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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
My Stroke Of Insight By Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., Jeff Eliason
My Stroke Of Insight By Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., Jeff Eliason
Quill & Scope
A book review that will make you remember why you fell in love with reading in the first place, My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., is an important book for anyone interested in strokes, the early signs and symptoms, and the diverse role medical professionals play in the recovery process. More importantly, it is an entertaining and inspiring read for anyone interested in taking a different look at their life, and getting more out of it as a result.
Vindicating Vaccines, Poonam Kaushal
Vindicating Vaccines, Poonam Kaushal
Quill & Scope
Autism, an atypical complication of vaccines, has single-handedly created a public health controversy regarding the overall efficacy of vaccinating children. While experts battled out their positions in newspaper articles and TV talk shows, measles cases have been on the rise, cumulating in 2008 with the most cases since 1996. The public controversy coupled with landmark federal cases have allowed the layperson to think that vaccines are indeed harmful and as such has seemingly discouraged their use in health maintenance. Emphasis has shifted away from the appropriate scientific criterion that determines the relationship, or lack thereof, between vaccines and autism. In …
The Reason, Stephanie Lei
The Reason, Stephanie Lei
Quill & Scope
Despite not having written any poetry since high school, my roommate convinced me to enter a medical student poetry contest with her. What emerged was this largely autobiographical poem which I think NYMC's many out-of-state students can relate to. It also serves as a reminder of the goals that brought us here to NYMC.
Without Improved Security, Biodefense Laboratories May Double As Arsenals For Terrorists, Jim Shen
Without Improved Security, Biodefense Laboratories May Double As Arsenals For Terrorists, Jim Shen
Quill & Scope
In the wake of the "Amerithrax” anthrax attacks of September and October 2001, the United States committed a large amount of funding towards biodefense research. With this commitment came a large increase in the number of federally-funded and private laboratories conducting biodefense research that was not well-regulated by the federal government. The result is that many laboratories are currently studying dangerous agents such as anthrax with inadequate security measures and little oversight. Unless reform is enacted to correct this situation, these laboratories will continue to represent a potential threat to public safety.
Care For The Uninsured: A Year Of Review For La Casita De La Salud, Jennifer M. Thomas, Gordon M. Burke
Care For The Uninsured: A Year Of Review For La Casita De La Salud, Jennifer M. Thomas, Gordon M. Burke
Quill & Scope
As the academic year ends, the former directors of La Casita de la Salud share a memorable clinical experience and the impact it has made on the student volunteers. La Casita not only provides health care to the underserved, but it also shows students the impact that they may have in the life of their patients. the clinic has progressed monumentally in the past year after a committee executive board strove to better the clinic's operation. This article highlights the numerous developments as well as some obstacles the clinic will have to face in the near future.
Massage Therapy: Your Immune System May Knead It, Julia E. Reid
Massage Therapy: Your Immune System May Knead It, Julia E. Reid
Quill & Scope
Massage therapy has been shown to enhance immune system function through both physical and psychological mechanisms. Massage therapy physically increases lymph circulation and white blood cell distribution. Psychologically, it reduces stress hormone levels thereby disinhibiting proper immune system function. Appreciation for these positive clinical effects could allow massage therapy to be more widely accepted as a complementary medical treatment for many diseases.
The Best Patients In The World: A Commentary On Military Medicine, Joseph D. Schwartz
The Best Patients In The World: A Commentary On Military Medicine, Joseph D. Schwartz
Quill & Scope
It was a sunny day last August and he had not been in Afghanistan more than a few months when my patient's platoon came under RPG fire from a Taliban group. That same day I was in the middle of an Orthopaedics rotation in New York. After two months of Navy surgical training for me and a painful recovery process in Germany for him, our paths crossed at the National Navy Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. The ensuing interaction inspired this reflection on my time with military medicine thus far, and my career as a Navy physician ahead.
Bush's Legacy, April Tantillo
Bush's Legacy, April Tantillo
Quill & Scope
While former President George W. Bush's historical legacy is still being hotly debated, a clear bright spot is often overlooked. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) paid for antiretroviral medications for 1.4 million patients in Africa and the Caribbean compared to only 50,000 before the program. The program is far from perfect. An important criticism of PEPFAR is that the program is too restrictive. For example, one third of the money for prevention must go to abstinence only sexual education. The harm that is done to women and children by suggesting that they have the autonomy to insist …
My First Patient - Before I Was A Doctor, Lea Alfi
My First Patient - Before I Was A Doctor, Lea Alfi
Quill & Scope
A 58-year-old Caucasian male is admitted for shortness of breath of one week's duration. He has a 40 pack-year smoking history and was diagnosed with COPD one year you manage his care? Though evidence highlights the rising prevalence of such a clinical presentation, this case brings to light the difficulty in treating one of our most common diagnoses.
