Erin Paterson, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

The hidden bias young female physicians face every day

4 weeks ago | kevinmd.com | Erin Paterson |Simone Phillips |Alpa Shah |Dawn Baker

This story is dedicated to all my female friends in medicine. Didi does not love her job. What started as a noble purpose of helping people made her feel as though she has become a glorified customer service representative. She focuses on her Hippocratic oath, all right. She’s an internist in her 30s, seeing about fifteen to twenty patients per day, and she’s fed up with the sense of disrespect.
How empathy transformed a psychiatrist-patient encounter [PODCAST]

2 months ago | kevinmd.com | Michael McGuire |Leonard Wang |Erin Paterson

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!In this episode, psychiatrist Chika Oriuwa discusses her KevinMD article, “How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis.” She also reflects on her book Unlike the Rest: A Doctor’s Story, sharing an emotionally charged encounter with a patient in crisis. Chika explores the challenges of racial bias in psychiatry and the power of empathy in rebuilding trust.
Navigating patient transitions following the withdrawal of Oxbryta

Nov 21, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Akshat Jain |Michael McGuire |Leonard Wang |Erin Paterson

The withdrawal of Oxbryta (voxelotor) from global markets, announced by Pfizer after a recent data review revealed a rise in deaths and complications, has left sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in a precarious situation. The sudden nature of the announcement caught the patient and physician community off guard, as there was no prewarning. For an already narrow world of options available to people with sickle cell disease, this came as a devastating blow.
The emotional toll doctors face: a book review

Nov 17, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Jennifer Lycette |Jonathan Peters |Brittany Ladson |Erin Paterson

For over twenty years, I’ve had a recurring nightmare: I’m back in medical training, and my patient is crashing. To save them, I must enter my medical orders into the electronic health record (EHR). The only problem is, there are no open computers. I could give a verbal order in a real-life emergency, but those aren’t the rules in this nightmare world. I go from computer to computer, begging for someone to let me use theirs, but all I receive are cold shoulders—and colder stares.
A doctor’s life-changing realization about empathy after becoming a patient [PODCAST]

Nov 10, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Jay Wong |Michael McGuire |Leonard Wang |Erin Paterson

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!Join us for a conversation with Fazlur Rahman, a hematology-oncology physician and author of Our Connected Lives. In this episode, we explore how Fazlur’s journey from physician to patient transformed his understanding of empathy.
How journaling transforms emotional turmoil into healing for caregivers [PODCAST]

Nov 6, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Brittany Ladson |Erin Paterson |Janice Phillips |Katie Boston-Leary

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!We dive into the power of expressive writing with guest Aine M. Greaney, an accomplished writer. Aine shares her personal journey through caregiving, journaling, and emotional healing during a difficult time in her husband’s life. She reflects on how her writing evolved from raw rage to self-reflection, ultimately guiding her toward mercy and understanding. Aine M. Greaney is a writer.
From darkness to empathy: How one ICU patient transformed my perspective

Oct 23, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Emily Hagen |Erin Paterson |Michael Kirsch |Michele Luckenbaugh

My first ICU rotation of intern year was filled with great darkness. It was dark outside as I walked from my car into the hospital each morning before sunrise, and it was again dark when I walked to my car at the end of the day. Less than one hour into my first day in the ICU, a patient’s weak and ineffectual heart stopped beating, and CPR was swiftly initiated. The patient, unfortunately, did not make it. Rounds had not even started, and I already saw a patient die.
Redefining failure in neurosurgery: a student’s perspective on growth and learning

Sep 30, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Mustafa Farooq |Hanna Saltzman |Audrey Shafer |Erin Paterson

Failure is a word that carries a heavy burden, particularly in the field of neurosurgery, where precision is paramount and the stakes are often life and death. As a 4th-year medical student preparing to enter this demanding specialty, I have come to realize that failure is not something to be feared, but rather an essential part of the learning process. During my rotations, I have witnessed and experienced firsthand how setbacks can serve as powerful catalysts for growth and development.
How emotional and spiritual connections deepen relationships [PODCAST]

Sep 7, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Brittany Ladson |Erin Paterson |Ricky Anjorin |Timothy J. Keyes

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!Join us in this episode with Diana Londoño, a urologist, for a thought-provoking discussion on the true essence of intimacy. Together, we challenge the common belief that intimacy is confined to the bedroom, exploring instead the deep emotional and spiritual connections that truly bind us.
The emotional toll of chronic illness

Jul 28, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Toni Bernhard |Brittany Ladson |Erin Paterson |Meredith Mangold

My legs felt like thick, immovable tree trunks as I shakily shuffled down the long, cold hospital hallway in my chafing hospital gown and ill-fitting non-skid socks, pulling my stubborn and squeaky IV pole alongside me. My mom took small, measured steps next to me as we took our daily walk around the hospital floor to escape from my cramped, confining hospital room.