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Medical school apologizes for ‘I can’t breathe’ question on cardiovascular quiz: ‘insensitive and upsetting’ – The College Fix

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Danzig

UPDATED

Written long ago but resulted in a very painful trigger for many of you

Before I cant breathe became the rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement, the phrase was simply a direct way for patients to tell medical personnel that they couldnt breathe.

Medical patients may want to find a new way to convey their pulmonary distress, lest they be accused of triggering someone.

The Indiana University School of Medicine apologized to students for a question on a cardiovascular exam that included the phrase I cant breath[e], according to screenshots of the question (above) and message to seniors in All Sections (below) that were forwarded to The College Fix. The question reads:

A patient who missed dialysis suddenly becomes pale, diaphoretic, and screams, I cant breath! [sic] You glance at the monitor and notice the following rhythm. You are unable to palpate a pulse and initiate immediate CPR. The most appropriate next step in therapy is: [the options for answers are not visible]

The apology message, which is undated, was written by Daniel Corson-Knowles, assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine.

We are very sorry to have included content, specifically the words used to express difficulty breathing, within a case presented last week in the cardiovascular quiz in a context that was insensitive and upsetting due to the similarity to phrases associated with the killing of George Floyd and several other instances of police violence against black people in the U.S., he wrote. (The phrase took on political significance, however, because Eric Garner said it several times as New York City police pinned him down.)

Seeing the phrase in this context resulted in a very painful trigger for many of you, and the school adjusted this material as soon as we learned of this oversight on Friday, Corson-Knowles continued. (This is dubious: Robby Soave at Reason said he reviewed messages in an online chat forum from the class, which suggested most students did not seem personally offended by it, but rather were worried that others were offended.)

Corson-Knowles said the question was written long ago and reflected phrasing that patients might use when experiencing cardiac or pulmonary difficulties, but that does not excuse the school for not catching this very phrase and removing it when preparing the quiz material.

The professor added that the school was in the process of reviewing practices cases for the potential presence of intrinsic bias, microaggressions and other content that can help perpetuate stereotypes and affect how students feel, learn, perceive and treat their patients and how this translates into patients outcomes.

The medical student who shared the screenshots wrote in an email that the IU School of Medicine education overall has been effective at preparing me for a career in medicine, but this apology for a quiz questions phrasing is among the incidents that give me pause:

This is the most recent and most egregious example of the PC, trigger warning, and safe space culture that has permeated my education. [] I find it unacceptable and outrageous that my institution of medical education is not only allowing the training of physicians who can be upset and destabilized by extremely common patient presentations, but is consistently encouraging and supporting such an attitude. These are future physicians who will be expected to save lives in difficult circumstances. []

Ihave to say, this should be concerning for anyone who may find themselves in an emergency room in the future.

The student continued that many classmates expressed their outrage and fear at the prospect of being required to attend their clinical rotations during the beginning of COVID-19, slandered those who protested the lockdowns, audibly defamed the president and conservatives during class time, yet still had the ability to be active participants in the round of protests in Indianapolis and on the IU campus.

Other parts of the med school curriculum are feeding lack of trust in healthcare professionals, the student said, including required classes that teach us that transgenderism is not something to question and that gender identity can and should be chosen by pre-K children without any sort of parental interference or input.

UPDATE: Robby Soave at Reason said he reviewed classmates discussion of the quiz phrasing in an online chat forum, finding few personally offended by it. The new material has been added.

MORE: Georgetown med school will fight microaggressions for years to come

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Medical school apologizes for 'I can't breathe' question on cardiovascular quiz: 'insensitive and upsetting' - The College Fix

Medical Schools Taken To Task Over Racism, Hazing And Other Abuse : Shots – Health News – NPR

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Danzig

Health workers and others rallied in Seattle during a Doctors For Justice event on June 6, protesting police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death. Medical training needs a hard look too, doctors say: Students of color and LGBTQ people often bear the brunt of what can be a bullying culture. David Ryder/Getty Images hide caption

As doctors and nurses across the United States continue to gather outside hospitals and clinics to protest police brutality and racism as part of the White Coats for Black Lives movement, LaShyra Nolen, a first-year student at Harvard Medical School, says it's time to take medical schools to task over racism, too.

The fight for equality in medical education isn't new, says Nolen, the first black woman to serve as Harvard Medical School's student council president. But she's hopeful that the national conversation around racism in society will force hospitals and medical schools to address racism within their own institutions.

"It wasn't until over a week of riots that people started to pay attention," Nolen says. "We bring black med students to these institutions, and they fill quotas, and they make institutions look good. But we're not protecting them. We need to protect them."

Studies show that students of color and those who are LGBTQ are more likely than other classmates to experience mistreatment during their training. Research published earlier this year in JAMA Internal Medicine, for example, suggests that minority students are more likely to face discriminatory comments, public humiliation and inappropriate sexual advances during their medical education.

Nolen has been heartened by the outpouring of online and in-person activism she's seen, ranging from Twitter testimonials to opinion pieces in major medical journals. She's been involved in efforts at Harvard and nationally to combat racism in medical education.

But there is much work to be done, she says.

The JAMA Internal Medicine study of more than 27,500 medical students in 2016 and 2017 found that 38% of students nationwide from racial and ethnic groups that are under-represented in medicine including students who are black, Latino or Native American reported mistreatment. That's compared to only 24% of white students across the U.S. who said they had been mistreated during medical school.

The results raise questions, the study authors say, about racism in medical education and its implications for the persistently low numbers of people of color who become doctors.

"If these small disadvantages accrue throughout medical school, it could be contributing to keeping certain populations out of medicine," says Katherine Hill, the study's lead author and a medical student at Yale. "Discriminatory comments can have a negative impact both on the people who are targeted, and on bystanders."

Hill and her team used a data set known as the Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire. It's a survey about medical school experiences that almost every medical student completes right before graduation, covering topics ranging from student debt to how prepared they feel they are to practice medicine. The data in Hill's study included responses from about 72 percent of all med school graduates in 2016 and 2017.

Mistreatment during training was a major focus of the survey. Students were asked if they had been publicly humiliated, for example, or been asked to perform sexual favors in exchange for good grades, or been subjected to offensive remarks or names.

More than 35% of the students responding to the survey said they had experienced some kind of mistreatment during medical school.

"It's almost part of the medical school culture that a faculty member may try to embarrass you or humiliate you," says Dr. Dowin Boatright, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Yale and the study's senior author.

The roots of that bullying culture in medical training are complex, Boatright adds, but he guesses it often occurs in high-stress environments in the hospital, or because it's perceived as an accepted hazing ritual.

Previous research corroborates Boatright's observation that these kinds of experiences are common for students of all races, particularly during clinical training, when students are no longer in the classroom. During that clinical period, students are the least powerful members of a hierarchy, joining teams of medical residents and attending physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals as they care for patients.

What's new in his study, Boatright says, is just how much more likely minority students are to experience this harassment, bullying behavior and abuse.

Women and students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender were also more likely to experience mistreatment, whatever their race or ethnic group. Above 40% of women reported that they experienced mistreatment, compared to about 25% of men. Similarly, about 43% of LGBTQ students reported an incident of mistreatment, while just over 23% of heterosexual students did.

Boatright and Hill both note that not only are minority students more likely to experience racist or bigoted incidents, they are also more likely to experience mistreatment in general such as being humiliated in front of a team even when the harassment doesn't seem specifically related to race or ethnicity.

Take the experience of Dr. Michael Mensah, who had to listen as one of his professors repeatedly used the N-word at work when Mensah was a medical student in 2015 at the University of California, San Francisco.

Mensah, who is now a psychiatry resident at the University of California, Los Angeles, says he and colleagues were sitting in a hospital workroom at the time, listening to music as they prepared to round on their patients. A song came on that used the expletive. To Mensah's shock and to the shock of everyone else on his team his supervisor casually repeated the expletive multiple times.

"I had a repugnant choice: swallow my lump of anger and sadness to preserve group harmony, or risk my grade and reputation by confronting my superior," he wrote in a 2017 essay in JAMA Internal Medicine about the incident.

More than five years later, the words still sting.

"If that person was willing to speak so frankly to us, and so rudely ... Imagine how that person treats their patients of color," Mensah tells NPR.

While he says he heard from many other students who experienced racism during training physicians mocking non-white patients, peers telling their classmates of color they were accepted to medical school because of their race some other people who read the essay dismissed his experience as a one-time incident.

Instead of questioning whether structural racism might be built into medical training, they dismissed that supervising physician as "only one bad apple," Mensah says.

Evidence from the JAMA Internal Medicine study and others like it confirm that these types of racist incidents are common in health care.

"It really validates my personal experience, which is remarkable because of how isolating these experiences can be," he says. "It makes clear that I wasn't the only one to experience differential, unequal and discriminatory treatment. It helps me feel like what I went through wasn't my fault."

Mensah worries that the prevalence of mistreatment toward students of color, women, and LGBTQ students has another legacy: normalizing discrimination in health care, and ultimately affecting the way future doctors treat their patients.

