Thanks to NewsNation (national cable news channel) for interviewing me on health topics this morning. This was my first national TV interview (and hopefully not my last).

It was a quick three minute segment on four health topics that are currently in health news including Lyme disease, the “kissing bug” disease, non-traditional causes of heart attacks, and taking Vitamin B3 to hopefully prevent future non-melanoma skin cancers. Check out the links above for more information.

Also wanted to give a quick shout out to our friends at the American Academy of Family Physicians for giving me opportunities like this to chat with the press. I am a member of their Media Ambassadors team, and in addition to television interviews like this, I also participate in print media articles, all of you can check out on My Media Page.

I can’t believe that it’s been one year since the opening of Salem Family Care! Thinking back over the past 12 months, there are definitely a lot of great memories. However, like any other startup business, we went through our initial struggles.

I mean, I’ve never opened a business before. I really had no expectations, except the continued commitment for the best patient care possible, while still trying to grow a new business from the ground up. No one can take on a project like this by themselves. One of the many things I’m thankful for is the great team that we have assembled at Salem Family Care. And, not only the people who work for us, but also our friends and family who have helped Salem Family Care become successful!

And, if people didn’t already know, today is also my birthday. A year ago, my birthday was very stressful. I was definitely filled with hope, but who really knew what was going to happen with the opening of Salem Family Care. The support of the community was/is a key to our success, and I’m very thankful for that as well.

So, now begins Year Two! What will this year bring? I know one thing that will not change, and that is daring to dream what may seem impossible, with the continued goal of delivering the best patient care that Salem Family Care can!

National Family Medicine Week #FamilyMedicineWeek is from September 29-October 5, 2024. This was announced last week at the American Academy of Family Physicians FMX conference last week in Phoenix. I’d like to recognize and thank all Family Physicians, residents, and medical students for their commitment to improving access to primary care for all.

There is still an urgent need for continued primary care access for Ohioans and for those around the county. Did you know that in Ohio, we will need an additional 618 primary care physicians by the year 2030 in order to maintain the current healthcare needs of the state of Ohio? This data is from our friends at the Robert Graham Center.

Policy makers in Ohio should consider strategies to bolster the primary care workforce including payment reform for primary care, dedicated funding for primary care Graduate Medical Education, and increased funding for primary care training and medical school debt relief.

As leaders in their communities, Family Physicians have an important role in raising awareness about health disparities, managing chronic and acute conditions, and improving health outcomes while lowering costs. Amid a shifting healthcare landscape and increasing practice challenges, Family Physicians have continually risen to meet the healthcare needs of their patients and communities. It’s more important than ever for sustained investment in primary care.

For more information, I encourage you to explore more with our friends from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

On August 17, 2024, the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) presented the prestigious Torchlight Leadership Award to Mike Sevilla, MD, FAAFP, during its Family Medicine Celebration at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio.

Presented at the discretion of the OAFP Board of Directors, this award honors an Academy leader who best champions the mission and vision of the OAFP: to improve the health of patients by advocating for and advancing the specialty of Family Medicine and providing valuable solutions to the diverse needs of members.

The OAFP Board of Directors selected Dr. Sevilla for this recognition in response to his steadfast involvement and leadership while directing the OAFP’s 2023-26 Strategic Plan, his re-imaging of the OAFP’s annual membership meeting, and for being a true advocate for Family Medicine at the state and national levels through his vast social media presence and expertise, as well as his network of personal and professional relationships.

“I’m honored and humbled by this recognition. As a Family Physician, all I have ever wanted to do is to promote health and wellness to my patients and to my community, while helping my patients navigate our challenging healthcare system,” shared Dr. Sevilla. “In addition, the OAFP has taught me how I can be the best advocate for my patients and for my community.”

