COVID-19: Diary of an Oncologist

Don S. Dizon, MD, is the director of women's cancers at Lifespan Cancer Institute and director of medical oncology at Rhode Island Hospital. He is also a professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. His research interests are in novel treatments of women’s cancers and issues related to survivorship, particularly as they relate to sexual health after cancer for both men and women.

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Stopping COVID-19 Misinformation: Why Call People Out? Oncologist Don Dizon explores why physicians call out COVID-19 misinformation on TikTok and Twitter, and whether doing so actually changes peoples' minds.
Medscape Oncology, October 04, 2021
'Living at Work': Work-Life Balance in a Pandemic A physician reaches out to colleagues for advice on rebalancing his professional and personal obligations.
Medscape Oncology, May 10, 2021
Pandemic Epiphany: Medicine Isn't Worth It The pandemic has many doctors reconsidering whether a life in medicine is worth all the missed soccer games and family dinners.
Medscape Oncology, October 23, 2020
Are We Healthcare Heroes or Doomsayers? A physician faces his daughter's disregard for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medscape Oncology, August 11, 2020
Two Decades in Oncology Don't Afford You Immunity to Grief In this moving essay, oncologist Don Dizon reflects on the loss of a close family member to cancer.
Medscape Oncology, July 31, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Week 5: We're Open, but Where Are All the Patients? Hospitals and cancer centers are opening back up, but patients who have suffered the 'societal trauma' of COVID-19 are not coming in.
Medscape Oncology, May 29, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Week 4: The 'New Normal' Is Not Temporary Don Dizon borrows a metaphor from cancer care to better understand how COVID-19 will continue affecting both his personal and professional life.
Medscape Oncology, May 15, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Week 3: I've Never Been More Emotionally Exhausted After a week seeing cancer patients with COVID-19 as the inpatient consult attending, Don Dizon finds himself more emotionally exhausted than he's ever been before.
Medscape Oncology, May 06, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 14: Can Patients Demand Your COVID Status? When a patient demands that oncologist Don Dizon get tested for COVID-19, he wonders whether requests like these are proper during an infectious disease outbreak.
Medscape Oncology, April 24, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 13: Oncology Practices Are Businesses Too Don't overlook the economic impact of COVID-19 on oncology practices, cautions Don Dizon. It has important ramifications for patient care in the future.
Medscape Oncology, April 23, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 12: The Challenge of Continuing Clinical Trials Don Dizon struggles to continue his clinical trial during the pandemic, but in the process he realizes the power of his professional communities.
Medscape Oncology, April 22, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 11: Every Obituary Deserves to Be Read Reading the daily obituary notices reminds Dr Don Dizon that COVID-19 can severely affect patients from all age groups.
Medscape Oncology, April 20, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 10: So Many Questions, No Answers When weighing the risks and benefits of COVID-19 infection and cancer treatment, there are no easy answers, writes Don Dizon.
Medscape Oncology, April 17, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 9: A Moment of Panic, Then Teamwork As Dr Dizon's center enters the surge, he realizes that he probably shouldn't have assumed anything about inpatient care.
Medscape Oncology, April 16, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 8: I'm a 'Hugger.' Now I'm Socially Distant. Oncologist Don Dizon talks about how social distancing has robbed him of an essential part of doctoring: human touch.
Medscape Oncology, April 15, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 7: When Risks Become Very Real On a somber Easter Sunday, Don Dizon hears from a colleague who just witnessed a COVID-19 code.
Medscape Oncology, April 14, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 6: Clinicians' Choices Shouldn't Be Judged Don Dizon reflects on the choices he has, and does not have, as a father and a physician in the COVID-19 era.
Medscape Oncology, April 10, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 5: Facing Deployment Don Dizon talks with colleagues about the anxiety surrounding their pending deployment in the 'war against COVID-19.'
Medscape Oncology, April 09, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 4: Am I Losing My Humanity? Already? Watching patients die alone. Resisting the urge to check email during a video consult. Oncologist Don Dizon worries that COVID-19's 'unsettling' restrictions may have lasting effects on the art of medicine.
Medscape Oncology, April 09, 2020
COVID-19 Diary Day 3: Facing the Prospect of Dying Alone After planning for staffing and patient management at his institution, oncologist Don Dizon reflects on his personal risk in managing COVID-19-positive patients.
Medscape Oncology, April 07, 2020

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