"There's a direct link between this abuse and how some of our health care disparities play out," he says.

Now, Mensah is focusing much of his energy on addressing racism in health care institutions. He recently wrote, along with several co-authors, an op-ed in Scientific American about how the misuse of medical language in George Floyd's initial autopsy report overemphasized the role of coronary artery disease and hypertension in his death.

Mensah also spoke at a rally this month in Los Angeles sponsored by White Coats for Black Lives. But because there are still such persistently low numbers of black people working in medicine, Mensah found himself addressing a sea of white faces.

"I was the only black male there, unfortunately," he says.

Mara Gordon is a family physician in Camden, N.J., and a contributor to NPR. You can follow her on Twitter: @MaraGordonMD.

Joining the front lines: Texas medical residents begin rotations during the pandemic – Houston Chronicle

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Danzig

Tens of thousands of residents are beginning medical careers as a new wave of coronavirus patients threaten to overwhelm hospitals and the doctors who care for them.

Its not quite what these new doctors signed up for or expected when they entered medical school four years ago. But they are providing reinforcements to a stretched corps of health care providers desperate for help as cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, surge in Texas.

Dr. Rachel Boren, a pediatrics resident at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, heard the stories about doctors falling ill and, in some cases, dying from the coronavirus. Like many of her fellow residents, who graduated in May, she is nervous about entering the medicine when doctors and nurses are at high risk of contracting the disease.

At the same time, said Boren, 26, who graduated from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. I don't see another way because I think that all these patients need the best health care they can receive.

Boren and other new doctors are beginning careers at a particularly uncertain period for their profession and the health care industry. Not only must they contend with a global pandemic in the short-term, they also face the long-term prospect of working in health care systems stressed by a shortage of physicians.

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a shortage between 46,900 and 121,900 physicians by 2032 as the U.S. population grows at a faster rate than new doctors enter the health care system. At the same time, the nations aging population will require more care.

For patients, that would mean longer wait times for medical specialists, such as pulmonologists who focus on respiratory systems, and a worse shortage of doctors in rural and low-income communities, said Dr. Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges.

UNINSURED RATES: Report: 1.6 million Texans lost employer-sponsored health insurance

During the pandemic, hospitals are seeking all the help they can get. Texas loosened medical licensing requirements in March to allow retired nurses and doctors and medical practitioners with out-of-state licenses to treat patients.

The recently graduated residents are also boosting the local health care workforce, as infection rates rise in Houston, said Dr. Richard Hamill, who oversees the Baylor College of Medicines internal medicine residency program.

Hes divided his residents into three groups: the first as clinical workers on the front lines treating patients; the second as backup in case residents or attending doctors get sick and the third on standby, mostly studying for their board certifications and taking online classes focused on technical and policy issues in health care.

In the three months since the pandemic broke out, a handful of his doctors have contracted COVID-19 as well as other illnesses unrelated to the virus, leaving gaps in care for patients. Thats where the residents can fill in, he said.

Hamill said he sees parallels to his own residency, which he completed during the height of the AIDS/HIV pandemic in the 1980s. At the time, those doctors had few clues how HIV was transmitted or when a drug treatment or vaccine would be available.

None of the residents have backed off, Hamill said. A lot stepped up.

A lot are stepping up now. Dr. Daniel Bajwa, who in mid-June started his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, sees the pandemic providing an on-the-ground training experience that he would have never gotten otherwise. He expects his residency to be a long course in patient safety, giving extra care to prevent transmitting COVID-19 infection to patients who come the hospital for other reasons.

Bajwa, 28, also expects to encounter COVID-19 patients when he begins his rotation in the emergency room in July in the emergency department. He admitted hes worried about catching the virus.

At least for my sanity, I try not to dwell on that, he said.

Dr. Amy Engler, who began her residency as an internal medicine physician in mid-June, sees the opportunity to help when doctors are needed more than ever. Engler, 29, graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in March, and will stay at Baylor to complete her residency.

I feel the responsibility to my community to take care of my patients and be there for my city, she said.

NEW GRADS: Pompless circumstance: Houstons graduating class of 2020

Many other new and aspiring doctors feel the same way. Researchers at the Association of American Medical Colleges at one time worried that COVID-19 would scare students from the profession, worsening projected physician shortages.

But number of people applying to take medical licensing exams hasnt declined. Nor has the number of students wanting to become doctors.

People take a look at what we are doing, said Orlowski, the associations president, and theyre saying, you know, I want to have a profession like that. I want to be able to serve people, I want to be able to help them.

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Joining the front lines: Texas medical residents begin rotations during the pandemic - Houston Chronicle

COVID-19 Puts EMS Fellows to the Test at N.C. EOC – EMSWorld

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Danzig

Wake County EMS (N.C.) shared with us the following story.

For two medical fellows, the EOC is as much a classroom as a jobsite.

This springs sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has upended lives. Gatherings have been canceled, weddings postponed, businesses shuttered, families separated and, tragically, lives have been lost.

Yet, for some, this time of trial is an opportunity to grow and learn.

During the pandemic, the Wake County Emergency Operations Center is helping forge two future leaders of emergency medicine. The young doctors were wrapping up EMS fellowships at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine when the crisis hit, and since then, Dr. Johannah Merrill and Dr. Mariecely Luciano-Feijoo have served in equal measure alongside Wake Countys full-time emergency medicine staff in the EOClearning firsthand more they ever could about public health response from a text book.

This is a horrible thing to have happened, but Im glad it happened at this point in my training and not next year, when I wouldnt have had the experience that I have now, said Dr. Johannah Merrill, who will move to Massachusetts next month to become an EMS medical director.

For Dr. Mariecely Luciano-Feijoo, who was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the eventual goal is to take what shes learned stateside back home to improve her islands EMS system.

I could not have asked for better teaching than to be actively learning like this, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo said. It is easy to read and try to understand certain things, but theyre not easy to apply unless youve lived through them.

It takes a certain personality to thrive in EMS.

Where most grow flustered when a days plans go awry, these women thrive on the chaos of a day spent running from crisis to crisis. Sit them down for an interview, and they exude that powerful, calm sense of energy that comes with competence, and they look ready to leap into action at any moment.

Dr. Merrill, who graduated in 2016 from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in her hometown of Charlottesville, said the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of EMS work drew her to the field. In 2019, she completed a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.

Aside from the thrill of the job, Dr. Merrill said she appreciates being the first physician to see a patient after an emergency.

Some of a patients most critical moments occur in the pre-hospital environment, she said. Thats when we have a really big ability to make a difference.

For Dr. Luciano-Feijoo, COVID-19 is the second disaster to have shaped her career. She completed medical school in 2016 at the University of Puerto Rico and, the following year, Hurricane Maria hit during her residency in emergency medicine at a local hospital. In the days and weeks that followed, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo found her homes emergency medical infrastructure to be underfunded and out of date.

Our EMS system has a lot of limitations, and that did not help the Puerto Rican population in that kind of disaster, she said. That brought me to the states to get a better sense of a proper EMS system, and a better understanding of how I could bring that knowledge back to Puerto Rico.

The program at UNC-Chapel Hill caught her eye, because fellows split their time between Wake County and neighboring Orange County. Working with Wake County has allowed her to see whats possible in a large EMS system, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo said, and Orange County, which has about 1/7th of Wakes population, has taught her how to operate on a scale closer to what shell see back in Puerto Rico.

Although she didnt set out for a career in EMS, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo has a heritage of running toward disasters. Her mother, Celia Feijoo-Nieves, was one of the first two women to become firefighters in Puerto Rico in 1989. It was later that year, during a routine physical following her first big fire, an examiner told her she was pregnant.

So Ive been going into emergencies since before I was born, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo joked. And throughout my childhood, I sometimes went with my mother to emergencies on the fire truck when she was able to take me.

The fellows will tell you theyre learning a lot in the EOC, and most of that comes as a byproduct of hard work. Each takes turns rotating into the role of EMS medical director, which is a position with defined duties in the EOC command structure.

The days vary widelyjust how the doctors like italthough their time is spent planning and directing others rather than rendering aid. Wake County activated its EOC in response to COVID-19 on March 5 and, as the county moved to combat a never-before-seen virus, the fellows helped create new workflows and protocols for public health and EMS staff.

These days, Drs. Luciano-Feijoo and Merrill are working closely with facilities that have reported outbreaks, making sure theres follow-up on positive tests results and coordinating strike teams, along with any other tasks that arise throughout the day.

The EOC brings together staff from across disciplines to coordinate quick and decisive action. While Dr. Merrill has years of experience in EMS, she said her time in the EOC has helped her see how various departments fit together into the bigger picture of emergency management.

The thing thats been the most beneficial has been learning how to coordinate between a bunch of different services, such as fire and law enforcement, she said. They all have different priorities, because they have different things to worry about, and its been beneficial to see how that all fits together.

In addition to their long hours in the Wake County EOC, each doctor works shifts as attending physicians in the emergency department at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, and they provide telemedicine for troopers at the N.C. State Highway Patrol.

