practice
From Sci-Fi to Surgery: Exploring Neuro-Enhancement Technologies
By Larissa Werneck For centuries, the idea of enhancing human cognition has captivated scientists and thinkers alike. Early experiments in brain augmentation, such as Roberts Bartholow’s 1874 electrical brain stimulation, laid the foundation for further exploration (Patra et al., 2019). Today, rapid technological advancements and increasing scientific curiosity have led to a surge in neuro-enhancement research (Clark et al., 2014). These innovations are revolutionizing healthcare, particularly in surgery, where they are used therapeutically (Giordano, 2012) and to enhance surgical performance (Patel et al., 2020). As research in this area expands, neuro-enhancement technologies hold the potential to revolutionize surgical practice, pushing the limits of precision, stamina, and ethics. How will this rapidly evolving field reshape the future of surgery? Neuro-enhancement technologies are various tools aimed at optimizing cognitive and neurological functions, either by enhancing existing abilities or compensating for deficits (Giordano, 2012). Examples of these technologies include brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), neurofeedback...
Sustainability, and Beyond…Another Case for the Resurgence of Private Practices
By… Erin King-Mullins, MD Sustainability has become a critical concern across all sectors, and the healthcare industry is no exception. While large hospital systems often grab headlines for their sustainability initiatives, private medical practices are emerging as unsung heroes in the quest for a more environmentally friendly and sustainable healthcare system. Physicians and trainees are grappling with tough decisions regarding the type of employment. One of the many concerns pertains to sustainability (including self-preservation). Let's explore how smaller, more agile entities are making a significant impact in this arena. Reduced Energy Consumption Private practices typically operate in smaller spaces compared to sprawling hospital complexes. Whether by using smaller office spaces and on site staff, or performing operations in ambulatory surgical centers, this inherently leads to lower energy consumption for heating, cooling, and lighting. In my practice, I utilize a virtual medical assistant to help with patient callbacks, scheduling and many...
The Evolution of Women in Surgery: Defying Barriers and Shaping Medical History
By: Andrea Iturralde, MD Women in surgery have been in a constant state of evolution. In the early history of medicine, women played a fundamental role in surgery, but by the Middle Ages, they were forbidden from practicing. Despite these restrictions, women found ways to remain involved, demonstrating that when a woman has a dream and a strong desire, she doesn't let go. In Greek mythology, Asclepius, the god of healing, married Epione. They had five immortal daughters and two mortal sons. Their daughters—Hygieia, Aceso, Iaso, Aegle, and Panacea—were all physicians who represented different stages of the healing process and pharmaceutical treatment (Filippou et al., 2020). In the 11th and 12th centuries, another remarkable woman, Trota of Salerno (also known as Trotula), contributed as a practitioner and writer to the medical field. She was part of the Medical School of Salerno and was responsible for important advances in education and...
All the things I do for free (Women do more “non-promotable work”)
By Carmen Fong, MD, FACS I always said yes. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Always say yes because you don’t know which opportunity is going to be “the one” that launches your career into orbit. So I said yes to organizing the lunch orders when the drug reps came; I said yes to an extra teaching session about bowel obstructions for the PAs; I said yes to Saturday morning medical school interviews, and Friday afternoon laparoscopic workshops, and joining XYZ committees on which I was the token Asian lesbian. I thought, someday, all this hard work, all this extra time I’m putting in, will get recognized. Little did I know that none of these things counted toward the most important benchmarks of productivity and publication. At the end of the year, when the hospital administrators have you justify your bonus, they ask you what your relative value units...
Food as fuel: optimizing health in med school, residency, and beyond
By Maya Zhou The phrase “food as fuel” is not a novel concept, but I didn’t fully appreciate the truth in this phrase until I started my surgery rotations in medical school. Studying nutrition in college, I experimented in my own kitchen to come up with convenient and simple recipes that I could rely on when on a time crunch. I tried cooking with new vegetables (like collard greens and artichoke) and proteins (like tempeh) that I hadn’t tried before, and I found ways to incorporate them into recipes that I cooked regularly. In medical school, during my surgery rotations, time became a precious resource, and cooking everyday was no longer realistic. It became more challenging to consume a balanced diet every day. Through trial and error, I developed a reliable and realistic method to optimize nutritional intake every day, and wanted to share this in case it would be...
