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Managing Health Expectations
A Hospitalist Sifts Through Disinformation
I'm Dr. Joseph Thomas. I am an M.D. and I work as a hospitalist in Western New York. I started writing long-form status updates on Facebook to sort through all the disinformation that was being bandied about regarding COVID-19, and I forgot how much I like regularly writing, even if it's not so much creative as it is driven by exasperation.
I still write about COVID sometimes (get your vaccine!), but now I talk more broadly about public health and reproductive justice.
I don’t always write regularly because of my work schedule, but when I don’t you can find other content on my social media (@DocWithBowtie on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, and Threads)!
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Thank You For Watching My TEDx Talk
My TEDxBuffalo Talk, entitled "Fighting the Pandemic of Disinformation" is Available to Watch! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/foaTUq40Dmc?si=xHdzdwdppHyEIBCq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> Bucket list item/life goal, achieved! What an educationa
Dr. Bow Tie
Nov 153 min read
On Palestine, Israel, and Zohran Mamdani
In which I saw so many people I thought were smart, rational, and caring suddenly get corrupted by Islamophobia and sensationalized stereotypes about one man. I've fallen behind on posting here in favor of Substack. So this week we'll catch up! Last summer I read the book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, by Ilan Pappé, in the aftermath of 10/7/2023 as I tried to create a nuanced and informed opinion on Israel and Palestine. In light of the much-hyped-yet-unsurprisingly-shor
Dr. Bow Tie
Nov 149 min read
Get Your COVID and Flu Vaccines!
Some of you are thinking “yeah, Joe - I already scheduled or got mine, you’re behind the curve!” Some of you are thinking “you’re still talking about these vaccines?” To which…I mean, you must be new here. Some of you might be wondering if these are right for you, especially with the chaotic messaging and back and forth of the 2025 HHS and Advisory Committeee on Immunization Practices. Thankfully, RFK Jr’s handpicked anti-science squad (who replaced 12 thoroughly-vetted scien
Dr. Bow Tie
Nov 132 min read
Book #26 of 2025: Her Country, by Marissa R. Moss
I've fallen behind on posting here in favor of Substack. So this week is catching up! Even if you don't like country music - this is a good read. Might even give some insight as to why you hate it or why you shouldn't love certain parts of it as much. I don’t normally post my little book reviews here, as that’s not my area of expertise, but sometimes I feel motivated to write and well, it’s my Substack. When a book speaks to my inner advocate and moves me (sometimes literally
Dr. Bow Tie
Nov 126 min read
New Study: Vaccines Less Effective or Just Rewriting History With Faulty Models?
I've fallen behind on posting here in favor of Substack. So let's catch up! Am I WRONG About COVID vaccines?? A new study published through JAMA was highlighted in #MedPage Today. The headline was that the #COVID-19 vaccines were less effective than previously thought and didn’t need to be given to anyone under 60. I was curious, until I saw who the authors were. I was actually surprised that MedPage even bothered to platform two people who consistently spread disinformation
Dr. Bow Tie
Nov 114 min read
"I hope it's not a Jesus thing..."
There is an award that sits on my shelf. I was given it at college graduation. It’s the University at Buffalo Vice President’s Student...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jul 278 min read
Rest In Peace, Pope Francis
Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away earlier this week at age 88. He didn’t fix the Church or anything, but he was arguably...
Dr. Bow Tie
Apr 267 min read
Careless People
I’m not the kind of person to jump at a #tell-all #memoir, but when I saw that Meta was getting legal means to shut down distribution and...
Dr. Bow Tie
Apr 242 min read
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr Thinks You're Stupid
RFK Jr’s been on TV a lot lately and every time he says something worse. Between his frequent bullshit and my month-old son’s needing...
Dr. Bow Tie
Apr 224 min read
Anti-Indian Racism
There is a lot of prejudice out there these days - plenty to go around. Anti-Black racism, Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia,...
Dr. Bow Tie
Mar 186 min read
Another Shooting Incident
This is one of the hospitals at which I work. People want to talk about mental health with the story, and in one sense that is OK....
Dr. Bow Tie
Mar 161 min read
Thoughts on the Trump-Zelensky Meeting
The other day I posted the following to my social media platforms: I could barely watch the press conference with Trump/Vance and...
Dr. Bow Tie
Mar 153 min read
Kendrick Lamar's Incredibly American Super Bowl Halftime Show
So if you know me at all, one of the things you know is that I love music. I haven’t posted about it much here because there is SO MUCH...
Dr. Bow Tie
Feb 227 min read
Kamala Harris Owes You Nothing
Over the past week, I have seen multiple posts asking why Vice President Harris isn’t loudly leading some sort of charge against the...
Dr. Bow Tie
Feb 215 min read
Organ Transplants & Vaccines, Re-Visited
-- MAGA only cares about access to healthcare when it supports the MAGA agenda (but they project that onto real doctors following...
Dr. Bow Tie
Feb 204 min read
No, We Don’t Care That RFK Jr. is a Republican
To everyone saying that we are anti-RFK Jr because he’s a Republican. I am here to assure you that we do not give two shits about his...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jan 313 min read
But How Does It Affect ME??
I just saw yet another post about not vaccinating against influenza because the person is “young and healthy” and when reminded that...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jan 305 min read
Dr. Fauci's Preemptive Pardon
Some of you have been asking yourself the question “ Well, if Fauci wasn’t guilty, why would he need a preemptory pardon?!?! ” I assume...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jan 293 min read
Tell Your Senators NO (and WHY NOT) on Confirming RFK Jr.!
#Physicians! Robert F. Kennedy Jr appears before the Senate for the start of his confirmation hearings TOMORROW (1/29)! I’ve made...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jan 282 min read
DocWithBowtie’s New Year’s Resolutions
I’m becoming a father in 2025, and I want to be the best father I can be to the new life that my wife and I created. Be the best doctor I...
Dr. Bow Tie
Jan 32 min read
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