At the end of the month, Drs. Merrill and Luciano-Feijoo will complete their yearlong fellowships and begin the next chapter of their careers.

Dr. Merrill will head up to Lawrence, Mass., a city of about 80,000 near the border with New Hampshire, where shes slated to become the next EMS medical director at Lawrence General Hospital. She will have a few months as an attending physician to work alongside the current director before taking over.

While shes eager to get home to friends, family and tropical weather, Dr. Luciano-Feijoo will join the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill and spend another year working as an attending physician in the universitys hospitals. She plans to keep soaking up the best practices of how EMS operates in the states, and then shell work to understand how things can change back home.

I am not well-versed on the pre-hospital system in Puerto Rico yet, she said. Thats one of my next projects.

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the press release above belong solely to the company/vendor/author and do not necessarily reflect those of EMS World or HMP.

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Is the New Coronavirus Getting Weaker? What to Know – Healthline

Posted on June 14, 2020 by Danzig

COVID-19 cases may be on the rise in at least 20 states, but some doctors suspect the severity of the disease may be decreasing a bit.

Doctors at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) say people with COVID-19 dont seem to be getting as sick, and those who recently tested show a lower viral amount than what was being detected in people earlier in the pandemic.

According to the doctors at UPMC, the number of COVID-19 patients needing ventilators has also decreased.

A similar trend was recently observed in Italy.

One Italian doctor suggested the new coronavirus was weakening, as some people in Italy newly diagnosed with an infection showed a smaller viral load than those who were tested a month ago.

But health experts are skeptical.

Many say theres not enough evidence to conclude that the virus is, in fact, losing steam.

The changes in severity may have less to do with mutations within the virus itself, and more so with improvements in treatment and testing.

Health experts say theres no evidence the new coronavirus has mutated into a weaker version.

Research has shown the virus mutated already, which is normal for a virus, but theres no proof its going through more mutations affecting the severity of the disease it causes.

I dont think we have evidence of this yet, says Dr. Heidi Zapata, a Yale Medicine infectious disease doctor and assistant professor at the medical school. The study concluded that most of the mutations were largely neutral and did not affect its lethality.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar for Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, suspects the changes in the new coronaviruss behavior are caused by multiple factors the first of which is testing.

At the start of the pandemic, we hadnt yet ramped up testing, and there were delays between when people developed symptoms and when they were tested.

Now its become routine to test people for COVID-19 earlier in the disease process.

Were also testing more people with milder symptoms who may have lower viral loads, according to Adalja.

We are getting much better at testing, and we test much quicker now, Adalja said.

Another theory is that people may be getting infections with lower-infecting doses of the virus.

With physical distancing, peoples exposure to infectious viral material is likely much less than it was before safety guidelines were mandated.

The amount of the virus a person is exposed to when they get an infection might influence their later viral loads, according to Adalja.

It may be that people are getting infected with a lower amount of virus now because so much social distancing has been put into place, Adalja said.

One of the bigger questions about COVID-19, especially as we dive into summer, is if the warmer weather will affect transmission. Its a possibility infectious disease experts have toyed at for months.

Zapata says its definitely a possibility that environmental factors like ultraviolet light, heat, and humidity are influencing the viruss behavior. For example, influenza becomes more transmissible during the winter months due to the cold, dry air.

However, we still dont know for certain how weather and the environment will affect the new coronavirus, Zapata notes.

Early studies find heat and dry air may help keep the virus from surviving on surfaces. But the virus is mainly spread via peoples respiratory droplets, not through surface contamination.

One should note that rising COVID-19 in tropical countries may go against the idea that with summer will come the end of COVID-19, Zapata said.

Just look at whats unfolding in South America, where countries like Brazil, Chile, and Peru have become new epicenters of the pandemic.

Its much more plausible that physical distancing has led to a decline in cases in some areas.

This most likely has to do with the effectiveness of social distancing and the precautions we are taking, Zapata said.

Its worth noting that SARS the coronavirus that struck in 2003 mysteriously burnt out 7 to 8 months after it had been spreading.

Scientists still dont understand how or why SARS died out.

COVID-19 and SARS share genetic material, but SARS was much easier to contain since all people with an infection had symptoms.

With this new coronavirus, many people with infections are asymptomatic, making it difficult to blunt the spread of the virus and disease.

We dont have clear answers as to why the virus appears to be changing.

I think its important to study to see whats going on, Adalja said.

Researchers will have to look at all the patients and their disease characteristics at the start of the pandemic and now to identify any changes in peoples viral loads or disease trajectories.

Adalja says we need more data to help us understand if there is a real phenomenon going on here, or if its a testing artifact.

Some doctors say people with COVID-19 dont seem to be getting as sick, and that people recently tested are showing a lower viral load compared to those who tested positive for COVID-19 a few months ago.

Health experts say it doesnt look like the virus has mutated to be weaker, but this observation is likely a result of amplified testing capabilities and increased physical distancing measures.

More research is needed before scientists can say whether this is a phenomenon or simply due to better testing.

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Is the New Coronavirus Getting Weaker? What to Know - Healthline

After an ‘Anticlimactic’ Virtual Goodbye, Dell Medical School’s Inaugural Class Heads to the Front Lines of the Pandemic – Pulitzer Center on Crisis…

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

Its a really weird time for us because I feel like we've worked so hard to get here, and we were really excited to celebrate this accomplishment, and it just kind of has fizzled out, said Ariane Lemieux, 27, who will be completing her internal medicine residency in Dallas. The worst part, I would say, is not being able to say goodbye and thank you to all my mentors and friends that I've made through med school that I would consider my family now. It's not being able to close the book.

Edwards said graduating during a pandemic feels anticlimactic.

The saddest part is that all of this happens so fast that I haven't been able to see my classmates in person in two months, and we're not all going to be in the same place at the same time again, maybe ever, Edwards said. It's not the way that I pictured med school ending, especially being the first class. When we came in, we were the only students in the building, and so we really felt like it was ours, and we really bonded like a family.

This year, Match Day when graduating medical students across the country simultaneously open their match letters to discover where they will be completing their residencies for the next three to seven years fell at 11:00amMarch 20. But instead of ripping apart envelopes at their planned brunch with classmates and family, Dell Medical students had to settle for clicking open emails together over Zoom.

People could raise their hand when they wanted to announce, said Lemieux, who organized the virtual celebration with a classmate. They would tell everybody on Zoom ... I'm going to Portland, and we all cheer. Except you actually can't hear everybody because everyone's on mute.

Clinical rotations for Dell Medical students were also canceled in March. Instead of caring for patients face to face, Lemieux finished the requirement from home, compiling and sharing resources on how to talk to patients with COVID-19 and their families. Similarly, she completed her intensive care unit requirement via online modules and virtual simulations.

But Lemieux and other students were still able to contribute from home through Dell Medicals newly created global pandemic elective. They performed screenings and contract tracing, worked on models and helped shape Austins policy response, among other tasks, Johnston said.

I think it was, oddly, a really good way to redirect them, Johnston said, because now they've got all of that knowledge and experience, which they're going to absolutely need in their new jobs after graduation.

For now, Lemieuxs hospital in Dallas isnt allowing residents to treat COVID-19 patients in an attempt to limit the number of people exposed to the virus. But graduates like Edwards, who is heading to Detroit to complete his residency in emergency medicine at Henry Ford Hospital, will be thrust onto the front lines almost immediately.

He and his wife, Kate Spitz, who also graduated from Dell Medical this week and matched at the same hospital, recently returned from a house-hunting trip to Michigan. Last month, they canceled their wedding and got married over Zoom. Later, they nixed their honeymoon.

But as much as they had to give up, Edwards said hes more eager than ever to get to work. His biggest fear is giving coronavirus to somebody else. Edwards and Spitz are already plotting out logistics toprevent that from happening, like keeping the COVID laundry from the regular laundry and driving a COVID car and a non-COVID car.

We just want to take every precaution because we believe this is real, Edwards said. We know this is real.

For Edwards, the COVID-19 crisis has only reinforced why he left engineering to go into health care. But he said the pandemic has also spurred in him another feeling of responsibility.

I think the medical field as a whole is kind of disappointed in the public to see how much misinformation has been really touted and trotted out as the truth, Edwards said. And I think it's incumbent on my generation and my classmates to really gain the trust of the public back.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin and Austin Mayor Steve Adler, a former Texas Tribune board chairman, have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of themhere.

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After an 'Anticlimactic' Virtual Goodbye, Dell Medical School's Inaugural Class Heads to the Front Lines of the Pandemic - Pulitzer Center on Crisis...

Medical school bound and inspired to achieve – UofSC News & Events – @UofSC

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

Posted on: May 28, 2020; Updated on: May 28, 2020By Chris Horn, chorn@sc.edu, 803-777-3687

Bryce Jerin isnt an international student he grew up in Harrisburg, North Carolina, near Charlotte. But spending the first eight years of his life in India indelibly shaped Bryces view of life, education and what matters most.

Bryce Jerin walks around campus with his grandfather.

