by Monica Swanson My husband’s job as a hospitalist means that he works shifts of several days in a row. He works in a busy hospital, and spends much of his workday with seriously ill patients, as well as communicating with families, other doctors, social workers, and … well, everyone it seems. He is also an introvert by […] Continue reading →

By Jamie Walton You’re perched on the starting block over an Olympic-sized pool, fingers gripping the base as the toes of your leading foot curl over the edge. Your heart pounds and your whole body crackles with an electric energy–part terror, part determination–as you stare into the water. The pressure is so intense you can […] Continue reading →

Question: I feel like my husband is constantly trying to reassure me (read: make excuses) by saying things will get better “once I finish this rotation,” “once I take this test,” “once I finish this project.” I try my best to embrace the “live in the moment” mentality. How do I encourage my spouse to […] Continue reading →

By Bruce Roscher Although the time of year when everyone has their list of tax questions has just passed, tax questions are appropriate all year. It’s best to be prepared at tax preparation time, so much less stress is created. Tax time can be especially stressful for younger taxpayers who are going through life changes, […] Continue reading →

By Sarah Johnson On Easter morning, I fed my father small bites of pancake while my husband and children sat around the table and watched. This was something I hadn’t done before, and I choked back tears as Paul prompted me to make small talk. Eventually, I set the fork down and walked to the […] Continue reading →

By Erica Camp “It must be nice.” Without a doubt, this is my least favorite colloquialism in the English language. Though not explicitly stated in the phrase, I have always felt that it implied luck and/or privilege rather than plain old hard work. I have a problem with that because very few things in this […] Continue reading →

By Jim Woodring Vision statements bore me. Our Alliance statement reads the following: “The Alliance is the volunteer voice of the family of medicine.” Except for one word out of the eleven, it would bring yawns. The word that brings it to life is “volunteer.” Oh my, are we ever volunteers and volunteered. Years ago […] Continue reading →

By Jenni Murray I am a total Pollyanna. Give me a problem and I will find you the silver lining. Anyone who has been on this medical journey knows that it can be tough to remain an optimist, but I have always maintained the “at least” approach. At least it’s just one night on call […] Continue reading →

By Ashley Mast As a wife and mother, I have days that are very difficult, especially since my husband is in training. I go several days in a row where I only see him right before bedtime, and some days he is unable to see our son at all. I often feel like I have […] Continue reading →

By Donna Baver Rovito Match Day. The words can conjure joy or terror – or both! It’s an experience all medical families share and in most cases, it’s a day physicians and their families will remember always. Our personal Match Day story has an odd….twist. Peter and I were engaged during medical school, living about […] Continue reading →