by Rita Manno for The Central Record

It was an amazing feat for the region and long overdue, the first school of medicine in South Jersey. Constructed in a record 17 months, the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University was finished in the summer of 2012 and welcomed its inaugural class of 50 students last fall.

The Camden school also attracted a premiere founding dean, Dr. Paul Katz, whose robust resume includes positions where he opened other medical schools and developed a strong working relationship with the National Institute of Health.

On March 12, Katz will come to Burlington County to speak to members of the Medford area branch of the American Association of University Women about a troubling topic: the lack of primary care physicians in New Jersey and the country and the lack of doctors entering specialist fields.

The U.S. will have 90,000 fewer physicians who are needed (by 2020), with half of this being in primary care and the rest specialists, said Katz in a preview of his remarks titled Who Will Care For Us: New Strategies.

Katz will suggest remedies for the shortages and how the medical community will provide care in the future patient-focused health care system. Katz said the shortages will be even more apparent since the Affordable Care Act will allow tens of millions more people to have primary care doctors and receive the care they deserve.

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is a six-story, 200,000-square-foot, high-technology building where medical students work in small groups and are encouraged to participate in community service projects.

On a blog at http://www.rowan.edu/coopermed, Katz and his faculty members write about a variety of topics, including the massacre in Newtown, Conn., and the responsibility of doctors to talk to patients about firearms and lobby for expanded mental-health services.

In welcoming the first students at the school last September, Katz wrote, Those of us fortunate enough to be physicians have the remarkable privilege of getting into and impacting peoples lives as few others can.

Katz graduated from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1973, has served in positions at Georgetown University Medical Center, as a professor of medicine at the University of Miami and the founding vice dean for faculty and clinical affairs and professor of medicine at the Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pa., where he helped launch the new medical school in 2009.

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Cooper Medical School of Rowan University dean to speak to Medford women's group

MedicalSchoolsInUSA releases comprehensive list of Medical School Rankings to aid in the upcoming research and application process for potential students.

Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) February 21, 2013

To aid in their tireless search, MedicalSchoolsInUSA.com, a leading website for medical school guides, tips and information, has launched its latest list of American medical school rankings for the upcoming academic application wave.

The rankings are based on a unique combination of peer assessments, research scores, total amounts of NIH funds granted to the program and affiliate hospitals, as well as 2012 NIH research grants per faculty member.

According to the "Princeton Review," the majority of medical school applicants will be sending in their completed application packets sometime this fall.

And with deadlines quickly approaching, assessing where your dream school stands in terms of acceptance rate, tuition and credibility is key.

"Reviewing medical school rankings is arguably one of the most pivotal points to narrowing your program choices down," explained Ben Davidson, a spokesperson for MedicalSchoolsInUSA.com. "Every applicant has a unique set of strengths and preferences. Honing in on these individual traits will be key in choosing the perfect program."

According to Davidson, however, personal strengths and preferences can often be overlooked in the application process.

"You tend to find a lot of medical school applicants with a 3.2 GPA and 30 MCAT applying to Harvard Medical and Mayo Medical -- and that's it," he explained. "There are a plethora of perfectly good medical schools out there that will fit individual backgrounds and academic profiles."

MedicalSchoolsInUSA's list of school rankings provides potential applicants with a wide range of information per program, including 2012-2013 admissions statistics, 2012-2013 average MCAT scores, GPA and coursework requirements, common undergraduate majors, as well as the kinds of tuition and financial aid available for students.

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MedicalSchoolsInUSA.com Releases Latest List of Medical School Rankings, Requirements

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Soterix Medical, Inc. is pleased to report positive results of a double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover trial of 18 patients with Fibromyalgia conducted at Harvard Medical School1. Fibromyalgia is a prevalent chronic pain syndrome characterized by altered pain and sensory processing in the central nervous system, which is often refractory to multiple therapeutic approaches. The Harvard clinical trial examined the effects of the Soterix Medical's exclusive 4x1 High Definition - Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) on overall perceived pain in patients. HD-tDCS proved well tolerated and produced a significant reduction in overall perceived pain in Fibromyalgia patients as compared to sham stimulation.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130220/NY62730 )

