Let’s Talk FAM (Finances and Medicine...and more).

Looking to save money? 4 High Yield Savings Accounts you should check out!  Let’s talk high yield savings accounts (HYSAs). Gone are the days of having “mattress money.” Or at least they should be. Why? Because you should not be keeping your emergency fund under your bed! Wouldn’t it be better to put your money where it could make you MORE money while you sleep instead?   If you have an emergency fund, you are already ahead of the game. Check out this article  that states only 44% of Americans can cover a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings. An emergency or rainy day fund is just what it sounds like: money set aside for unforeseen costly circumstances. Think car or home repairs, medical emergencies, pet injuries - you get the picture. These things can happen to anyone, so we should all prepare for them. You’ll find that the more prepared you are, the less emergencies you will experience! So what should you do? First, aim to have $1,000 set aside. Ideally, you will...

Suffering from dry skin?! 5 things to stop doing to relieve dry skin.  Let's talk dry skin. Your skin is your largest organ, your body's interface with and protection from the environment. Keep it moisturized and intact! I trained in a dermatology office as a physician assistant student. Dry skin was a common complaint. Many clients were shocked at the advice they were given: "I paid a specialist copay for this?!" was a common sentiment. Relieve dry skin by stopping these 5 things, and you may save yourself a trip to the doctor's office! 1. Bathing Frequently  Water exposure can be drying and irritating. Reevaluate how many times you are bathing, and for how long. Consider decreasing the overall amount of time you are immersed in water.   2. Bathing in hot water Hot water is especially drying. In addition to the amount of time you spend in water, consider lowering the temperature of the water. Check out this  article  that says ideal water temperature is be...

Let’s talk Mongolian spots. Have you heard of them? I’m shocked at how many people haven’t, particularly those who work with children. I suppose it depends largely on the demographics of your area. Mongolian spots are areas of increased melanocyte activity (melanocytes are the cells that produce pigment or color in our skin). These spots are most common in people with tan or brown skin; Asian, Native American, Hispanic, East Indian, African. Mongolian spots are congenital, meaning they appear at or shorty after birth, and they may or may not fade or disappear over time. They are completely benign, and are not associated with any other medical conditions. Because Mongolian spots are common on the back at the base of the spine and on the buttocks, and tend to be bluish gray in color, they can look like bruises.  The majority of professionals who work with or may come in contact with children are mandatory reporters. This means that if we SUSPECT child abuse, then we are required to r...

Let’s talk new year resolutions.  Year after year, financial and medical related goals top the list for new year resolutions. Ask any number of people what their intentions for the new year are, and you’ll likely hear goals related to a healthier lifestyle and/or money management. Let’s use some of these common aspirations to explore why you might be struggling to stick to your resolutions. Disclaimer: the goals mentioned in this post are potential examples of common resolutions. This is not medical advice. Discuss with a healthcare provider before engaging in a diet or exercise regimen. 1. Your resolutions are too broad.  Eating healthier can take many different forms. But unless you make your goal more specific, it will be tough to take action! A better resolution might be: reduce caloric intake to 1500 per day. Even better to outline how you plan to do that. You might use an app to count calories and a food scale to measure portions.  2. Your resolutions are too vague....

Hi there. Thank you for being here. My name is Alicia. I’m a thirty something physician assistant living and working in central Pennsylvania. My husband, John, is a doctor. We have been practicing medicine for 11 years. We have one young daughter and two cats.  I’m an introvert who needs extroverts to adopt me! I enjoy drinking coffee and wine, any kind of shopping, traveling, and rewatching the same shows and movies that I know I like.  I also enjoy writing, and have felt called to create a blog for some time now. So, this is me blogging. I decided to call my blog, “Let’s talk, FAM.” I believe knowledge is power, so my goal is to write to educate and empower. The acronym, FAM, stands for the main focus of my content, finances and medicine. But is also a term of endearment, fam, for YOU, dear reader. I’m so glad that you’re here. I believe finances and medicine are two areas that affect all of us, whether we choose to educate and empower ourselves or not. I want you to feel in...