Dr. Sevilla has served the OAFP in numerous leadership positions on the Board of Directors, including President from 2020-21, guiding the Academy through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and hosting the virtual Bite-Sized Learning series. He holds many OAFP committee appointments including being a member of the Meaningful Engagement Experiences Workgroup & Family Medicine Celebration, the CME & Performance Improvement Resource Team, the Family Medicine Workshop Workgroup, and the Communications Resource Team.

He has lead on a national level for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) throughout his career, but most recently served as a member of the AAFP Nominating Committee, and previously served as Chair for both the AAFP Commission on Membership and Member Services, as well as the Credentials Committee for the AAFP Congress of Delegates.

For more than 20 years, Dr. Sevilla has served his community of Salem, Ohio, presently practicing at Salem Family Care, LLC. and previously at the Family Practice Center of Salem. He is also on the medical staff of the Salem Regional Medical Center, where is is Chair for both the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Utilization Management & Medical Records Committee. He holds the appointment of Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).

Dr. Sevilla is well known for his media presence, both online and via social media platforms and on local news broadcasts. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Dr. Sevilla has more than 26,000 followers and regularly contributes to health related articles by the AAFP. You can view Dr. Sevilla’s interviews and media exposure at DrMikeSevilla.com, including his TED talk at TEDxYoungstown, “Media Professionals and Social Media,” from 2015, which has over 14,000 views.

Dr. Sevilla earned his medical degree from NEOMED and completed his Family Medicine residency at the Barberton Citizens Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Barberton, Ohio, and holds his Board Certification from the American Board of Family Medicine.

The above press release is from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, a statewide professional association with more than 5,000 members including practicing physicians, Family Medicine residents, and medical students. The scope of Family Medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, and every disease entity. Family Physicians provide comprehensive, continuing care to all members of the family. For more information about OAFP, please visit www.OhioAFP.org.

I’m excited to share that I will be joining a new Primary Care office in Salem, Ohio called Salem Family Care. My current patients will have nothing to worry about, since I will not be leaving Salem, and my patients will not need to find a new doctor. Salem Family Care is located at 718 East Third Street in Salem, Ohio.

Salem Family Care was created with the partnership of Dr. Brianne Bagwell, Dr. Joseph Rousher, and myself. Salem Family Care is a shared vision to create a space where our patients and their families will receive high quality medical care in a compassionate and comfortable atmosphere.

As our name describes, Salem Family Care is centered around the health and wellness of our patients and their families. As you can see in our logo, the interconnected hearts represent how our patient care is enhanced through our heartfelt partnership with patients. Family Medicine is the medical specialty which provides continuing, comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is a specialty that integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of Family Medicine encompasses all ages, each organ, and every disease entity.

Salem Family Care is an independently owned small business and not owned by any hospital or health care system. The location of Salem Family Care is in the heart of Salem, and part of the restoration and rejuvenation of the downtown Salem area.

I invite you to keep up with updates about Salem Family Care at our website SalemFamilyCare.com and also at the Salem Family Care Facebook page. Welcome to Salem Family Care, where you will feel the difference!

Over the past three years, we have learned a lot about getting COVID infections, and being re-infected with the COVID virus. Looking back, there is a lot that we know now that we did not know previously.

Thanks to CNET for reaching out to me to comment on this for their story “What to know about getting COVID again (and again) in 2023.” I encourage you to click on the article and to check out my comments. Have a great weekend everyone!

A cheeseburger really is not healthy, right? Well, in a recent news report, a survey claimed that the food chain Whataburger (we have no restaurants around here) has the “healthiest” cheeseburger in America.

The wildly popular food website called Mashed (they have 25 monthly readers worldwide) reached out for my comment on this. You can probably guess what I said about it. But, I invite you to click on the full article entitled “Expert Claims Whataburger Cheese Burger Isn’t Actually That Healthy” on the Mashed website. Enjoy!

Another year has started, and it’s always a time for me to reflect. Every time at the beginning of the year, I tell myself that it’s a great time to try to get back to writing, and I’m going to try that again this year. We’ll see what happens….