I consider myself much more American than Indian, but because I had Indian perspectives instilled in me at a very young age, I never really let go of that, says Jerin, an Honors College graduate who majored in experimental psychology. In India, its God, education and family, and thats how every family sees their life. They focus on their religion, on sending their children to school and making sure they do well.

Jerin certainly checked the do well box in college. Hes graduating summa cum laude and with leadership distinction in peer and civic engagement, having served as a supplemental instructor for five semesters. Engaging with others is why he chose South Carolina a large university with opportunities to cross paths with a lot of people. Thinking back to my first semester, I really enjoyed getting to meet a lot of new people, many of whom I am still friends with, says Jerin.

I also became really involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, a pre-professional honors society for students pursuing health care fields, where I made a lot of friends, got the chance to develop relationships with professionals in the health care field, and ended up becoming the chapter president. It helped me gain a lot of perspective and receive advice for how to get into medical school.

He credits Eileen Korpita, director of the Office of Pre-professional Advising, for his destination this fall the universitys School of Medicine campus in Columbia. She connected me with a lot of opportunities and gave me perspective on how to write my personal statement in the application. She was also just an awesome person to talk to.

Jerin also points to Erin Gatrone, his organic chemistry professor, and Charles Schumpert, his biochemistry professor, with inspiring him to do well in two challenging courses. But when it comes to inspiration, no one can really compare with his grandfather, the man who helped raise him in those early years in India.

Because I never really had a dad, my grandpa has always been a father figure to me. When he called me and said he was planning on coming to visit me in America, I could not hold my excitement. Even in his old age, my grandpa traveled over three days and thousands of miles to come all the way to the university to see where I lived, offer valuable life advice, and remind me of where I came from.

We took a walk through my favorite place on campus, the Horseshoe, and he told me in our native language, Whatever you do, whoever you become, always remember to thank God for the blessings you have been given in this life. I will always cherish the memory of that walk, and I am grateful for the support, guidance and values he instilled in me since my childhood.

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Topics: Students, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, South Carolina Honors College

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Considering an MD-PhD program? Here’s what you should know – American Medical Association

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

For potential medical students with a passion for science and research, an MD-Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) dual degree program may hold some appeal. Because its a path that differs from the traditional medical school trajectory, here are a few things that students weighing this less-traveled road should keep in mind.

Medicine can be a career that is both challenging and highly rewarding, but figuring out a medical schools prerequisites and navigating the application process can be a challenge unto itself. TheAMA premed glossary guidehas the answers to frequently asked questions about medical school, the application process, the MCAT and more.

There are fewer MD-PhD programs, and they accept fewer students than traditional MD programs. According to a recent survey conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)"The National MD-PhD Program Outcomes Studyin 2016 there were 1,936 MD-PhD program applicants, 649 matriculants and 602 graduates.

Looking over the past few years of medical school matriculation data, roughly 20,000 new students matriculate each year. Considering that there are significantly fewer spots, MD-PhD program applicants are likely going to need to apply to more programs.

Now in the first year of his PhD researchafter completing two years of medical schoolat the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Drayton Harvey applied to 30 MD-PhD programs.

Its not just hard to get in, its hard to survive and thrive during the process to fulfill the requirements of both becoming a medical doctor and a PhD, said Harvey, an AMA member. If you dont have the passion, it could be very daunting.

Learn the pros and cons of pursuing a dual degree.

Most MD-PhD programs grant entrants tuition-free training. In addition, most students in those tracks earn a stipend, which according to the AAMC report, can be as high as $38,000 annually. Harvey believes that the potential savings on education shouldnt be your top motivation for entering an MD-PhD program.

[The lack of tuition] is a very attractive aspect, especially with the cost of medical education being what it is, Harvey said. But it is an incredibly competitive process to get in and during that process it is really easy for interviewers to pick up on that you are doing this for the wrong reasons.

The average MD-PhD program length, according to the AAMC report, is eight years. So, in attending an MD-PhD program, youre doubling your time in medical school. When factoring in residency training and, for those who have aims on fellowship, an MD-PhD students training can extend well beyond a decade.

The best advice I got was once you are accepted into a program and you show up on day one, you have started your career, Harvey said. You are at your job working every single day. You are not waiting to get to a career point. That is helpful for students, instead of focusing on how long-term the training process is, you can center yourself on the fact that [getting in] is an amazing accomplishment. You are in your career. Its called professional school for a reason.

Learn how research experience can strengthen your medical school application.

Of MD-PhD program alumni, according to the AAMC report, the vast majority either work as faculty members at U.S. medical schools or work for the for the National Institutes of Health, research institutes, industry and federal agenciesin the COVID-19 pandemic the value of these rules has been reinforced.

As far as specialty, a survey conducted by the AAMC of more than 4,600 MD-PhD physicians found that the most popular specialties among that group were:

It is worth noting that the list above excludes other, a specialty designation selected by 7.1% of respondents.

Within specialties, MD-PhD degrees were most common among physicians in:

Have peace of mind andget everything you need to start medical school off strong.

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Considering an MD-PhD program? Here's what you should know - American Medical Association

Agents of Health and Hope – Harvard Medical School

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic,Harvard University and Harvard Medical School held virtualgraduation ceremonies this year to ensure the health and safety of the Harvard communities. In-person celebrations will take place at a later date.

For the more than 100 Harvard Medical School masters and MD-PhD students this year, the global coronavirus pandemic did not get in the way of their formal passage into a changing world of medicine and biomedical research.

It's a worldthat, perhaps now more than ever, will need their intellect and dedication, master's studentswere told during their online graduation ceremony on May 28.

Read more about HMS/HSDM Commencement and Class Day

For thousands of years, humanity has been plagued by outbreaks that ravaged societies, like todays pandemic. Smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella and others stayed with us for centuries until scientists and medical professionals persevered and found cures and treatments to make our world healthier and safer, said keynote speaker Laurie Glimcher,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute president and CEO, HMS alumna,andthe Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at HMS.

This is now your time, she added. You are being called to do your part to be agents of health and use the power of science, combined with your own curiosity, talent and training to solve the problems that plague humanity today, from Alzheimers to heart disease to cancer and more. And yes, to rid the world of the novel coronavirus and prevent the next epidemic.

The 126 masters graduates were told that their skills will be needed as they enter hospitals and labs.By being agents of health, Glimcher said, they will also be agents of hope for humanity, adding that people all over the world are putting their hope and faith in science like never before.

Yes, the challenges weve faced for the last several months are unprecedented, Glimcher said. But when you are tested, you must respond by harnessing all of your determination, creativity and innovationand those special traits of hard work, dedication and commitmentto continue making progress for all the patients and their loved ones who are counting on you.

The masters graduates received degrees from eight HMS masters programs: bioethics, biomedical informatics, clinical investigation, global health delivery, health care quality and safety, immunology and medical education as well as the Schools first masters degrees in clinical service operations. The grads hailed from every continent except Antarctica, said HMS Dean George Q. Daley, in his congratulatory remarks.

Weve all had to rapidly adapt to a new normal, and that has not been easy, Daley said. Many of you have had to endure even longer separations from your families than you had planned. Many of you have confronted unexpected health care burdens from the COVID-19 pandemic, both in your own lives and in your service in medical, scientific, policy and related spheres.

The current health crisis has impacted every one of us, and yet you persevered.

But, Daley added, Although the pandemic adds a bittersweet tinge to what should be a joyous occasion, I will say this to you as solace: If you can get through this, you can get through anything.

Dean for Graduate Education Rosalind Segal told the graduates, many of whom already hold advanced degrees or work as practicing physicians or health care professionals, that all of the HMS masters degree programs share a goal of further training future leaders who can advance the worlds understanding of disease and improve care for patients everywhere.

This pandemic this year highlights why this goal is so critical, Segal said. The graduates of each program are well prepared to deal with repercussions of the new coronaviruswhether it is the immunologists deciphering the immune response to SARS-COV-2, the biomedical informaticians who can rapidly identify the novel sequences and determine which have been infected by virus, the clinical investigators who can test new therapies, or the leaders in clinical service operations who can rearrange clinical care to deal with a crisis, she said.

In a separate online ceremony on May 26, the 18 graduates of the Schools MD-PhD program gathered with faculty and loved ones to celebrate what for some has been a five-to-nine-year academic journey.

Their celebration opened with a video montage featuring candid photos of the gradssix women and 12 menthrough their years at HMS and MIT, at poster sessions, picnics, retreats, beach outings and on the HMS Quad. Dean Daley, himself an MD-PhD graduate, toasted their achievement and told them you will be the ambassadors of the best that HMS has to offer.

Loren Walensky, director of the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD program and an HMS professor of pediatrics, served as master of ceremonies, telling the grads that earning their dual degrees has prepared them well for the many different kinds of careers they will be pursuing,adding that the coronavirus pandemic has made them soldiers on the frontlines, running toward the fire.

COVID-19 is the crisis that came without a fire drill, but you are uniquely ready to make a difference, he said. In the hospitals, in the laboratory, in the public health sector or in the government.

