“First day of school! Wake up! Come on. First day of school,” the little fish shouts at his dad in the opening scene of Finding Nemo. The first day of school is an important transition for students of all ages, and it is often a challenging one. That is particularly true this fall as we start yet another academic year marked by the pandemic.

In the next year, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make its most important decision regarding abortion law and states’ rights in over a quarter-century. The Court’s ruling could overturn Roe v. Wade and give states more latitude in passing pro-life initiatives, including legislation limiting abortion in the early stages of pregnancy.

Rarely are things ever all bad or all good. It’s just a matter of perspective and focus.

It is often said that laughter is the best medicine, yet I have never written a prescription for a funny movie, or a television comedy show, and I have no clowns or rubber chickens in my office. On the contrary, doctors are often expected to be serious and professional. Perhaps we are missing a great opportunity to help heal. What if more doctors were like Dr. Patch Adams, who is known by the medical community for his quest to inject humor and laughter into the treatment of patients?

In 2021, communism seems like a distant threat to many. Generations of Americans have learned about the atrocities committed by Stalin and Lenin in Russia. Many are familiar with Mao’s Great Leap Forward, which led to the Great Chinese Famine and starvation and death for millions.

The 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) turned out to be a bit of a dud. I am not sure if there is something in our social makeup that makes events, whether sports or otherwise, less appealing when there’s no fans in attendance, but I found it difficult to get engaged with these Olympic games.

When patients and their families are asked to meet with palliative care specialists, it commonly triggers a wide range of emotions. Some may feel uncertainty about having an additional care team involved when they already have multiple appointments, and many fear what the referral may mean in regards to their current treatment plan and ultimately to their life trajectory.

A week after taking office, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008 that set a goal “of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.” This goal is also known as 30 x 30. The order parrots the policy goals of radical environmental groups. For years, environmental groups have sought government support for policies that are harmful to agriculture and a productive economy.

I can’t be the only middle-aged adult in the midst of raising my children that hears this phrase all the time. “These are the best days of your life.” or another version, “Enjoy it now because you’re going to wish you had this time back.”

“Doc, what’s this scaly rash on my arm? Do I have ringworm again?” A lot of the rashes I see in my dermatology clinic are red and scaly. In fact, what first drew me to dermatology as a profession was watching a dermatologist distinguish between seemingly similar red, scaly rashes all day. It intrigued me at the time, and I wanted to be just like her.