What a beautiful day here in northeastern Ohio. It was a crisp 39 degrees at Beaver Creek State Park today as we hiked close to sunset. This hike really reminded me of the time when my father was sick two years ago. 

In the past few weeks, I’ve seen on by feed that there are many of my Facebook friends have experienced loss with the passing of a family member recently. And, for others, they are remembering family members who have passed away during holiday time.

For all those Carrying Loss during this holiday season, I just wanted to let you know that there is a huge community out here who grieves with you, and who feel similar to where you are at these days. I’m sending positive thoughts to you and your family during this tough time.

For everyone else, I hope that you remember those friends and family members who could be having a tough time this holiday season. During this hectic holiday season, I hope that you are able to get out and enjoy nature and/or find some kind of self-care these days. Have a great week everyone!

My father passed away in 2020 right before Thanksgiving, and I admit that holiday time is a difficult time for me. But, what continues to bring be joy are the memories of him carving the turkey every year. For those, who don’t know he was a surgeon who practiced in the Youngstown, Ohio area for years. So, every Thanksgiving, I was impressed by his precision of his turkey carving.

Every year, I have many friends ask me to share his turkey carving videos. I started recording these a few years ago, just as a joke, because my facebook friends would enjoy them. But, now that my father has passed away, these videos bring back so many memories.

For all those who are suffering grief and loss this holiday season (whether it's 2 years or 20 years, or longer or shorter), I feel for you, and I am there with you. If I am emotionally strong enough, I plan to share more of my grieving story with you, because I have a lot to say about it. I do not claim to be an expert in grief and loss. I only share my story to try to find a connection with others who are suffering. I am only an expert in my own grief and loss…..

Just wanted to encourage everyone to get out there and vote today. I know that the news usually says that it’s always, “The most important election in our lifetime,” at least until the next election. I just read a local news article saying that the local board of elections is only expecting about 60% turnout today. We have got to do better than that.

A few years ago, I was frustrated that I was sometimes unable to attend elections due to my work schedule. And, actually a patient reminded me and turned me onto the idea of absentee voting, and I’ve been doing that ever since. I’ve even had some patients say that they did the “early voting” thing in the weeks before election day. There are fewer and fewer excuses for citizens to not vote. So, get out there today and let your voice be heard!

For the fall issue of the Ohio Family Physician magazine, I wrote the following essay. The theme of the issue was the topic of Health Myths…….

When people typically hear the term “Health Myths” they typically think of things having to do with misinformation on the internet, misinformation about COVID-19, and other ideas. You probably have never thought about health myths following the end of someone’s life.

My father passed away during the tragic year of 2020, when many people died, masks were the norm, and a COVID vaccine was still unavailable. My father did not pass away from COVID infection, but for about nine months through that year, he suffered with the cancer diagnosis called glioblastoma, which for some is a rapidly growing brain tumor that eventually took his life.

Before he passed away, I was using all of my Family Physician skills to help my own family through this process. However, after he was gone, I felt as lost as we were all trying to process what happens now? There are a lot of myths when it comes to grieving, and I want to share three myths that I have experienced so I can help others through this mysterious process.

MYTH: Grief Happens In An Orderly Process

Close to the end of my father’s life, the family decided to place him on hospice services. To try to help myself and to help my family through this process, I reached for the book “On Death And Dying,“ by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. As Family Physicians, all of us have probably encountered this book at one point or another in our training. And all of us are familiar with the outlined stages of dying including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

However, through my arrogance, I thought that these were the same steps following death. I thought that these were the steps of grieving, which they are not. Grief does not happen in orderly stages. Grief is a convoluted and complicated process that is very personal and very individualized. Grief does not follow any kind of order.

MYTH: It Takes A Year To Get Over Your Grief

Even before my father passed away, people were telling me that the first year after his death would be the most difficult. Even I talk to patients and families about “the year of firsts.” This refers to the first birthday, the first holidays, the first wedding anniversary, etc. For a long time, I thought that the first 12 months, the first 365 days following the death of a loved one, would be the most difficult.