He told them that their graduation would be more memorable than most due to a once in a hundred years global pandemic, and thatupon graduation they will no longer be students and everything will change. From now on, he said, they will be responsible for the medical judgments and decisions they make.

"Did the intervention you made that day help the patient? Did it neither help nor hurt? Was your decision wrong or even harmful?These are the questions that come with being ultimately responsible for the well-being of another human being.You will now have influence over the healing process and as much of an enormous responsibility as it is, the more responsibility you take on, the more deeply fulfilling your doctoring will be," he said.

He told those who will be pursuing research that they will assume responsibility for creating solutions in the lab that will improve human health.

I promise you that there will always be an army of people sitting there, waiting to tell you that your idea stinks and that your plan isnt doable, he said. Part of assuming the responsibilities you assume today is to harness the confidence and the fortitude to stay focused on what you believe in. This is not a 100-meter dash. Its a marathon. So, you have to stay laser-focused on what you believe in, so that you, yourself, can go the distance.

Three student speakers, David Cox, Amy Li and Sana Raoof, addressed their classmates to discuss what their years in the program have meant to them, recalling how awestruck they were by the talent and intellect of their classmates.

In this program, excellence is the standard, not the exception, said Cox, who spoke lovingly of his mentor, Feng Zhang,an accomplished CRISPR scientist who believed in me.

Li, the new mother of a six-month-old, thanked her parents for helping her get to the finish line to earn her degree. She said she learned the most from the many shots that I missed, and she said her classmates were the best part of her nine-year journey.

We felt each others losses and we also celebrated together, Li said.

Raoof also thanked faculty and leadership, and she also recognized her classmates.

"I thank the graduates of the MD-PhDprogram. We have all, in some ways, provided great inspiration for each other. We helped each other writing our F30s, helped each other get fellowships, warned each other about weird things happening on the wards, and also created memories together year after year," she said. "We have all taken slightly different paths, but Ihope we all got to the same place by the end to be proud of ourselves and excited for the next chapter."

The HMS masters program has grown rapidly, and Segal said 110 students will continue with their training this year while 184 new students will begin their programs in the fall. This years graduates specialized in the following areas:

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Agents of Health and Hope - Harvard Medical School

The Real World of Global Health – Rutgers Today

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

The first graduates of New Jersey Medical Schools global health distinction program talk about what theyre thinking and feeling as they careen into the medical profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Asmi Panigrahi was accepted to New Jersey Medical School, she was eager to become a doctor who would help patients in ways that extend beyond medicine. She applied and was accepted to the schools Distinction Program in Global Health, joining its inaugural cohort and embarking upon a curriculum that would enrich her medical worldview to incorporate social determinants of health and principles of health equity.

She knew it would be tough to balance the medical school requirements with the global health program, which includes field experiences, didactic learning, leadership expectations, and a capstone project. And she would embrace the schools host city of Newark, learning how its most vulnerable residents need more than access to quality health care in order to lead productive lives.

But she never could have imagined what the world would be like during her final term at NJMS, when she made the hard-earned transition from medical student to M.D.

The COVID Class

Panigrahi and her NJMS classmates, including three other students in the global health distinction programs Class of 2020, graduated in April, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. And Newark is within an epicenter of activity: 34 percent of the nations 1.6 million COVID-19 cases are within the tristate area of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, and 35 percent of those cases have been in New York City, which is Newarks neighbor to the east.

This twist of fate has prompted the first-ever graduates of the medical schools global health distinction program to reflect upon their time at Rutgers and what lies ahead. Two of these new doctors, Panigrahi and classmate Nemesis Y. Hazim-Liriano, talk about what theyre thinking and feeling as they careen into the medical profession at a time when everyone is concerned about global health.

Asmi Panigrahi, M.D.

This is a major milestone in your life, and youre experiencing it through the filter of an infectious disease pandemic. Whats on your mind?

Panigrahi: As one of the 30,000 newest physicians entering our nations workforce during the coronavirus pandemic, I am reminded of the privilege it is to be joining a profession that is, in its essence, wholly dedicated to healing.

Has your understanding of global health changed since you started medical school?

Panigrahi: Yes, definitely. Ive realized that there are innumerable roles that physicians ultimately take on in the global health space, from drafting international policy to conducting biomedical research to leading short-term medical missions to practicing long-term overseas, just to name a few. Attending medical school in the incredibly diverse Newark community revealed to me, time and again, how global health also encompasses local and community health, especially in todays increasingly globalized world.

Nemesis Y. Hazim-Liriano, M.D.

How has the pandemic influenced your outlook for this next chapter of your medical education and career?

Hazim-Liriano: Ive been a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army since 2016. When the military match for residency training took place last December, I was so excited to start work as an orthopaedic surgery intern. Given the current circumstances, Ive had to mentally prepare myself to work in whatever area we may be needed. As medical students, though, weve always had to find ways to integrate ourselves wherever we can help. I found my niche helping the COVID team at University Hospital in Newark with interpreting in Spanish and doing follow-up calls for patients that have been tested and discharged.

Looking back on your medical school experience at NJMS, what lessons will you draw upon as you begin your residency?

Panigrahi: I am so deeply grateful tothe entire Newark community andall of my patients throughout medical school who have taught me the most important aspects of my medical education. Though social determinants of health has increasingly become a buzzword in health care, the reality of caring for patients in Newark instills far more than any textbook or journal article could attempt to impart when it comes to issues ranging from access to health care to housing stability to immigration status. Advocating for patients was a daily act that I witnessed my peers, seniors, and attending physicians engage in, and advocacy is viewed as an essential component of patient care. That has deeply influenced me and will always be a part of my own practice of medicine.

How will your global health mindset influence your medical practice?

Hazim-Liriano: Ive learned that sustainable global health can work in many ways, and that includes working with global populations right at home. For instance, providing language support to all non-English-speaking patients, hosting health screenings and workshops within local immigrant communities, and mentoring younger students from underrepresented minority groups so that they, too, can help bridge the gaps that lend to these populations being disproportionately affectedby not just COVID, but by many of the chronic illnesses we commonly see. This pandemic has brought some of those concerns to a brighter light, and I hope that it drives change in insurance policies and access to care.

Case Study of the Century

Nearly 200 NJMS medical students graduated in Aprilvirtually and a month early.

We were looking forward to being at graduation to congratulate this first cohort as they received their diplomas with the Distinction Program in Global Health notation on it, says Harsh Sule, associate professor of emergency medicine and, along with associate professor of surgery Ziad Sifri, a founding director of the distinction program. Sule and Sifri also are core faculty members of Rutgers Global Health Institute.

In the shadow of this pandemic, it is essential that all health workers have a basic understanding of global health and its very real impact on their own immediate surroundings, Sule says. Global health is not just about helping people in other countries, a common misconception. It has security implications for the U.S. and the world, and it is intertwined with many other factors, such as food insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and mental health.

Both Sule and Sifri have been juggling their academic responsibilities with their clinical roles as physicians at University Hospital. At the height of the outbreak, Sule was working with emergency department teams to manage a large volume of COVID-19 patients, including several in critical condition. As director of the emergency medicine residency program at NJMS, he makes sure there is adequate clinical coverage by resident physicians in the emergency department while also ensuring their safety. Sifri, part of the hospitals frontline trauma team, assesses and manages patients presenting with acute trauma and unknown COVID-19 status. He also was part of a surge team that managed critically ill patients in a flexible intensive care unit space. (Read more about University Hospitals transformation during the pandemic.)

If there is one thing the pandemic has shown us, Sule says, its something those of us in global health have discussed for a long time: the world is interconnected, and health issues, especially infectious diseases, do not respect borders.

Congratulations to the four medical students who graduated from New Jersey Medical School with a Distinction in Global Health. They graduated on April 13, and their medical degrees will be conferred officially on May 31 as part of the Rutgers University Commencement virtual celebration.

Nemesis Y. Hazim-Liriano

Capstone project: Distribution of Aedes aegypti Arboviral Infections in the Dominican Republic

Residency: orthopaedic surgery, Tripler Army Medical Center

Thobekile Ndlovu

Capstone project: Medical Students and Pre-Departure Orientations: Are Medical Students Adequately Prepared for Global Health Experiences?

Residency: global child health pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine

Asmi Panigrahi

Capstone project: Incorporation and Implementation of WHO Medical Donation Guidelines Within the International Relief Community

Residency: internal medicine and preventive medicine, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco and University of CaliforniaSan Francisco

Nicole Silva

Capstone project: Portuguese-Speaking Populations: Local and International Outreach

Residency: neurosurgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine

COVID-19 data sources: CDC.gov, NYC.gov

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The Real World of Global Health - Rutgers Today

Lifesaving Protections – Harvard Medical School

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

States that have adopted gender-minority nondiscrimination rules for private health insurance policies slowed an epidemic of mental illness, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among transgender and gender-diverse people, compared with states that do not offer such protections, according to new research from Harvard Medical School.

The study findings, published May 6 in JAMA Psychiatry, reveal that in states that enacted such protections between 2014 and 2016, the rate of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation, collectively known as suicidality, dropped by as much as 50 percent among gender-minority individuals in the year following the adoption of the rules, compared to states that did not have nondiscrimination policies.

