COMMENTS

… I have always remained perplexed by the very basic fundamental prejudices that we individuals create. … There is not a single individual who was ever born nor who will be born who had a choice relative to who their parents were/are, what the color of their skin is, their religion, whose god they are taught to believe in, as if this imaginary entity really exists, their economic status, the country they were born in, etc. The only common denominator that exists, except for a few unfortunate exceptions, is the 46 different chromosomes that we have, and our genetically defined life span. Why do we tolerate and create differences that are totally artificial, and for which we blindly accept, but for which there is absolutely no rationale? I wonder why we added the “sapien” component to our species name?

Jay H. Sanders, M.D., FACP, FACAAI, FATA
CEO, The Global Telemedicine Group
Professor of Medicine (Adjunct), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Founder and President Emeritus, American Telemedicine Association
Founder, First Academic Division of General Internal Medicine 

McLean, Virginia

May 2025

In response to "Memorial Day" 

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 “Practicing From the Heart (In the Age  of Technology),” Reza Ghadimi (Foreword by Humayun (Hank) Chaudhry, DO,  MACP), ThPulse/PAPulse, LLC (2021) 264pp.

This  enjoyable, self-published volume arrived in the mail on the very same  day I first saw something about ChatGPT®. It took me awhile to read the  collection of essays and reminisces. By the time I was done, Bard®  (Google) had arrived and, as of this writing, there are a half dozen or  so more on the way. As a New Jersey native, I’m a diehard fan of Bruce  Springsteen, but we might have to tweak one of his lyrics to, “Is that  me, baby, or just some brilliant A.I.?”
Now, I don’t think a chatbot,  even on a good day, could do what Ghadimi has done. He has organized  his musings (vignettes might be a better word) in 12 chapters headed by  the calendar months, although the stories told are not in chronological  order. He’s been a practicing physician assistant for decades, and even  though he’s not a physician, his close professional association to  physicians provides a unique observational perspective on where we are  and, just maybe, where we’re heading. We’re all prone to parallax, and  so a take from another angle can be illuminating.
Ghadimi does not  rail against technology or progress, instead he readily admits to using  one of the first home computers (from Radio Shack!) to write. He  provides dozens of heartfelt reflections on what is central to  everything we do — the simple act of caring for another person.
Some  of the stories are less than a page, others are much longer. I was  struck by the unique voice of each one even though the subjects are many  and varied. This would be a good book to keep in your office and maybe  read a bit between cases or patients.
Skip around the story  selections if you’d like — short or long, each is a stand-alone piece.  They’re all personal observations, steeped in the experience of a long  career in patient care. Perhaps, in the end, what will separate us from  purely programmable authors is our ability to contextualize. I certainly  hope so.
Author’s note: No robots were used or harmed in the writing of this column.

Daniel J. Waters, DO, MA, FACOS-D, FACS

The DO  [Journal of the American Osteopathic Association] - May 1, 2023 

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 I enjoy reading your articles and they bring peace and joy into my life, even dealing with the difficult topics that you cover. 

Ron E. MD
Albuquerque, NM
January 2023
In response to "A New Year Resolution" 

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 So true! When we look in the mirror we need not see our reflection, but that of the rest of the world!
Jay S. MD
Maryland

Great comments!!!
Senator Steve K. MD
Albuquerque, NM

Love your perspective.
Barbara W.
Santa Fe, NM

Good story.  Working in "3rd" world countries sure humbled me.
Joe B.
Taos, NM

December 2022
In response to "RECIDIVISM" 

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  Thank you for this, Reza!  Everyone needs to read this!
 

Jay S. M.D.
Professor of Medicine,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
July 2022
In response to "WHERE FORTUNE ROAMS" 

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I love receiving these precious writings. Thank you!
 

Tish Hinojosa
Internationally renowned
singer and songwriter
Austin, Texas
May 2022

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So tender of a story.  Thanks

M.B. - Sarasota, Florida
April 2022
In response to "The homeless Gypsy" 

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What a lovely and inspiring poem, Reza! Thank you!

M.G. - New Mexico
March 2022
In response to "All the kind People"

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"That this world is too small to be divided
And expect that all be provided"      Love it.

M.J. - Toronto, Canada
February 2022
In response to "AGAIN?"

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 A comment worth a thousand pictures

As  a medical sociologist, I appreciate so much your interest in addressing  our current problems with health disparities and inadequate health  equity among our diverse populations.  
 

You certainly have made  an outstanding contribution to medical students, providers, and to all  of us—right in the middle of this stressful pandemic we are all living  through.  There are so many touching and funny and insightful  chapters—and I love your ongoing reminders of the importance of  integrating useful modern technology to improve healthcare while never  forgetting the central importance of compassion and connecting  personally with patients—practicing from the heart, as you so elegantly  put it.  It is just amazing that you have practiced in so many diverse  settings with people of so many languages and cultures. Those  experiences clearly taught you so much about providing compassionate and  excellent healthcare! 
 

I am so impressed by your writing of this fascinating book.  Bravo!
 

Maggie Gunter, PhD
Sr. Advisor for Population Health and Outcomes Research
SYNCRONYS
Albuquerque, NM
November 2, 2021

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In Practicing from the Heart, Reza has captured the true heart of our healing profession through vignettes that are poignant and deeply moving. Reflecting on  his life's calling, from working in small villages in seven countries to  Manhattan, Reza has offered up a global view of the tragedy of health  disparities to the heroics of compassionate and altruistic health  professionals.
Reza speaks of love and politics, conflicts and the  brother and sisterhood that is the cornerstone of Medicine. He paints a  stark and compelling contrast of the beauty of mankind and its brutality  through the eyes of a caring practitioner of the healing arts.
Every student thinking of entering the health professions should read this book.
 

Paul B. Roth, MD, MS, F ACEP
Chancellor, UNM Health Sciences Center
CEO, UNM Health System
July 2020

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