Unfortunately, this is a myth. Of course, those first holidays and memorable days are difficult, but those ones during the second year are no easier. And what I’m finding out in talking with people, is that sometimes it never gets better. Or, it is going to take more time before things start to ease in your mind.

MYTH: The Goal Of Grieving Is To Find Closure

For a long time, I did think in my head that if I was able to achieve this goal of “closure,“ whatever that means, then I would be able to get on with the rest of my life because in my research and reading, sometimes people just have to “get over it.“ Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The process of grieving is something that I deal with every day, and I will probably deal with for the rest of my life. Grieving is not a means to an end. Grieving is not a process that needs to be completed. Grieving does not have an endpoint for which you can tell people that you have completed the process. Grieving is every day, and it’s ok.

I hope this essay helps even one person through the grieving process. The process of grief is something that is not talked about in our society, for whatever reason. But as a Family Physician, I hope to create a space for my patients, my community, and for all of you to discuss and share openly and without judgment.

Happy September! Yes, where has the year gone? And, yes, I realize that is has been a few months since I wrote here. You know how it goes, when a new year starts, you have all kinds of plans to do this and to do that, and then February comes, and then, you get back to the status quo. Why does this happen? Anyway, I was biking riding recently, and I decided that I had to write a post here.

Over this past summer, I celebrated my 50th birthday. And, usually for me, it takes one of these anniversary birthdays to really make me think and to take things into perspective. I know that sometimes that I seem like I have things all together (in a good way). But, I’m like you in that I have good days and bad days - Good times and bad times. Please don’t try to read into that. Life is good, but there are always improvements that can be made. It’s no secret that my physical health could be better, but that has been always a struggle for me. And, everyone can make some improvements in their mental health.

This check-in is to let you know that I’m still here with the intention to share with you, through my writings, and that I have re-committed myself to not forget about my self-care, and I hope that you are making efforts to do the same as well. Because, before you know it, another few months will go by. I wish you peace. I hope you’re doing well, and I hope that we continue to help each other, one day at a time….

Super bowl 56 has come and gone. Bummed that the Cincinnati Bengals (#WhoDey) didn’t win, but it was actually a good game this year. I had all of my big game treats and food ready to go. And, don’t ask me why, but I actually watched most of that NBC five hour pre-game show. And, don’t ask me why, I actually enjoyed most of it. But, here are some random opinions (my hot takes) from today:

1) About the game itself: Really enjoyed it. You can never count out Joe Burrow, and it came down to the last series of the game, and within the last couple of minutes. That kid and that team will be back. 

2) About the halftime show: Why are people bringing the hate? I thought that it was a good show. Definitely nostalgic. I wouldn’t call myself a hip-hop music kind of guy, but definitely brought back some fun memories from “back in the day.”

3) Best commercial: The LeBron James talking to the younger version of himself. I didn’t even know what company the ad was for, but I enjoyed how it was put together.

4) Can we finally get rid of mask mandates? Did you see any masks in the super bowl tv coverage? Some news channels will be making a big deal about this in the next few days. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-mask. I’m pro mask optional. If you want to wear a mask, that’s cool. But, I think that in many circumstances, requirements for wearing a mask should be going away. That’s my take!

Are there long time friends that you just haven’t talked with since the start of the pandemic? Of course, you were like me, saying to yourself, “Well, we will chat again soon.” Or, “One of these days I’ll give them a call again.” But, it’s now been two years. Two long years.

I challenged myself this week. I had some days off from work, and it was my goal to re-connect with some people whom I haven’t talked with in a while. And, even though it’s been two years, it felt like we picked up right where we left off at our last conversation. Do you have friends like that? Through my experiences this week, there are definitely lessons that I have learned that I want to share with all of you.

