Health care executive Kevin King discusses his article, "How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses." Kevin explains why the return to classrooms often triggers a surge in respiratory illnesses (like the flu, COVID-19, and RSV) and how diagnostic tests are a critical tool for managing them. He highlights how rapid diagnostics are essential for getting the right treatment quickly, such as antivirals, and perhaps more importantly, for preventing the wrong treatment, which helps combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Kevin also offers insight into how epidemiologists predict outbreaks by monitoring school absenteeism and data from the Southern Hemisphere, providing a fascinating look at community health surveillance. Discover how early and accurate testing serves as our frontline defense in protecting vulnerable populations and managing respiratory illnesses this school season.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Developmental-behavioral pediatrician Ronald L. Lindsay discusses his article, "A pediatrician's reckoning with behavior therapy." He shares his profound professional and personal pivot, moving from a decades-long focus on measurable goals to understanding the deep trauma and harm caused by applied behavior analysis (ABA). Ronald explains why he now supports the #BanABA initiative, detailing how the therapy often prioritizes compliance over communication and normalization over neurodiversity, particularly for nonspeaking autistic individuals. He calls for a shift away from coercive behavioral interventions, which were driven by insurance mandates, toward dignity-centered alternatives like DIR/Floortime and robust AAC support. Learn why this pediatrician is unbuilding his legacy to advocate for autistic voices and ethical, trauma-informed care.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Assistant professor of professional practice Adrian Reynolds discusses his article, "What is professional identity formation in medicine?" He explores how a student's frustrated question, "Did I get dumber?" reveals the deep crisis of professional identity formation (PIF) in medical education. Adrian argues that the role of academic coaches and learning specialists is often misunderstood as remedial, when in fact their "hidden work" in teaching metacognition, self-regulated learning, and growth mindset is the true backbone of the curriculum. This discussion reframes PIF by focusing on the non-clinical specialists who guide students, navigating their own identity dissonance and role ambiguity in a hierarchical system. Learn why the curriculum "stands on the shoulders" of these educators and how they are central to transforming medical education.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Otolaryngologist Brian F. Worden discusses his article, "The surprising link between migraine and tinnitus." He reveals that for the 26-47 percent of tinnitus patients who also report migraines, the tinnitus may actually be an atypical migraine symptom, even without a headache. Brian explains how migraine, a complex neurological disorder, activates the trigeminal nerve, which can affect the inner ear and amplify sensory hypersensitivity, putting existing auditory hyperactivity into "overdrive." He outlines how to identify fluctuating, migraine-related tinnitus (which worsens with stress or sleep disruption) versus constant tinnitus. The discussion covers practical migraine-specific therapies that can reduce tinnitus severity, including trigger avoidance, nutritional supplements, and medications. Learn how treating the underlying neurological disorder, not just the ear, may be the key to managing tinnitus.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Urologist William Lynes discusses his article, "Teaching medical students what it is really like to be a physician." He confronts the tragic reality of physician burnout and suicide, arguing the culture of overwork is bred into medical training from day one. William proposes a critical shift in medical education: a continuous course led by practicing physicians to teach students that maintaining their own mental health is essential to providing excellent clinical care. He shares his powerful personal story of learning this lesson "too late," urging for systemic change to address physician mental health before it becomes a crisis. Learn why prioritizing clinician well-being is the most important lesson medical schools are failing to teach.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Medical student Chuka Onuh and orthopedic surgery resident Ogechukwu Onuh discuss their article, "A sibling's guide to surviving medical school." They share lessons learned as siblings navigating medical training, focusing on the critical need to be intentional with time and avoid the "illusion of productivity." Chuka and Ogechukwu emphasize that study habits must be adaptable (like switching from Anki to practice questions for USMLE exams) and that students must learn to advocate for themselves. The conversation also explores the biggest challenge of the medical school journey: protecting your identity outside the white coat, prioritizing relationships, and building resilience to avoid burnout. Learn the habits and mindset shifts necessary to survive medical school with your sense of self intact.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Retired nurse practitioner Heidi Sykora discusses her article, "The case for regulating, not banning, kratom." She provides an evidence-based perspective on why kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) should not be treated as a dangerous opioid, clarifying the significant pharmacological difference between the natural kratom leaf and the potent, synthesized 7-OH. Heidi explains that while kratom dependence is possible, its addiction and withdrawal profile is much milder than classical opioids, and that severe psychiatric risks are rare and often linked to adulterated products. This discussion centers on the failure of prohibition and advocates for sensible regulation, like the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), to ensure consumer safety, product purity, and accurate labeling. Learn the science-based facts about kratom regulation and why banning it might increase public health dangers.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Family physician Rebecca Thompson discusses her article, "The weight of genetic testing in a family," an excerpt from her book. She shares a profoundly personal story from the memoir about a woman who is a carrier of the Huntington's disease mutation and an expectant mother facing the agonizing wait for her baby's genetic test results. Rebecca explores this powerful narrative, the emotional detachment used as a shield during the pregnancy, and the devastating impact of Huntington's disease on the family described, particularly the grandmother. The discussion explores the complex, personal ethics of genetic testing, the burden of knowledge, and the stark memory of a young boy in a neurology clinic that shaped the protagonist's views on motherhood and this incurable disease. Learn about the impossible choices and emotional weight carried by families facing a devastating genetic mutation.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust.

It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended