Improve Life PLLC - Ashburn

02/22/2026

PRE-MEDS Apply NOW! The summer 2026 pre-med internship schedule has officially been released. This summer is packed with physician guest speakers, mini med school, physical exam skills, suture clinic, and more. This year it’s more important than ever to build your resume as student loans have been capped. Apply at https://www.improvemedicalculture.org

02/21/2026

Failing: it’s GOOD for Pre-med Students

I talk about a medical student (may or may not be me) who got straight A’s her entire life until she failed a test in medical school, and how this experience is actually valuable. I explain that when you put together a group of high achievers and average them out, statistically half have to be below average. I’m currently teaching a research group, and I want to emphasize that I can’t just give everyone A’s like colleges do, because our goal is to help pregnant women and publish legitimate research. If I tell people they’re doing well when they’re not, it could compromise the research validity and ultimately harm the women we’re trying to help. So if you’ve recently gotten your first failing grade, that’s actually a sign you’re being challenged and pushing yourself and that’s something to celebrate.

Embracing Failure: Why Getting Your First F is Actually a Good ThingI talk about a medical student who got straight A's her entire life until she failed a te...

02/15/2026

02/15/2026

Party for the Top Doctors of Washington, DC.
🏆🩺

02/14/2026

02/11/2026

Last night I had photos taken with the Washingtonian and the photographer said he does maternity shoots as well so I decided to show off my baby bump.

02/10/2026

It was a hard road to renovate the Ashburn location. But it looks beautiful now!

Dr. Stephanie Waggel personally renovated her entire DC Metro area psychiatric office after encountering a contractor who misappropriated her funds, and she did an excellent job. She incorporated multiple Ceilume styles throughout the various rooms, and this welcoming, inviting, and light-filled space features Southland in our Sandalwood finish.

📷 Improve Life PLLC

02/06/2026

Healthcare corporations steal your money by convincing you that non-physicians are physicians.

February 3rd is National Women Physician Day, yet many large hospital systems and corporations marked it by featuring non-physicians, blurring the distinction between physicians and other healthcare professionals. Different healthcare roles are not interchangeable, just as firefighters, police, and paramedics are not the same job, and firsthand experience in multiple training paths shows these roles have fundamentally different education and responsibilities. This misrepresentation is not usually done by individuals but by large systems that benefit financially by charging physician-level fees while paying non-physicians lower salaries. The result is a deliberate effort to normalize the idea that all healthcare roles, especially when filled by women, are identical, which ultimately erases physicians on a day meant to recognize them.

February 3rd is National Women Physician Day, yet many large hospital systems and corporations marked it by featuring non-physicians, blurring the distinctio...

02/06/2026

Happy national women physicians day!

02/06/2026

People love cheap, quick fixes for health. As a medical doctor, I can tell you those rarely exist. But this one actually does.

Dry indoor air is not harmless. Studies show that low humidity dries and irritates the skin and upper airways, and damaged mucous membranes are an easy entry point for respiratory infections. When it is cold outside and the heat is on, most homes become extremely dry without people realizing it.

I checked my house with a cheap humidity sensor and it was 10%. That is desert-level dry. The evidence suggests the healthy range is 40–60% humidity.

Here is the important part. Tiny, inexpensive humidifiers often do not meaningfully raise humidity. That is why the sensor matters. Even with a large humidifier, my room only reached 32%, still below ideal, but enough to noticeably reduce itching, improve breathing, and help me sleep better.

Cheap does not mean careless. Measure it, then fix it properly.

Is your house between 40 and 60 percent?

People love cheap, quick fixes for health. As a medical doctor, I can tell you those rarely exist. But this one actually does.Dry indoor air is not harmless....

02/02/2026

At Improve Life PLLC, we believe ADHD evaluations should be thorough, individualized, and never driven by volume or profit.

Patients deserve honest assessments and a full discussion of evidence-based treatment options, not one-size-fits-all care.

Accountable to patients, not investors.
Sees patients as neighbors, not numbers.

www.improvelifepllc.com

01/29/2026

AI is not a replacement for Dr. Waggel