1) Isolation should never be the new normal: Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, one of the most commonly used phrases, that is now stuck in our heads is “social distance.” Of course, from an infectious disease standpoint, I understood its importance. However, this made it easier to just stay at home, and just isolate yourself from the rest of the world. After months and months of doing this, it became the new normal (whatever that means). Following my experiences this week, I will never fall into isolation again. Humans need to be with other humans, in-person. Don’t get caught in the “social distancing” trap.

2) Consent is key to re-connect with friends: In addition to the “social distancing” trap, we have been conditioned to stop any kind of social physical contact. Recently, I had someone scold me for trying to shake their hand. How we try to get back is using consent and asking permission. For example, asking if it’s ok to shake someone’s hand, or to give a hug, or to even take off your mask. Some people are ready to try to get back to social physical contact like shaking hands, and some people are not. My advise is to meet people at the comfort level they are comfortable at. This pandemic has caused a lot of fear in people. Asking consent can help people work through their fear.

3) We need each other’s stories: During pandemic isolation, you cannot help but think about yourself, and drive yourself crazy. Getting caught up with my friends this week made me realize that we need other people’s stories to help shape our own life story. I really believe that we are a piece of every person that we meet throughout our life. And everyone else’s life experience adds to my own. However, in isolation, there has been so much missing in my life, and this week has started to re-add some missing pieces.

4) There is nothing like laughter with friends: During this pandemic, I’ve been trying to keep my spirits up with watching things like comedy TV shows and comedy movies. However this week, in talking with long time friends, the laughter that I experienced was another old friend that I haven’t seen in a while. You must have friends like this, right? If you do, and you haven’t talked with them in a while, you must reach out and re-connect. You won’t regret it.

So, here’s my challenge to you, and it is similar to the challenge I made myself this week. Make a list of people whom you haven’t talked with since the beginning of the pandemic. Do what you need to do to re-connect, whether it be call them, text them, and/or meet up with them. I assure you that you won’t regret it, and it’s just another step to get you through this pandemic...

“The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.” This was the iconic tagline from the Wide World of Sports show when I was growing up back in the day. What’s so interesting to observe is the attitude of the press and the public during events like the Olympic Games. The hype and the expectation leading up to sporting events like this is incredibly high, that I don’t know how these athletes deal with this.

For example, the press coverage today will be focusing on Mikaela Shiffrin who did not finish her 2nd race in the last 2 days. She was heavily favored to win multiple gold medals, and now in an interview following the race she said she was “questioning a lot of things.” Even 2 days ago, the Washington Post had an article entitled. “Mikaela Shiffrin makes a surprising error, and the Olympic monster awakens.”

Of course, this Olympic pressure is not only on US athletes. Zhu Yi is an American-born ice skater who is on team China. She suffered a fall during her program earlier this week, and social media in China embarrassed her on social media. I point you to the CNN article entitled, “What to do about the social media shaming of skater Zhu Yi.”

Stories like these have been very common at the Olympic Games. That is, until the year 2020. At the summer games, gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from some olympic events sighting focusing on her mental health. A few weeks earlier, tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from major tennis tournaments sighting the same thing. It was the summer of 2020, where I saw press discussions and public discussions about the mental health of these elite athletes, some of whom are still teenagers or in their 20s.

So, it will be interesting to see public perception and press coverage of the Mikaela Shiffrin situation in the next few days. And of course, discussion of mental health in athletes will inevitably shift to discussions about mental health for all of us. Our own mental health is something that is not talked about that much, except when newsworthy items bubble up in the press. One of the few positive things out of this pandemic is discussion of our mental health. 

We need more discussions about mental health, especially how the pandemic has affected us. We definitely need more resources for mental health for the public in general, and for mental health professionals specifically. Hopefully this mental health conversation will continue beyond these olympics....

I don’t know what it is, but the Olympic games has always captured my imagination, even going back to when I was 11 years old, and watching Scott Hamilton ice skating in Sarajevo. Has it really been 38 years since that performance?

