Michelle Cohen
@docmcohen.medsky.social
rural Ontario family doc | writer | Family Medicine @queensuhealth.bsky.social | she/her
Health equity, health policy, wellness pseudoscience, women's health, history of medicine.
🔗 https://informedperspectives.org/expert/?id=001fK00000INrSnQAL
Health equity, health policy, wellness pseudoscience, women's health, history of medicine.
🔗 https://informedperspectives.org/expert/?id=001fK00000INrSnQAL
Pinned
Michelle Cohen
@docmcohen.medsky.social
· Sep 11
How Hollywood’s obsession with the ‘Dry Look’ harms men and boys - Healthy Debate
Increasingly distorted male beauty standards have come to celebrate visible dehydration as a physical ideal.
healthydebate.ca
NEW: I wrote about the physical and psychological harms of Hollywood male beauty standards that idealize dehydration.
Writing "careful diet" about a guy who literally eats roadkill is proof positive that so long as you look thin, your diet will be praised as sensible and healthy.
It's all about portion control with rotting meat from the side of the road, I guess. 🫠
It's all about portion control with rotting meat from the side of the road, I guess. 🫠
November 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Writing "careful diet" about a guy who literally eats roadkill is proof positive that so long as you look thin, your diet will be praised as sensible and healthy.
It's all about portion control with rotting meat from the side of the road, I guess. 🫠
It's all about portion control with rotting meat from the side of the road, I guess. 🫠
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
We anxiously await his appointment to a MAHA leadership position in US public health—along with Barney the dinosaur, Kid Rock, the QAnon Shaman guy from January 6th, and Inspector Gadget.
November 25, 2025 at 3:36 AM
We anxiously await his appointment to a MAHA leadership position in US public health—along with Barney the dinosaur, Kid Rock, the QAnon Shaman guy from January 6th, and Inspector Gadget.
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
More essential reporting:
What Alberta's plan to permit public *and* private billing by doctors could impact access to/quality of care.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
The "hybrid" system exists nowhere in Canada. A doctor can practice privately -exclusively- anywhere.
The most do so in Quebec.
What Alberta's plan to permit public *and* private billing by doctors could impact access to/quality of care.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
The "hybrid" system exists nowhere in Canada. A doctor can practice privately -exclusively- anywhere.
The most do so in Quebec.
What Alberta's public-private doctor plan could mean for insurance, physician burnout, nurses and more | CBC News
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s plan to allow physicians to dabble both in the public and private systems at the same time would be a Canadian first, and has drawn mixed reaction from critics and sup...
www.cbc.ca
November 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM
More essential reporting:
What Alberta's plan to permit public *and* private billing by doctors could impact access to/quality of care.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
The "hybrid" system exists nowhere in Canada. A doctor can practice privately -exclusively- anywhere.
The most do so in Quebec.
What Alberta's plan to permit public *and* private billing by doctors could impact access to/quality of care.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
The "hybrid" system exists nowhere in Canada. A doctor can practice privately -exclusively- anywhere.
The most do so in Quebec.
I won't deny the importance of sunscreen, but isn't the No. 1 cause of skin aging just... getting older?
November 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I won't deny the importance of sunscreen, but isn't the No. 1 cause of skin aging just... getting older?
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Oh my god www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Oh my god www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
🎯 whole thread 👇
Alberta MLA Jason Stephan argues that the province needs a referendum on "late term abortions," because a rare procedure done for medical reasons needs public input.
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
November 22, 2025 at 12:32 PM
🎯 whole thread 👇
Alberta MLA Jason Stephan argues that the province needs a referendum on "late term abortions," because a rare procedure done for medical reasons needs public input.
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
Some handmaid's tale type garbage from Red Deer, Alberta MLA, Jason Stephan, homegrown Evangelical creep.
This guy deserves a recall...
My body, my choice.
#ucp
#reddeer
#abpoli
This guy deserves a recall...
My body, my choice.
#ucp
#reddeer
#abpoli
From the alberta community on Reddit: UCP MLA from Red Deer-South, Jason Stephan, calls for a referendum to end abortions in Alberta
Explore this post and more from the alberta community
www.reddit.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Alberta MLA Jason Stephan argues that the province needs a referendum on "late term abortions," because a rare procedure done for medical reasons needs public input.
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
You know, like how we base ALL medical care on what the non-medical public thinks.
When was the referendum on Viagra? Did I miss it?
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
hey guys i made a seasonal meme
November 22, 2025 at 5:41 AM
hey guys i made a seasonal meme
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Yeah, my tendency is to think that a lot of the problems with family medicine could be improved by earmarking $ for support staff so that doctors could focus on the medicine part more
I think this probably comes from the use of actual human scribes, who not only write notes, they prepared requisitions, referral letters, etc.
Yet these AI note writers are also called "scribes" even though they only do the transcription and none of the other useful scribe functions.