"We are thrilled at these positive results in Fibromyalgia," said Dr. Abhishek Datta, CTO of Soterix Medical, "Patients with Fibromyalgia are often refractory to pharmacological intervention and experience side-effects, so the ability of just one session of HD-tDCS to reduce pain without side-effects is striking. The effects observed in a single session were larger than with either conventional tDCS or FDA approved Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). We expect that with repeated HD-tDCS, both the magnitude and durability of effects will increase and this is precisely the objective of our enhanced HD-tDCS Fibromyalgia multi-center trial which is now recruiting, including at Harvard Medical School. These results are only possible with the proprietary Soterix Medical HD-tDCS where unique electrode and specialized arrays provide non-invasive targeted Neuromodulation not possible with any other technique. Soterix Medical will continue to pioneer HD-tDCS and its investigation in Fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes."

These results follow mechanistic findings at University of Michigan - tDCS using the Soterix Medical 1x1 promotes release of endogenous opioids providing a mechanistic substrate for the treatment of pain disorders and Migraine2.

CAUTION: tDCS and HD-tDCS are limited by Federal (or United States) law to investigational use only.

BACKGROUND: High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) is an exclusive Neuromodulation technology developed by Soterix Medical Inc. Invented at The City College of New York, it is the only technology platform that allows tolerated non-invasive delivery of therapeutic current to desired brain regions. As a result, HD-tDCS offers potential for safe and effective treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders not possible with any other technology. HD-tDCS is made possible through innovations in electrode design allowing safe and tolerated passage of current through proprietary "High-Definition" electrodes, individualized brain current-flow modeling and through patented targeting algorithms indicating how to place and energize HD-electrodes on the head.

Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia (a heightened and painful response to pressure). Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions. The disorder affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S. and an estimated 3-6% of the world population. It is most prevalent in women 75-90% of people who have FM are women. Fibromyalgia symptoms are not restricted to pain, leading to the use of the alternative term Fibromyalgia Syndrome for the condition. Other symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. Some patients also report cognitive dysfunction.

Soterix Medical Inc. is a Biomedical Engineering company based in New York City committed to developing innovative medical therapies. Soterix Medical is the leader in non-invasive electrical Neuromodulation including the exclusive High-Definition tDCS. Soterix Medical Inc. supports clinical trials aimed at treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Soterix Medical's patented Limited Total Energy(LTE-tDCS) is the only Neuromodulation technology optimized for susceptible populations. The Soterix Medical Clinical Trials (CT-tDCS) is being used in multi-center clinical trials internationally.

1http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590012009674

2http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23130002

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Soterix Medical Inc. reports positive results from High-Definition tDCS Fibromyalgia Trial at Harvard Medical School

WORCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has awarded a new five-year contract to UMass Medical School to continue coordinating health care services for inmates at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) located in Devens, Mass.

UMass Medical School (UMMS) has assisted in managing medical care for approximately 1,100 inmates at the facility since 2001. The new contract is valued at approximately $60 million over five years, and work under the pact began earlier this month.

We are very proud to be continuing our partnership with FMC Devens, said Joyce A. Murphy, Executive Vice Chancellor for UMMS/Commonwealth Medicine. Managing health care for prison populations is both challenging and rewarding for our professional staff and health care partners. This new contract is an indication of our growing expertise at serving correctional populations at both the federal and the state levels.

UMMS will coordinate both inpatient and outpatient physician services. It will partner with health care providers at HealthAlliance Hospital, in nearby Leominster, UMass Memorial Medical Center, located in Worcester, Mass., and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston.

The new contract with FMC Devens is the second contract awarded by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to UMMS in the last seven months. In July, the Bureau awarded a multi-year contract to UMMS to manage health care operations at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina.

The Medical Schools correctional health division also manages the medical care at all 17 state prisons in Massachusetts, coordinating care for approximately 11,500 inmates. With the FMC Devens renewal, UMMS now has contracts with two of the six hospital prisons in the Federal Bureau of Prisons system nationally.