Whether it be the winter games, or the summer games, I always have tried to think about what has been like to be an Olympic athlete. You always hear the personal stories about how these athletes sometimes start their training as a young child, and all the sacrifices that they have made to try to achieve their dream. What happens when they succeed, or, even more interestingly, what happens if they fall short of their ultimate goal?

In addition to learning about sport and personal stories, the Olympics also started my interest in learning about current events, particularly world geo-politics. Now, I am no expert in world affairs, but through sport, I started to learn as a young man, that the world is a small place, and even though political events occur thousands of miles away, they can impact things locally. 

I know that there are many controversies with regard to China being the host country for the 2022 winter games, and those controversies should be talked about and explored. However, politics should not overshadow the athletes and their achievements. In a way, I’m still that 11 year old kid watching sport, and having eternal hope that the world will be a better place.

So, happy February. First of all, thanks to everyone who has reached out to me asking why I haven’t been in the office for the past couple of days. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am ok. I am not ill, and I do not have COVID. I had some planned time off at the beginning of February, and I’ll be back at work soon. I appreciate everyone’s concern.

It’s the first Monday in February just wanted to check in with everyone. For me, January started off well for me. I made some small changes for myself, both from a personal standpoint, and from a professional standpoint. For example, I’ve really enjoyed writing and posting essays again. Then, like usually happens, and things go backwards. With this brief time off, this is time for me to reset things, and to get back on track. 

How did your first month of the year go? If you’re like me and falling back into bad habits, don’t beat yourself up too much. This is a new month, a new week, and a new day. Today is the day to forget about the past, to start anew, and to set new goals - At least that is what I’m going to tell myself. 

One step forward at a time. That’s a kind of mantra that I try to tell myself every day. Even if it’s a baby step forward, it’s a step forward. Something that I have learned in this process is that there are a lot of people like me out there who are going through the same thing. Let’s stick together. Never think you’re alone out there. Check in. Say hello, and let’s move forward - Together. Thanks for reading this, and I wish you a great week!

As an Asian-American man, I do not pretend to know what it’s like to be a Black man today. And, I do not pretend to know what it was like to be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in the 1950s and 1960s. All I know about that time is what I have seen in television and on the internet.

So, on this national holiday, where we, as a nation, are asked to remember this man and his message. And, it’s so frustrating, because I feel that whatever I say, will be interpreted through a political lens. And, in the polarizing world, holidays like this is another opportunity for the political partisans to take verbal shots at each other. Do other people feel that way?

I guess each year, I try to read and learn a little bit more about MLK’s life other than the 1963 March on Washington and the iconic “I Have A Dream Speech.” I know that this man is so much more than this snapshot in time. But, the emotions generated when I read about those events, and placed in the context of the world at that time - just inspiring. 

So, I hope people think of MLK day a more of a day of work or a day of school. In today’s world of COVID, the message of MLK still resonates and gives me hope for the future. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have good start of the week...

It’s so interesting, because this photo was taking this very week in 2019, otherwise known as Pre-Pandemic times. I’ve been looking at the forecast over the past couple of days, and some people are saying that for around here, we may expect 12 inches of snow or more.

Monday is a holiday for a lot of people out there (not me). But, when snow is forecast like this, it really makes me think back to “back in the day” when I was hoping, as a little kid, for that snow day. The kids don’t know this, but we didn’t have the “all call” or the internet or any of that technology. We had to wait, and wait, and wait, around the AM radio (yes, an AM radio) or maybe on television for the  snow day announcement. Remember that?

Then, when it happened, there was an enormous amount of joy that went through my kid body. I tried to think about what kind of snowman I would make, and those snow angel things. What did you do on those snow days back in the day?

As, things were so much simpler back then, at least things seemed simpler back then. Sometimes, I wish I could go back to those Snow Days as kids. Thanks for reading this, and I wish you a great day!