Yet these AI note writers are also called "scribes" even though they only do the transcription and none of the other useful scribe functions.
November 21, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Yeah, my tendency is to think that a lot of the problems with family medicine could be improved by earmarking $ for support staff so that doctors could focus on the medicine part more
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
similarly for therapy notes — reflecting on what was said and how you responded/conceptualized it is an important skill and it’s not as anonymous or HIPAA compliant as the tech companies say. AI had 80% ability to de-anonymize notes.
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
November 21, 2025 at 2:07 PM
similarly for therapy notes — reflecting on what was said and how you responded/conceptualized it is an important skill and it’s not as anonymous or HIPAA compliant as the tech companies say. AI had 80% ability to de-anonymize notes.
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Veterinarian here: I spend a LOT of time editing ultrasound reports now that I did not need to spend when my scribe app was new.
When it was just bad writing style (e.g."the liver revealed. . ." Did it? Like a magician?) that was OK.
Now it's "helping" with differential diagnoses.
No thanks!
When it was just bad writing style (e.g."the liver revealed. . ." Did it? Like a magician?) that was OK.
Now it's "helping" with differential diagnoses.
No thanks!
November 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Veterinarian here: I spend a LOT of time editing ultrasound reports now that I did not need to spend when my scribe app was new.
When it was just bad writing style (e.g."the liver revealed. . ." Did it? Like a magician?) that was OK.
Now it's "helping" with differential diagnoses.
No thanks!
When it was just bad writing style (e.g."the liver revealed. . ." Did it? Like a magician?) that was OK.
Now it's "helping" with differential diagnoses.
No thanks!
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
This is a remarkably consistent story across so many once-helpful digital tools: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, spellcheck, grammar check etc
All have become infected with this aggressive inventiveness that either (a) adds hours of work or (b) puts you at massive risk of using fabricated content
All have become infected with this aggressive inventiveness that either (a) adds hours of work or (b) puts you at massive risk of using fabricated content
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
November 21, 2025 at 12:20 PM
This is a remarkably consistent story across so many once-helpful digital tools: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, spellcheck, grammar check etc
All have become infected with this aggressive inventiveness that either (a) adds hours of work or (b) puts you at massive risk of using fabricated content
All have become infected with this aggressive inventiveness that either (a) adds hours of work or (b) puts you at massive risk of using fabricated content
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Oh fuck I hadn’t clocked how deskilling and enshittifcation of subscription ai services would interact
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
November 21, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Oh fuck I hadn’t clocked how deskilling and enshittifcation of subscription ai services would interact
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Also why writers asked to edit drafts made w/ a slop machine should be paid significantly more than they would be to write it from scratch: more hours & more per hour for soul-crushing work that should garner extra danger money. That's the true cost that tech bozos & grifters pass on.
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Also why writers asked to edit drafts made w/ a slop machine should be paid significantly more than they would be to write it from scratch: more hours & more per hour for soul-crushing work that should garner extra danger money. That's the true cost that tech bozos & grifters pass on.
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
November 21, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Amazing discussion right now in a small corner of doctor FB about the apparent enshittification of AI scribes. Especially the free versions.
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
This revolutionary time saver now requires extra time to fact check the note.
Don't lose your note writing skills, friends! Tech will not save us. #medsky
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Explainer threads…out
Explainer videos…in!
Explainer videos…in!
November 21, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Explainer threads…out
Explainer videos…in!
Explainer videos…in!
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Yep. Political identity now THE key variable...
How People Feel About Vaccines Is Now Largely Political time.com/7334826/repu...
"About 83% of people who identified as Republicans or leaning Republican said they don’t want to get the shot, compared to 44% of Democrats."
How People Feel About Vaccines Is Now Largely Political time.com/7334826/repu...
"About 83% of people who identified as Republicans or leaning Republican said they don’t want to get the shot, compared to 44% of Democrats."
How People Feel About Vaccines Is Now Largely Political
A new survey reveals growing divides on issues related to vaccines.
time.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Yep. Political identity now THE key variable...
How People Feel About Vaccines Is Now Largely Political time.com/7334826/repu...
"About 83% of people who identified as Republicans or leaning Republican said they don’t want to get the shot, compared to 44% of Democrats."
How People Feel About Vaccines Is Now Largely Political time.com/7334826/repu...
"About 83% of people who identified as Republicans or leaning Republican said they don’t want to get the shot, compared to 44% of Democrats."
This has also been the Canadian motto for brushing off our health care system's slow-moving collapse:
"Hey, at least it's not as bad as American health care."
"Hey, at least it's not as bad as American health care."
Canadian fascism will manifest covered in maple syrup, holding a hockey stick and saying “Well, at least we’re not as bad as the Americans.”
November 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
This has also been the Canadian motto for brushing off our health care system's slow-moving collapse:
"Hey, at least it's not as bad as American health care."
