Volume 1 Issue 2 – October 2004
Introduction to “Money in Medicine”
The First Installment of NextGen’s “Money in Medicine” Series
No matter where one looks – from the political debate about healthcare policy, to the institutions that fund medical research, to the time that doctors spend on bills or grant proposals – the influence of money in medicine is undeniable. In this introduction, the Next Generation seeks to explore just some of the ways that money and medicine interact. In future installments, we will explore different facets of this relationship in more detail.
Therapeutic Potential of RNA Interference – An NEJM Original Article
By silencing gene expression, RNA interference (RNAi) has a potential to create new therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases in the near future. Mario Stevenson explores the discovery and possibilities of RNAi.
Election 2004 – Protecting the Uninsured – An NEJM Original Article
With rapidly rising health care costs and greater than 15% of the American population lacking health insurance in 2003, health care reform has become a critical issue in the race for the presidency. The Democratic and Republican candidates each propose solutions that contrast significantly in cost and coverage.
NextGen Special Feature: Questions & Answers with the Authors
Drs. Czeisler and Landrigan talk to the Next Generation about the Intern Sleep and Patient Safety Study and discuss the correlation between longer than 24 hour workshifts for interns and the incidence of serious medical errors in ICUs.
Effect of Eliminating Extended Work Shifts and Reducing Weekly Work Hours on Serious Medical Errors in Intensive Care Units – An NEJM Original Article
Sleep deprivation suffered by interns and other training physicians on shifts longer than 24 hours may have a detrimental effect on patient safety. The Intern Sleep and Patient Safety Study suggests the need for further changes to the scheduling of resident work shifts, despite last year’s reforms by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
On Medical Education Reform at Harvard and Beyond
A Perspective with Jo Shapiro, MD, Harvard Medical School
A leader in Harvard Medical School Medical Education Reform Initiative, Dr. Jo Shapiro is a firm believer in the importance of educating physicians in the skills necessary in the next generation of medicine going beyond rote science learning to teach interpersonal communication, compassion, and professionalism. In this Perspective, she shares her vision for medical education and her advice for aspiring doctors.