About the University of Massachusetts Medical School

The University of Massachusetts Medical School, one of the fastest-growing academic health sciences centers in the country, has built a reputation as a world-class research institution, consistently producing noteworthy advances in clinical and basic research. The Medical School attracts more than $255 million in research funding annually, 80 percent of which comes from federal funding sources. The mission of the Medical School is to advance the health and well-being of the people of Massachusetts and the world, through pioneering education, research, public service and health care delivery. Commonwealth Medicine, the Medical Schools health care consulting and operations division, provides a wide range of care management and consulting services to government agencies and health care organizations. For more information, visit commed.umassmed.edu.

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Devens Federal Medical Center Renews Correctional Health Contract With UMass Medical School

Out of over 4,000 applicants, senior Stephen Henrich was one of six students admitted into the Mayo Clinic Medical Schools MD/PhD program.

For the six spots, 50 students were interviewed. Henrich said he was in Carver speaking with Ron Warnet when he got a call from an unknown number. It was the director of the Mayo Clinic program saying that even though only half of the students had been interviewed, the committee was very enthusiastic about his work and wanted to offer him acceptance into the program.

Through this seven to eight year program, Henrich will become a trained medical researcher and practicing physician. The full-tuition scholarship of $24,500 is covered by the program, and students receive an annual stipend of $20,000 to $30,000.

Although Henrich has yet to commit to this program, it is on the top of his list. He applied to 18 different medical schools and has already received acceptance letters from Stanford, Duke, University of Iowa and Northwestern. He plans to make his decision in March or April.

I have been at Simpson College for 13 years and have taught hundreds of pre-medical students and pre-graduate students over this period of time, Department Chair of Biology Jackie

Brittingham said in a letter of recommendation for Henrich. Stephen is one of only three or four students who I have worked with over the years who has truly personified what I consider the essential characteristics for students who will be successful as a physician-scientists.

Brittingham noted that Henrich has the aptitude and talent necessary to be successful in the curricular rigors of the program as well as the deep desire to practice compassionate medicine.

With Henrichs father being a podiatristthe medical field was always on his radar. During high school, Henrich became interested in this type of work by shadowing a doctor that held a MD/PhD degree.

Upon coming to Simpson, Henrich still wasnt completely sure of what he wanted to do. Through research at Simpson and the University of Iowa, he discovered that he had a passion to be both a researcher and a practicing physician.

Henrich feels that his research at Simpson with Heidi Berger and Warnet were experiences that have best prepared him for medical school. He also shadowed a researcher and physician at the Mayo Clinic during his sophomore year.

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Henrich deciding medical school path; one of only six accepted into Mayo Clinic medical program

A budget proposal Gov. Terry Branstad made last month to attract more physicians to Iowas less populated areas by forgiving medical school debt is welcome news to longtime surgeon Dr. Phil Caropreso.

Caropreso, who practices in Keokuk in southeast Iowa, said such an offer might lure natives from rural parts of the state to work in their home communities without having to worry about making enough to pay off massive debts.

We need any help we can get and honestly in this time, financially theres a big need for money, said Caropreso, 66. If you come from a rural area, youre more likely to return and (it helps) if you sweeten the deal along the way.

Branstads plan, announced in January, responds to a persistent problem in Iowa, which ranked 40th for the ratio of doctors to residents, according to a 2011 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The report listed Iowa as having 6,300 doctors.

Neighboring states Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska all ranked higher.

Citing his experience as president of a medical school, Branstad has proposed a series of reforms. He wants to spend $2 million annually to pay off student loans for up to 20 students who commit to working five years in a rural part of Iowa jobs that can often pay less than other physician positions. He wants to spend another $2 million a year to provide matching grants to hospitals to create more medical residencies. And he wants to revise rules governing medical lawsuits in Iowa, which he said will make the state a more attractive place to practice.

In his budget address, Branstad, who was president of Des Moines University, an osteopathic medical school, from 2003 to 2009, called these sensible reforms.

Christiane Mitchell, director of federal affairs for the Association of American Medical Colleges, said these were proven strategies to boost the number of doctors in a region. She noted that there is a national doctor shortage, which is expected to grow as physicians retire and the elderly population grows.

Its a clear indication the governor is very sensitive to this issue. I think Iowans should be really impressed that hes identified this, Mitchell said. Theres strong evidence at the federal level that loan forgiveness and putting more training programs in your state do help address state needs.

