education
Sepsis: A Surgeon’s Perspective
By Lillian Erdahl, MD Around 1.5 million people suffer from sepsis and at least 250,000 die due to it each year in the United States. The majority of these individuals-7 out of 10-were recently treated in a healthcare setting and many of them have chronic diseases requiring frequent medical treatment.1 As a surgeon, I have witnessed how rapidly the process of sepsis can overwhelm a patient’s organ systems. Early, aggressive treatment of the infection and supportive care of the patient is not always enough to reverse the cascade of organ failure leading to death. Watching a person get sicker despite doing everything you know how to do is both humbling and incredibly disheartening. With all the advanced technology and modern precision medicine we have, we are still fighting single-celled organisms that can kill us from within. I imagine all healthcare providers feel the pain of being unable to successfully intervene...
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...
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...
Perception of Personal Success in Burnout
By Shree Agrawal In the preclinical years of medical school, the idea of burnout among healthcare workers is more of an abstract concept. The unique environment of healthcare, regardless of specialty or academic/private practice settings, has been shown to make all healthcare providers vulnerable to burnout.(1)(2) In my observations on clinical rotations, it seems highly successful peers, trainees, and faculty, who may have multiple publications, excellent clinical skills, and a strong work ethic, can also be the same individuals who unexpectedly experience burnout. Interactions with someone who does not realize they may actually be experiencing burnout are challenging, even for individuals who are at the fray of most clinical situations. Some of the key manifestations of burnout include emotional exhaustion, cynicism, depersonalization or isolation, feelings of ineffectiveness, and lack of accomplishment, as shown in Figure 1.(3) Some of these features are difficult to fully notice in brief professional interactions with...
Fireworks on the Fourth
By Cheyenne “Cassie” Sonntag, MD MS Say it with me: the Fourth of July. Just saying those words fills your mind with fond memories of watermelon, BBQ, and warm summer nights spent with family and friends lighting sparklers and setting off toy caps. It's a familiar story, relatable to most who read this – but one unfamiliar to me. Sadly, I spent a large portion of my childhood living in locations with strict fireworks restrictions due to dry desert climates. As such, my firsthand experience with fireworks and firework safety has been limited to setting up a proper picnic space in the park to avoid being trampled in the dark while still maximizing one's view of a public show. I was determined that this year would be different. My relocation to the lush lands of Central Pennsylvania for surgical residency and a favorable call schedule (about time!) has finally afforded...
How Medical School Turned Me into a Runner
By Hilary McCrary, MPH Prior to medical school, I considered myself athletic but never a runner. I could not run more than a few miles without an overwhelming sense of discouragement. When I began medical school in 2013, I found myself surrounded by individuals that had been running most of their lives. It was inspiring that people were able to juggle the demands of school and still properly train for a half or full marathon. Before long, I had set my first goal of running a half marathon. This race took place during my second year of medical school, which for me was the most academically challenging year with USMLE Step 1 looming in the distance. I was lucky to have a group of classmates that became my running buddies. We called ourselves the “wolf pack”, meeting after studying to run on the local river path. I found that training...
Knocking on the Door of Disparity
By Danielle Henry, MD Before the end of National Minority Health Month, I am compelled to take the opportunity to talk about how a disease I'm passionate about affects black women - breast cancer. National Minority Health Month gives us another chance, outside of October, to focus on breast cancer's impact on the black community. After being introduced to the Sisters Network by one of my patients, I gained a greater understanding of breast cancer’s impact on the black community. During one of the events I attended, "Stop the Silence", there were women who traveled from near and far who were currently battling breast cancer, survivors of breast cancer, loved ones of those who previously passed away from breast cancer and simply supporters coming together to raise awareness. Many admitted that cancer was a taboo topic growing up, and went on to share personal stories of struggles, triumphs, and loss...
National Minority Health Month
By Robin Williams, MD, FACS Despite the vast advancements of modern medicine, significant health disparities remain amongst minority populations. Heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and unintentional injuries are the top 5 concerns that disproportionately affect minorities. Just to highlight a few disparities: Thirty percent of African Americans are more likely to die from heart disease. Coronary artery disease occurs earlier in life and in higher percentage of Asian Indians than in other ethnic groups. Seventy percent of African Americans and Latinos are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites. Twenty percent of Asian Americans are more likely to have type 2 diabetes than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Although the incidence of breast cancer is higher in white women, African American women tend to be diagnosed at an earlier age (58 compared to 63) and have a death rate that is 42% higher. Hispanic women have among...
The History of the Match and the Perspective From One Medical Student’s Journey
By Hilary McCrary, MPH Throughout all of medical school, I always looked up to the current fourth year students. They seemed so seasoned and prepared to make the transition from student to doctor. The fourth year of medical school is also highly anticipated, as it is what medical students perceive as the first time they are solely focusing on their chosen career and traveling across the country for either away rotations or interviews. Now that I am towards the end of this process, I have had time to reflect on all of the components that go into the Match and what is takes to get there. The Match process was created in 1952 as a way to address concerns related to institutions offering a spot for residency training earlier than other competing institutions.1 This previous design put pressure on applicants to accept multiple appointments, as positions were typically offered over...
