Next Generation: An Introduction to Medicine and Clinical Research

Selected Papers from the NEJM		NextGen Special Features
The following are free links to NEJM articles through the Next Generation. Original Article Antiretroviral Therapy for the AIDS in Haiti: Experience with One Thousand Patients by P. Severe et al., NEJM, December 1 2005, Vol 353 (22) Despite malnutrition and high rates of coinfection with tropical diseases, large-scale antiretroviral therapy has drastically increased the one-year survival rates of adults and children with AIDS in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. This study demonstrates the possibility of delivering ARTs to a large number of patients in a developing country with limited resources, thus providing compelling evidence for international support. Perspective Politically–Correct Human Embryonic Stem Cells? by D. Solter, NEJM, December 1 2005, Vol 353(22) For many scientists and physicians, human embryonic stem cells represent a promising future for the treatment of degenerative diseases. However, the current criteria set by the Bush administration for U.S. federal funding restrict researchers to limited experimentation with only a few lines derived before August 2001. Responding to this limitation, researchers have devised two methods of creating "politically correct" stem cells which can be derived without destruction of a viable embryo. Audio Interview Personal Metrics for Practice: How'm I Doing? by R. J. Baron, NEJM, November 10 2005, Vol 353(19) While physicians in academic and corporate workplaces have titles and publications by which to measure their performance, there are few standardized methods for practicing physicians to ascertain how well they are delivering medical care. With the institution of universal time-limited certification and an increasing public evaluation of the performance of hospitals and individual physicians, physicians are searching for new ways to quantitatively analyze their performance. Back Pages Promises and Perils for Patients and Physicians by R. L. Kravitz and S. Chang, NEJM, December 29 2005, Vol 353(26) On January 1st, 41 million Medicare beneficiaries will receive prescription-drug benefits through the Medicare Perscription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, the biggest change to Medicare since its creation in 1965. However, due to the complicated nature of the drug plans offered, physicians will have to take a very active role as advisors and advocates in helping patients navigate the choices.		The following interviews and articles are exclusive to the Next Generation. Focus on Your Health College Students and Health 2nd in Series Though college students sometimes imagine they are invincible, maintaining good health during the college years is very important in preventing the development of chronic illnesses later in life. University health centers such as the Harvard University Health Services aim to make health care easily accessible to students while also educating them in preventive medicine techniques. » More "Focus on Your Health" Articles Focus on Your Health Emergency Contraception 3rd in Series The FDA recently turned down a proposal to implement over-the-counter status for Plan B ("the morning after pill"), a form of emergency contraception. Critics of OTC status for Plan B claim that this policy would encourage promiscuity, unprotected sex, and other risky behaviors. Some even mistake Plan B for an "abortion pill." Dr. Carolyn Westhoff, a physician and a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Public Health at Columbia University, notes that there is a lack of evidence supporting these claims and asserts that it is possible that the FDA's decision may eliminate the potential public health benefits of Plan B, such as reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and the resultant abortions. » More "Focus on Your Health" Articles Free-Standing Perspective Stem Cells: Progress and Controversy 4th in Series Facing political pressures and restricted access to government grants, scientists studying stem cells have been forced to jump over hurdles to pursue their lines of research. We spoke with Professor Douglas Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, to see where the field is headed and how researchers are coping with the restrictions. » More "Free-Standing Perspectives" Articles The Second NextGen Reader Survey To help us improve our publication and suggest topics for us to cover, please take this short reader survey! New topics: Year of Undergraduate Education, Certainty of Applying to Medical School, "Big Picture" Topics Advice to the Next Generation What are some things to look for when choosing a medical school? Is it possible to practice family medicine without doing obstetrics? Are 24-hour rotations still the norm for residents and interns? Other than "helping people," what are some other aspects of a doctor's job? How serious a problem is doctor burnout? » Other Questions and Answers The next issue arrives March 1.

