The Next Generation: An Introduction to Medicine
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Published on the first day of every second month.
Selected Papers from NEJM
The following are free links to NEJM articles through NextGenMD.org.

Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes Associated with a Trial of Labor after Prior Cesarean Delivery
Original Article by M.B. Landon et al., NEJM, December 16 2004, Vol 351(25)

Many clinicians have discouraged pregnant women from choosing a vaginal delivery after a previous cesarean delivery. Do the risks to the mother and newborn justify a surgical procedure over a natural trial of labor?

The Limits of Conscientious Objection - May Pharmacists Refuse to Fill Prescriptions for Emergency Contraception?
Sounding Board by J. Cantor and K. Baum, NEJM, November 4 2004, Vol 351(19)

The FDA's decision not to give the emergency contraceptive Plan B over-the-counter status has amplified the conflict between a patient's needs and a pharmacist's refusal to fill prescriptions. The debate over the "morning after pill" is one part of a larger debate on the role of personal ethics in medical care delivery.

Rationing Influenza Vaccine
Perspective Article by T.H. Lee, NEJM, December 2 2004, Vol 351(23)

Reflecting on his personal experiences with the current flu vaccine shortage, Dr. Thomas Lee remarks on the future of rationing in American health care.

Merck's Recall of Rofecoxib - A Strategic Perspective
Perspective Article by F. Oberholzer-Gee and S.N. Inamdar, NEJM, November 18 2004, Vol 351(21)

Merck's withdrawal of the painkiller Vioxx and the resulting $28 billion drop in the company's market value discourages the confidence of patients and physicians in the pharmaceutical industry. Oberholzer-Gee and Inamdar address Merck's balance between patient safety and profit and its unique business strategy within the industry.
NextGen Special Features
The following interviews and articles are exclusive to NextGenMD.org.

A Day in the Life of Dr. Terri Halperin, Surgery Resident
The Second Installment of NextGen's "A Day in the Life of a Physician" Series

For the second installment of our "A Day in the Life of a Physician" series, we interviewed a reconstructive/plastic surgery resident in the Harvard Plastic Surgery Program in Boston, MA. In this Special Feature, Dr. Halperin discusses her views on residency, her choice of surgery as a discipline, and balancing the challenges of residency and being an expecting mother.

NextGen Talks to the Primary Author: M.B. Landon

Dr. Mark B. Landon talks to the Next Generation about his study on the risks associated with trial of labor after a prior cesarean delivery ("Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes Associated with a Trial of Labor after Prior Cesarean Delivery").

Money in Medicine: The National Institutes of Health
The Second Installment of NextGen's "Money in Medicine" Series

The Next Generation interviewed Brent Stanfield, Acting Director of the Center for Scientific Review, and Anthony Demsey, Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Extramural Research, at NIH to give our readers a glimpse into the innerworkings of NIH, the largest public funding source for health sciences research in the U.S.

NextGen Comments and Correspondences Undergraduate Journal Clubs
Comments and Correspondence
• Editorial: Affordable American Health Care? More Feasible Than You Think

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  The next issue arrives on March 1, 2005.

The Next Generation is an independent online publication produced in collaboration with Editors of the New England Journal of Medicine. All content referencing the New England Journal of Medicine is copyrighted property of the NEJM and the Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved on original content by the Next Generation.

The Next Generation is designed to present interesting and relevant information to premedical students, medical students and general interest readers. Responding to an insufficiency in easily accessible and permanent information for premeds and general interest readers regarding the systems of discovery, policy, and care delivery, the Next Generation seeks to encourage a new generation of clinicians and health-conscious citizens to develop broader and better educated perspectives on the field of medicine.