Growing The Latest In 16th-Century Medicine

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The Italian Renaissance Garden in New York's botanical gardens is inspired by the garden in Padua, Italy, created in 1545.

The Italian Renaissance Garden in New York's botanical gardens is inspired by the garden in Padua, Italy, created in 1545.

The Renaissance Garden at the New York Botanical Garden, a re-creation of a 16th-century medicinal garden, is so lush and colorful, it takes only a stroll through to absorb its good medicine.

The garden, part of a summer exhibit called Wild Medicine: Healing Plants Around the World, is a small-scale model of the Italian Renaissance Garden in Padua, Italy, Europe's first botanical garden.

The landscape includes Mediterranean flowers in multiple colors, fountains and odd plants that many people have never seen, like the opium poppy, with its unusual seed pods. The garden in Padua was created in 1545 as part of the University of Padua medical school, one of the earliest and most important medical schools in Europe.

The opium poppy is the most common source of opium and morphine.

The opium poppy is the most common source of opium and morphine.

"The medical school in Padua started in 1222," Gregory Long, president and CEO of the New York Botanical Garden, explains as he guides visitors through the garden. "The medical school, by the middle of the 16th century, had developed to the point where they had collected plants. Plants were coming into Venice from all over the world, and they were interested in studying their medical uses."

Medicinal plants are used by every culture around the world. Long says 25 percent of modern medicines are based on compounds that were originally derived from plants. Only about 1 percent of plants have actually been tested for medicinal properties they may contain.

Long says the garden at Padua was really a laboratory "to see what would be effective and what would not," he says. "And of course, sometimes plants are poisonous, so you have to be very careful. And sometimes a very good plant that's very helpful to you is poisonous if you take too much."

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Growing The Latest In 16th-Century Medicine

Medicine Park Celebrates 105 Years

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MEDICINE PARK, Okla._Medicine Park turned 105 years-old Thursday, and this weekend the town is celebrating the rich history of its past while looking to its bright future.

The cobblestone community was founded on July 4, 1908 by Oklahoma Senator Elmer Thomas. And Saturday people from all over the state came to Medicine Park to enjoy unique shops, good food, and lots of music.

Founded in 1908 as the first resort in Oklahoma, Medicine Park became known for its cobblestone buildings, scenic views, and the Native American belief in the healing waters of Medicine Creek. From the time it opened, people flooded to the area to visit what some called the "jewel of the southwest."

"Back in the 1920s, there were times when there were over a 120,000 people here. I don't know if we could handle that today but its coming back," said Medicine Park Mayor Dwight Cope.

In its heyday, Medicine Park was visited by famous outlaws, noted politicians and businessmen, families and socialites of the time. Medicine Park Mayor Dwight Cope said Saturday that the town is coming full circle after many highs and lows.

"It has been through all different kinds of times. It has seen good times and its seen bad times. It's kind of in a resurrection mode right now. The last 15 years it has kind of turned around and become a place where people can come have a good time and relax," said Cope.

And as visitors to Medicine Park enjoy a weekend filled with great music, food, and attractions. The 385 people who call Medicine Park home are excited to share the spirit of the town with its visitors.

"We want to share our community with people. We know it's a special place, and we like to share that," said Cope.

This weekend of celebration remembers the town's legacy and combines that history with its new era of prosperity.

"It's just a good place to hangout and get away from everything," said Cope.

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Medicine Park Celebrates 105 Years

Education notebook: Macon native to lead Morehouse medical school

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Morehouse School of Medicine President John E. Maupin Jr. will be retiring in a year, and Macon native Valerie Montgomery Rice will take the reins from him.

Rice, a Harvard-educated obstetrician and gynecologist, will become CEO of the school in July 2014. She was named executive vice president and dean in 2011. She will retain the position of dean when she becomes president next year.

Rice will become the nations first black woman to lead a free-standing medical school as chief executive officer, according to a statement from the school.

In 2010, the schools board of trustees approved a new leadership structure that would merge the roles of dean and president upon Maupins retirement.

Rice, an infertility expert, has served in several leadership positions at some of the nations most prestigious academic and health institutions. She received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Georgia Tech, a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed her training in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University Medical School and reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Hutzel Hospital in Detroit.

Miller wins national award

Catherine L. Miller, of Warner Robins, was named the recipient of the F. Gerald Ham Scholarship given by the Society of American Archivists. The award will be presented in August in New Orleans. The award is valued at $7,500.

Miller is a graduate student in the master of archival studies program at Clayton State University in Morrow. Miller, the 2004 Warner Robins High School valedictorian, was profiled in The Telegraph four years ago after she won an award for her research into the 1922 lynching of John Cocky Glover near Macon.

Perry students awarded scholarships

The Perry Kiwanis Club recently awarded its annual scholarships to two local students. Seth Schofill, a 2013 graduate of Perry High School, and Jessica Grace Springer, a 2013 graduate of The Westfield School, are the recipients, according to a news release.

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Medical school applications: maximise your medical mojo

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Students are told that there is a limited amount of work they can do to prepare for the aptitude test, but Joe Hamilton, a third-year medical student, told me otherwise. Hamilton was rejected by all four of his chosen universities the first time round. His below-par UKCAT mark was partly responsible. Two of the rejections I received were due to the fact that I did not score highly enough in the UKCAT. So how did he make sure he got a better score the following year? The second time around I did a two-day course in London and a lot more practice before sitting the test. He dramatically improved his score.

