Richard Soper MD

During the many years we spend in medical schools and trainings, I, Richard Soper MD, believe that one of the most important lessons taught to us is about resilience. Our educators and mentors tell us that our success in the medical field depends on our ability to face obstacles, move past them and to adapt to difficult circumstances. Medicine is a field that will require us to be tough in our every day work – to recover quickly from varied challenges we face in our workplace. However, I think it is inevitable for medical students, trainees, and mentees to be egocentric. Most people who enroll in medical schools enter with the desire to provide healthcare to patients, with love and understanding. Sadly, during the times when they are pushed to their limits, especially during their clinical rotations, they are forced to focus on their own education and training that will hone their skills as physicians, rather than on the relationships they build. As medical doctors, we tend to th...

Influenza, more commonly known as flu, is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. It is normally spread by coughs and colds of an infected individual and is highly contagious. Direct contact with the infected person may also cause the other person to catch the flu. Although flu is considered a minor health issue that goes away in a few days, I, Richard Soper MD, believe that sometimes we need to be aware of some severe complications that arise from it. When most people catch the flu, it merely means a need for a few days off work or school. However, there are cases where flu can be potentially deadly because of complications and infections. Continue reading to know some signs that reveal when you should take your flu more seriously. Bloody, green, or yellow mucus One of the most common symptoms of flu is cough, but when you start coughing up bloody, green, or yellow mucus, it could indicate signs of pneumonia. Since people recovering from flu have reduced immune function, they...

After practicing medicine for decades, I, Richard Soper, MD, have heard so many physicians say that medicine robbed them of the years of their youth. Often, their statements are accompanied by a long sigh, a stare off into the distance, or a slow sip of coffee. I often feel similar to those physicians during the first few years of my journey. I often find myself wondering if medicine is worth it; if it is leading me to the best version of myself. During my training, I, Richard Soper, MD, have missed so much: from missing lunch to missing being home for the holidays. However, focusing on these misses can negatively affect both your overall well-being and your satisfaction with or life. As a resident, the hardest pill to swallow is the fact that medicine always draws you away from places you want to be at and people you want to be with. Residents wake up to the idea of wellness. Having enough sleep, exercise, and a nurturing community is the perfect foundation. However, efforts exe...