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. Special Articles Who is at Greatest Risk for Receiving Poor-Quality Health Care? by S. M. Asch et al., NEJM, March 16 2006, Vol 354 (11) Differences in health in different societal groups are often attributed to differences in health care delivery, but the problems might be more fundamental and larger in scope. This study showed that disparities between groups are relatively small compared to the gaps between the needed and received level of care in each population group. Perspective When Law and Ethics Collide – Why Physicians Participate in Executions by A. Gawande, NEJM, March 23 2006, Vol 354 (12) Execution by lethal injection presents an ethical dilemma for physicians: in order for lethal injections to occur effectively and smoothly, the presence of doctors and nurses is necessary, but does this participation violate the medical code of ethics? The quandary only grows as physicians are required to attend executions by state laws. How should the medical community approach physician participation? Legal Issues in Medicine Congress, Controlled Substances, and Physician-Assisted Suicide – Elephants in Mouseholes by G. J. Annas, NEJM, March 9 2006, Vol 354 (10) An Oregen statute permits physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the Gonzales v. Oregon case that the U.S. attorney general cannot forbid this practice based on national law, raising questions on the role of physicians in end-of-life care and national standards for the practices of physicians.		The following interviews and articles are exclusive to the Next Generation. Free-Standing Perspective Avian Flu 5th in Series With greater public awareness of the potential for an H5N1 pandemic, governments and public health officials are scrambling to prepare for the worse. What has been done? What should be done? University of Virginia School of Medicine at Charlottesville Professor Frederick Hayden and Director for the Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy Professor Michael Osterholm offer their expert opinions. » More "Free Standing Perspectives" Articles Pathways Through Medicine Careers in Medicine: An Introduction 4th – 7th in Series As part of the Pathways through Medicine series, we are interviewing several physicians in a variety of career settings and roles beyond the traditional notion of physicians as clinicians. What goals, motivations, and qualities should a physician have when working in a clinic in a developing country? How do the experiences of M.D.'s and M.D.-Ph.D.'s going into research careers differ? What does it mean to be a doctor in private practice? For answers to these questions, check out the following articles as well as future installments of this series. • Careers in Medicine: Teaching • Careers in Medicine: Research • Careers in Medicine: Private Practice » More "Pathways Through Medicine" Articles Free-Standing Perspective Robotic Surgery 6th in Series Despite high initial costs and upkeep, surgical robots are making their way into hospitals around the world. Combining the advantages of tremorless operation with laparoscopic surgical practices, robotic surgery appears to be the next step of improvement in making surgery as minimally invasive as possible. » More "Free Standing Perspectives" Articles Advice to the Next Generation What are some things to look for when choosing a medical school? Other than "helping people," what are some other aspects of a doctor's job? » Other Questions and Answers The next issue arrives July 1.

Selected Papers from the NEJM

NextGen Special Features

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

Special Articles

Who is at Greatest Risk for Receiving Poor-Quality Health Care?

by S. M. Asch et al., NEJM, March 16 2006, Vol 354 (11)

Differences in health in different societal groups are often attributed to differences in health care delivery, but the problems might be more fundamental and larger in scope. This study showed that disparities between groups are relatively small compared to the gaps between the needed and received level of care in each population group.

Perspective

When Law and Ethics Collide – Why Physicians Participate in Executions

by A. Gawande, NEJM, March 23 2006, Vol 354 (12)

Execution by lethal injection presents an ethical dilemma for physicians: in order for lethal injections to occur effectively and smoothly, the presence of doctors and nurses is necessary, but does this participation violate the medical code of ethics? The quandary only grows as physicians are required to attend executions by state laws. How should the medical community approach physician participation?

Legal Issues in Medicine

Congress, Controlled Substances, and Physician-Assisted Suicide – Elephants in Mouseholes

by G. J. Annas, NEJM, March 9 2006, Vol 354 (10)

An Oregen statute permits physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the Gonzales v. Oregon case that the U.S. attorney general cannot forbid this practice based on national law, raising questions on the role of physicians in end-of-life care and national standards for the practices of physicians.

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

Free-Standing Perspective

Avian Flu

5th in Series

With greater public awareness of the potential for an H5N1 pandemic, governments and public health officials are scrambling to prepare for the worse. What has been done? What should be done? University of Virginia School of Medicine at Charlottesville Professor Frederick Hayden and Director for the Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy Professor Michael Osterholm offer their expert opinions.

» More "Free Standing Perspectives" Articles

Pathways Through Medicine

Careers in Medicine: An Introduction

4th – 7th in Series

As part of the Pathways through Medicine series, we are interviewing several physicians in a variety of career settings and roles beyond the traditional notion of physicians as clinicians. What goals, motivations, and qualities should a physician have when working in a clinic in a developing country? How do the experiences of M.D.'s and M.D.-Ph.D.'s going into research careers differ? What does it mean to be a doctor in private practice? For answers to these questions, check out the following articles as well as future installments of this series.

• Careers in Medicine: Teaching
• Careers in Medicine: Research
• Careers in Medicine: Private Practice

» More "Pathways Through Medicine" Articles

Free-Standing Perspective

Robotic Surgery

6th in Series

Despite high initial costs and upkeep, surgical robots are making their way into hospitals around the world. Combining the advantages of tremorless operation with laparoscopic surgical practices, robotic surgery appears to be the next step of improvement in making surgery as minimally invasive as possible.

» More "Free Standing Perspectives" Articles

Advice to the Next Generation

» Other Questions and Answers

The next issue arrives July 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.