A key issue, according to Branstad, is keeping more of the doctors that train in Iowa at Des Moines University or the University of Iowa. The state ranks 39th for retaining doctors who went to medical school in Iowa. Branstad said the state must increase doctor residency positions.

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Branstad proposes forgiving medical school debt to bring more doctors to Iowa

How to Get Into Medical School - One Minute Medical School
Viewer request! Dr Rob tells you how to get into medical school. If you get into medical school and you #39;re a subscriber, Dr Rob will send you a personalized One Minute Medical School Graduation Diploma, hand-drawn just for you, with a one minute video in your honour. For real! Posters: oneminutemedicalschool.com Dr Rob on: Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/oneminutemedicalschool Web - http://www.oneminutemedicalschool.com Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/1MinMedSchool

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This is one of three stories related to people choosing to go into the medical profession and the costs and challenges they face. Return to naplesnews.com through Monday to read all of the articles or pick up a copy of Sunday's Daily News.

* * * * *

The third article will focus on doctors who didn't repay their taxpayer-supported loans, which is the reason for the database at the bottom of this article. That factor doesn't relate to the people interviewed for this particular article.

NAPLES Young doctors not only must survive the academic rigors of medical school, today's realities include skyrocketing tuition and potentially greater competition for choice post-graduate residencies, industry officials say.

Still, medical schools are seeing an uptick in applications and studies show a career in medicine still offers a good lifestyle, said Steven Specter, associate dean for student affairs at the University of South Florida's (USF) College of Medicine in Tampa.

That's despite average student loan debt of $150,000 or more, he said.

"The value of a medical education is very clearly shown. Even with a couple hundred thousand in debt, it is still a good investment," he said. "The number of medical school applications is up, not down, so (the debt) is not driving people away in droves."

When it comes to post-graduate residency training, which ranges from three to five years depending on the specialty, Florida has 3,500 slots but needs 2,700 more, according to the Council of Florida Medical School Deans.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott wants to expand graduate medical education to add 700 slots at a cost of $80 million, according to his 2013 budget proposal. His plan is backed by the Florida Medical Association.

Scott recognizes the need for more residency slots to retain and attract young doctors and ease the doctor shortage, said Christiane Mitchell, director of federal affairs for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C.

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Despite high cost and residency shortage, Florida sees interest rise in medical school

When Susquehanna Health vascular surgeon Dr. Eric Adams enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in 1986, it was to pursue a career in medicine. During those first few years of medical school, however, he also began pursuing a partnership that blossomed over 23 years into a family of six.

Adams and his wife, Dr. Kristin Adams, met, courted, became engaged and even were married while attending medical school.

"We were in the same class in medical school, so we had the same courses together," said Kristin. "I sat in the front row and Eric sat in the back row, but we had the same circle of friends and liked the same kinds of activities."

The couple said they worked together on a project on the Krebs cycle in biochemistry class and began dating during their second year of medical school.

On a particularly notable day in their fourth year of medical school, they had taken their national board exams and were preparing to go out that evening with friends.

"Eric, unbeknownst to me, wanted to be sure that we got to a restaurant, not just because it was my birthday, but because he wanted to propose," Kristin said. "I figured something was up when he arrived in a three-piece suit."

Three weeks before graduation, the two tied the knot. While Eric applied to military programs, Kristin submitted applications for positions in the same cities. The couple moved to San Antonio, Texas, to begin their medical residencies - Eric at Brook Army Medical Center and Kristin at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

In the years that followed, Eric's service in the Army relocated the couple and their growing family to Fort Bragg, N.C., Augusta, Ga., and Washington, D.C. In June 2011, Eric retired from the military.

"So, we had all sorts of options," Eric said. "We could have gone anywhere."

Because Eric is a Pennsylvania native and Kristin grew up in Massachusetts and both had attended medical school in Pittsburgh, the couple began seeking opportunities in the Keystone State. A position became available for Eric with Susquehanna Health's Heart & Vascular Institute and Kristin was delighted to be offered a part-time position in neurology.

