Month: August 2017
For When the Pipe Bursts
By Shree Agrawal Approximately half of matriculated medical students identify as female with numbers in surgical training steadily increasing to potentially also account for half of postgraduate trainees. Unfortunately, these figures are still dismal for underrepresented minorities, who at the medical school level may, at best, represent one in twelve students. I can only hope this changes for my underrepresented peers in my lifetime as we continue to redefine the culture of medicine. Within AWS and in medical training, the metaphor of “building a pipeline” represents creating greater access and entry to medicine among women and underrepresented minorities. In this context, I often wonder about the students and trainees who currently have the courage to enter fields in which the majority is homogenous. Advances in gender equality and diversity representation within other fields of medicine, such as pediatrics, OB/GYN, psychiatry, and geriatrics, has not yet translated to inclusion in leadership...
Golden August
By Camila R. Guetter Created in 1992 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), the World Breastfeeding Week completed its 25th edition this year. During the first week of August, campaigns and partnerships take place in order to support and raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding. It is an international effort that currently involves 150 countries. This year, to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week’s 25th anniversary, the Brazilian government announced the expansion of this campaign from a single week to a whole month dedicated to the cause, the Golden August. Initiatives include public talks and events, community meetings, advertising on the media, and illuminating monuments and buildings with golden lights. All in an effort to spread even more knowledge and awareness about breastfeeding in Brazil. The name “Golden August” relates to the fact that breastfeeding is the gold standard for newborn feeding. Compared to Pink October initiatives for Breast...
AWS Day of Service 9/9/17
By Simin G. Roward Being a medical student is challenging: between studying, rotations and research, it seems there isn’t enough time for everything. Often, it's easy to lose track of why we chose this profession in the first place. Community service and engagement are put on hold amidst other pressing responsibilities. The goal of the AWS National Day of Service is to designate a day on which medical students from all over the country would come together with residents and attendings and make service to others a priority. The members of AWS are compassionate, humanistic leaders, who chose the field of surgery because of the ability to make lasting improvements in people's health and to provide a vital service to communities. These positive characteristics were exemplified in last year’s AWS National Day of Service event, where students nationwide provided much needed services and donations to their community. These service events...
BLOG for FINDING FRIENDS
By Beth Shaughnessy This lifestyle we have chosen seems to come in 4-5 year runs, Each new phase of training means we may have to pick up and move somewhere else, again. At least until we get that first real job. And with that comes a little loneliness. What if we have never lived there before? What do I do to find a friend? Before I left for my fellowship in Los Angeles, I had lived in Illinois nearly my entire life - and was lucky enough to complete medical school and residency training close to home. I knew NO ONE in California except for my husband. As I started fellowship, he appointed me his social secretary! What to do? The social culture was a bit different in L.A. as compared to Chicago, as compared to Cincinnati where I now live. In California, people tend to live farther away, commuting...
Breast is Best, Supporting Mothers Is Better
By Nickey Jafari My rotation in obstetrics & gynecology (OB/GYN) was full of emotional moments, and the first time I witnessed a mom breastfeed her baby was one of my favorites; in a culture that so overtly sexualizes women's bodies, it reminded me that breasts had evolved for the purpose of nurturing a new human life. Of course, breastfeeding is not always easy, and the decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one for a woman. Mothers who are unable or unwilling to breastfeed should never be shamed for it. However, the health benefits for both mom and baby are plentiful. We should seek to strike a balance between educating people on the myriad of reasons to breastfeed, while not making women feel pressured to do so. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months and reiterates well-known benefits, such as reduction in gastrointestinal illnesses for...