Volume 4
Questions and Challenges in Tuburculosis Research
On tuburculosis research and current work in the field: Dr. Megan Murray sounds off on the need for further research in the field, specific areas of interest and current support for her research.
Pathways Through Medicine: MD/MPH
A look at the recently popular MD/MPH degree and the opportunities it creates for incoming medical students with a look at the education process and the future of MD/MPH students.
Pathways Through Medicine: Medical Oncology
A look at the field of Medical Oncology and Dr. George P. Canellos on a medical oncologist’s day-to-day, lifestyle and future directions for the field.
Pathways Through Medicine: Anesthesiology
If you’ve ever undergone a medical procedure, chances are anesthesia saved you a lot of pain. Anesthesiologists serve a vital role in virtually every branch of medicine by allowing patients to endure an otherwise unbearable experience. In this Pathways article, Roger Batt discusses the many types of anesthesiology, the pros and cons of the field as a profession, and the process of becoming an anesthesiologist.
Market-Based Failure — A Second Opinion on U.S. Health Care Costs – An NEJM Perspective Article
R Kuttner, February 7 2008, Vol 358 (6), 549-51
Solutions to American healthcare problems will be one of the most important issues in the upcoming Presidential election. Understanding the reasons for America’s especially high healthcare costs is consequently a high priority for those interested in the medical field. Dr. Kuttner asserts that the failure of the U.S. system lies in its obsession with profit maximization. He advocates universal health care to increase cost-effectiveness and standard of care.
Medical Mistakes
Misdiagnosis is, unfortunately, a more common occurrence than is desired. But as with other efforts in curbing medical malpractice, an increasing focus has been placed on misdiagnosis. Emory Hsu investigates the reasons for the prevalence of misdiagnosis, describes methods of reducing mistakes, and suggests how doctors should react when they happen to err.
Pathways Through Medicine: Radiology
Medical imaging has rapidly developed to its current advanced state, and its commonplace tools are critical in diagnosis and treatment. Radiologists serve a vital role in many branches of medicine, from analyzing fractures in the emergency room to investigating potential tumors in cancer centers. In this Pathways article, Roger Batt describes the current state of radiology, the pros and cons of radiology as a profession, and the process of becoming a radiologist.
The View from the Other Side — Patients, Doctors, and the Power of a Camera – An NEJM Perspective Article
G Berland, NEJM, December 20 2007, Vol 357 (25), 2533-36
Not everything about a patient’s life can be gathered from a brief consultation in a clinic. Dr. Berland has devised a fascinating method of looking into the
personal lives and troubles of her disabled patients – encouraging them to carry a video camera with them. Read about the unique insight that she gained through this novel, simple idea.
Military–Civilian Collaboration in Trauma Care and the Senior Visiting Surgeon Program – An NEJM Special Report
EE Moore et al, NEJM, December 27 2007, Vol 357 (26), 2723-27
Integrating civilian and military medical capabilities has been shown to be vital throughout the nation’s history. The Joint Trauma Training Center was established in Houston in 1999 to train military trauma teams at a civilian hospital. This article peers into the unique cases facing military medicine and describe a system of bringing military doctors up to date.
Childhood Body Mass Index and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Adulthood – An NEJM Original Article
JL Baker, LW Olsen, and TIA Sørensen, NEJM, December 6 2007, Vol 357 (23), 2329-37
The worldwide epidemic of childhood obesity is progressing at an alarming rate, but the severity of the long-term effects of excess childhood weight on coronary heart disease is unknown. In a study with a cohort of over 275,000 schoolchildren and over 5 million person-years of followup, the authors find a definitive link between obesity and coronary heart disease.