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Doctors meet, court, marry while in medical school

Mnemonics for medical school
I go through 7 different types of mnemonics that you can use for medical school. The last one is an Image mnemonic. These will help you study and I hope you think of new ways to memorize. Let me know in the comments. BIG DOCUMENT OF MNEMONICS: http://www.medicalmnemonics.com Type of mnemonics: http://www.learningassistance.com Picmonics: picmonic.com

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CAPTIONS

Nancy Fuleihan Nancy Fuleihan was a member of UCF's first graduating class (UCF yearbook)

5:53 p.m. EST, February 11, 2013

UCF's College of Medicine has received full accreditation from the agency that accredits medical schools nationally.

Officials at the University of Central Florida made the announcement this afternoon at a news conference held just months before UCF's first class of medical students will graduate.

UCF President John Hitt and Dean Deborah German, standing in front of a small group of students who were wearing white coats, praised the medical school's staff and supporters for their hard work helping the fledgling program achieve its goal.

Earning accreditation, a rigorous process that takes years to complete, is critical. Medical students have to graduate from an accredited institution to qualify for medical residencies to complete their training and acquire their medical licenses.

"This achievement is a credit to the efforts of our outstanding College of Medicine staff members and faculty members," Hitt said, adding that it also is a testament to the generosity of community members, including scholarship donors.

The medical school opened with 41 students in 2009 in temporary facilities near the main UCF campus. Today, 280 students learn in a state-of-the-art building that is the centerpiece of Lake Nona's emerging Medical City.

In 2011, the medical school received provisional accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, a nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical schools in the United States and Canada.

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UCF medical school earns accreditation

ORLANDO, Fla.

Dozens of medical students who took a chance by enrolling at University of Central Florida saw their gamble pay off, as the medical school received full accreditation on Monday.

UCF's College of Medicine is now fully accredited, clearing the way to graduate the school's charter class of 41 students in May.

"Initially, many people questioned whether the plans for our College of Medicine would ever materialize," said UCF President Dr. John Hitt. "Today, our fully accredited medical college is part of a bustling medical city considered by many to be the biggest economic game changer for central Florida since Walt Disney World."

At Lake Nona, the med school's 170,000-square-foot building offers gleaming labs and the latest teaching technology.

"We're looking for students who want to roll up their sleeves and work shoulder to shoulder with their faculty, with their dean and make this the best it can be," said Dr. Deborah German of the College of Medicine.

For the first group of students, signing on at UCF was a bit of a leap of faith, but a few years ago they told Channel 9 they had no doubt the school, being built from the ground up, would one day be considered among the best in the world.

While UCF's first medical students didn't know four years ago if the school would earn accreditation, they did know one thing: They wouldn't end up in debt.

The class was the first in U.S. medical school history in which every student received a full scholarship.

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UCF medical school earns full accreditation

Mini Medical School
Fifth grade students at Baldwin Heights Elementary School in Greenville, Michigan completed their study of the human body with simulated surgeries conducted with operating room staff from Spectrum Health United Hospital.

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The Cell - One Minute Medical School
Dr Rob describes the common features of human cells. Posters: oneminutemedicalschool.com Dr Rob on: Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/oneminutemedicalschool Web - http://www.oneminutemedicalschool.com Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/1MinMedSchool

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By Conor Shine (contact)

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 | 2:46 p.m.

Plans for a new 280,000-square-foot building in Las Vegas could significantly improve the University of Nevada School of Medicines academic offerings in the valley. But building the new space near University Medical Center will come with a steep price tag, the medical schools dean, Thomas Schwenk, told Clark County commissioners on Wednesday.

Currently, the medical schools academic spaces are spread across a series of leased buildings and jerry-rigged classrooms and conference rooms near the UMC, which is owned by the county, Schwenk said.

The proposed $220 million, six-story building, on county-owned land at the northwest corner of Charleston Boulevard and Shadow Lane, would provide a central location for the school that includes classrooms, offices, a library, lecture halls and some lab space.

During his presentation, Schwenk referred to the building as another campus for the medical school, noting that the proposed Las Vegas building covers as much space as the four buildings that make up the medical school campus in Reno.

I believe this is a major campus that establishes the school as a major presence in Las Vegas; its not just another building, Schwenk said. We have very strong clinical programs lots of physicians, medical students and residents but we dont have the academic space. Thats the issue in Las Vegas.

