A doctor without any golf skills posing to make it look like he does. Disclaimer at the top reportin

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)!

Effective Gun Control Reform. Now. Nothing Else Is Enough.

18 children are dead, along with 2, possibly 3 adults in Texas. This just on the heels of 10 people at a grocery store in my city of...

Dr. Bow Tie

May 24, 20221 min read

Fed. Is. Best.

You have probably heard by now that there is a formula shortage in the United States. Abbott Nutrition, one of the biggest formula...

Dr. Bow Tie

May 23, 20226 min read

COVID-19: Treatment Updates (Or, What Happens If I Get COVID Now?)

In my most recent COVID post, I touched on the dismissive phrasing of "We don't need to worry about COVID as much now, because we have...

Dr. Bow Tie

May 20, 20224 min read

No, We Are Not "Post-Omicron."

Someone wrote an article the other day about how Canadian public transit mask mandates should be discontinued now that we're...

Dr. Bow Tie

May 16, 20224 min read

SCOTUS Conservatives Declare War on Birthing People, or Why I Am Absolutely Livid Tonight

Well...it's happening. There has been a leak of the Supreme Court's draft of the Samuel Alito-led majority decision on the...

Dr. Bow Tie

May 2, 20223 min read

COVID-19: We Just Can't Help Ourselves, Can We?

Imagine you're on a plane. You're someone with chronic health concerns, or who takes care of an elderly relative, or has children under 5...

Dr. Bow Tie

Apr 25, 20226 min read

COVID-19: Nails In Coffins (Not All Figuratively)

Last week we discussed the politicization of healthcare and how that has contributed to the extended duration of the pandemic. A few...

Dr. Bow Tie

Mar 18, 20224 min read

THE POLITICIZATION OF HEALTHCARE, Part 2 (Mehmet Oz, Transgender in Texas, and DeSantis the Bully)

My last post discussed the political motivations behind the CDC’s new guidelines, and how frustrating that is at a time when, more than...

Dr. Bow Tie

Mar 4, 20225 min read

The Politicization of Healthcare, Part 1

The pandemic is not over. Let's get that out of the way - the Omicron surge is on its way out, but it will not be the last, especially...

Dr. Bow Tie

Mar 3, 20224 min read

I'VE DONE WHAT YOU ASKED AND GOT VACCINATED, NOW I'M BEING FORCED TO GET A BOOSTER?

Today is my 33rd birthday. My second birthday in the pandemic. I wish I didn't still have to write these posts, but here we are. I make...

Dr. Bow Tie

Feb 25, 20225 min read

ENDING NYS MASK MANDATES

The NYS Mask Mandate ends today, earlier than planned. I do not agree with this decision, but maybe that’s why I’m not governor. Some of...

Dr. Bow Tie

Feb 10, 20223 min read

COVID-19: MORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS (Part 2/2): Florida, From vs. With, Rogan, Freedom Convoy

We continue addressing (basically, I'm playing catch-up) of several misunderstandings that have arisen or persisted or resurfaced over...

Dr. Bow Tie

Feb 1, 20229 min read

COVID-19: MORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS (Part 1/2): Vaccines Working? "Natural Immunity," Schools, Weed

As we hit the two-year anniversary of the pandemic hitting the United States, it's important to reflect on what we have learned. The most...

Dr. Bow Tie

Jan 30, 20227 min read

COVID-19: WHEN OMICRON REARS ITS UGLY HEAD (Or, Do I Need A Booster?)

So you've received two doses of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (or one dose of the J&J adenovirus vaccine) and you've been figuring out when...

Dr. Bow Tie

Jan 7, 20225 min read

The January 6th Attacks: One Year Later

It’s been a year, and I have had a lot of thoughts about this day. Still, I’m not entirely sure what to write about the anniversary of...

Dr. Bow Tie

Jan 6, 20222 min read

Happy New Year, 2022! Please Let It Be Kind To Us

This is a good year to develop some habits: - Rapid testing before gathering with friends. - Testing 4-5 days after a gathering or...

Dr. Bow Tie

Jan 1, 20222 min read

COVID-19: NEW QUARANTINE/ISOLATION RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHY WE SHOULD STILL BE WARY

This week, if you know someone in healthcare who has been following evidence-based medicine, chances are... they have been more upset...

Dr. Bow Tie

Dec 29, 20218 min read

Three Charlatans and A Shameful Press Release

The most important updates this week are in my Omicron update post from Monday (12/20). Still, there is disinformation running rampant...

Dr. Bow Tie

Dec 22, 20214 min read

COVID-19: Omicron Update

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, better known as Omicron. One of the notes I ended with was that more...

Dr. Bow Tie

Dec 20, 20215 min read

COVID-19 AND VACCINES: ONE YEAR LATER

December 16, 2021 marks the one-year anniversary of my first COVID-19 vaccine. I had such hope that day that we would soon see the end of...

Dr. Bow Tie

Dec 17, 20215 min read

Managing Health Expectations

Effective Gun Control Reform. Now. Nothing Else Is Enough.

Fed. Is. Best.

COVID-19: Treatment Updates (Or, What Happens If I Get COVID Now?)

No, We Are Not "Post-Omicron."

SCOTUS Conservatives Declare War on Birthing People, or Why I Am Absolutely Livid Tonight

COVID-19: We Just Can't Help Ourselves, Can We?

COVID-19: Nails In Coffins (Not All Figuratively)

THE POLITICIZATION OF HEALTHCARE, Part 2 (Mehmet Oz, Transgender in Texas, and DeSantis the Bully)

The Politicization of Healthcare, Part 1

I'VE DONE WHAT YOU ASKED AND GOT VACCINATED, NOW I'M BEING FORCED TO GET A BOOSTER?

ENDING NYS MASK MANDATES

COVID-19: MORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS (Part 2/2): Florida, From vs. With, Rogan, Freedom Convoy

COVID-19: MORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS (Part 1/2): Vaccines Working? "Natural Immunity," Schools, Weed

COVID-19: WHEN OMICRON REARS ITS UGLY HEAD (Or, Do I Need A Booster?)

The January 6th Attacks: One Year Later

Happy New Year, 2022! Please Let It Be Kind To Us

COVID-19: NEW QUARANTINE/ISOLATION RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHY WE SHOULD STILL BE WARY

Three Charlatans and A Shameful Press Release

COVID-19: Omicron Update

COVID-19 AND VACCINES: ONE YEAR LATER

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