It’s been a busy news week, to put it mildly. But I wanted to use today’s newsletter to highlight a First Opinion essay that you may have missed in the crush of post-election stories.

Jeff Karp has one of those bios that is a little overwhelming: a biomedical engineer, a professor of anesthesiology, co-founder of a dozen companies, dedicated mentor. (STAT profiled him back in 2018, when he had co-founded just six companies.)

He also has ADHD, as he shared in First Opinion this week. “By second grade, I had collected a series of labels: ‘lazy,’ ‘unmotivated,’ ‘disruptive,’ even ‘lost cause.’ My teacher, exasperated by my inability to conform, even wanted to hold me back,” he wrote. (Jeff, have you considered sending that teacher a printout of your Linkedin profile?)

But while others might talk about “overcoming” neurodivergence, he sees it differently. “For years, I viewed my ADHD as a deficit. Now, I recognize it as a source of strength, propelling me to explore uncharted territories, ask critical questions, and connect more deeply with the world around me.” In the essay, he shares insights into how he uses his creativity, hyperfocus, and deep emotions to come up with ideas and inspire others.

It's a powerful idea and just the type of essay I love to publish: It’s personal, well-written, and shares a surprising journey.

There’s no sign that the news environment will slow down, especially within STAT’s topic areas, and First Opinion will stay on top of, maybe even ahead of, the biggest stories in life sciences.

But even as the chaos of a new administration descends, I want to make sure that First Opinion continues to publish these important, thoughtful pieces — the kinds of essays that are sometimes called evergreen because they’re always fresh. As always, please share your thoughts and ideas at first.opinion@statnews.com.

Recommendation of the week: I’m late to this, but I recently binged both seasons of “Dr. Death” on Peacock, a show that is equal parts heartbreaking and enraging. (Oh, and a little terrifying, too.)