While overall rates of suicide attempts among transgender people increased over the eight years of the study, they did so to a markedly lesser degree in states where the policies were enacted, the study found.

Get more HMS news here

The study results underscore the potent effect of policies that prevent discrimination in health care, the researchers said.

Science tells us that the stress people experience from discrimination can cause serious health problems, including mental health conditions and suicidality said Alex McDowell, astudent in the PhD Program in Health Policy at Harvard University and lead author of the study. Interactions with the health care system should improve the health of transgender and gender-diverse individuals, rather than be an additional source of stress.

Additionally, the study authors say, nondiscrimination rules may boost peoples sense of safety and trust in their health care providers, a known predictor of better health outcomes.

The study compared changes in rates of suicidality and rates of mental health hospitalizations among privately insured gender-minority individuals, before and after the policies were put in place. Suicidality for gender-minority individuals decreased or stayed the same for individuals living in states that adopted antidiscrimination policies compared with those living in states that did not, the analysis showed.

Multiple studies have shown that across the United States, Canada and Europe, more than 20 percent of gender-minority people report that they have attempted suicide in their lifetime. This includes people who identify as transgender, nonbinary and other gender-diverse identities. More than 10 percent report attempting suicide within the last year. Researchers estimate that suicidality among transgender people is as much as five times higher than among the overall population. Past research shows that this epidemic of suicidality is associated with stress related to various forms of discrimination.

These findings are consistent with evidence showing that when it comes to mental health, gender-minority people fare better if they have access to gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery, receive care from knowledgeable health care professionals, and are protected by nondiscrimination laws.

The nondiscrimination policies may also be easier to implement than expected, the researchers said. Many states that have already enacted these policies have done so in the form of a bulletin or memo released by the state insurance division that amends an existing insurance nondiscrimination policy. For example, some states that had an existing policy prohibiting discrimination by private insurers on the basis of sex simply added gender identity to the policy, which avoided potentially controversial negotiations that might otherwise be needed to enact the new rules.

Also, because these policies do not necessarily require private health insurers to cover gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery but rather prohibit categorical exclusion of these services from their policies, the policies do not automatically mean increased health care spending.

For these reasons, the researchers said, health insurance nondiscrimination regulations may offer a mechanism for reducing barriers to care and mitigating discrimination for gender-minority individuals.

People are hurting, even dying because of discrimination, said Sherri Rose, senior author of the study and HMS associate professor of health care policy in the Blavatnik Institute. This study shows the potential for great health benefits that can come from relatively simple policy changes.

Co-authors include Julia Raifman of the Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health; Ana Progovac of the Health Equity Research Lab at Cambridge Health Alliance and the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

This work was supported by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

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Lifesaving Protections - Harvard Medical School

Breaking down the stats on UB’s spring of distance learning – UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff – University at Buffalo Reporter

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

By DAVID J. HILL

There are probably other phrases that would do justice to the spring semester transition to distance learning. But this one seems most appropriate: zoom, zoom!

UB faculty, staff and students participated in 46 days of remote learning, a change necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of those five weeks, 31,380 UB students took part in more than 5,580 courses in Blackboard.

And, heres the real whopper of a stat: 78,953 sessions using the Zoom videoconference platform accounting for 32,414,240 minutes. Thats over 540,000 hours, according to the computing prowess of Google. And if you keep going down that rabbit hole which UBNow of course did it amounts to 61 calendar years worth of Zoom sessions.

Shifting course content to distance learning was no easy task, and I applaud the efforts of UBs dedicated faculty and staff who made that happen without sacrificing the quality of education, says Graham Hammill, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School.

Here are some other amazing stats provided by UBIT:

To be sure, the technological undertaking of all this was no small feat.

I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to our 2,509 professors and other instructors. To UBIT, including our 400 staff and student workers, my heartfelt gratitude for your professionalism and commitment to UB. Without you, the spring semester might have been much different. Finally, to the 150 IT professionals across the schools, colleges and administrative units, thank you for your partnership, says Vice President and Chief Information Officer J. Brice Bible.

Bible attributes the smooth transition to these keys to success:

Dilpreet Kaur, a first-year student in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, praised Jacobs School faculty members in a story that aired on Spectrum News Buffalo about how medical education changed this spring.

Its definitely a difficult transition watching patient interactions on YouTube. Its not how I thought Id be doing medical school for the first year. But I think UB has done a great job integrating the programs that they had available, Kaur said.

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Breaking down the stats on UB's spring of distance learning - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo Reporter

Coronavirus Pandemic: The New Normal for Medical Communities and American Society (a virtual event) – wgbh.org

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

Coronavirus Pandemic: The New Normal for Medical Communities and American Society (a virtual event)

Please join FRONTLINE for an important discussion about the present and future effects of the coronavirus on medical professionals, as well as an exploration of the public health considerations as states begin to re-open amidst various pandemic guidelines. The conversation will feature clips from FRONTLINE's film Inside Italy's COVID War which shows a behind-the-scenes look at the difficult decisions Italian ER physician Dr. Francesca Mangiatordi and her medical colleagues navigated on a daily basis, while Italy was at the epicenter of the outbreak.

Presented by FRONTLINE PBS, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:Dr. Michelle Williams: Dean, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard UniversityChristine Mitchell: Executive Director, Harvard Medical School Center for BioethicsSasha Joelle Achilli: Film Director/Producer of Inside Italy's COVID War, FRONTLINE PBSModerated by Raney Aronson-Rath, Executive Producer, FRONTLINE PBS

Photocredit: Courtesy of Sasha Achilli/FRONTLINE (PBS)

This virtual event will begin at 4pm Eastern Standard Time.

WGBH encourages you to use Zoom Webinar to watch for this event. Zoom is free to the public but you will need to download it to your computer first. You can download Zoom here. If you already have Zoom, you will not need to download the platform again.

We can deal with this virus’: In partnership with Johns Hopkins, UMass Medical School in Worcester needs vol – MassLive.com

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Danzig

Its been more than seven months since Massachusetts confirmed its first case of coronavirus in February.

Businesses have since shut down and some have reopened. Some are nearing their eighth month of closure. Masks have become an everyday habit akin to tying ones shoe.

As change remains constant in some sectors, for coronavirus patients, not much has changed in terms of treatment.

As of Sunday, Massachusetts reported 125,479 cases throughout the pandemic. The statewide death toll stands at 9,100.

When people are diagnosed, they just have to wait at home wondering if theyre going to get sick and go to the hospital, said, Dr. David Sullivan, Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. What were trying to do is stop the progression of the disease and stop from having to go to the hospital with treatment.

Once a patient arrives at a hospital theres still only so much doctors can do. While the world waits for a vaccine, researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have partnered with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester to develop a treatment to help patients ward off the virus early after diagnosis.

Theres plenty to do before the vaccine comes, Sullivan said. We know a vaccine is not going to be perfect. Theres going to be breakthroughs and we still need to come up with outpatient therapy.

The study, which will be conducted in part at UMass Medical School, looks at how blood plasma treatment can help patients early after diagnosis in battling off COVID-19, which has killed nearly 200,000 people in the United States.

The blood plasma treatment isnt new and has been used on illnesses in the past. Its effectiveness during this pandemic has been called into question, though. In August, the Food and Drug Administration held back an approval after top federal officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, criticized its effectiveness.

Unlike other treatments billed in the past, a plasma transfusion is safe for patients. Criticism only revolves around whether it successfully combats COVID-19.

However, Sullivan said past studies, like the one that drew hesitancy from government officials in August, focused on treatment after people had been hospitalized - meaning the virus was in advanced stages.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and UMass are focusing on plasma treatment for individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 but have yet to experience severe symptoms.

Sullivan believes if the plasma treatment is provided soon after diagnosis, it could fight off the virus before it strengthens.

Sullivan likened the treatment to a cup of water and a fire. A cup of water would have no problem dousing a lit match or two. However, the same cup would have little effect on a conflagration.

Were going to have the most reduction in the virus, the earlier we give it, Sullivan said.

The study is similar to groundbreaking research by Dr. Yang Wang at UMass. She and her team discovered antibodies that may provide effective immunity in the respiratory system against COVID-19.

Like Wangs research, the study Sullivan is leading focuses on passive immunity, rather than active immunity, which is how a vaccine works.

The plasma transfusion would come from a patient who has recovered from COVID-19. Because the recovered patient successfully defeated the virus, their plasma may be able to do the same thing for others. The plasma would aid the patient in fighting off the coronavirus before it strengthens and causes advanced symptoms.

The plasma treatment, Sullivan said, could provide immunity to the virus for up to two months. The study, funded by the Department of Defense, could be used to help first-responders, teachers or service members return to work with passive immunity to COVID-19.

If society is really going to start functioning, were going to need an outpatient therapy and thats what were trying to validate, Sullivan said.

Sullivan hopes to complete the study within a few months.

UMass Medical School is looking for volunteers for the study. Volunteers will be compensated $200, Sullivan said.