"Hey, at least it's not as bad as American health care."
This is why anti-abortion legislation with "maternal health" exclusions are always lies.
They're just a soft, "hey we're reasonable" facade over the ugly reality: banning abortion is deadly for pregnant people and the anti-abortion movement DOESN'T CARE.
Pregnancy is a health risk. Every time.
They're just a soft, "hey we're reasonable" facade over the ugly reality: banning abortion is deadly for pregnant people and the anti-abortion movement DOESN'T CARE.
Pregnancy is a health risk. Every time.
“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
Walker is one of several women ProPublica found with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
This is why anti-abortion legislation with "maternal health" exclusions are always lies.
They're just a soft, "hey we're reasonable" facade over the ugly reality: banning abortion is deadly for pregnant people and the anti-abortion movement DOESN'T CARE.
Pregnancy is a health risk. Every time.
They're just a soft, "hey we're reasonable" facade over the ugly reality: banning abortion is deadly for pregnant people and the anti-abortion movement DOESN'T CARE.
Pregnancy is a health risk. Every time.
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Trans youth who are hurting in Alberta right now, please know SO many of us see you, care about you, and know you deserve to be protected.
We’ve got your back and will do everything we can to keep you safe in the face of attacks from craven, pathetic politicians ❤️
We’ve got your back and will do everything we can to keep you safe in the face of attacks from craven, pathetic politicians ❤️
November 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Trans youth who are hurting in Alberta right now, please know SO many of us see you, care about you, and know you deserve to be protected.
We’ve got your back and will do everything we can to keep you safe in the face of attacks from craven, pathetic politicians ❤️
We’ve got your back and will do everything we can to keep you safe in the face of attacks from craven, pathetic politicians ❤️
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Yet ANOTHER evidence-free & disastrous policy move by Alberta.
NO evidence will help system. On the contrary: > costs < equity > inefficiencies < quality
Are they TRYING to ruin AB?
Alberta plans to allow doctors to deliver public & private services www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
NO evidence will help system. On the contrary: > costs < equity > inefficiencies < quality
Are they TRYING to ruin AB?
Alberta plans to allow doctors to deliver public & private services www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Alberta plans to allow doctors to deliver public and private services
Draft legislation would establish a model for medicine unlike any other in Canada
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Yet ANOTHER evidence-free & disastrous policy move by Alberta.
NO evidence will help system. On the contrary: > costs < equity > inefficiencies < quality
Are they TRYING to ruin AB?
Alberta plans to allow doctors to deliver public & private services www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
NO evidence will help system. On the contrary: > costs < equity > inefficiencies < quality
Are they TRYING to ruin AB?
Alberta plans to allow doctors to deliver public & private services www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Wellness grifters never actually list the "natural" medicines of the premodern era. Maybe that's because such a list would include:
- mercury (eaten, inhaled, rubbed onto skin)
- arsenic
- lobelia, which caused violent vomiting
- someone waving a magnetic healing wand over you
- so many enemas
- mercury (eaten, inhaled, rubbed onto skin)
- arsenic
- lobelia, which caused violent vomiting
- someone waving a magnetic healing wand over you
- so many enemas
This chiropractor sells synthetic drugs called supplements.
There’s a serious movement by wellness grifters trying to rewrite early 20th century medicine right now.
And they all position “natural” medicine as if it was effective, and pharma ruined it all, when the opposite is true.
There’s a serious movement by wellness grifters trying to rewrite early 20th century medicine right now.
And they all position “natural” medicine as if it was effective, and pharma ruined it all, when the opposite is true.
November 19, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Wellness grifters never actually list the "natural" medicines of the premodern era. Maybe that's because such a list would include:
- mercury (eaten, inhaled, rubbed onto skin)
- arsenic
- lobelia, which caused violent vomiting
- someone waving a magnetic healing wand over you
- so many enemas
- mercury (eaten, inhaled, rubbed onto skin)
- arsenic
- lobelia, which caused violent vomiting
- someone waving a magnetic healing wand over you
- so many enemas
Reposted by Michelle Cohen
Told ya
Shoppers Drug Mart billed $81M for MedsChecks in 2 years when COVID services waned https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/shoppers-drug-mart-medscheck-billing-9.6981970
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
November 18, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Told ya
In extremely unsurprising news, Shoppers Drug Mart and other large pharmacy chains continue to pressure pharmacists to churn out low value MedsChecks on the public dime.
Shoppers Drug Mart billed $81M for MedsChecks in 2 years when COVID services waned https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/shoppers-drug-mart-medscheck-billing-9.6981970
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
November 19, 2025 at 2:06 AM
In extremely unsurprising news, Shoppers Drug Mart and other large pharmacy chains continue to pressure pharmacists to churn out low value MedsChecks on the public dime.