Selected Papers from the NEJM

NextGen Special Features

The following are free links to NEJM articles through the Next Generation.

Original Article

Antiretroviral Therapy for the AIDS in Haiti: Experience with One Thousand Patients

by P. Severe et al., NEJM, December 1 2005, Vol 353 (22)

Despite malnutrition and high rates of coinfection with tropical diseases, large-scale antiretroviral therapy has drastically increased the one-year survival rates of adults and children with AIDS in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. This study demonstrates the possibility of delivering ARTs to a large number of patients in a developing country with limited resources, thus providing compelling evidence for international support.

Perspective

Politically–Correct Human Embryonic Stem Cells?

by D. Solter, NEJM, December 1 2005, Vol 353(22)

For many scientists and physicians, human embryonic stem cells represent a promising future for the treatment of degenerative diseases. However, the current criteria set by the Bush administration for U.S. federal funding restrict researchers to limited experimentation with only a few lines derived before August 2001. Responding to this limitation, researchers have devised two methods of creating "politically correct" stem cells which can be derived without destruction of a viable embryo.

Audio Interview

Personal Metrics for Practice: How'm I Doing?

by R. J. Baron, NEJM, November 10 2005, Vol 353(19)

While physicians in academic and corporate workplaces have titles and publications by which to measure their performance, there are few standardized methods for practicing physicians to ascertain how well they are delivering medical care. With the institution of universal time-limited certification and an increasing public evaluation of the performance of hospitals and individual physicians, physicians are searching for new ways to quantitatively analyze their performance.

Back Pages

Promises and Perils for Patients and Physicians

by R. L. Kravitz and S. Chang, NEJM, December 29 2005, Vol 353(26)

On January 1st, 41 million Medicare beneficiaries will receive prescription-drug benefits through the Medicare Perscription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, the biggest change to Medicare since its creation in 1965. However, due to the complicated nature of the drug plans offered, physicians will have to take a very active role as advisors and advocates in helping patients navigate the choices.

The following interviews and articles are exclusive to the Next Generation.

Focus on Your Health

College Students and Health

2nd in Series

Though college students sometimes imagine they are invincible, maintaining good health during the college years is very important in preventing the development of chronic illnesses later in life. University health centers such as the Harvard University Health Services aim to make health care easily accessible to students while also educating them in preventive medicine techniques.

» More "Focus on Your Health" Articles

Focus on Your Health

Emergency Contraception

3rd in Series

The FDA recently turned down a proposal to implement over-the-counter status for Plan B ("the morning after pill"), a form of emergency contraception. Critics of OTC status for Plan B claim that this policy would encourage promiscuity, unprotected sex, and other risky behaviors. Some even mistake Plan B for an "abortion pill." Dr. Carolyn Westhoff, a physician and a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Public Health at Columbia University, notes that there is a lack of evidence supporting these claims and asserts that it is possible that the FDA's decision may eliminate the potential public health benefits of Plan B, such as reducing the number of unintended pregnancies and the resultant abortions.

» More "Focus on Your Health" Articles

Free-Standing Perspective

Stem Cells: Progress and Controversy

4th in Series

Facing political pressures and restricted access to government grants, scientists studying stem cells have been forced to jump over hurdles to pursue their lines of research. We spoke with Professor Douglas Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, to see where the field is headed and how researchers are coping with the restrictions.

» More "Free-Standing Perspectives" Articles

The Second NextGen Reader Survey

To help us improve our publication and suggest topics for us to cover, please take this short reader survey! New topics: Year of Undergraduate Education, Certainty of Applying to Medical School, "Big Picture" Topics

Advice to the Next Generation

» Other Questions and Answers

The next issue arrives March 1.

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 (NextGen) is an online publication that seeks to broaden perspectives in medicine for everyone, from premedical and medical students to general readers, by connecting them to current physicians and clinical scientists. It is published every two months by Harvard College undergraduates in collaboration with editors of the New England Journal of Medicine.