As Sullivan explained, the key to the trial is early treatment. Volunteers interested in participating must have been exposed to the virus within three days of contacting researchers. Those who tested positive must contact researchers within five days of diagnosis.

Those interested can contact Johns Hopkins at 888-506-1199 or http://www.covidplasmatrial.org to fill out the enrollment questionnaire.

Our important work continues even as the cases have waned here in Massachusetts. We are actively looking for patients who were either exposed to or just recently diagnosed with COVID-19, medical director of the UMass Cancer Center and associate professor of medicine Jonathan Gerber said.

Unlike a vaccine, plasma is available now and is inexpensive, Sullivan said. The treatment involves a single one-hour transfusion rather than two doses, which many of the late-stage vaccine candidates require.

A vaccine, Sullivan said, also comes with limitations. Some individuals who are immunocompromised will likely need the most time for a vaccine to respond in their bodies. It may not be effective for others.

We can deal with this virus, but we need people, when they have a COVID illness or exposure, they can make a difference, they can be part of the solution, Sullivan said. Participating in these trials is being part of the solution.

New family medical clinic opening in Rigby next week – East Idaho News

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

Dr. Jared Potter and his wife Bonnie pose for a photo inside their office at 480 Rigby Lake Drive. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

RIGBY A new family medical clinic is opening in Rigby next week.

Dr. Jared Potter with Rigby Family Medicine tells EastIdahoNews.com theyre opening June 1 at 480 Rigby Lake Drive.

I trained to be a small-town doctor to do everything from newborns to end of life and everything in between, Potter says. We will be offering some procedures here like mole biopsies, warts, as well as treating skin tags, actinic keratosis (a rough patch on your skin that develops from years of sun exposure). We try to make things as simple and convenient as possible.

Potter says he grew up with a traditional idea of what a family doctor is, and developing relationships with patients is his number one priority.

A family doctor is someone that you know and have a relationship with and when you go to see the doctor, you (should be) seeing someone who knows you, your family and your history, Potter says. Youre seeing someone you know and trust and can give you the best advice for your specific situation.

Potter grew up in Maryland and started his undergraduate studies at Cornell University. After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he went on to graduate from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah before going back to Maryland for medical school.

He met his wife, Bonnie, while doing his residency in Salt Lake City and they now have five kids.

Ive been practicing in (Kaysville), Utah for the last 14 years and I really enjoy the people, but its not thesame environment I grew up with, says Potter.

He and his wife bought a cabin in Island Park several years ago. After spending lots of time there, Potter says they fell in love with the area and decided to open a clinic in Rigby because its similar to his hometown.

I remember the first time I was over in Broulims just how generally friendly everybody was and thats one of the things I like about this community and am excited to be a part of, he says. I like having a smaller practice, a more intimate relationship with my patients.

Potter says he enjoys practicing medicine and figuring out how to help people. Hes looking forward to serving patients in eastern Idaho and helping them live happier and healthier lives.

It was a very hard decision to move here from Kaysville because Im leaving patients Ive known for 14 yearsbut I look forward to developing those (kind of) relationships (in Rigby), Potter says. I think theres a need for more family doctors in this area, and with the growth in Rigby, I think this is a great opportunity.

Rigby Family Medicine works with all insurance providers and will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (208) 745-3500 to learn more.

Dr. Jared Potter | Courtesy Bonnie Potter

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Former nurse awarded Volunteer of the Year from Holland Medical High School – KTAB – BigCountryHomepage.com

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Danzig

ABILENE, Texas (KRBC/KTAB) It didnt take a pandemic for Clare Nickel to understand the importance the medical field and next generation of medical professionals have on our everyday lives.

Theyre going to be the future healthcare givers in our society, in our town, and I love being a part of their education. I love teaching them what I know and passing that on, she said.

Thats why when the retired nurse of over 40 years was awarded Holland Medical School Volunteer of the Year, she was grateful.

I appreciate the award, Nickel said.

But its still been business as usual.

Shes not the one thats going to do it for the recognition, Principle Jennifer Seekins said.

She said those in the medical field rarely get the appreciation they deserve. Before the shutdown happened, Nickel assisted students in nursing homes, but soon that wasnt an option for them anymore.

But Mrs. Nickel wasnt done with the students, and the students still needed Nurse Nickel. They still had to finish off skills to prepare for their exam, she said.

I was able to receive on the computer videos of their skills they would do at home, Nickel said.

From feeding a patient to taking their blood pressure.

I would write back to them and say step number one, great. step number two do it this way.

she just can get herself from helping the next generation.

I guess once a nurse, always a nurse. Its hard to imagine coming to Holland and Nurse Nickel not coming in and being a part of that CNA program.

This is Nickels second time receiving the award for Volunteer of the Year from Holland Medical High School.

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Former nurse awarded Volunteer of the Year from Holland Medical High School - KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com

Doctors to end strike as government puts healthcare policy on hold – Korea Biomedical Review

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Danzig

The medical community agreed to end the ongoing strike, as the government and the ruling party promised to put on hold plans of increasing doctors and establishing a state-run medical school. The agreement between the doctors group and the ruling party stated that they would discuss key healthcare policy issues from scratch.

According to the Korean Medical Association and the Democratic Party, the two sides on Friday morning agreed to work together to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and advance the public healthcare sector.

According to the accord, the Democratic Party and the KMA decided to hold discussions on increasing medical school admissions and setting up a new public medical school until the Covid-19 outbreak eases. They said the sides would form a consultation body after stabilizing the pandemic and reviewing related issues with all possibilities open.

The agreement also included that the ruling party and the government would not push related legislation during the consultation period.

The Democratic Party said it would endeavor to secure a sufficient budget to improve public healthcare institutions' competitiveness and their quality of medical services.

The ruling party also said it would provide administrative and financial support to improve the medical training environment for interns and residents and working conditions for fellow doctors through law revisions.

The health and welfare ministry and the KMA agreed to work together to provide better medical services for rural areas and essential medical care, enhance medical education and training, and battle Covid-19.

The ministry and the doctors group were scheduled to hold the signing ceremony on Friday afternoon.

The agreement between the KMA and the health and welfare ministry, released before the signing event, includes forming a special commission to develop plans to support medical care in provincial areas, nurture essential medical care, improve the training environment for junior doctors, discuss enhancing the structure of the national health insurance review committee, and establish a better medical delivery system.

They agreed that the health and welfare ministry would actively reflect the result of discussions at the special commission in the governments plan to advance the public health sector.

They also agreed that the commission of health ministry officials and medical professionals would discuss issues involving four healthcare policies increasing doctors, establishing a public medical school, allowing insurance benefits for traditional herbal medicines, and allowing telemedicine.

After reaching the agreement, the health and welfare ministry asked medical school students who refused to take the state medical licensing exam, to apply for the test.

Following the agreement, interns, residents, and fellow doctors are likely to return to work from the two-week strike nationwide.

kss@docdocdoc.co.kr

TCOM creates office of student success – fortworthbusiness.com

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Danzig

The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine is taking the next step to create a welcoming environment for all of its students with the creation of the Office of Medical Student Success. The office will be led by Dr. Rynn Ziller, who has been appointed Assistant Dean for Medical Student Success, the college said in a news release.

Melva Landrum, who had been the Assistant Director of Advising and Career Development, will assume the role of Director of Medical Student Success within this office.

I am excited about the opportunity to have a more comprehensive impact on our students success and well-being while they are in medical school, Ziller said. Our goal is to provide the support needed to ensure each student reaches his or her full potential, both personally and professionally.The Office for Medical Student Success was created to provide TCOM students a welcoming environment, timely and accurate advising, and programming designed to enhance their professional development. It will oversee an expansion of its career advising services for current students as well as past graduates.

We are so excited to expand the services for our medical students, Landrum said. As the needs of medical students grow for them to find success in both undergraduate and graduate medical education, the services that our department offers have become more extensive in the areas of advising and career development and through programmatic efforts.The Office for Medical Student Success also will lead TCOMs plans and commitment to increase Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives, provide strategies to promote medical student well-being and organize those major school events that celebrate the milestones of their medical school careers.The creation of this new office will create additional value within TCOM and provide resources needed by TCOMs medical students to achieve success.

A medical schools success can only be measure through the success, experiences and supportive environment of our students who have entrusted us in guiding them to their ultimate goal, TCOM Dean Dr. Frank Filipetto said. I look forward to the leadership Dr. Ziller will bring in her new role and the team she will lead in support of our students. FWBP Staff

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Black Health Matters: New Surgeon at SSM Health Seeks to Raise the Standard of Care for Women of Color – St. Louis American

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Danzig

Diversity and inclusion to me means that everyone out there has the same access to health care and the same quality of health care, not just health care, said Dr. Jovita Oruwari, an oncologic breast surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, black women and white women get breast cancer at about the same rate, but black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than white women a rate of about 40 percent higher. In her new role as an oncologic breast surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital, Dr. Jovita Oruwari seeks to reverse this statistic. Diversity and inclusion to me means that everyone out there has the same access to health care and the same quality of health care, not just health care, said Oruwari, who began her new role on September 1. Its got to be quality of care. Everyone deserves that because everyones health matters. Its really about access.