Sitting Down With Dr. Shinjiro Hirose: The Ins And Outs Of Fetal Surgery, Christine Capone, Sean Kivlehan
Sitting Down With Dr. Shinjiro Hirose: The Ins And Outs Of Fetal Surgery, Christine Capone, Sean Kivlehan
Quill & Scope
Few areas of medicine are on the cutting edge more than fetal surgery. Operations on babies still attached to their mothers seems like science fiction. But that is what Dr. Shinjiro Hirose of UCSF does. The editors of Quill & Scope sat down with Dr. Hirose to discuss his unusual specialty. Hirose, a graduate of New York Medical College, talks about what drew him to the field, the logistical difficulties of doing such precise operations and the ethical issues that often arise when considering his surgeries.
A Matter Of Life And Death: A Medical Student's Perspective On Organ Procurement, Sue Chang
A Matter Of Life And Death: A Medical Student's Perspective On Organ Procurement, Sue Chang
Quill & Scope
Transplantation surgeries require an intricate dance between logistical, ethical, and medical boundaries. This is the story of one medical student's first-hand experience at an organ procurement surgery in which the realities of how a donated organ becomes "donated" are confronted.
An Act Of Kindness, Danielle Cherrick
An Act Of Kindness, Danielle Cherrick
Quill & Scope
This is a piece that was presented at the convocation of thanks, an annual ceremony in which we show our appreciation to the families of the individuals who donated their bodies to our anatomy class. It discusses how the Jewish concept of “chesed shel emet," performing a “true act of kindness," applies to the priceless gift these people gave us.
A Medical Student's Role In Health Care Reform - Getting The Conversation Started, Kellie Faircloth, Kristen Lee
A Medical Student's Role In Health Care Reform - Getting The Conversation Started, Kellie Faircloth, Kristen Lee
Quill & Scope
With the country spending 16% of its GDP on health care and 47 million Americans still uninsured, everyone agrees that change is necessary. The New York Medical College chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) recognizes these plan to "get the conversation started". With the collaboration of NYMC's chapters of AMA,AMSA, Improve Health Care, and the Family Medicine Interest Group and School of Public Health, a lecture series has been piloted this year with the central goal of educating students and raising awareness on campus about the crippled state of our current health care system. We believe that …
Alchemical Efficiency, Andrei Kreutzberg
Alchemical Efficiency, Andrei Kreutzberg
Quill & Scope
A brief poem describing the far reaching impact of body bequeathal.
Introducing Women's Global Health And Human Rights, Padmini Murthy
Introducing Women's Global Health And Human Rights, Padmini Murthy
Quill & Scope
In today's world, discussion of women's health and human rights are often given short shrift. A new book, Women's Global Health and Human Rights, does much to shed light on this overlooked area. This book is unique in that it addresses the similarities and differences in health and human rights challenges faced by women in different regions of the world. The diversity of backgrounds and geographic locations of the invited authors contributes to the book's rich content. Find out more in this article by one of the editors, Dr. Padmini Murthy.
Angela Carder: A Case Study On Maternal And Fetal Rights, Jessica Murphy
Angela Carder: A Case Study On Maternal And Fetal Rights, Jessica Murphy
Quill & Scope
Pregnancy is a time full of anticipation and excitement for most expectant mothers. Most women would not expect to battle their fetus legally for rights concerning medical treatments, but this is exactly the situation that Angela Carder found herself in. This case study examines the legal and moral issues that were brought to light when a woman who was pregnant and dying from cancer refused a caesarean section. Many argued that a woman's right to autonomous decision making should prevail, but the courts ruled in favor of fetal rights. Carder's rights were wrongly overridden in favor of what was judged …
Media Misinterpretation, James Naples
Media Misinterpretation, James Naples
Quill & Scope
There have been a great number of news articles that focus on clinical health issues that manifest themselves as a result of a faulty genome. The media's interpretation and translation of scientific research aimed at understanding the human genome may be inappropriately presented to the lay public. In its presentation the media seems to have created a public that is unwilling to accept responsibility for their personal health, particularly in regards to the diagnosis of ADHD and obesity. This article explores the ramifications of media influence on public perception of these two diseases.
