLE MEDICAL SITUATION? I once evaluated a patient at a drugstore on Halloween. I was dressed in a costume of a well-known religious leader. Needless to say the outcome was excellent and the patient followed my advice. YOUR THOUGHTS ON UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IN SIX WORDS OR LESS: It’s hard to be against this. STUDYING MEDICINE THEN VS. NOW: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Computers and technology are the big difference between medicine of yesteryear and today. This is not unlike most other fields except the doctor patient relationship has been eroded by technology on the one hand and in limited ways helped by it as well. ARTIST WHOSE MUSIC WE’D HEAR THE MOST IN YOUR WAITING ROOM: Linda Ronstadt—she covers multiple genres of music very well.

ALSO

HAS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET HELPED OR HARMED THE WAY PATIENTS SEEK CARE? Information obtained from an accurate source is typically useful. Determining what accurate resource on the net is the harder part. STAYING HYDRATED IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR GOOD HEALTH. WITH SO MANY WATER CHOICES (MINERAL, SPRING, SPARKLING, FILTERED, ALKALINE, PURIFIED, TAP), ARE THERE ANY GUIDELINES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND? Just try simple water. Fancy is not always healthy. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 30’S REGARDING YOUR SPECIALTY? USPSTF guidelines. Prevention is the best cure. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 50’S? Stay active! WHAT FORTHCOMING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT IN YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THAT WILL BENEFIT FUTURE PATIENTS? Early lung cancer detection/screening. YOUR THOUGHTS ON UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IN SIX WORDS OR LESS: Beneficial but unlikely sustainable. THE SOCALLED FAUCI EFFECT (MORE INTEREST IN HEALTHCARE CAREERS, SPURRED BY COVID-19) SAW AN 18 PERCENT INCREASE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS IN 2021. WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR FUTURE PATIENTS? Hopefully enough primary care providers. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 25 YEARS AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Take time for your family and yourself. Physicians from my time live and breathe work at the expense of our health and families. COMPLETE YOUR OWN ENDING TO THE OLD SAYING, “AN APPLE A DAY…” An apple a day keeps you from starving. MOST REALISTIC MEDICAL SHOW ON TELEVISION, PAST OR PRESENT? None, shows are entertaining, not realistic. Even reality TV is not reality.

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HAS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET HELPED OR HARMED THE WAY PATIENTS SEEK CARE? Knowledge is beneficial when used appropriately. Patients can learn of the best forms of treatment and prognosis of their disease problems. However, using Dr. Google can lead to unnecessary anxiety and self-misdiagnosis. STAYING HYDRATED IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR GOOD HEALTH. WITH SO MANY WATER CHOICES (MINERAL, SPRING, SPARKLING, FILTERED, ALKALINE, PURIFIED, TAP), ARE THERE ANY GUIDELINES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?

Water is basically water, flavor and processing is just for taste and to create a market. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 30’S REGARDING YOUR SPECIALTY? Eat healthy, stay fit, and realize that obesity has extensive long-term health problems. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 50’S? Be aware of all the guidelines for screening heart, lungs, body, and maintaining mental health. MOST MEMORABLE MEDICAL SITUATION? Providing emergency room physician coverage in an Army on-field M.A.S.H in the southern California desert in the winter. WHAT FORTHCOMING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT IN YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THAT WILL BENEFIT FUTURE PATIENTS?