To do this, sometimes it means bringing health care to areas where it can be easily accessible to those in need or bringing people to health care facilities.

We need to try to do things to be able to achieve equitable health care, Oruwari said.

Its so important because as for people of color and breast cancer, we know that the rates of breast cancer are higher in white women, but when black women do get breast cancer, we are more likely to die from the disease. This shouldnt be so.

Reasons for this disparity are varied. Sometimes, black women present symptoms later than other racial groups. Other times, black women seek treatment later, Oruwari said.

We need to find a way to bridge that gap (in order) to make health care available so that we can decrease those mortality numbers, she said.

Female physicians of color are rare. African-American doctors who actively practice medicine make up only 5 percent of the total number of physicians in the United States, according to a 2018 self-reported survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Data documenting the number of African-American women who are breast surgeons was unavailable by press time. However, according to a 2013 Women Physician Workforce data chart from the AAMC, black women made up 7 percent of active physicians in the U.S. workforce. Currently, the American Society of BreastSurgeons (ASBS) has a membership of 2,950 in the U.S. workforce, according to ASBS personnel.

Oruwari, discovered the idea of becoming a breast surgeon during her residency. I was fortunate enough during my residency to rotate and work with a female surgeon who did breast surgery, and that had a profound effect on me, Oruwari said. At the time, Oruwari didnt know that becoming a breast surgeon was a career path available to her.

I went to medical school under the premise of wanting to be a doctor so that I could help people, and I wanted specifically to be a gynecologist because I was a woman, and thats what we did.

And then, somewhere towards the end of medical school, I happened to go through my general surgery rotation and I loved it! I loved being in the operating room. I loved holding a scalpel in my hand. I loved opening up the body and curing illnesses and diseases. It was just really fascinating to me. Just being in the operating room, to me, felt like home.

Also, at the time, breast surgery wasnt a specialty. The female physician who Oruwari shadowed had been performing breast surgery for years, Oruwari said.

She was really a pioneer, Oruwari said. As a woman doing breast surgery, I loved the way she interacted with her patients.

While the discovery of becoming an oncological breast surgeon fascinated Oruwari, she said the micro aggressions she faced during her residency were challenging.

I was told, Maybe you should do a different specialty than this, Oruwari said. A lot of times, as a person of color going through training, your mind is really numb to everything that you go through because the goal is to get through it. So, a lot of those things (micro aggressions), I really didnt think about until recently.

It took her ten years to go back and visit the hospital where she trained because of the stress and not wanting to be reminded of discrimination. During that time, she said, you wonder whether or not youve experienced racism or sexism. Looking back, Oruwari said she had the support of family, medical school staff and colleagues.

Oruwari is a native of Imo State, Nigeria, and moved to the United States with her family when she was 11. She grew up on the East Coast in New Jersey and New York. She then completed medical school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-University Hospital, a residency at UMDNJ-University Hospital and a fellowship in surgical breast oncology at Brown University Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. The St. Louis Cancer and Breast Institute recruited her in 2001.

Oruwari hopes her presence at SSM Health DePaul Hospital will encourage more black women to seek regular checkups, as well as seek follow-up treatment earlier if they suspect or discover a problem.

Representation matters, she said. Im hoping that my being there as a person of color will give me more visibility to (black women) and that they know I am there for them.

Im going to be a part of their breast wellness and get them that next level of care that they may not have had.

Oruwari said she also hopes that through her representation she will encourage more black youth to consider a career in medicine and offered some advice.

Do a lot of research in medicine, and look at different medical specialties, she said. Volunteer at a hospital to make sure that you like it. Expose yourself to different doctors and shadow physicians in both offices and surgery.

While youth will need to wait until high school to visit hospitals, Oruwari encourages students to start thinking of careers early.

I think that when careers are talked about to kids, its got to start young, in elementary school. Make medicine an option. Kids need to see physicians that look like them. This is only a beginning.

UM School of Medicines Institute of Human Virology Recruits Top HIV/AIDS Epidemiologist Shenghan Lai Along with Team of Researchers – Newswise

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Danzig

Newswise Baltimore, MD, August 31, 2018 Robert C. Gallo, MD, the Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, Co-founder and Director of the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Man E. Charurat, PhD, MHS, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Division of Epidemiology & Prevention and CIHEB Global Director at the IHV, announced today that Shenghan Lai, MD, MPH and Hong Lai, PhD, MPH, in addition to three staff members, and two more to add, have joined the Institute of Human Virology. The faculty began their positions on April 1 with Professor and Associate Professor academic appointments in the UMSOMs Department of Epidemiology & Public Health.

Dr. Shenghan Lai was most recently Professor of Pathology, Radiology Epidemiology and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (JHM). He began his research in HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in the late 1980s. His research interests include epidemiology, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, STIs, prevention and intervention, cardiac imaging, preventive cardiology, medical consequences of HIV infection, and international health.

Dr. Hong Lai was most recently Associate Professor of Radiology at JHM. Since 2002, she has been the lead epidemiologist on five National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded studies investigating HIV/cocaine-associated comorbidities. These include coronary calcification, left ventricular regional dysfunction, the presence and development of coronary stenosis, coronary plaque progression and cognitive decline.

We are pleased to have Dr. Shenghan Lai and Dr. Hong Lai join the Institute, said Dr. Gallo, who is also Co-Founder and International Chairman of the Scientific Leadership Board of the Global Virus Network (GVN). Together, they will add depth to our Division of Epidemiology and Prevention and provide opportunities for cross-collaborations within the Institute.

The research team led by Dr. Lai has accomplished a lot, especially for Baltimore City, said Dr. Charurat. We are excited to have them continue scientific advancements here.

Dr. Shenghan Lai has been heavily involved in epidemiology and prevention of HIV infection in countries with greater HIV prevalence for more than 10 years. He has focused on high-risk groups such as intravenous drug users, sex workers, and men who engage in sex with other men. Dr. Lai is recognized as a leading epidemiology researcher in the infectious disease epidemiology, and world renowned for his research on the effects of HIV infection and cocaine use on sub-clinical cardiovascular disease. He is the principal investigator of several NIH-supported studies, focusing on HIV natural history and cardiovascular complications of HIV and drug abuse. Dr. Lai received his degrees from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He has more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters.

The Institute, led by Dr. Gallo, has a long history of serving the medically underserved African American population in Baltimore, said Dr. Shenghan Lai. We look forward to further exploring why HIV or other factors influence comorbidities among one of the poorest communities in this country. Our highest priority is to use science as a weapon to fight against health disparities and IHV is the best place for us to achieve our goals.

Dr. Hong Lai is the lead author of several publications demonstrating that the use of cocaine promotes subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in users with HIV infection. Further, she identified that reduced cocaine use with a cash-based incentive intervention was significantly associated with a lowered endothelin-1, endothelial marker, and reduced coronary plaque burden in chronic cocaine users with existing coronary plaques.

In addition to growing our cardiovascular research, we look forward to expanding our studies in two new areas., said Dr. Hong Lai. These include improving our understanding of how HIV, drug abuse - especially opioid - and other factors exacerbate cognitive decline among underserved population in Baltimore and reducing health disparities among Baltimores African American population.

With more than 100 publications, Dr. Hong Lais key contribution to science includes the first report that vitamin D deficiency is associated with hidden heart disease among underserved African Americans with HIV infection.

These new faculty members will provide crucial expertise in HIV to help us strengthen our departmental programs in infection control and in health disparities and population health, said Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg, Professor and Chair of the Department Epidemiology & Public Health.

University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is University Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, added, I want to extend a warm welcome to these new faculty members, and I am eager to see the cross pollination that will take place as they share their expertise and enter into important research collaborations that will advance the field of HIV epidemiology, he said.

About the Institute of Human Virology

Formed in 1996 as a partnership between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland Medical System, IHV is an institute of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is home to some of the most globally-recognized and world-renowned experts in all of virology. The IHV combines the disciplines of basic research, epidemiology and clinical research in a concerted effort to speed the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics for a wide variety of chronic and deadly viral and immune disorders - most notably, HIV the virus that causes AIDS. For more information, http://www.ihv.org and follow us on Twitter @IHVmaryland.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

The University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 and is the first public medical school in the United States and continues today as an innovative leader in accelerating innovation and discovery in medicine. The School of Medicine is the founding school of the University of Maryland and is an integral part of the 11-campus University System of Maryland. Located on the University of Marylands Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine works closely with the University of Maryland Medical Center to provide a research-intensive, academic and clinically based education. With 43 academic departments, centers and institutes and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians and research scientists plus more than $400 million in extramural funding, the School is regarded as one of the leading biomedical research institutions in the U.S. with top-tier faculty and programs in cancer, brain science, surgery and transplantation, trauma and emergency medicine, vaccine development and human genomics, among other centers of excellence. The School is not only concerned with the health of the citizens of Maryland and the nation, but also has a global vision, with research and treatment facilities in more than 30 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu.

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