The course Hamilton took is run by Kaplan, an international exam-preparation organisation, and teaches techniques for answering questions from each section of the test. For instance, careful time-management counts: it is crucial that you attempt all sections, as often the questions that carry more marks are towards the end of the paper. Thats a useful insight, but at 315 the course is not cheap.

They say you cant prepare for the UKCAT, only familiarise yourself with the questions, Hamilton says. I found that was not the case and the more practice you do, the higher the score you will get. I know a lot of others who are at medical school with me now had exactly the same experience of the UKCAT.

Universities will also be looking for evidence that you are genuinely interested in medicine and have read widely around the subject, gaining insight into the NHS and health care generally. Dr Lawrence Seymour, a consultant in acute medicine at a teaching hospital, recommends starting as early as GCSE year. I would advise a would-be doctor to keep a folder and collect anything in the general press or from medical journals such as the BMJ [formerly the British Medical Journal] that relates to medical advances, new treatments anything that catches their interest.

Before applying, students should make sure they have a clear idea of what being a doctor is about, says David Bender, an emeritus professor of nutritional biochemistry at University College London, and a former member of the medical admissions team. Students thinking about applying to medical school should talk to doctors and medical students to find out what the course and the job is really like, he says. It is not all the glamour you see on television.

Nearly all medical schools require applicants to have some sort of health-care-related work experience. I asked Dr Patrick Harkin, the deputy director of medical admissions at the University of Leeds, what counted as relevant experience. Volunteering in a hospice is work experience, even if its not necessarily what you think of first. In fact, anything that has clinical relevance is work experience. Care homes, hospices, pharmacies, all places where something clinical is happening. You dont need a long list of placements, Dr Harkin says, as long as it is clear that you have learnt from what youve done. Its not about what you do; its about how much you get out of it. Some people get more out of a week than others get out of a month.

Having said that, working or volunteering in a clinical setting for a prolonged period of time is valuable. If you stick at something for six months, that shows dedication and an interest. If youve been at 15 different things we might start to wonder about your commitment, or your ability to get on well with other people.

Work experience can also enhance your vital communication skills. Leo Feinberg, president of the University of Birminghams MedSoc and a third-year medical student, volunteered in an acute medical unit, where he learnt what he says is one of medicines most important lessons: that Patients want to talk. They may be nervous, and they need someone to offload to.

Only three medical schools, Belfasts Queens, Edinburgh, and Southampton, do not interview prospective medical students. But certain medical schools place more emphasis on personal statements than others and information about this can be found on their websites. (Many universities provide a guide to writing the personal statement, as does Ucas.)

Dr Harkin stresses that a personal statement must concentrate on the individuals unique experiences relevant to their choice of career. Your personal statement is personal. It is about you. We are not after great prose. This is not a creative writing course. Hamilton agrees: Anything that I thought was relevant to my application, that I had gained something from, I put into my personal statement.

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Medical school applications: maximise your medical mojo

Buy GOLD to Protect Your LIBERTY – Andy Hoffman at the Liberty Mastermind Symposium – Video

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GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH! by Patrick Henry – FULL AudioBook | Greatest Audio Books – Video

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USA Independence Day: Statue of Liberty reopens on Fourth of July after Superstorm Sandy repairs – Video

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USA Independence Day: Statue of Liberty reopens on Fourth of July after Superstorm Sandy repairs
July 4 marks America #39;s Independence Day, and to commemorate this special day New York has reopened the Statue of Liberty. Liberty Island had previously been closed for about nine months after...

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Watch: Fireworks at the Statue of Liberty as US celebrates Independence Day – Video

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Watch: Fireworks at the Statue of Liberty as US celebrates Independence Day
The Statue of Liberty reopened on July 4, eight months after Superstorm Sandy shuttered the national symbol of freedom, as Americans around the country celebrated with fireworks and parades...

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Statue of Liberty reopens on Independence Day (+video)

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The Statue of Liberty reopening was a sign of recovery as the nation used the day to celebrate its independence in a wide variety of ways from fireworks tributes to fallen firefighters to parades, concerts, and hot-dog eating contests.

The Statue of Liberty finally reopened on the Fourth of July months after Superstorm Sandy swamped its little island as Americans across the country celebrated freedom and President Barack Obama urged citizens to live up to the words of the Declaration of Independence.

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The reopening was a sign of recovery as the nation used the day to celebrate its independence in a wide variety of ways from a solemn fireworks tribute to fallen firefighters to traditional parades and concerts to competitive hot dog eating.

In New York, a large crowd gathered for the holiday and ribbon-cutting ceremony at Liberty Island with federal officials and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Lines stretched blocks long for the boat, which left from Battery Park in Manhattan.

Rodney and Judy Long, of Charlotte, N.C., were the first people in line for the boat called Lady Liberty. They couldn't get tickets to climb to the top of the statue, but they were just glad to be there for the big reopening, they said.

"It's perfect timing for it to reopen. It's really a symbol for what the country is all about," Rodney Long said.

In Arizona, sober tributes were planned for 19 firefighters who died this week battling a blaze near Yarnell. Boston prepared to host its first large gathering since the marathon bombing that killed three and injured hundreds, and Philadelphia, Washington and New Orleans planned large holiday concerts.

Competitive eating Sonya Thomas defended her women's titles at the 98th annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Thomas, of Alexandria, Va., devoured 36 and three-quarters hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the women's competition at the annual Fourth of July Coney Island event.

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Statue of Liberty reopens on Independence Day (+video)