Bienvenidos, Hispanic Heritage Month is here!
By Susana Vargas Pinto, MD September 15 to October 15 is a significant period dedicated to recognizing and honoring the contributions, history, and culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans. This observance was officially established in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan, though its roots stretch back to the 1960s. The celebration offers an opportunity to reflect on the diverse heritage of Spanish-speaking countries and the impact these communities have had on the fabric of American society. The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month is symbolic: September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The choice of this date as the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month serves as a reminder of the historical and cultural significance of Latin American independence movements. Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively, further anchoring this period...
Trauma: The Hidden Dimensions of a Universal Struggle and Strategies for Overcoming It
By Barbara Buccilli MD Trauma is an omnipresent force in our lives, manifesting in various forms and degrees of severity. We encounter it in our patients, our neighbors, sometimes within our own families, and we can also experience it first hand. As a medical professional, I am acutely aware of the diverse nature of trauma, raging from physical injuries to the psychological wounds inflicted by life’s hardships. Neurosurgical trauma is a field characterized by its fast pace, high stakes, and the necessity for precise decision-making under pressure. When I’m working with one of the most delicate organs in the body, in which every nucleus and every fiber has its precise and often irreplaceable function, my actions can have an immediate and tangible impact on a patient's survival and quality of life. Trauma to the brain and nervous system is multifaceted, and despite advances in medical science, we often lack definitive...
Fragile – Ah not any more!
By: Dr Swathy Elangovan It is really appreciable to realize how far we have come as women in this competitive world. Balancing professional and personal life for a woman surgeon is indeed challenging. There is a famous quote which says ‘“the profession chooses us.” Nothing matches the feeling of being in the OR performing surgeries. Despite the long work hours and time away from family, the adrenaline rush coupled with the sense of satisfaction of saving someone's life is something only a surgeon can experience. Challenging aspects faced by women surgeons in their field include: opportunities for scrubbing in leadership roles, cumbersome learning curves etc. Unless you have a good teacher who identifies your full potential and trains you to the best of your ability, it's difficult for you to come up. I would like to share one of my personal experience with a patient. It was a sunny day....
From Scalpels to Swaddles: Unexpected Joys and Life Lessons Learned in Neonatology
By: Denise Nemeth Pediatrics has never been my forte. As a former Physician Assistant accustomed to adult care, the prospect of caring for neonates filled me with apprehension. No one really tells you how difficult it can be to navigate rotations. It is like having a new job each month. Each rotation: an unknown. With each rotation comes a new attending, new residents, a new building, new rules, and new expectations. Only those in medicine know what third year of medical school is truly like. During clinical clerkships you are expected to switch specialties monthly while mastering the learning curve within the first day, lest you be deemed the “slow one”. I can hold my own. I am a fast learner and can find my way through unspoken rules and new environments. But this time it was different. I was about to go into the world of tiny humans. The...
Surgical Rotations as a International Medical Student
By: Sarah Bueno Motter As an international medical student, doing elective rotations in the US brings us many challenges, but this experience also can open unexpected doors. I would like to talk about the good people we meet on this path. Seeing how people can help without knowing you well is very inspirational; they give us their best, taking our word as proof of commitment. The beauty is recognizing those people in your path and allowing them to help you. First, you must put yourself in their view and try connecting. Set up meetings, ask for conversations, ask questions, share your goals, and ask advice from the people you work with. We often focus on meetings with the PDs, for example, but we must remember the ones we are with daily. Ask your residents for feedback, and connect with them and other medical students. The medical staff, nurses, and surgical...
