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

Why read and subscribe?

Consider all those questions you ask at a checkup, and all those terse, unsatisfying answers you receive from your harried primary care doctor. Here I share some unpressured, deep dive answers to those 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 realms of health, happiness, and staying beautifully human, then please join me in this effort.

The patient-doctor relationship is legendary. It is a fertile ground for powerful stories, vignettes, and reflection. I’ll wax lyrical about this relationship at times, and the patients who inspire me.

But most importantly I want Examined to convey a distinct and trustworthy voice in a conversation with you about health. Covid. Cardiovascular disease. Longevity. Obesity. Mental health. Prevention. Primary care runs the gamut. There are plenty of confusing sources out there right now. But I think a medical degree, pure 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.

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

You can expect a letter about once a week. I’ll record an occasional podcast to expand upon the ideas presented here. And finally - your comments are encouraged! They relate personal experiences, create mutual inspiration, and build connections. I enjoy responding to each one.

My background centers around Jersey and Philly. I went to Rutgers College, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Residency. I’ve practiced for 18 years in the same community and know my patients pretty well by this point. I’ve written and published two books about life in medicine under a pseudonym, with my stuff highlighted in The LA Times, The Guardian, and Science Creative Quarterly among others. I am not an endowed professor at Harvard… but maybe you’re interested in a complementary vantage point from a 100% clinician who actually practices at the crossroads of all specialties.

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.

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Disclaimer: Examined is written for a general audience. Views expressed are my own. Commentary and anything you read on Examined is not a substitute for personal medical advice and consultation. Please mark the following address as ‘not spam’, or even better add it to your contacts. It’s also where I can be reached for lucrative book deals and captivating chain letters:

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