Mark R. McLaughlin, MD

04/24/2026

Last Saturday I had the privilege of seeing my friend and American patriot Keni Thomas speak in Princeton to the American Trial lawyers Association.

Keni’s perspective on leadership comes out of the Battle of Mogadishu and his experience as an Army Ranger. It's not theoretical. It's lived. And it is a transformative and inspiring lesson because of that.

What struck me on Saturday was the prescient timing. The message arrived exactly when it was needed and it wasn’t particularly gentle. The Universe is like that sometimes. It knows what you need and it will deliver a critical message right on time. It's not always subtle. Sometimes it's more like a bucket of cold water thrown on your face. (Thanks Universe. I needed that.)

Keni's idea is simple and difficult at the same time.

Leadership is not about position or recognition. It is about responsibility.

His song "Not Me" captures that in a way that talk alone cannot, and we were treated to a musical performance at the end of the talk. Listen to it. All I can say... 'WOW!'

On a personal note, Keni and I first met when he came to a Project One Vet At A Time retreat in Maine. I heard him speak then, and from that first meeting have come many conversations and the growth of friendship. What stands out is not just his story, but the person. He is thoughtful, grounded, and present. You should follow both the Keni Thomas and Project One Vet At A Time accounts.

I wanted to share this with you and I hope it inspires action in your own life.

809 likes, 83 comments. "Not Me - Keni Thomas"

04/19/2026

Still time for your youth athlete to sign up and participate. Learn more here.
https://trentonyouthwrestling.org/program-registration/2026-spring-wrestling-academy

04/14/2026

When the youth of Trenton, New Jersey have opportunities, they step up to grow into their full potential. It's something to be celebrated and I hope you will join me to do just that on May 7 at the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of Trenton Youth Wrestling

It's an opportunity for you to step up to make a difference in your community.

Meet Trenton Youth Wrestling & Learning Center wrestler Donte Austin, Jr. and his father Donte Austin, Sr.

04/12/2026

I’ve noticed that many people choose to mark the anniversary of a loved one’s passing. That has never quite resonated with me. I’ve always preferred to acknowledge the days they lived.

Today, my father would have turned 98.

He left me with many things, but one of the most enduring was a simple, practical philosophy: movement is always available to you.

I remember being about five years old, helping him assemble our first bench press in the garage of our home in West Orange. We had just brought it back from Wonder Health in Bloomfield, New Jersey. It felt like we were building something important—though I didn’t fully understand what at the time.

And the gripper I’m holding in the photo (also from Wonder Health), was something he kept tucked in his car console for any idle moments Any spare moment, he would take it out and do a few repetitions. I can still hear the distinct metallic 'click…ta-tink' of it as I rode beside him after wrestling practice.

The message was clear...

"Mark, you can exercise anywhere and anytime." In the car, at the office, even in the Operating Room (I like to do toe raises during long cases).

That mindset stays with me.

Exercise, done consistently and without excuse, is more than just physical. It supports mental clarity, resilience, and the capacity to sustain focus over time.

It was a simple lesson. But a powerful one.

Thank you, Dad.
And happy 98th birthday.

04/09/2026

Proud to share.
Proud to be a part of it.
Proud of our veterans.

04/07/2026

We promised Real Cases, Real Life, Real Medicine and that's the absolute truth.

We're very sorry, but it was necessary to reschedule. We're in the operating room right now.

We'll reach out to all subscribers and post an update here.

04/06/2026

April 7, 2026
With Special Guest

This month we're thrilled to welcome special guest Renee Rizzo, PA-C. Renee serves as Head Physician Assistant at Princeton Brain, Spine & Orthopedics... one of the nation's most respected medical groups.

Make 2026 the year you got serious.

Whether you’re pre-med, a medical student, resident, or healthcare professional in any specialty, you’ll see how information becomes diagnosis, how options become decisions, and how teams communicate under pressure. Medicine is the ultimate team undertaking. This month you'll learn what that means!

When a med school or medical organization sees NeuroRounds in your CV, they know that you are committed.

Get your invitation here!

https://princetonmmi.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIodeuqrTkuGNT9cckc5S9c-LoEQwmB1FTx

04/05/2026

Happy Easter from the McLaughlin family!


https://www.instagram.com/p/C5LXnRsuZNN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

03/30/2026

March is the in America

As the month winds down, I would like to share the story of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in America to receive an MD degree.

Turned away by more than 10 medical schools, she was ultimately accepted into the small Geneva Medical College in western New York. Her acceptance was not a story of forward thinking by the school. Rather, the male students were asked their opinion on the matter, and voted to admit her, thinking the whole thing a huge prank. After receiving her MD, she later traveled to Europe to train, and ultimately returned to New York.

In 1857, she opened the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. The infirmary still exists as the New York University Downtown Hospital.

What truly boggles my mind is that the history of women in medicine and so many other fields is filled with generations of fathers telling their daughters...

"No. You're not capable of that."

It is the courage and persistence of those daughters that we celebrate this month.

Read Dr. Blackwell's story on the NIH website.
https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2021/03/11/elizabeth-blackwell-that-girl-there-is-doctor-in-medicine-part-i/

03/27/2026

Performance doesn’t happen in the moment of activity that we celebrate—it’s built long before it.

At West Point, I described “left-brain thinking” as the discipline of preparation: structure, repetition, and attention to detail. The decisive act; whether in surgery, sport, or leadership, is often simple. What matters is everything that precedes it.

We tend to overvalue peak moments and undervalue the habits that make them possible. But performance is best understood as potential minus interference.

The work, over time, becomes quieter. Less dramatic. More inevitable.

When pressure comes, you don’t rise to the occasion—you rely on what you’ve built.



https://www.markmclaughlinmd.com/articles/left-brain-thinking

03/25/2026

It was my great good fortune to train with Dr. Jannetta. Here's a snapshot of who he was.
https://www.markmclaughlinmd.com/articles/passing-doctor-peter-jannetta

We're honored to welcome Fred Barker, MD, Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and Visiting Neurosurgeon at MGB Neurosurgery, as the 2026 Peter J. Jannetta Lecturer.

Dr. Barker will present on generative AI in neurosurgical research and skull base oncology during a full day of programming on Wednesday, April 1.

Named in honor of former department chair Dr. Peter Jannetta, world-renowned for his development of microvascular decompression surgery, the annual lectureship celebrates innovation in neurosurgery.

Read more: neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/2026-peter-jannetta-lectureship

03/23/2026

March is .

If you have not already, please consider this my personal invitation to unlock your "inner reader." It will change your life!

As I was about to start my own practice as a neurosurgeon, I experienced a transformative moment. It didn’t happen in the OR during a challenging surgery.