Construction of the building will require a mix of state and donor funding, Schwenk said, which could be a challenge at a time when the state budget is tight.

Planning for the building is still in the preliminary stages, but it will likely be at least five years before it is completed.

The new Las Vegas building would improve the quality of education students receive and also could be a place for UMC staff to receive continuing education, Schwenk said.

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Dean details plans for $220 million medical school building near UMC

Florida International University announced Thursday that full accreditation has been granted to its Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.

FIU President Mark Rosenberg called the news one of the most significant moments in the history of FIU.

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education awarded full accreditation, the final step in a five-stage process that FIU has been working toward since it hired surgeon John Rock as dean of the school in 2006.

The news comes as the college gets set this spring to graduate its inaugural class of 33 students. The school is now in the midst of selecting its fifth class, which will consist of 120 candidates picked from 3,946 applicants.

Accreditation allows our students to realize their dreams of becoming licensed medical doctors, said Rock. Im proud of our faculty, our students, our clinical partners and what we have built together a medical school that educates clinically and culturally competent 21st century physicians.

The LCME is the accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in United States and Canadian medical schools. State licensing boards require graduation from an LCME-accredited school to be eligible for an M.D. license.

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FIU medical school gets full accreditation

WEST MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) With its inaugural class of 33 students set to graduate this spring, theHerbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University has been given full accreditation.

TheLiaison Committee on Medical Education bestowed the honor Thursday, something President Mark Rosenberg calledone of the most significant moments in the history of FIU, according to CBS4 News partner The Miami Herald.

The accreditation was the final hurdle in a five-step process since the school hired surgeon John Rock to lead the school as dean in 2006.

Accreditation allows our students to realize their dreams of becoming licensed medical doctors, Rock told the paper. Im proud of our faculty, our students, our clinical partners and what we have built together a medical school that educates clinically and culturally competent 21st century physicians.

The school is in the process of admitting its fifth class to the school, with 120 spots available to the more than 3,900 students who applied.

An accreditation from the LCME is required for all students graduation from thatinstitutionin order to be eligible to pass state licensing in the United States.

(2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)

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FIU Medical School Granted Full Accreditation

By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

Doctors who attended medical schools that limited gifts to students from pharmaceutical companies -- sponsored lunches, for example -- may be less susceptible to drug marketing, a study published last week in the BMJ found.

Researchers from Yale University looked at the prescribing practices of doctors who had attended one of 14 schools that were early adopters of such policies. They looked at how often the physicians prescribed Vyvanse or Invega, two heavily marketed drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia, over older, similar drugs.

Compared with doctors who attended the same schools before the gift ban was in place and peers from other schools, the physicians were less likely to prescribe the two marketed psychotropic drugs.

Increasingly, medical schools are sharpening policies prohibiting drug marketing on campus as researchers add to the evidence that it can influence physician attitudes and behavior over the long term.

The University of Massachusetts Medical School, for example, enacted a policy in 2008 prohibiting students from accepting gifts from drug and device makers. Harvard Medical School also bans pharmaceutical representatives from visiting campus, and companies cannot sponsor student events.

The Yale study found that the counter-effect on prescribing patterns was greater among students who attended schools with strict policies.

The study did not find a significant effect for a third drug, an antidepressant marketed as Pristiq. It is not clear why, but lead author Marissa King, associate professor of organizational behavior at the Yale University School of Management, said the drug is less commonly prescribed than the other two drugs studied.

The researchers evaluated the effects of gift restrictions only put in place as of 2004. They noted that much has changed since then, with more schools adopting policies or tightening their rules.

King said the study does not evaluate whether such policies could slow the acceptance by young doctors of potentially important new drugs. But, she said, my gut instinct is that if it is actually a radical breakthrough, physicians are going to adopt it anyway.

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Study: Gift bans in medical school affect doctors’ later prescribing patterns

Wits Medical School- Live at Lunch 2013

By: Karabo Molokwane

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Wits Medical School- Live at Lunch 2013 - Video

The best advice for medical school
While interviewing to be an ophthalmic technician, the Dr. gave me the best advice I #39;ve received for medical school. It will help me choose a specialty.

By: StudentDoctor Thompson

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