Welcome to a unique publication about health and science from a primary care doc’s perspective. I’m Ryan McCormick, a physician in practice for two decades. Here I pause the clock to present articles, essays, and guidance about vital medical topics that deserve more time for consideration. What you read here is crafted to be helpful.

My brother hooked me up with this digital portrait. I forgo the white coat because it increases blood pressure, facilitates the spread of germs, and adds to the oppressive burden that is my laundry.

Consider all those questions you might ask at a checkup, and all those terse, unsatisfying answers you receive from your harried primary care doctor. Or even those inquiries now typed into AI chatbot fields, with answers that might be hallucination, or springing from the wrong concerns? Here I share more deep dive answers to questions I get in the office - synthesizing, filtering, and breaking down the mess. I give a family doc's honest and multidisciplinary perspective. And if you are a fellow seeker in the curious realms of health, happiness, and staying human despite all that is dehumanizing right now, then join me.

Covid. Cardiovascular disease. Metabolic disease. Longevity. Obesity. Nutrition. Mental health. Vaccines. Prevention. Increasing our span of good health. Current events as examined through a medical lens. New evidence from medical journals. Primary care runs the gamut. I know there are plenty of sources out there right now. But I think a medical degree, two decades of clinical experience, and that once valued notion of expertise should all still matter. Expertise in primary care is having a broad range of practical knowledge across overlapping disciplines.

I graduated from Rutgers College, Rutgers RWJ Medical School, and trained at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in center city Philadelphia. I've devoted my career as an attending to the same community and know my patients quite well by this point. I've written and published two books about life in medicine under a pseudonym. As a Doximity Op-Med Fellow I contribute narrative medical writing to that big clinician hub as well.

The patient-doctor relationship is legendary. It is a fertile ground for powerful stories, vignettes, and reflection. I also write about moments of vulnerability and courage that can inspire and challenge us to be better. But most importantly I want Examined to convey a distinct and trustworthy voice in a conversation with you about health.

I'm not an endowed professor at Harvard. We hear from the academics all the time, which is great… but maybe you're interested in a complementary vantage point from a 100% clinician who actually practices at the crossroads of all specialties.

Shakespeare wrote: A jack of all trades is a master of none - but oftentimes better than a master of one.

I think it was Master Yoda who stated: Balance to the force a family physician can bring.

You can expect 1-2 solid posts a week. I'll record an occasional podcast to expand upon the ideas presented here. I drop some quick, useful notes on Substack several times a week, too. And finally - your comments and dialogue are encouraged. These can relate personal experiences, create mutual inspiration, teach me and others, and build connections. I enjoy responding to each one.

Writing these letters has helped me broaden a conversation, enrich relationships while forging new ones, and stretch a capacity to reach beyond the narrow office visit.

Why read and subscribe? Why not?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Disclaimer: Examined is written for a general audience. Views expressed are my own. Articles, commentary, and anything you read on Examined is not a substitute for personal medical advice and consultation. The following address is where I can be reached for general contact, captivating chain letters, and solicitations about transferring illegal assets from an island (which I will politely decline). It’s also an email address you can add to your contacts if you subscribe so that these letters don’t end up in your spam folder. If they still do, just mark one as “not spam” and that should also fix it.

Thank you for reading, for signing up, and for subscribing. It’s an honor. It’s fun. Talk to you soon.