The ability to tag Nuclear Medicine radioisotopes to markers of diseases of a single organ and then treat that disease. YOUR THOUGHTS ON UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IN SIX WORDS OR LESS: Nothing in life is free. THE SO-CALLED FAUCI EFFECT (MORE INTEREST IN HEALTHCARE CAREERS, SPURRED BY COVID 19) SAW AN 18 PERCENT INCREASE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANTS IN 2021. WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR FUTURE PATIENTS? If there is true improvement in access for patient care, that would indeed be wonderful, because there is a critical shortage of physicians at the present time. STUDYING MEDICINE THEN VS. NOW: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Maybe the concept of a profession as a lifestyle, whereas today many see it as a part-time job. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 25 YEARS AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Eat a balanced diet, because even today I still don’t often eat a very balanced diet. COMPLETE YOUR OWN ENDING TO THE OLD SAYING, “AN APPLE A DAY ...” An apple a day keeps farmers happy! WHAT’S THE MOST REALISTIC MEDICAL SHOW ON TELEVISION, PAST OR PRESENT? Haven’t really seen one. ARTIST WHOSE MUSIC WE’D HEAR THE MOST IN YOUR WAITING ROOM: Frank Sinatra.

ALSO IN THE TOP 3 FOR RADIOLOGY: Gary Mlady, Brad Cushnyr

HAS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET HELPED OR HARMED THE WAY PATIENTS SEEK CARE? So much information is available on the internet. The problem is sifting through which information is pertinent to the medical issue. People can be misled attempting to interpret information without the experience to apply it to their specific problem. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 30’S REGARDING YOUR SPECIALTY?

As a fertility specialist, the woman’s age is critically important in predicting pregnancy chances. If attempting to become pregnant, don’t wait years before seeking evaluation. Technology is available to freeze eggs for women who are not ready to have children. Egg freezing can mitigate the effects of age on the genetic deterioration of the eggs. WHAT FORTHCOMING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT IN YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THAT WILL BENEFIT FUTURE PATIENTS? In the world of fertility, the ability for a woman to freeze eggs and store them for future use can deter the decline in fertility that occurs with aging. STUDYING MEDICINE THEN VS. NOW: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? I was raised in a medical family. My father was a Family Practitioner, my mother was a nurse. My sister was a doctor. Medicine in the past was considered a lifelong vocation and a career choice; a way of life. You were 100% committed, often running your own practice. Today, medicine is more of a job. Most people are employed by large corporations. People expect more balance in their lives. They are more likely to want a job that offers flexibility and a better lifestyle. They are less likely to feel as fulfilled with the practice of medicine. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 25 YEARS AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Exercise. I don’t do enough of it. ARTIST WHOSE MUSIC WE’D HEAR THE MOST IN YOUR WAITING ROOM: James Taylor

ALSO IN THE TOP 3 FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE: Lee Caperton, Lisa Hofler

HAS THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET HELPED OR HARMED THE WAY PATIENTS SEEK CARE? It helps! For Rheumatology, our conditions tend to be rare and patients can find online groups and support from others with their condition. #1 PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN THEIR 30’S REGARDING YOUR SPECIALTY? Don’t smoke tobacco! Smoking can trigger autoimmune disease. On the other hand, exercise seems to be protective. MOST MEMORABLE MEDICAL SITUATION? Two miles underground in a gypsum cave in Ukraine. One of the spelunkers I was with got badly burned with a camping stove while we were cooking dinner. Luckily, we were able to get him out of the cave and treated appropriately: he recovered well. WHAT FORTHCOMING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT IN YOUR AREA OF SPECIALTY ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THAT WILL BENEFIT FUTURE PATIENTS? There are a few new Biologic medications for patients with autoimmune disease that target specific parts of the immune system coming out this year. I’m most excited about new treatments for Lupus and Polymyalgia Rheumatica. YOUR THOUGHTS ON UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IN SIX WORDS OR LESS: Good in theory, difficult to implement. STUDYING MEDICINE THEN VS. NOW: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? While technology and medicine continue to evolve, the decision to pursue medicine continues to be a curiosity about the human body, science and a drive to help people. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 25 YEARS AND GIVE YOURSELF ONE PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Don’t eat the shrimp at the buffet. ARTIST WHOSE MUSIC WE’D HEAR THE MOST IN YOUR WAITING ROOM: Grateful Dead.

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12 YEARS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE 5 YEARS IN ALBUQUERQUE