Medicare Must Adapt For Aging Baby Boomer Population, J. Paul Nielsen
Medicare Must Adapt For Aging Baby Boomer Population, J. Paul Nielsen
Quill & Scope
Since Medicare was established in 1965 to provide insurance for the elderly and handicapped, the benefits offered by Medicare have scarcely changed except for a few added preventive services. Sustained growth in Medicare expenditures and the aging of the “baby boom" generation are placing growing strains on Medicare's financial sustainability. Under current practices, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Trustees estimate that the Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will only remain solvent until the year 2018. On January 1, 2006, Medicare's new Plan D prescription-drug coverage plan was launched. Critics have charged that unlike existing government health plans, Part …
Ashas As The Rays Of Hope, Ankita Sagar
Ashas As The Rays Of Hope, Ankita Sagar
Quill & Scope
In the district of Agra in India, a group of female volunteers serve as advocates as well as advisors for community members on matters pertaining to maternal and prenatal health, child health and immunizations, and family planning services. The women, known as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) fight a battle against limited time, limited resources, limited education, and most of all societal restrictions. These women are asked to fulfill family obligations such as providing for the family and household with little help from their families. Many of them are regarded as naïve and foolish by their family members because they …
The Humanitarian Crisis In Gaza: A Look At The Health Infrastructure Before, During And Immediately After The December-January Attacks, Khalil Qato
Quill & Scope
In late December and early January, Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip captured international headlines. While a political solution was often discussed, and a shaky ceasefire was ultimately agreed upon, the health care situation in Gaza before, during and after these bombings was hardly addressed. The ongoing Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has had deleterious effects on health and health care delivery among the Palestinian population, particularly in Gaza where Israeli blockades have created a U.N.-declared humanitarian crisis. This article attempts to shed new light on the health care situation in the Gaza Strip and potential …
Med Student Fitness: A Survey On Exercise Habits During Medical Education, Philip M. Yam
Med Student Fitness: A Survey On Exercise Habits During Medical Education, Philip M. Yam
Quill & Scope
Med Student Fitness' investigates the exercise habits of students at NYMC. In particular, this survey compares the amount of cardiovascular and weightlifting workouts that students perform each week, as well as differences in gender, age, and year of program. Finally, an assessment of overall student fitness is given by the amount of students meeting the exercise suggestions provided by the American Medical Association.
Code Red, White And Blue; Doctor, You're Needed On The Hill: Healthy Policy And You Redux, Joseph D. Schwartz
Code Red, White And Blue; Doctor, You're Needed On The Hill: Healthy Policy And You Redux, Joseph D. Schwartz
Quill & Scope
As this administration and congress hopefully move efficiently from rhetoric to revamping, we have the duty as stakeholders and consumers of our American health care system to be there. One of our most powerful tools is the grassroots lobby. The government is more receptive than ever and a new commitment to changing our system will be affecting us all. This is a review of what has happened in the AMA's lobbying agenda over the last year and what to expect ahead.
The Problems With Physician Profiling: What Have We Learned?, Heidi Charvet
The Problems With Physician Profiling: What Have We Learned?, Heidi Charvet
Quill & Scope
Physician profiling has emerged as an effort to satisfy increased demand for information about the cost and quality of health care. Health plans, physicians and consumers all have distinctive purposes and methods for reviewing physician profiles, but they share several concerns about the data itself and the interpretation of this data. These problems have been so severe that physician profiling has not been widely accepted as an appropriate tool for quality improvement and cost control. However, through the use of improved data, more informed interpretation, and involvement of key stakeholders, physician profiling may one day be considered an effective and …
The Thrifty Gene Hypothesis: Considering The Significance Of A 47-Year Old Theory, William Graham
The Thrifty Gene Hypothesis: Considering The Significance Of A 47-Year Old Theory, William Graham
Quill & Scope
The thrifty gene hypothesis suggests that a unique genetic profile passed down from our hunter-gatherer predecessors has contributed to the increased incidence of diabetes and obesity in particular Western populations. This highly contentious theory has been met with both support and skepticism from the research community. Debate surrounding the identification of particular 'thrifty genes has been ongoing, and alternative theories have been presented to debunk or refute the hypothesis. I argue that such discussions have distracted from the understanding of the significance of the hypothesis, and propose some alternative options for settling the debate.
Nursing Staff Compliance With Hand Hygiene Protocol In Nicu In A Regional Perinatal Center, Xiaoping Wu
Nursing Staff Compliance With Hand Hygiene Protocol In Nicu In A Regional Perinatal Center, Xiaoping Wu
Quill & Scope
Proper hand hygiene protocols are a way to prevent infections in neonates admitted to the NICU. A total of 771 observations on hand sanitizer use before and after patient contact and 208 observations for level of touch were made. Adherence increased significantly since the introduction of waterless individual bedside hand sanitizers: 73% vs. 80% before and 83% vs. 90% after patient contact. The suboptimal adherence to the hand hygiene protocol could not be fully explained by the emergency nature of patient contact, suggesting that time and convenience are not the main concerns that infection control needs to address. The system …
Colors, Mike Platt
Colors, Mike Platt
Quill & Scope
Colors is a story likely familiar to many medical students; the anxiety, panic and fear associated with our first clinical exposure. It tells the story of a college senior's experience as a volunteer at a Chicago children's hospital, and traces it to a discussion of our sources of motivation for becoming a doctor.