The struggles faced by individuals and families affected by autism can vary tremendously. This, in turn, means that each family's reality is quite different. The extreme differences in the experiences faced can lead to different needs and different perceptions of autism. In this essay, a physician shares her experiences as a pediatric physician and a mother of a child with autism, and describes a dichotomy of experiences noted within the autism community. As medical professionals, we must understand the differences in perceptions and experiences to properly care for patients with autism and their families.Abstract also available in عربي (Arabic); Deutsch (German); Español (Spanish); Francais (French); हिन्दी (Hindi); Indonesia (Indonesian); (Chinese); (Japanese); Portugues (Portuguese).

Ménière's disease, a chronic disorder of the inner ear, has brought one physician a great deal of both suffering and insight. A variety of treatment options, including dietary changes and medications, have failed to help. However, the physician has found relief from a number of unexpected sources, including meditation, his social support network, and even his six-year-old child. The lessons he has learned have made him a more knowledgeable and empathetic physician.Abstract available in عربي (Arabic); Deutsch (German); Español (Spanish); Francais (French); हिन्दी (Hindi) Indonesia (Indonesian); (Chinese); (Japanese), Portugues (Portuguese).

In this reflective essay, a primary care physician describes practicing within the Department of Veterans Affairs during a period of workforce reductions, policy shifts, and changing institutional priorities. Drawing on frontline experience, the essay illustrates how these changes shape care for veterans with complex medical, psychological, and social needs. The narrative traces the cumulative effects of staffing shortages, administrative burden, and diminished support on both patients and clinicians. It culminates in the death by suicide of a veteran, prompting reflection on missed opportunities, system constraints, and the limits of individual clinical effort within strained conditions. The essay explores themes of moral injury, professional responsibility, and the tension between bureaucratic demands and patient-centered care. It argues that sustaining effective care for vulnerable veterans requires institutional trust, adequate staffing, and alignment between policy decisions and the realities of clinical practice.

I came to the United States as a refugee at age eleven, fleeing religious persecution in Iran. Decades later, as a family physician, I found myself caring for newly arrived refugees during the Afghan humanitarian crisis of 2021. Launching and leading a refugee clinic forced a convergence of my personal history and professional identity that I had long avoided. Each patient encounter echoed my own experiences of displacement, fear, and hope, transforming clinical care into an act of witnessing, healing, and shared humanity. Through caring for refugees, I confronted unresolved trauma, discovered unexpected healing, and reaffirmed medicine's moral and spiritual dimensions. As refugee arrivals slowed and policy shifts led me to step away from this work, I carried forward its lessons: that family medicine is uniquely positioned to hold vulnerability and resilience together, and that caring for others whose stories mirror our own can deepen both professional purpose and personal healing.Abstract also available in عربي (Arabic); Deutsch (German); Español (Spanish); Francais (French); हिन्दी (Hindi); Indonesia (Indonesian); (Chinese); (Japanese); Portuguese (Portugese).